I Am Yours

two ~ eyes

Kieran

The woman who sits in front of me is not the same girl who I signed a marriage contract with seven years ago. 

Her eyes hold a sense of knowledge. She carries herself with the perfect level of certainty and humility. Her aura radiates warmth with a sharp edge. 

"This is a beautiful restaurant," Amandine comments, glancing around the room—high ceilings, crystal chandeliers, white tablecloths. 

"Yes, it is," I say cooly.

Tension between us remains thick, so thick not even a knife could slice through it with one go. Seven years of separation can do that to two people. 

She purses her lips lightly, and takes a sip of rose-colored champagne, keeping her elegant gaze locked on the table in front of us. 

"Was the finishing school nice?" I ask slowly, testing the waters of what exactly Amandine did and did not want to discuss. 

She nods, takes a small sigh, and her eyes flicker up to meet mine. I could melt in their sunset glow. "It was. I'm sure my father paid plenty for it," She pauses. "How have you been?" 

"Well." 

I am not talkative. I never have been. Amandine used to be the one to fill the silence with her vibrant chatter. But not now. 

Another nod. Another sip of champagne. Silence falls over us once again. I want to break it, yet I don't know what to say to her now. 

"My sister is excited for the wedding. The bridesmaids are wearing blush gowns—pink is her favorite color at the moment." 

"Oh?" 

A smile graces her lips. God, I've missed that smile. Her contagious laughter. The way she could fill a room with light the moment she entered it. 

"My wedding dress is beautiful, of course. All lace and silk and whatnot," She waves her hand absentmindedly. "You have a plain suit." She flashes me a sympathetic glance. 

Laughter rises from my throat. "Plain? Its price certainly wasn't." 

She raises an eyebrow. "Money doesn't equal quality." 

"Most of the time it does." 

She shrugs. Her lips tip upwards. "Believe what you want." 

"You were always stubborn." 

Amandine narrows her eyes on me. "I do not recall that. I believe I was the most agreeable one. You were the one who rejected everything. Remember the lemon tree?" 

I smile at the memory. Amandine wanted me to pick a lemon from the top of the tree—she claimed it was the best one for her lemon pie—yet I refused. 

"It was a safety hazard." 

"Says the one who climbed to the top of Lexington House." 

"You weren't the goody-two-shoes you claim to be, princess. You snuck four-year-old Scarlett into a black tie auction because you wanted to sell her for a lot of money." 

She wrinkles her nose. "She put my mother's lipstick on my newest dress. The punishment fit the crime." A nonchalant wave of her hand. 

The waiter arrives with our food. Amandine begins to eat slowly, taking long pauses between bites. I eat at a faster pace. 

"You eat like a rabbit," I note. 

"It's good for your digestive system." She sends a pointed look at my already half-eaten steak and vegetables.