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“I need to use the bathroom, okay? We have been here for hours.”
He smiled, nodding while he stood to wait. Taking my clutch, I was extra careful with my steps, feeling his eyes on my back. It was only when I got into the restroom that I relaxed against the door for a second. My brain was all hazy, and I felt all...tingly. But I wasn’t sure if it was the wine or just me.
Both.
Walking into the stall, I had to become a freaking ninja to make sure I didn’t ruin my dress. I felt so much more aware of everything when I was next to him. Coming out, I washed my hands before checking my phone only to see a single text message from my mother. It appeared to have come through just when I left the house, but, I hadn’t noticed it.
Just be you. Don’t stress. How could he not like you?
I could only think of the ways. But I didn’t want them to come to the front of my mind. Instead, I moved to the other missed message or messages, as well as calls—all of them from Augusta.
Message 1: I don’t like it when we fight. Can we talk?
Message 2: Odette, are you at your place? I have ice cream.
Message 3: I see you are ignoring me, but at least hear me out, okay?
I didn’t want to read the rest. However, just as I was about to put the phone away, it started to flash. I had silenced it earlier, so I didn’t notice the notifications. Of course, it was Augusta calling. She always did this when we fought—called repeatedly and bugged me until I ended up forgiving her.
“Can I help you, Mrs. Washington?” I answered.
“Wow, you are really upset.” She made it sound like all she had done was steal my favorite shirt.
“I’m really busy, Augusta. Please stop blowing up my phone.”
“Busy? With what?”
I opened my mouth to say something but stopped. “It’s none of your business, and I have to go—”
“I paid part of your donations,” she said quickly, and I wasn’t sure if she was trying to help or make me angry.
“Why? Are you hoping I won’t rush off to get married then?”
“Seriously, Odette! What happened to not fighting with each other?”
“I’m not trying to fight. I’m trying to get off the phone, which I am doing now. Bye,” I said quickly before hanging up. Part of me—the part of me that really wanted to believe that she was just being a good sister—felt bad, but the other part of me couldn’t shake the doubt. It happened, and I needed space. I would talk with her about all of this, just not now.
Flattening my dress and fixing one of my curls, I tried to put a smile on my face. It was too much of a smile and looked I was cringing, so I just gave up and went out. Only to find Gale standing away from our table and closer to the windows, looking out. I wasn’t sure what he was staring at until I focused more on the actual view and not his back and the bottom of his neck right above the collar.
Get it together, Odette. I walked up to the table to drop off my stuff before going to stand beside him to get a closer look.
“It snows early here,” he said beside me. “Normally, in Ersovia, it does not snow until almost or right after Christmas.”
“It doesn’t snow that often here, either. It’s the first snowfall of the season. It’s beautiful,” I said, leaning toward the glass.
“Why is winter your favorite season?” he asked me.
I glanced up at him and met his gaze, which was now completely focused on me. His body even turned from the windows.
“You read that from my file?”
“Yes, but it did not tell me why.”
I tried to think of how to explain it. “It feels magical, and you see the best in people.”
“When they are frozen?”
“No. Remember earlier when you said I look at the end?”
