The Dream Isn't Done

So tell me darling, do you wish we'd fall in love?
All the time, all the time



“I swear to you, Nadine, it was the most awkward job interview I have ever been to,” I told my best friend as we entered a second-hand bookstore that was located a few minutes away from my apartment. The guy from behind the counter looked up at us as we entered and I raised my hand in a greeting, taking notice that it wasn’t the regular guy who worked here, before continuing. “I don’t think he looked up at my eyes for the entire time.”

“Was he at least nice to look at?” Nadine asked as we browsed the shelves.

I gave her a pointed look. “Not even a little.”

My best friend stifled a giggle as we walked down to the back of the store. “He was actually a little creepy,” I told her, pulling an aged book from one of the shelves and flicking through it. “He looked old enough to be my dad.”

“That is creepy,” Nadine agreed.

“How did the date with that guy go the other night?” I asked, changing the subject. “I haven’t talked you in a while.”

“Ugh,” she groaned, leaning up against a shelf. “Complete idiot.”

“Of course he was.” I sighed. “You’re never going to find a man around here who isn’t under the delusion that he’s God’s gift to all things female. It’s a fact.”

Nadine shot me a grateful smile as the ring tone for her cell phone sounded through the small store. “Just a sec,” she said, flipping up her phone. “Hello?”

While Nadine chatted next to me, I took a moment to appraise the new guy behind the counter. He was cute enough. Unruley, loose brown hair, dark brown eyes, maybe a little on the scrawny side. He seemed thoroughly engrossed in the book he was reading, paying little mind to Nadine and me.

“I’ve got to go,” Nadine replied, sighing as she interrupted my thoughts. “That was my room-mate. Something about a busted pipe, I wasn’t really listening but I better go before Antoinette loses her mind.”

“Okay,” I laughed. “You have fun with that.”

Nadine rolled her eyes. “I’ll try my very, very hardest.”

“Bye,” I smiled, waving her off.

Nadine left the store, the bell over the door announcing her departure. I continued to browse through the vast assortment of books and finally, ended up deciding on a battered, dog-eared copy of A Tale Of Two Cities.

“That’s a wonderful choice,” the guy from behind the counter told me as I laid the book in front of him. A Scottish accent was thick in his words and he smiled at me as he checked the price of the book.

“I hope so,” I agreed. Deciding to be a bit bold, I said to him, “You’re not Luc.”

He glanced up at me, amusement in his eyes. “Excuse me?”

I flushed at his gaze, but continued. “Luc. He’s the guy whose usually here. I was just wondering where he is.”

The man smiled at me. “I know who he is. And Luc has a few days off this week.”

“Oh,” I nodded. “I see.”

“So, I overheard you telling your friend about your job interview. Sounds uncomfortable.”

“You were listening?” I asked, shocked.

He looked at me simply. “You were loud. And this is a small store, miss.”

I chuckled. “I suppose it is.”

He smiled, shaking his head. Reaching under the counter, he pulled out a paper bag.

“So, if you’re not Luc, who are you?” I asked, curiously.

“Alexandre,” he told me.

“Alexandre,” I repeated, smirking a little.

“What’s funny about that?” he asked me.

“Nothing, it’s just… well, Alexandre doesn’t really seem to fit your accent. Alexandre is French and, excuse me, but you’re quite obviously not.”

“Aye,” he agreed. “That I’m not. But my mum is.”

“Oh,” I blushed. “I see. Désolé.”

“Don’t worry about it,” he assured me. “It was a harmless mistake…”

“Quinn,” I told him. “My name is Quinn.”

Alexandre handed me my book, his fingers grazing mine as I took it. I met his gaze and he winked at me, taking my hand in his own murmured, “l’histoire de ma vie.”