I-used-to-live-in-London accent added to her air of entitlement and confidence. She adjusted her ebony glasses and eyed Aidan.
He held out his hand. "Aidan Cooper."
"Parvani Hyde-Smith." She beamed her best future executive boardroom smile and shook his hand. Her gold bracelets slipped from her coat sleeve and softly clattered together. To me she said, "Tiffany texted me she won't be sitting with us. She wants to see the foreign film showing at the same time. So I have an extra ticket."
"Tiffany chauffeurs Parvani and her brothers," I explained. Because Mrs. Hyde-Smith would rather shop or go to the spa than drive carpool.
Parvani pulled two tickets from her handbag, handed one to me, and offered the other to Aidan. "I need to give Tiffany's ticket to someone. Are you free? We're going to the one o'clock show."
Aidan shoved his fingers through his hair. "Sure, if Salem doesn't mind."
Heat rose from my toes to my cheeks.
"She's totally fine with it," Parvani declared.
"Hello? I'm standing right here!" What was Parvani doing? Setting us up?
Aidan stepped back. "Maybe we should do this some other—"
"No, come with us." I had already blown it once with Aidan. I wasn't sure how many chances the universe would give me. "You'd be doing a public service."
His lips curled into a puzzled grin. "By keeping you from feeling like a fifth wheel?"
My blush intensified to a wildfire on the heat and embarrassment meter. "That, and someone has to stop Evie from throwing herself at the screen. She has a serious crush on Shay Stewart."
"It's settled, then." Parvani placed the ticket in Aidan's hand. "See ya." With a triumphant smile and swing of her long dark hair, she pivoted and strode in the opposite direction. Listening to her heels clack against the concrete walkway as she threaded through the crowd, I couldn't decide if I wanted to hex her or thank her.
****
Theater nine was located upstairs, just past the concession stand and the girls' bathroom. Parvani and Zhù led the pack, tossing unbuttered popcorn at each other. Parvani had sprung for three super-sized popcorn orders. I considered it reparation for wrecking the grimoire. Everyone had bought bottled water except Evie and Aidan, who both claimed they weren't thirsty. Each had asked the cashier for a free cup of water.
I stood on my tiptoes and peered into the dim, crowded theater. "Do you see any empty seats?"
"There are two over there." Jordan pointed to a gap high on the left.
"We'll never find six together," Zhù said. "You and Evie should grab them."
"Go!" Parvani said. Jordan and Evie sprinted for the stairs.
"Looks like four together down there." Aidan nodded toward the back row in the section closest to the screen. We dashed for them, only to discover coats on two of the seats.
"These two are free." A woman holding a box of frozen bonbons pointed to the seats without coats.
"Take them," I told Parvani, since she was closest to the seats and had, after all, paid for everything.
"But what about you two?"
Aidan touched my shoulder and pointed. "Check out those, and I'll scope this side."
I ran to the left and down two rows. The lights dimmed further, signaling the previews were about to start. "Are those seats free?"
The couple closest to the seats bobbed their heads. I waved for Aidan. Watching out for toes and trying to not spill the popcorn, I excused my way to the empty seats. Aidan reached me as the theater went black.
"Made it." Relief and excitement infused his words.
I giggled. "Ye of little faith."
An amused grin lit his face. Guess he hadn't realized I was capable of an expression other than scowling.
The first trailer roared onto the screen, an action flick with a thundering soundtrack. Behind us, a teen yelled, "Woo hoo!" at the screen. I jumped at the sudden, deafening whir of helicopter blades and almost dropped the popcorn. Aidan caught it.
"Only a few casualties." Aidan's breath was warm against my ear, further accelerating my heart.
He held out his hand. "Aidan Cooper."
"Parvani Hyde-Smith." She beamed her best future executive boardroom smile and shook his hand. Her gold bracelets slipped from her coat sleeve and softly clattered together. To me she said, "Tiffany texted me she won't be sitting with us. She wants to see the foreign film showing at the same time. So I have an extra ticket."
"Tiffany chauffeurs Parvani and her brothers," I explained. Because Mrs. Hyde-Smith would rather shop or go to the spa than drive carpool.
Parvani pulled two tickets from her handbag, handed one to me, and offered the other to Aidan. "I need to give Tiffany's ticket to someone. Are you free? We're going to the one o'clock show."
Aidan shoved his fingers through his hair. "Sure, if Salem doesn't mind."
Heat rose from my toes to my cheeks.
"She's totally fine with it," Parvani declared.
"Hello? I'm standing right here!" What was Parvani doing? Setting us up?
Aidan stepped back. "Maybe we should do this some other—"
"No, come with us." I had already blown it once with Aidan. I wasn't sure how many chances the universe would give me. "You'd be doing a public service."
His lips curled into a puzzled grin. "By keeping you from feeling like a fifth wheel?"
My blush intensified to a wildfire on the heat and embarrassment meter. "That, and someone has to stop Evie from throwing herself at the screen. She has a serious crush on Shay Stewart."
"It's settled, then." Parvani placed the ticket in Aidan's hand. "See ya." With a triumphant smile and swing of her long dark hair, she pivoted and strode in the opposite direction. Listening to her heels clack against the concrete walkway as she threaded through the crowd, I couldn't decide if I wanted to hex her or thank her.
****
Theater nine was located upstairs, just past the concession stand and the girls' bathroom. Parvani and Zhù led the pack, tossing unbuttered popcorn at each other. Parvani had sprung for three super-sized popcorn orders. I considered it reparation for wrecking the grimoire. Everyone had bought bottled water except Evie and Aidan, who both claimed they weren't thirsty. Each had asked the cashier for a free cup of water.
I stood on my tiptoes and peered into the dim, crowded theater. "Do you see any empty seats?"
"There are two over there." Jordan pointed to a gap high on the left.
"We'll never find six together," Zhù said. "You and Evie should grab them."
"Go!" Parvani said. Jordan and Evie sprinted for the stairs.
"Looks like four together down there." Aidan nodded toward the back row in the section closest to the screen. We dashed for them, only to discover coats on two of the seats.
"These two are free." A woman holding a box of frozen bonbons pointed to the seats without coats.
"Take them," I told Parvani, since she was closest to the seats and had, after all, paid for everything.
"But what about you two?"
Aidan touched my shoulder and pointed. "Check out those, and I'll scope this side."
I ran to the left and down two rows. The lights dimmed further, signaling the previews were about to start. "Are those seats free?"
The couple closest to the seats bobbed their heads. I waved for Aidan. Watching out for toes and trying to not spill the popcorn, I excused my way to the empty seats. Aidan reached me as the theater went black.
"Made it." Relief and excitement infused his words.
I giggled. "Ye of little faith."
An amused grin lit his face. Guess he hadn't realized I was capable of an expression other than scowling.
The first trailer roared onto the screen, an action flick with a thundering soundtrack. Behind us, a teen yelled, "Woo hoo!" at the screen. I jumped at the sudden, deafening whir of helicopter blades and almost dropped the popcorn. Aidan caught it.
"Only a few casualties." Aidan's breath was warm against my ear, further accelerating my heart.
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