What We Do in the Night (Day to Night #1) - Stylo Fantome Page 0,61

of blonde. Perfectly bleached and highlighted blonde hair, being flicked over a shoulder by a very practiced hand. Harper Kittering was at the other end of the bar, staring daggers at Ari while he stared condescendingly at Val.

Oh my god. He's here. And she's here. And I'm here. Oh my god. I thought our universes collided the other day, but I was wrong. It's happening here, right now, and if I'm not very careful, nobody in this restaurant will survive.

“Don't you think? Val? Valentine?”

Hearing her own name pulled her back to her senses, and she blinked her eyes rapidly as she focused on Ralph again.

“I'm sorry ...” she fumbled for her words. “This food, the wine, it's all so good it's sending me off to fantasy land. What were you saying?”

Valentine managed to keep up her side of the conversation, but just barely. She kept surreptitiously glancing around, trying to keep an eye on Ari. His back was to her now – he was with several other men, all in expensive suits similar to his own, though none wore them half as well. Harper seemed to be on a date with some guy, but obviously only to try and make Ari jealous.

It didn't seem to be working out too well for her.

When the maître d' collected Harper and her date, Ari still didn't look at her. She and her date were walked across the restaurant, and eventually out of Valentine's view. They were sitting somewhere behind her, so thank god she wouldn't have to look at the bitch queen all night. A moment later and Ari's party was also led to a table, somewhere she couldn't see, and she thought maybe she'd be able to start breathing again.

How big is this fucking city!? What are the fucking chances!? Did she see me? Did he? Maybe he didn't recognize me. I'm an idiot, of course he recognized me.

Val nodded along with whatever it was Ralph was talking about, but she felt like she was on the verge of hyperventilating. She didn't know why – it didn't matter that she happened to be at the same restaurant as them. It wasn't a big deal at all. Two of them were on dates, and Ari was with friends. Just a couple of normal people, taking a night on the town. Super normal. Valentine didn't care one little -

“Ralph?”

She gasped and jumped in her seat, her hand flying to her chest. Ari was suddenly standing right next to her, but he wasn't looking at her at all. He was smiling at her date.

“Ari Sharapov!” Ralph exclaimed, tossing his napkin onto the table and standing up. They quickly shook hands. “Nice to see you again.”

“It's been a long time,” Ari nodded.

“It has! I'm a little surprised you remember me,” Ralph chuckled.

Valentine was stunned, and also a little impressed. Ralph was an important, wealthy man in his own right, yet he seemed somewhat in awe of Ari. Maybe she needed to start learning more about Ari's life as a lawyer.

“Of course I do. How's your mother doing?”

The men fell into sort of an idle banter after that, still completely ignoring Valentine, which she was fine with – maybe they'd forget her all together and leave with each other. That would suit her perfectly.

But of course it couldn't work out like that, because she was Valentine – the unluckiest saint there ever was.

“Jeez, I didn't recognize you, Valentine,” Harper was suddenly at their table, frowning slightly as she took in what Val was wearing.

“Yeah, I clean up well, ha ha,” she tried to joke. “How are you, Harper?”

“Why don't you dress like this at school?” Harper ignored the question entirely.

Yeah, cause wearing an evening dress to school would be totally fucking normal.

“School?” Ralph finally remembered he was on a date, his gaze bouncing between her and Harper.

“Yes,” Val smiled. “I go to a design school. Ralph, this is Harper Kittering, a classmate. Harper, this is Ralph Spencer, he works for Boeing.”

“I think I know your father,” Ralph said, reaching out to shake Harper's hand. “And this gentleman here is Aaron Sharapov, one of the best corporate lawyers in the country, he-”

“He's my boyfriend,” Harper flicked her hair over her shoulder.

The tension was immediately palpable. Valentine refused to look at Ari. Ralph kept looking between both Ari and Harper. Harper smirked down at Valentine.

Ari just looked bored.

“We recently broke up,” he corrected her. “It was great seeing you again, Ralph. We'll have to meet up for tennis one