Caroline looked out the window with a huff. "Can you believe they're putting in a Mikaelson's next door?
Bonnie, stocking a shelf full of colorful art books with faeries on their covers, looked up with a rueful smile. "They can put it anywhere they want, unfortunately, Care."
"Ok, but seriously, Bon, what kind of totally inconsiderate douche takes a look around this whole freaking city and goes, oh, hey, right there next to that teeny little independent art supply store-that's the perfect place for my crappy mega art Wal-Mart where I mark everything 80% down because some poor Chinese kid is starving on the three pennies a day I pay him so I can pocket the rest of his wages?"
Bonnie chuckled. "Tell me how you really feel, why don't you, Caroline?"
"I'm just saying, is all. They're going to drive us out of business. I love this place, Bon," she whined, and bounced a little in her chair. Her curls shivered with this violent motion, and one tumbled off where she had artfully arranged it on her shoulder. With a sigh, she looked down at the box of stencils on the table in front of her, picked one out, and morosely swung it in its little plastic sleeve.
"Why don't we worry about that if it actually happens?" Bonnie suggested diplomatically, and dusted her hands as she finished with the shelf. "Let's talk about your new friend." She smiled teasingly.
Caroline brightened a little, and stood up with the box of stencils in her hands. "We talked again for a while last night. Like, Bon, I don't think I've ever met a guy like him before, he's smart, he's sweet, sensitive, he knows so much about art, he's been all over the world, seen all the great museums, he's just so…worldly. And he's not at all pretentious about it," she gushed.
"Sounds like you really like this guy. So when are you going to actually take your romance to real life?"
She walked over to the section of the store where they stored the stencils, and began to unload the box, taking big bunches at a time. "I don't know. I want to, don't get me wrong, but what if actually meeting him ruins it? What if he's just not the same in person? What if…I don't know…what if the chemistry's not there?"
"You mean, what if he's not hot?"
"That's not what I said! Ok…but yeah, what if he's, like totally…" She paused and let out a low woof. "I mean, not to be a bitch, but let's not pretend that doesn't matter. As it stands right now, he's sweet, smart, sensitive, and he looks like Tom Hiddelston."
Bonnie smiled perniciously. "But what if he's even better in person? He could be The One for all you know, Care. And you deserve that, after how things ended with Tyler."
She waved her hand, and brushed her hair from her eyes. "Yeeaahh…let's not talk about that. It'll just remind me that men suck, and I hate them." She tossed another few stencils on the low metal shelf, and adjusted another gleaming bright gold curl hanging down right past her eye.
The bell over the door tinkled.
"I'll take this one, if you can finish with the stencils," she told Bonnie, and when her friend nodded, Caroline handed the box over to her and walked toward the front of the store, adjusting her name tag.
A guy had just walked in. He had blonde curls, bright blue eyes, and a charming smile, and she felt her stomach flutter a little. She hadn't seen a guy this good-looking in a long time.
Her new customer had on a nice suit, really expensive by the look of it, and this way of walking like he owned anything he stepped on, and when he turned those gorgeous sapphire eyes on her, she felt another little flutter in her stomach, and she mentally slapped herself. Pull it together, Care! This is a customer!
"Hi! Can I help you?"
Oh God he has dimples he has dimples oh my God Forbes shut up and just help the man find his pencils or whatever the hell he's looking for instead of violating him with your eyes.
"Yes…" he trailed off, and glanced at her name tag. "Caroline, is it? Would you mind just showing me around the store a bit, love?"
Yeesh. And an accent. Hold onto your panties, Forbes.
"Okaaay…sure! Is there anything specific you're looking for? We're small, but we have a great selection of general art supplies, some craftsy type stuff, DIY jewelry, that type of thing, and we have one of the biggest pencil selections just about anywhere. Basically any brand you can think of." She saw Bonnie peek out from behind one of the shelves, and widen her eyes. They met gazes.
"Oh my God!" Bonnie mouthed.
"I know!" Caroline mouthed back.
"Nothing specific, love," he replied, and she tingled a little bit when he called her that. "Just thought I'd have a peek around. We are going to be neighbors after all."
She stopped walking. "Excuse me?"
He nodded out the window to the building next door.
