Chapter Ten
Astrid
I waited until I saw him walk away from the front of the shop before I let out a squeal and did a silly little dance around the shop. After that, I grabbed my phone and punched in Piper's number. She answered on the second ring.
“Astrid, is everything okay?” she sounded panicked.
“I'm fine,” I said. “Why wouldn't I be?”
“Because you like never call me.”
I looked at the phone for a moment before putting it back to my ear. “That's not true.”
“That's so true.”
I shook my head, grinning. “You're never going to believe who just came in here.”
“The delivery guy from the thrift store you usually shop for clothes at?”
I laughed. “You're funny,” I said. “Now, shut up and remove that stick from your ass.”
Piper was laughing along with me. “I have to get to a meeting in a couple of minutes so tell me quick.”
“Quint,” I said. “He apparently looked up the shop and showed up here.”
“Please tell me you did him on the counter right then and there,” Piper said. “Please tell me that.”
“You're such a whore,” I laughed. “No. But I did accept his invitation to dinner.”
She whistled low. “Wow, look at my girl go,” she said. “What got into you?”
I shook my head. “I really don't know,” I said. “But there's just this weird – connection – between us. I know he feels it. And I've felt it since the night we met him.”
“That connection is actually your terribly underused lady-bits screaming out for attention.”
“Oh my, God,” I said. “Is everything about sex with you?”
“Well – yeah,” she said. “Nothing wrong with enjoying the pleasures of the flesh.”
“And there's also nothing wrong with getting to know somebody before you start banging them.”
“Yeah, I suppose,” she said. “If you're into that sort of thing. Personally, I find it's easier to not even ask them their name. Makes it easier to tell them to get out in the morning.”
I laughed. “I love you, Pip,” I said. “Even if you are the world's biggest turbo-slut.”
“Well, we're all good at something,” she said. “So, where is he taking you? Going back to Heat? Or maybe some other chic little spot?”
“Actually, no,” I said. “I'm thinking about making him take me to Pete's.”
There was a pause on the line. “You're kidding, right?”
“Why would I be kidding?”
“Because somebody like Quint is upscale and refined, Astrid,” she said. “He's used to the finer things.”
“True,” I said. “But I'm not one of the finer things. I'm not so upscale and refined. If he wants to date me, he's going to have to learn how to be a common man too. If he can deal with a dressed down, casual meal at someplace like Pete's, maybe he can handle me too.”
She paused for a long moment, as if weighing my words. “Maybe you're right,” she said. “I didn't look at it that way before. But you have a really good point.”
“Of course I do,” I said.
“I'm proud of you, Astrid,” she said.
I giggled. “Why would you be proud of me?”
“Because what you did today is a big step. It's huge,” she said. “Two weeks ago, if Quint had walked into your shop, you would have run out the back door. But now? Now, you not only accepted his invitation, you dictated the terms of the date. That's huge, Astrid. That's why I'm proud of you. Listen, I have to scoot. But you and I are going to be talking more about this later. Love you.”
“Love you too,” I said.
I disconnected the call and leaned back against the counter, thinking about what she'd said. I guessed that I hadn't really thought about it before, but she was right. I had no idea where that burst of confidence had come from. From the moment I'd met Quint, he'd intimidated me. A few days ago, I probably would have run at the sight of his shadow.
But today? Today, I'd agreed to a date and told him exactly what that date was going to be. I had no idea where that surge of backbone had come from. All I knew was that when I was standing there next to him, I felt something electric coursing through my body. It was like a river of electricity in my veins. I half expected to see lightning bolts shooting out of my eyes and fingertips.
Whatever it was though, it had given me a boost of confidence. The boost I needed, apparently. I didn't know where it had come from, but I liked it. I liked it a lot.
I looked at my watch and saw that it was just after two in the afternoon. I still had a little time to kill, since I wasn't closing up shop until five. So, I contented myself with dusting shelves, making sure everything was stocked, and helping my customers as they filtered in.
But the entire time, I kept my eye on the front windows, looking for the slack, blank faces of those people who'd been watching me. I knew they were out there. I could feel them somehow. I just didn't know where. What worried me most though, was the idea that at some point, they were going to stop watching and do something to me. What that was, I had no idea, but it chilled me to the bone nonetheless.
I was going to have to be vigilant and arm myself with something – mace, a club, something.
But with the clock finally striking five, I closed my shop and dashed home to get ready for my date with Quint.