Page 156 of Perfume Girl
“Fine. You?” I wanted to run into his arms, press my face against his chest and breathe in his scent.
“I’ve been doing a lot of thinking.”
“Oh?”
He gave a shrug. “I need to send you a check for the time you were with us.”
“That’s very honorable.”
“I’m an honorable man.”
My gaze snapped to the guests overlooking the glass banister. “Which scent are you showcasing?”
He went to answer and then hesitated.
“Is it mine?”
“Yes.”
I swallowed grief in all its cruel forms. It was done, it was over, and any returning to anuswas impossible.
“Raquel, we need to do what’s best for everyone.” He let out a deep sigh as he held my gaze.
“I want you to know, Astor. My feelings for you are genuine. I never meant to hurt you. I saw a chance to get my formula back and took it. Not once did I set out to cause you any pain. You and I—”
“You should have told me, Raquel. Just come out and told me what was going on.”
“I wasn’t sure if you were in on it.” I turned my gaze to the water. “As I got to know you I knew you could never do something like this.”
“This is what I propose—”
“This is not about money or opportunity. That perfume means more than all of that. To me it’s something special. To me it’s the essence of—”
“Love.”
A wave crashed over my feet but I hardly noticed it.
Himknowing what this scent meant to me made the agony soul-deep. I had poured years of work into trying to recreate that feeling of a happy childhood…before innocence was lost. Until now, nothing I had created had come close.
My affection for Astor had been the final part of the process in helping me intuitively find the rest of the way to a formula that was right. A love that couldn’t be.
Tell him, tell him all of it. Let nothing be left unsaid.
“So, you finished the formula?” I asked.
He glanced back at the party. “Which one?”
“I’m talking about mine. I added the final touch, Astor. Whatever you did with it would never make it as profound as what I’ve come up with.”
He looked surprised, as though I was still betraying him.
Tears stung my eyes. “I wasn’t ready to create it until now. This perfume reminds me of the purity and innocence of my childhood. It was my time with you that helped me finish it.”
Astor stepped closer. “Let me hold you.”
I needed to resist this man’s charms, but as he wrapped his arms around me and I rested my cheek against his chest, it felt right and I had to surrender to the comfort of his embrace. We fit together so well, and it distressed me to think of all I’d lost and of all that really mattered…him.
“What is she doing here?” Penelope snapped from behind us.