Bonnie got her attention by waving her hand, and shook her head as soon as Caroline looked.
"So are you the manager of Mikaelson's Crafts, then?" Her voice was dangerous.
He dimpled again, and laced his hands behind his back. "The owner, actually. I thought I'd see what the space had to offer, for the time when I inevitably begin to expand."
"Excuse me?" she practically shrieked, and Bonnie pressed one hand to her forehead, and vanished around a shelf. "What are you trying to say?"
"I think we both know your little shop isn't long for the world, sweetheart."
"Don't call me sweetheart. I cannot believe you seriously have the gall to waltz in here all, all British charm and dimples in your stupid pretty rich boy suit like 'Oh, hello, by the way, love, I'm going to own this in a couple of months'!" She crossed her arms.
He looked amused. "Do you know who you're talking to, love?"
"A big, showy jerk," she replied crisply, arms still crossed.
He shrugged. "It's only business, Caroline. Let's not be so touchy, shall we? I'm sure we needn't make the next couple of months unpleasant."
"You just told me you intend to get me shut down!"
"I didn't. I implied the market will do it for me."
"Ok, well, nice talking to you, you can see yourself out now, Mr. Mikaelson. Please don't come back any time."
"It's Klaus. Mr. Mikaelson is my father."
"Then bye, Klaus," she said rudely, and motioned toward the door.
He stood and gave her the stupid dimply smile, not moving an inch.
Take a deep breath, Care. Do not let this guy get to you. That's exactly what he wants. And like hell are you going to give this smug douche what he wants.
She raised an eyebrow coldly at him.
He actually had the stone cold nuts to reach out and touch a strand of her hair, very softly, with a hand she thought was too gentle for a man like that, and there was stunned silence for a moment as he cocked his head and thoughtfully studied the curl on his finger.
She jerked her head back so it slipped from his grasp.
He gave her that really slow iniquitous smile again. "I'll be seeing you, Caroline."
"Wow," Bonnie said when the door shut behind him.
"Yeah," Caroline replied.
Missmystic312: i met the biggest jerk today.
hybrid heart: I assume he escaped the worse for it?
Missmystic312: i may have given it to him a little. he was just super smug and unpleasant and i only talked to him for about three minutes, but it was the most unpleasant three minutes of my life. ugh. i wish more men were like you.
hybrid heart: We can't all be so lucky. ;)
Missmystic312: this is me rolling my eyes. anyway how are things with your family? i remember you said there was some family drama recently. did things work out? do you want to talk about it?
hybrid heart: It's just some unpleasantness with my younger brother again. He's rather the black sheep of the family. Always stirring up our mother and father. Anyway. I'd rather talk about you.
Missmystic312: you always say that.
hybrid heart: Because I want to know everything about you. Your hopes, your dreams, Caroline…everything.
Missmystic312: seriously, I'm a small town girl who moved to New York and opened an even smaller art supply store after Broadway didn't work out. not that fascinating.
Hybrid heart: Did you really want to be on Broadway?
Missmystic312: does anyone who move to new york NOT want to be on broadway?
Hybrid heart: I had enough of the spotlight as a child, frankly. Ours was a very prominent family, you know. Piano lessons, art lessons, dance lessons, we were all well-versed in being rich little showpieces.
Missmystic312: that sounds really lonely.
Hybrid heart: What do you mean?
Missmystic312: that's what you always talk about, you know. what your parents made you learn, not your own passions. it sounds like they never let you be a kid, or an individual.
Hybrid heart: You aren't wrong. There were always…expectations for us.
Missmystic312: and that's ok, but what about what you want? you can't put your kid on like a suit and wear them through the life you didn't get to have, you know?
Missmystic312: oops, crap. sorry. i have to go. still at the office, and I just heard one of my co-workers drop something that was probably kind of expensive, judging by the big crash i just heard. same time tomorrow night?
Hybrid heart: Of course. Good night, then, Caroline.
Missmystic312: good night!
Caroline closed her laptop and leaped up from her chair, accidentally knocking it over. "Bonnie? Are you ok?"
Klaus sat back in his desk chair and folded his hands, mulling over these last words but picturing helplessly a pair of beautiful, fiery cobalt eyes.