Gold Digger – Story 28 – THE INTRODUCTION

So.

Saturday was a bookshop.

Adam’s idea. The kind of place with a cat by the door and shelves that don’t make sense and someone at the desk with opinions about everything.

We’d been there maybe twenty minutes.

Adam was in fiction.

I was holding a book I wasn’t reading.

Then I looked up.

Richard was at the end of the aisle.

Three seconds of silence.

Richard recovered first.

Because Richard always recovers first.

“Mila.”

“Richard. I didn’t know you -“

“Saturdays.” He said it simply. “The history section.”

Of course.

Of course he has a section.

Then Adam appeared at my shoulder.

Already holding two books.

Of course.

He looked at Richard.

Richard looked at him.

Half a second.

Significant amount of information.

“Adam, this is Richard.”

They shook hands.

Nobody performed anything.

Which somehow made it worse.

Richard stayed four minutes.

I know because I counted.

He asked Adam about the books he was holding.

Actually listened to the answer.

Was warm and genuine and completely, infuriatingly Richard about the whole thing.

Said it was good to see me.

Meant it.

Said nice to meet Adam.

Meant that too.

Went back to history.

Adam watched him go.

Looked at the shelf for a moment.

Then:

“That seemed important.”

“What did?”

“Him.”

“He’s a friend.”

Adam nodded.

The way people nod when they’re deciding not to push something.

We paid.

At the door the cat moved and we both stepped around it at the same time without looking at each other.

Outside he said:

“Next time just tell people I’m your boyfriend.”

Not jealous.

Not making a scene.

Just – factual.

I stopped.

He was already looking at me.

“Okay,” I said.

“Okay,” he said.

We walked.

Spreadsheet status:

Adam → boyfriend. said it on a pavement outside a bookshop. I said okay.
Richard → history section. Saturdays. was kind. filed under: complicated.
D → [row does not exist]

Adam said: that seemed important. I said: he’s a friend. Neither of us believed me. – Mila