3. The Meet Cute Scene

3

The Meet Cute Scene

Emma

Our small pedestrian street—or lane, as we call it—has never been this packed despite the fact that most stores are currently closed. Besides our store, they’re shutting down the bar next door that Alice’s boyfriend, Deacon, owns, Mrs. Edibam’s flower shop, and Marissa and Beth’s coffee shop across the street for most of the summer. The girls opened Rise & Grind just three months ago, and they already have to close up shop. It’s a shame. But just like us, they’ve been generously compensated. Plus, Mrs. Edibam has been asked to make flower arrang ements for the movie, Marissa and Beth are providing the crew with coffee and pastries, and craft services has been set up in Deacon’s bar. Warlington Lane is still in development, but I think the rest of the shops here are able to operate as usual.

Large black screens cordon off our section of the street, camera and lighting equipment are scattered on the asphalt and sidewalks, and crew members are busy working. I knew it. With all this chaos, no one will notice us. Let alone Auston. I’m currently peeking around, hoping I can spot him, but so far, nothing.

I don’t know how long we’ll have to wait before something happens. They keep rearranging stuff in the store window or adjusting the lighting to be brighter, then warmer. Next, they film some test shots with crew members. Finally, they seem to be ready.

They’re about to shoot a scene. Maybe he’s going to walk out of the store? People get into position. Then, a bald guy with a mustache yells out, “Quiet on set.”

After he shouts a few more commands, a girl appears with a slate. “Scene Three. Take One.”

The store’s front door opens, but it’s not Auston who steps out, it’s Madison. And she’s even prettier in real life. The kind of girl everyone wants to be. Perfect sleek blonde hair, velvet skin, bright pink lips, sparkling blue eyes, and a flawless figure.

“She’s here!” Alice hisses as silently as she can, but I can tell she wants to squeal.

I get it. It is kind of cool. Madison White, America’s sweetheart, is on our street.

They film a few takes of the scene. It’s just her arranging books in the window display, then coming outside to see how it looks. In the story, Sarah just inherited this shop from her grandmother. So far, this scene is exactly how I pictured it in the book. I’m usually into darker reads, but this contemporary romance is one of my all-time favorites. Hayley’s and Alice’s too. On top of that, Madison looks exactly like Sarah is described in the book. They even nailed the clothing and hairstyle. Maybe this adaptation won’t be that bad.

“Kind of cool, right?” Marissa whispers behind me, making me jump. She owns the coffee shop across the street with her friend Beth. “Sorry.” She winces. “I wanted to steal a quick peek.”

“Mari, hey,” I say as I pull her into a side-hug. I know her name is Marissa, but I’ve been calling her Mari from day one. I was in a bad mood that day and, well, I’m lazy and it’s a three-syllab word.

“Where’s Beth?” Alice asks, peering over Mari’s shoulder.

“At her boyfriend’s,” she says, twirling a lock of her strawberry-blonde hair. “I told her I could manage whipping up coffee and pastries for one day. So, what’s happened so far?”

“It’s the meet cute, I think,” Hayley says. “You know, when she’s doing the display.”

“Oh! Yes.” She nods vigorously. Like us, Mari is a huge romance reader and regularly buys out a large portion of our stock. “So, Auston isn’t here yet, then.”

“No,” we all say at once, and a woman with a black bob spins around to shush us.

“Oops. We have to be careful,” Alice whispers, “or they’ll kick us out.”

We watch the rest of the scene unfold in silence, and my pulse quickens with every second that passes. Any moment now, Auston is going to make his entrance.

Finally, he’s here, walking toward Madison in a black suit that molds to his strong body perfectly. Tailor made, for sure. My heart skips a beat or two, and I hold my breath until he utters his first line.

I can hardly believe my eyes. It’s really him. After all this time, Auston and I are once again in the same place. He hasn’t changed at all. His short, dark-brown hair is styled nearly the same way it was ten years ago. The optimistic gleam in his eyes is still there too, but heavy stubble now frames his sharp jaw. I wonder if he always shaves this way or if it’s to embody Diego.

The chemistry is palpable as he and Madison exchange their first lines, and I suddenly feel warm. Very warm. Without thinking twice, I spin on my heel to leave.

“Wait, where are you going?” Alice asks behind me.

I ruffle my fringe. “I just need some coffee. Caffeine headache.”

Mari nods and steps in beside me. “Let’s go to the shop. You can’t go back to your apartment now.”

She’s right. The actors are standing right in front of the store, so I’d definitely be in the shot.

