Vee by Alyssa Linn Palmer

Author:Alyssa Linn Palmer [Palmer, Alyssa Linn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

At the end of the evening, I’m surprisingly reluctant to leave, despite my lingering tiredness, and I can tell Vee doesn’t want to either.

“Bathroom,” I say, sliding off my stool. Vee nods.

When I return, she’s not at the bar. I scan the club but the light is dim and it’s hard to see far.

“She’s with Daniel,” says a French-accented voice from behind me. I turn. It’s the pianist. He holds a snifter of brandy and his bow tie is undone, draped around his neck, the top button of his white tuxedo shirt open.

“Is she?”

“Over there.” He indicates a corner on the other side of the bar. Vee throws her head back and laughs and Daniel laughs with her.

“Hopefully he’s not disappointed when he realizes he’s not her type,” I remark.

“Don’t worry,” Benoît says. “She’s not his type either.” He chuckles. “May I buy you a drink, madame?”

“Alex,” I say, holding out my hand. He clasps my hand and his fingers are warm, pleasant.

“Benoît,” he says. When he lets go of my hand, he waves the bartender over.

“I’ll have a kir royale,” I say. Benoît grins at my choice.

“Very French.”

“When in Rome,” I quip.

“Just so.” He glances over at Daniel and Vee. “She’s pretty. And that hair—I’ve rarely seen such a shade. She’s your petite amie?”

“She is. And Daniel—you and he are…?”

He grins then, a bright burst of joy, showing a dimple in his cheek. “Oh yes,” he says. “Je l’aime.”

I look over at Vee again. She and Daniel are talking and they seem already comfortable with each other. She’s not that much younger than he is, actually.

“Vous l’aimez, n’est pas?” Benoît asks, leaning on the bar. It takes me a moment to figure out what he’s asked.

“Very much,” I reply. So much it sometimes frightens me. This May-December thing hovers at the edge of my thoughts, exacerbating my tiredness. I can’t keep up. The bartender brings my kir royale.

“Santé,” Benoît says, and we clink glasses. “But you are worried about her age?”

He’s more perceptive than I’d realized. “We already get looks,” I reply. “She never notices them, but I do. People seem to think I should be her mother, not her girlfriend.”

“Are you happy?” Benoît is startlingly direct.

“Yes. I don’t know what I’d do without Vee,” I say. And it’s like Vee has heard me, as she turns to blow me a kiss.

“Then hold onto that, and don’t let others get you down.” Benoît takes a sip of his brandy. “I almost lost Daniel and I treasure every moment. Even coming here—it’s a miracle of sorts. For a long time I wasn’t sure we’d make it.” A shadow passes over his features and he pushes back the curls from his forehead. I don’t want to pry.

“Shall we join them?” I suggest. “Find out what they’re laughing about?”

“D’accord.” Benoît extends his arm in a very old-fashioned, gentlemanly way, and escorts me over. “Daniel, je presente Alex, la copine de Vee.”

Vee comes over to kiss me. I let go of Benoît’s arm and slip my arm around Vee’s waist.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.