Chapter 184: Coincidence II

Chapter 184: Chapter 184: Coincidence II

Vivienne reached the corridor outside the University Publications Society.

She slowed.

The door had a narrow glass panel running along one side.

She glanced through it.

Their club had not yet been dismissed.

Good.

She had arrived in time.

Vivienne stepped closer to the glass.

And then she saw him.

Christopher.

She stopped.

This was only the second time she’d seen him in person.

The first had been Sunday.

She remembered how handsome he was then.

Or at least, she thought she remembered.

It had only been one encounter, and now, with a few days of messages between them, she found herself strangely curious to see him again.

She wanted a second look.

Just to confirm what she already knew.

And then she saw him through the glass.

Christopher.

Vivienne stopped.

Oh.

Her memory hadn’t done him justice.

And she found herself staring.

Christopher sat among the other students, a pair of eyeglasses, which she didn’t see him wearing last time, were resting neatly on his face as he read through a document in front of him.

Looking at him now, he looked nothing like the twenty-two-year-old university student she knew him to be.

There was something mature about him.

Perhaps it was his height.

Perhaps it was the way he carried himself.

Or the quiet composure in his expression.

Or maybe just because of the additional eyeglasses which suited him rather well.

Even seated, he seemed to have a presence that drew the eye.

He looks older.

Not old.

Just...

The kind of man who could walk into a room full of people his own age and somehow look as though he belonged at the head of the table.

Vivienne’s eyes followed him as he turned a page.

Then someone beside him said something.

Christopher looked up.

And a moment later, he began speaking.

Vivienne couldn’t hear a word through the glass.

But she could see his lips moving.

Her eyes lingered.

Oh my God.

He was hot.

That was the first thought that came to her mind.

Not just handsome.

Not just attractive.

Hot.

The realization caught her completely off guard.

She had seen handsome men before.

Anthony was handsome.

Damian was unfairly handsome.

But Christopher’s appeal was different.

There was something about him that felt more mature.

More...

She didn’t even know.

Vivienne swallowed.

What would it be like to kiss him?

The thought appeared so suddenly that she nearly stepped away from the window.

Good heavens.

Where had that come from?

She pressed her lips together.

She was behaving like a teenager with her first crush.

Except she wasn’t.

She was twenty-nine years old inside.

She knew exactly what attraction felt like.

And this—

This was attraction.

Physical, immediate, inconvenient attraction.

Vivienne stared for another few seconds before finally catching herself.

Stop staring.

She stepped away from the glass.

She should leave.

Definitely.

Before he somehow looked up and saw her standing outside his club like a complete weirdo.

She took a few steps down the corridor.

Then glanced back.

Still inside.

Good.

She continued walking.

Then, after another few steps, she stopped.

She didn’t actually want to leave.

She wanted to see him.

Just once.

And perhaps—

She smiled faintly.

Perhaps she wanted him to see her, too.

That wasn’t asking for much.

Was it?

Vivienne looked around.

There was a row of benches farther down the corridor.

Perfect.

She walked over and sat down.

Then she realized she had nothing to do.

She looked at her hands.

That wouldn’t work.

She needed to look as though she’d been there for some completely ordinary reason.

Her eyes landed on a book lying among her things.

She picked it up.

Opened it.

There.

She was reading.

Perfectly normal.

Completely innocent.

She lowered her gaze to the page.

Three seconds later, she looked up.

Nothing.

She looked back down.

Another few seconds.

Up again.

Still nothing.

Vivienne sighed quietly.

Why is this taking so long?

She lowered the book again.

Then—

The door opened.

Students began filing into the corridor.

Vivienne immediately looked down at her book.

Then up.

No Christopher.

More students came out.

She lowered her eyes.

Then looked again.

Still no Christopher.

Maybe he already left through another door.

She tried to convince herself she didn’t care.

Then another group emerged.

And there he was.

Vivienne’s heart jumped.

She immediately looked back down at her book.

Too late.

Christopher had already noticed her.

He slowed slightly as he approached.

There was a brief flicker of surprise in his expression.

Of course he was surprised.

Why wouldn’t he be?

She was sitting outside his club with a book in her hands.

Vivienne lifted her gaze.

Their eyes met.

She smiled.

"Senior Archibald."

Christopher stopped.

A small smile appeared on his face.

"Lady Beaumont."

Vivienne’s cheeks warmed.

"What a coincidence."

The words left her mouth before she could think better of them.

Christopher’s smile deepened slightly.

"Indeed."

He didn’t question it.

He didn’t ask why she was there.

He simply stood before her, perfectly polite.

Vivienne closed her book.

"Are you heading back to the dorm?"

"No."

Christopher adjusted the folder beneath his arm.

"I’m meeting some friends."

"Oh."

Vivienne nodded quickly.

"I see."

She suddenly felt foolish.

She hadn’t actually thought beyond seeing him.

Now that he was standing there, she had no idea what she was supposed to say.

"Well, in that case..."

She smiled.

"Take care on your way."

"Thank you."

Christopher inclined his head.

"You too."

He gave her another polite smile.

"Have a nice day, Lady Beaumont."

"You too."

And then he walked away.

Vivienne watched him go.

She remained seated for several seconds.

Her book was still open in her lap.

She hadn’t read a single word.

Her cheeks were warm.

Her heart was beating faster than it had any reason to.

And yet—

She was happy.

She hadn’t expected a date.

She hadn’t expected him to ask her to go somewhere.

She hadn’t even expected a particularly long conversation.

She had simply wanted to see him.

And he had seen her.

That was enough.

For now.

Vivienne lowered her gaze to the book again.

A helpless smile crept across her face.

What a coincidence.

She almost laughed at herself.

It hadn’t been a coincidence at all.

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