I finally left the factory and found that he hadn't been lying. I was close to Haven. So close that I was able to walk there in under ten minutes. Funny, my feet didn't even hurt anymore from wearing the high heels. I think I was numb.
Numbness would help.
It was just before midnight by the time I entered the club. I'd been gone for two hours.
The club was now packed. Valentine's Day was a good night for business in a place that served blood and booze. This was the last night it would still be Haven. Tomorrow it might look the same, but it would be different—kind of like me.
"Sarah!" Amy called and approached me. "How did it go with Veronique?"
I blinked at her and then forced a smile. "It went okay."
"Glad to hear it Listen, I wanted to wait until you came back to say bye. Me and Barry are headed out. He's taking me dancing."
"That sounds fun."
"Definitely. See you later!"
And then she was gone. I scanned the floor for George, but he was very busy waiting on all the tables for his last chance at getting tips here.
Ron the bartender waved at me and gave me a thumbs-up. He pointed to a shot glass in an unspoken question of whether I wanted a shot of my favorite blood type.
Be positive.
I shook my head.
And then I summoned my inner actress, the one who never had a chance to really shine because her little light had been snuffed out too early by feminine hygiene commercials, lousy auditions, and general bad luck, and together we went to Thierry's office.
The door was slightly ajar and I took a deep breath before I pushed it open.
Thierry's head was down as he studied some papers, but he looked up at me and smiled.
"Sarah, you've returned. I thought for a moment that Veronique had taken you back to
Paris with her."
"Nope. Still here."
"Did everything go all right?"
I shrugged. "Depends what you think is all right."
"The papers?"
"She won't sign them."
His smile faded. "I see. Well, I will have a conversation with her before she leaves town.
Perhaps I can still persuade her—"
I waved my hand. "No, forget it, Thierry. It's not necessary."
He frowned. "Veronique is a very stubborn woman. But if she can understand that this is what I want as well—"
"No. Let's just drop it. Can we do that?"
"Of course." He leaned back in his seat. "Is everything well?"
I sighed and it sounded shaky. "Oh, yeah, everything's peachy. Just fabulous."
Inner actress. Summoning. Couldn't look directly at him. Had to make this quick. Quick like pulling off a Band-Aid and it might not hurt so much.
"It's not too late if you wish to go somewhere this evening," he said. "To celebrate
Valentine's Day and your receiving the gold chain." He paused. "And I do want to apologize. I know I've been a bit overbearing when it comes to my opinion of this Red
Devil impersonator. Perhaps you're right and he only has your best interest at heart.
There's room in the world for heroes of all shapes and sizes."
"Overbearing," I said, and tried to laugh a little. "Yeah, you're definitely that."
His brow lowered. "Pardon me?"
"You're overbearing. Way. I normally don't mind so much but for some reason lately it's really been getting on my nerves."
"Is that so?"
"It is." I shook my head. "I think I should thank Veronique. She came at the exact right time to help a lot of things crystallize for me. I hate to admit it, but I think she might be right."
"Might be right about what?" His tone was even.
"The annulment being a stupid idea. I mean, seriously Thierry, it's only been ten weeks.
I've left milk in the fridge for longer than that. It's the blink of an eye for somebody your age."
"This is Veronique's opinion? That ten weeks is not long enough to constitute a worthy relationship?"
"Actually, I think it might be my opinion. Ten weeks. Almost all of it difficult."
"We have had our difficulties."
I laughed, and it sounded amazingly convincing. "Difficulties? Well, let's see about that.
Yeah, there are difficulties. You being overbearing and unemotional. That's a couple of them. There's also you being judgmental, possessive, and jealous."
He stood up, his brow deeply furrowed. "And this little outburst was inspired by your chat with Veronique, was it?"