Page 50 of A Midnight Kiss on Ever After Street
‘No, I…’ He’s taken aback and the stutter prevents him from finishing the sentence.
‘Then goaway.’ She peers at him with her nose turned up. ‘Who are you anyway?’
I roll my eyes, wondering how many times I’ve introduced him now. ‘This is Witt, Ebony. He’s the Cinderella Prince looking for Princess Charming.’
‘But it’s nice to know I’m so memorable,’ he says, his cheeky smile belying a sense of edginess, while I wonder how on earth someone can see tall, gorgeous Witt andnotremember him.
‘A man in a dress shop is off-putting. Women might see you here and think it’s creepy. Why is a man hanging around a dress shop if not to perv on the customers?’
‘I’m not perving on the customers, I’m perving on Sadie.’ He holds up a hand and closes his eyes in embarrassment. ‘That came out very, very wrong. I didnotmean I’m perving on you, I meant I only have eyes for you. No. Wait. I mean, I’m only looking at you. No, that sounds even worse. Oh hell. Do you have a dark room I can go and lie down in?’
In the middle of what was a serious conversation, I’m trying valiantly not to laugh but I can’t do it. It gets the better of me and I burst into giggles so hard that I knock my water bottle over and he hides his face in his hands with such force that he knocks his glasses askew and sinks down into one of the chairs usually reserved for waiting husbands or friends minding shopping bags, shaking his head at himself.
I can’t deny the swell of affection for him again. My heart thumps extra hard and warmth fills me. It’sniceto hear that, and even nicer that he spoke up for me. When it’s just us and he’s relaxed and unpressured, it’s easy to forget how much the stammer affects him, but with other people here, watching him, waiting for his words to come out right, he gets flustered and self-conscious. ‘Witt’s a friend here to talk to another friend. He’s not doing any harm. Some customers have actually asked for his opinion and been glad to have it, and he’s such a gentleman that even if they ask him, he gets their permission before looking. He won’t even undress a mannequin without protecting her plastic modesty.’
Ebony scowls at him and then me. ‘I don’t like him here.’
‘Well, he’s my guest and he’s welcome here,’ I snap. ‘In two weeks, he’s done more to help The Cinderella Shop than you have in months.’
‘It’smyshop. I’m the boss and I’m getting heartily fed up of no one listening to me!’
‘Okay, fine. Be the boss instead of flitting around on holidays all the time. See what it’s like to actually work here. Take note of what our customers want. Because I haven’t had a day off in many, many years, and I’m going on strike.’
‘What?’
‘What?’ Witt looks up, but his half-joking words earlier put the thought into my head. Something has got to change, and if that starts with Ebony actually having to do a day’s work, then it may as well start right now.
I hold my hand out and Witt lets me pull him to his feet and instead of letting go, his fingers close tighter around mine.
‘You can’t do that,’ Ebony barks. ‘You’re going to leave Scarlett on her own all day?’
‘Can’t stop! Hairdressing clients!’ Scarlett reappears from the back room with her hairdressing toolkit over her shoulder and hurries out the door, Witt and I swiftly following behind.
‘Scarlett! Sadie! You, tall man! Come back! You can’t just leave me here!’
We don’t stop running until we reach the benches in the middle of the street, out of Ebony’s sightline.
Scarlett turns around and gives us a thumbs-up as she rushes to take refuge in the hair salon with Jackson, ignoring the distant sound of wailing from behind us.
Witt’s hand is still in mine, his chest heaving from the unexpected run, and his eyes shining with that sense of fun that makes everything seem better when he’s around. ‘I’m so proud I could kiss you!’ He suddenly looks horrified and his cheeks redden. ‘Er, except I won’t, because that would be weird and unwarranted. Sorry, things keep spilling out of my mouth this morning. I didn’t mean that comment in there either. You know how much I stumble over my words when I’m nervous. I just meant I’m here to see you, not your customers. Nothing else.’
‘I know. Wait, I thought you were here to find your missing Cinderella.’ To be fair, ithasbeen many days since he even looked at the emails.
‘I think we both know that’s not going to happen, but I can’t tear myself away, no matter what your aunt says. Let’s face it, she’ll have forgotten me by the next time she comes in anyway.’
‘Believe me, no one couldeverforget you.’
That fizzle passes between us again. My breath comes in short bursts and I can’t look away from him, as though a magnet is pulling us closer. Somehow my other hand has found his other hand and we’re just standing in the middle of the street, holding hands, and smiling at each other for no reason.
I’ve had a thing for his hands since the moment he held one out to me as we left the study on the night of the ball, and if anything it’s only got stronger as I’ve got to know him. Everything seems right with the world when his fingers are entangled with mine, and the thought of how easy it would be to kiss him flits around like a really devilish hummingbird. What he said the other day, about how kissing me at the ball felt like I was already his to kiss is how I feel too, and it would be so easy. His tongue wets his lips and his head dips slightly, like an invite, and if I just pushed myself onto my tiptoes…
Luckily, a gust of wind whips up and smothers my face with my hair, turning me into some curly version of Cousin Itt and swiftly wiping out any prospect of sexual attraction.
I push a hand through my hair to get my curls off my face. ‘So what are we going to do with this unexpected day off stretching out before us?’ I look up the hill and the spires catch the early sunlight and glint back at me. ‘You need help at the castle?’
‘Nah, I’m on strike today too.’ He thinks about it. ‘What about we grab lunch to-go at the tearoom and then… will you walk with me?’
‘I’d love to.’