We enter her shop, and the toasty aroma of fresh coffee immediately soothes me. I can never thank them enough for opening this store across from ours. Even if all that coffee punctures my budget, I wouldn’t trade it for the world. Besides, being a bookstore owner has its advantages. I don’t spend as much on books as I used to.

The shop is decorated in white and beige, but a few Raptors banners hang on one wall, and they have a small Raptors merchandise display.

“How’s your dad?” I ask Mari as she pours me a cup of coffee. Lars Martin is the Raptors’ head coach.

“He’s fine,” she says with a smile. “Three players on the team won awards this year, so even if they did lose the cup, he’s proud of the team, and he’s already busy planning for next season.”

“Good. I hope they make it next time.”

“Me too,” she says with a sigh.

To be honest, hockey isn’t really my thing. But since the team helped put our bookstore together, we all became friends. Our street is very much a Raptors street now, with the coach’s daughter owning a business here, Hayley dating a player, and Deacon running a hockey bar next door. I don’t mind it, though. Even if hockey romance isn’t my kind of read, it’s a fun sport to watch. Especially when the players get smashed against the plexiglass. I’m always half-expecting the glass to shatter, but alas, it hasn’t happened yet.

What? Come on! It would be fun.

We’re about to head back out when a few crew members stride into the shop for a snack. I offer Mari my help, but she tells me she has it under control. The shop is pretty cramped and only holds a couple of tables, so it’s not long before it’s packed inside. Refreshed from my coffee fix, I walk back to the set.

“You missed the best part,” Alice gushes. “The scene where Diego helps Sarah pick up her books? Swoon!”

Hayley nods vigorously. “It was terrific. Even if he wasn’t broody enough for my taste.”

“Well, since they’re not shooting right now, I’m going back inside,” I say, jumping on the opportunity. Better to be stuck inside with my Kindle than out here in the wild.

“Oh, really? But it just started,” Alice says.

I scoff, glancing at my watch. “We’ve already been here for two hours.”

“Yes, but barely anything has happened yet,” she insists.

“Exactly my point.” I quirk an eyebrow. “Stay if you want. I’ll come back in the afternoon.”

“I’ll stay with you,” Hayley tells Alice. “We’ll miss some of the shoot during our trip, so I want to watch as much as I can.”

I swallow hard as reality hits me again. I really am the last one standing. Both of my friends have big plans for the summer with their boyfriends. Alice, Deacon, and his niece, Lola, are going to France with Maxime and Hayley. Both Alice and her brother Maxime were born in the US to an American mother, but they lived their entire lives in France with their dad, and they’re paying him a visit this summer. They invited me to come, and I honestly considered it since Lola is tagging along—she might be fourteen, but she’s a cool kid. In the end, I decided I’d rather stay here at the shop. Peopling isn’t my thing. Besides, I couldn’t leave our book store cat, Mr. Darcy, all alone. Or the production crew, for that matter. Someone needs to keep an eye on what they’re doing to our store.

I turn around to leave when Stuart, the assistant director, spots us.

“Hey! Did you see those first takes? What did you think?”

“It was so fun!” Alice says, nodding eagerly.

“Definitely,” Hayley adds. “Thanks for letting us watch.”

His eyes land on me, and I just nod, forcing a smile.

“Come on,” he says. “Meet the cast.”

“Oh n—” I try to get away, but I’m trapped between Alice and Hayley, who are already hustling behind him. Stuart looks around for a second. “Now, where did they go?”

“It’s fine,” I quickly say. “I’m sure they’re busy.”

“Ah, here’s Auston,” he calls. As if I hadn’t spotted him already. He’s chatting and joking with crew members like they’re old friends. On hearing his name, he turns around and saunters toward us. Stuart smiles at Auston and gestures toward our group. “Here are the bookstore owners. They live right above.”

Auston graces us with a full smile. It’s so bright and charming, it might have stunned me, because for a second, I’m unable to take a bre ath. “Nice to meet you. I’m Auston.” He extends his hand to Alice, who shakes it vigorously.

“I’m Alice. Such an honor to meet you.”

“Hayley. Pleasure to meet you,” she says in turn, shaking his hand.

Finally, he extends his hand toward me, and I catch his gaze. Part of me expects a frown, a furrowed brow—any sign that he recognizes me, but his expression stays neutral.

Of course he doesn’t recognize me. Why would he? Ten years have passed. Besides, we were only friends for a few months before he left. He might have been my first and only love, but even back then, I was already one of many.

“Hi, I’m Emma,” I say, striving to smile and look casual.

Who cares if he doesn’t remember me? I don’t want him to. It’s better this way. That was a long time ago, and I got over him. I’ll just erase the past from my memory and pretend that everything between us never happened. Just like he obviously has.