Unexpected Presence [36]
Clark was looking outside the bookstore, observing the busy crowd.
The line to get in was long, with many parents holding books, accompanied by excited children. Some teenagers were chatting among themselves, while a few adults waited alone, all eager for the book signing event.
"Nervous about your book signing, Clark?" Lex asked, approaching Clark with a calm smile, although his eyes betrayed a slight concern.
"No, just surprised by the crowd," Clark replied, keeping a serene expression, although the number of people did impress him.
Click!
Chloe lowered the camera with a mischievous smile on her face.
"I guess I'll have to get used to my boyfriend's popularity."
Clark gave her a playful look.
"In a relationship, you have to make concessions about a lot of things, Miss 'I know how to separate personal from professional,'" he replied, with a teasing smile, recalling their previous conversation.
Noticing the moment between the two, Lex gestured to Clark.
"Let's take a picture for the *Inquisitor,*" Lex suggested, already joined by a journalist who was ready to capture the moment.
Clark quickly waved to Chloe before following Lex to the journalist. He knew this was just one of many camera moments he would have to face.
Click!
Click!
Click!
"That's all for now, Mr. Luthor," the journalist said, satisfied with the shots.
Clark followed Lex to the table where he would be signing books. The table was nicely decorated, with several photos of Clark holding the book, along with a prominent illustration of Harry Potter, drawing the attention of passersby. The atmosphere was lively, with everyone anticipating the start of the event.
Chloe stood nearby, smiling and adjusting her camera.
"Go ahead and sit down, Clark. I'll talk to security to open the doors," Lex said in a commanding tone before leaving to inform the guards.
Clark sat down, settling into the chair and surveying the room.
"Try to smile, Clark. Every time you talk to someone. And stop making that bored expression; you have a nice smile," Chloe teased, but with a hint of sincerity.
Clark smiled, a little more relaxed.
Smack!
Clark playfully slapped Chloe's backside, quick and unexpected.
"Ouch! What was that for?" Chloe said, not really angry, but surprised.
"Nothing in particular, I just felt like it," Clark replied with a mischievous grin.
"Save your 'feeling like it' for when we're alone," Chloe responded, raising an eyebrow, trying to keep the playful tone.
Clark smiled, saying nothing more, but the glint in his eyes showed that he enjoyed the interaction.
At that moment, the security guards opened the doors, and a steady stream of people began to enter, guided by the guards toward the table where Clark sat. He smiled at each person who approached, signing books and answering casual questions.
"Do you know what's going to happen in the next book?" an excited child asked, their eyes shining with curiosity.
"Maybe, but you'll have to wait to find out," Clark replied with a smile, handing back the signed book.
Time passed, and the questions kept coming, mostly varying between curiosity about the future of the characters and theories about the next book. Clark kept the pace, always responding with a smile and trying to maintain the mystery.
'Kids are really persistent.'
After 30 minutes of signing books and answering questions, the line finally started to thin. Clark relaxed for a brief moment, when he noticed a young woman approaching. She seemed to be around his age, and her delicate features caught his attention.
The girl handed him the book, and Clark opened the copy to sign it, but before he could do anything, she surprised him with an unusual question.
"Do you think magic is real?"
The question caught him off guard, but he kept a mischievous smile on his face.
"Yes, it's real. You need magic to write a book as fantastic as this."
However, the girl didn't seem satisfied with the answer. Her eyes showed a hint of disappointment. Clark sensed the discomfort and tried to ease the moment.
"Who should I make the autograph out to?"
"Zatanna Zatara," the girl replied without hesitation.
Clark froze for a second, his eyes lifting in surprise. He recognized that name. Zatanna Zatara, the famous magician, daughter of John Zatara. The surprise was clear, but he kept his composure as he continued the autograph.
Zatanna looked directly at him, a slightly arrogant tone in her voice.
"Recognize the name Zatara?"
Clark, without losing control, calmly responded as he signed the book.
"Yes, I do. But there are people waiting in line. We can talk later."
