Chapter 6: In the Loveseat
** Harper **
Harper wondered if her jaw was hitting the ground. "J-Just you and me?" she gasped. "What do you mean? You didn't ... buy out the entire venue, did you?"
Well, according to their website, there were only ten seats at this theater to begin with. But judging from how exclusive and mysterious this place appears, simply one of those tickets must cost quite a bit.
Eli chuckled. "Sorry to disappoint. I didn't. Quite the contrary, I bought only one seat for the two of us." Flashing an elusive smile at her, he strode toward an unmarked entrance and held the door open, revealing a tiny elevator inside. "After you, my lady. You'll see what I mean soon enough."
Harper shot him an amused glance. "Saving more surprises from me, I see." She eased her way into the small metal cage. "Are you trying to keep me in a constant state of shock the whole time you're in town?"
Eli arched an eyebrow as he followed her and clicked the elevator door shut. "That would be difficult to achieve. I'm moving back for a new job, and I expect it to last quite a while. It wouldn't be healthy for you to stay shocked so permanently."
Harper was caught off guard by that. When she first found out Eli was in town, she had simply assumed that he was here for a business trip or vacation. But he was actually moving back to Davenshire permanently? They were going to be neighbors living in the same city again?
"Oh ... Congratulations?" she offered as she let the implication of the news sink in. "That's a big change. Do you like the new job so far? Which company is it?"
"A bank in the Golden District, similar kind of work as my previous job. It's good for paying the bills, but honestly, I'd say I like my side projects a lot more. Especially when it gives me interesting stories like yours to read."
The elevator dinged their arrival, saving Harper the effort to come up with a not-too-embarrassed response about her book. The door opened, leading them into an open space that looked like a lobby.
This was the theater? Harper glanced around curiously. The lobby was long and narrow, almost like a hallway, the entire length of its back wall draped in red curtains. She didn't see anyone around, though she could hear a few occasional muffled laughs coming from behind those curtains.