“I love you too, Ava,” he says, and I hear the emotion in his voice. “I didn’t know that this form would allow me to feel as intensely as it does, but every intellectual thought I had about you has transformed into something so much more since I could see and touch and hear. I love you, and I’m in love with you.”
“Hal,” I say. “I had no idea.”
“Honestly, neither did I,” he assures me.
“I don’t know how all of this is going to end,” I tell him. “But I do know I would like it if we could share our first kiss with each other, if that’s okay with you?”
“It’s more than okay,” he says. “Shall we?”
I nod. Hal’s eyes focus on my mouth as he gently takes my chin between his thumb and forefinger, lifting my face towards his. When our eyes meet, I feel a rush of warm affection flood through my body. Our lips, soft and gentle at first. I feel the heat of his skin against mine. It feels natural and easy. Winding my arms around his neck, I deepen our kiss. It’s tender and gentle, full of affection and understanding.
When the kiss finishes naturally, our eyes are locked for several long seconds. The night is still and calm. All is well.
“Our first kiss,” I say.
“Our first kiss,” Hal says. “It was more than I could ever have imagined.”
“And now?” I ask him.
“Well that, Ava Green,” he says, “has always been up to you.”
The Final Week at the Castle
Chapter Forty-Two
I’ve been sitting on the floor of the lab since I arrived here this morning. Just sitting and staring. This is not uncommon for me; I go through these peaks and troughs. Sometimes days and weeks happen when I can’t stop being brilliant. I don’t say that to show off; it’s just like brilliance happens and sort of comes tumbling out of me whether I want it to or not. And then there are times, like now, where I feel like I lack the technical skill to switch on a computer monitor.
That’s not exactly true, though. I’m sitting here in stasis because I know if I reconnect the lab to FreeThought’s audio and communication functions, Hal will be in the room with me, and I’m not ready for that. I’m not ready for anything. Which is weird because I feel like up until this point, I have spent my whole life waiting for something to happen. And now that it has, I want to stare at a wall for an indeterminate amount of time.
There’s a rap on the glass as my phone pings.
Rani—her message reads,wotchadoin?
Hauling myself up off of the floor, I open the door to find Rani leaning against the glass, with a bag of sugared almonds that shehas obviously stolen from the wedding favours table that’s being set up in the grand hall.
“What are you doing?” I ask her as she comes inside, offering me an almond.
“Nothing much. It’s quite nice in here, isn’t it,” she says. “Cool. Quiet. Free of love interests.”
“Well, one of my love interests is muted,” I say, returning to sitting on the floor. “I’m not sure if that counts as free of.”
“Can he hear us?” Rani whispers as she sprawls next to me.
“No, he’s completely cut off.”
“So, why are you looking all”—Rani gestures at me—“this?”
“Because the thing is, I really don’t need to do any more work, not for the big finale show. We are more than ready for that. Of course there’s always something we can be working on, solving another global issue, but you know, since the kissing and all that, I’m sort of a bit... confused.”
“This is why workplace relationships are frowned upon,” Rani says. “Hey, do that thing you told me about where you make the ceiling go clear so we can see the sky.”
I change the setting, and we both lie on the cool glass floor, looking up at the perfect summer sky.
“Nice day for”—I take the gauze bag of almonds from her and read the handwritten label—“‘Jessica and Eamon’ to get married.”
“Jessica is stylist to the stars, you know,” Rani says. “Dresses all the best. I’d list their names except that you are a pop culture vacuum and wouldn’t care. I’d love to talk to her, but I don’t suppose you should be pitching your vintage fashion brand on a girl’s wedding day.”
“So, what’s up? I thought you and Alex had everything sorted and were all good.”