Despite the casual tone, Clark knew this conversation would resume later, and his curiosity grew. Zatanna discreetly handed Chloe a card, who was standing beside them, observing everything intently.
"I left my contact with your assistant. See you later, Clark."
Chloe was clearly uncomfortable with the comment. She was Clark's girlfriend, not his assistant, and the way Zatanna had addressed her deeply bothered her. However, Clark seemed oblivious to Chloe's discomfort, focused on keeping the autograph session going.
Zatanna took the book and left the line, while Chloe watched the scene with slight irritation. Clark, however, continued his work, unaware of the tension.
Another hour passed, and finally, the event came to an end. Clark felt relieved when the last fan left the line, and he could relax a bit.
Lex approached, smiling with satisfaction.
"Good job, Clark. Now you can head back to the hotel and rest. See you tonight."
Clark nodded, already feeling tired but grateful for Lex's impeccable organization. He glanced at Chloe, who was still holding Zatanna's card.
"Let's go, Chloe. I think we're done here for today."
Chloe, still a bit irritated, gave a faint smile and followed him toward the exit of the bookstore.
"Are you okay, Chloe?" Clark finally noticed that something was wrong.
"Yeah, I'm fine. It's just… assistant? Really?" she replied, with slight irritation.
"Maybe you should get a tattoo on your forehead that says 'Clark's girlfriend,'" Clark said with a playful smile, looking at Chloe.
Clearly annoyed, Chloe stomped on Clark's foot and quickened her pace toward the car.
Clark, feeling nothing, just watched as she walked away, a slight smile on his face.
"I guess she didn't like that joke."
He calmly followed her, already anticipating that he'd have to smooth things over later.
...
When they arrived at the hotel room, Chloe went straight to the bathroom, leaving her things on the bed without saying a word. Clark watched in silence, realizing that she was still upset about the earlier interaction with Zatanna.
Clark approached the bed and picked up the card Zatanna had left with Chloe. He flipped it between his fingers, reading the name and phone number elegantly written. 'Zatanna Zatara' was engraved in gold letters, with a mystical symbol beside it.
"Her father must still be alive. I should've tried reading her mind, but it could be dangerous for me… she might have some defensive magic."
Chloe came out, drying her hands on a towel and giving him a curious look.
"Aren't you going to call her?"
Clark looked at Chloe, realizing this wasn't the time for jokes. He set the card aside, walking calmly over to her.
"I have much better things to do than think about Zatanna right now," Clark said in a suggestive tone, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her closer.
Chloe looked up, surprised, but didn't resist as Clark held her tightly, making it clear that the only person on his mind at that moment was her. The hotel room was silent, and the closeness between them made the air feel heavier.
Clark kissed her gently, letting the tension from the earlier conversation fade away. He knew that Zatanna and the mystery surrounding her could wait. Right now, he was entirely focused on Chloe, his hands sliding down her waist as time seemed to stop around them.
...
Lana sat at the Talon counter, stirring her coffee, with a satisfied smile on her face. She couldn't help but feel a sense of relief and, at the same time, triumph. The Talon, which had seemed to be losing the battle against the Beanery, was now on the verge of an important turnaround.
"The Beanery has several health code violations. When that comes out in the *Smallville Ledger* tomorrow, they'll practically be forced to shut down," Lana murmured to herself, looking out the window at the calm street.
She admitted, with a small smile, that she had enjoyed finding a way to secure the Talon's success. Playing dirty had never been something she thought she'd do, but in this situation, it was necessary. The Talon meant so much to her, and seeing the Beanery try to push it out of the market had left her desperate for a solution.
'I'm just making sure my business survives… nothing wrong with that.'
The newspaper wouldn't be published until tomorrow, but Lana could already feel that the Talon's future was safer. She stood up, grabbing her purse and preparing to close the café. The Talon was quiet that night, but the emptiness now felt like the calm before the storm of customers she expected in the coming days.
To read 7 chapters ahead, go to
pat reon.com/22Mirko22