Page 67 of The Paris Chapter

‘Poor Luke.’ I thought about it. I knew that I needed to forget my time in Paris with Ethan but I was still so curious about him. What was he doing in Paris? Did he think about me? What was happening with him and Juliette? I kept going to message her but I knew she’d talk about Ethan, and I was worried how that would make me feel. But I could do something they wouldn’t know about. ‘Why don’t we try Bon Appétit?’

Carly frowned. ‘Isn’t that where Ethan works?’

‘Ethan is in Paris.’ Joe had said the plan was for Ethan to quit working in the London restaurant and work at Juliette’s Cinq while they got their own restaurant going. ‘I’d like to try hisdishes there. See where he worked. I don’t know, it just seems fitting after writing this scene.’ I thought about my first kiss with Ethan in Paris. It had been incredible. There was no doubt he was inspiring my novel even though he was miles away right now.

‘As long as it doesn’t upset you. I could go for fancy French food. I’ll book us a table.’

I wondered if I should tell Ethan I was going to eat there, but we’d had no contact since that last day in Paris so I chickened out. Maybe I would tell him what I thought after the meal instead.

That evening, I pulled on my outfit – leather-look leggings, a striped T-shirt – and sat on my bed to do my makeup. I curled my hair and put in a pair of hoop earrings. I stepped into my boots and added my black leather jacket before standing in front of the mirror to look at my reflection. If I was honest with myself, I felt confident and pretty. If I had been going out with Joe, I would have felt like I needed to wear a dress and that would have made me feel uncomfortable, so I would have spent most of the evening watching the clock for when I could be home and relaxed again. I wished I had realised those feelings were not something to ignore. I wished I had realised he wasn’t making me feel good about myself. But I had stuck my head in the sand, telling myself he was the kind of man any woman would want to be with. I just forgot to make sure thatIwanted to be with him.

I was determined not to make that same mistake again. My phone beeped telling me my Uber was here, so I grabbed my coat and bag, then headed out and jumped in the car for the short drive to Bon Appétit.

As soon as I walked in, I instantly knew the restaurant Ethan worked at was very different to Juliette’s family’s place in Paris. There were round, white tableclothed tables, a cream carpet and pale chairs with white walls and a chandelier hanging from the ceiling. The glasses sparkled and the cutlery was polished to perfection. There was a pianist in the corner. We were led to our table by a straight-faced waiter dressed all in black. It all felt perfect but almost cold. Whereas Juliette’s family’s restaurant, Cinq, had felt warm and I had been welcomed like an old friend.

Carly and Luke waved to me from the table they were already seated at close to the window and near to the kitchen, so I hurried over and after we’d hugged, I joined them.

The waiter came over and took our drinks order and suggested we try the tasting menu, which we all went for. I looked at it, wishing I knew exactly which dishes Ethan would have created or would have been preparing for us in the kitchen had he been here.

‘I’m starving,’ Carly said. ‘I hope we get big portions.’

‘I think it might be too fancy for that,’ Luke told her.

‘Joe told Ethan this place was too fancy for me, which was why he never brought me here,’ I said then.

Luke stared at me. ‘Why?’

‘I think he thought Ethan might tell me about Rachel if I spent too much time with him,’ I said.

‘What a dick,’ Carly said. ‘I hope neither you nor Ethan have to see him again.’

‘I definitely won’t but he and Ethan have been best friends for so long, I wonder…’ I trailed off as I heard someone behind me say Ethan’s name. I turned around to see the waiter telling the table they could pass the compliments to their chef himself.

Following his gaze, I saw the kitchen’s double doors swing open.

My breath caught in my throat as a man came out and headed for the table behind us, a smile wide on his face, his blue eyes catching in the lights.

‘Oh my God,’ I said.

‘What’s wrong?’ Luke asked as Carly twisted in her seat to see who I was staring in shock at.

‘Ethan’s here,’ I said, frozen as I watched him walk past our table without noticing me to speak to the people wanting to compliment him. I blinked, doubting my eyes, but there he was. Just a few feet away from me.

Ethan wasn’t in Paris after all.

‘Ethan?’ Carly cried.

She said his name so loudly, he heard and turned to look over at our table. His eyes found mine and our gazes locked, the shock on his face mirroring mine as he registered that I was in his restaurant.

Before either of us said anything, the kitchen doors opened again, and out came Juliette. She saw me instantly. ‘Tessa!’ she said, stopping short. She looked over at Ethan then back at me. ‘Quelle surprise.’

That’s an understatement.

32

Ethan finished greeting the table behind us then walked over as Juliette did the same. I couldn’t stop staring at them both being here in London. I was so confused. My pulse sped up as I looked at Ethan. I was still so attracted to him, and seeing him again made my heart ache.

‘Oh, are you Carly?’ Juliette said after she leaned down to kiss me. I was so dumbfounded, I barely returned it. Juliette gave me a funny look. ‘Bonjour! I’m Juliette, Tessa’s French friend.’ Carly and Luke introduced themselves to her as I was still speechless.

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