Page 82 of The Paris Chapter

‘It sounds great,’ I said, feeling really proud of him. ‘I love that you’re making your dream come true.’

Ethan turned to me as the others fired more questions about the venue to Juliette. ‘You helped inspire me to do it.’

‘How?’ I asked, liking the fact he’d dropped his arm to wrap around my shoulder. I loved how affectionate he was with me in front of our friends. Something again I hadn’t experienced, particularly with Joe, who had told me he hated all public displays of affection. Although, I guessed it had been to make sure no one saw us who also knew Rachel. Now, I could just relax and enjoy Ethan’s attention and touch. I felt just as comfortable here with him tonight as I had in bed with him.

‘You came to Paris scared you couldn’t write any more. You were blocked because of how hurt you were. But you didn’t give up. You kept trying and now you’ve almost written your novel. You used what happened to you to write a brilliant story. Even though it meant reliving all your hurt, and being vulnerable, because writing is your dream. You inspire me, Tessa. I thought my dream would never come true, but I know I can do it because you did.’

‘God, Ethan.’ I leaned in to kiss him. ‘I could only do it because of you. You took me to those romantic places in Paris, you encouraged me, you made me believe in myself – and love again.’

Ethan shook his head. ‘You would have done it by yourself, I know you would have done. But I’m glad I was there to help a little bit.’

‘More than a little bit,’ I argued, but I smiled. I loved how he saw me.

We tuned back in to the conversation around us. Now, Juliette was telling Pierre our story in rapid French.

Ethan translated snippets for the rest of us. Then Juliette turned to me with a grin, so I asked Ethan what she had said.

‘She said that she was out of the country when you got here so we had to share the one-bedroom apartment.’

‘It was a very comfortable bed,’ I told Pierre.

Juliette burst out laughing. ‘I bet it was,’ she said.

Ethan’s hand found my thigh under the table and stroked it.

‘I knew you couldn’t give up on love,’ Carly said, looking over at us with a smile that said she knew exactly what we had done last night.

‘Being honest, I feel quite smug,’ Luke said, nodding. ‘It was my idea you should go to Paris for inspiration.’

‘That’s true,’ I said. ‘And I got more than I bargained for,’ I said with a chuckle. I turned to Ethan, who was watching me with the kind of look I had always wanted someone to give me. ‘I suppose it’s true what they say – Paris is always a good idea.’

Ethan winked at me.

‘God, get a room, you two!’ Carly called over, making everyone laugh. She gave me a smile though, so I knew she approved really.

Juliette turned to us. ‘Ethan, you better be good to Tessa.’

‘Hey, shouldn’t you be telling Tessa that; you were my friend first,’ Ethan protested. He squeezed my thigh under the table and it sent warmth travelling up my whole body.

Juliette waved her hand. ‘We are all friends now.’

As the others grilled Juliette about the venue they had looked at earlier, I turned to Ethan, who frowned at his phone. ‘Are you okay?’

‘Come outside with me?’ he asked. I nodded as he got up. He asked the others to excuse us, and we walked outside the restaurant. He showed me his phone. Joe was calling him.

‘Do you want to answer it?’ I asked him.

Ethan looked down at the screen for a second then reached out and pressed the cancel button. He put his phone in his pocket and then wrapped an arm around my waist, drawing me closer to him. ‘No. I will always have some fond memories of Joe when we were younger but right now, I want to focus on what’s important to me. You, opening my own restaurant, the friends I love spending time with. I don’t know what will happen in the future, but I feel better without him in my life right now.’

I nodded. ‘I understand that. And I bet he does too. He may have hurt me, but he hurt you too. And if you’re not ready to forgive him then you’re not ready.’

‘I don’t know if I ever can. I hate that he tried to stop us being together. I can’t help but wish we had met first.’

‘Sometimes I do too, but I think we were meant to meet now. I had to go through what I went through with Joe to know what I want, to accept myself, to know that I’m okay just the way I am.’

‘Of course you are!’ Ethan looked shocked that I didn’t already believe that. ‘But maybe you’re right. You gave me the confidence make this leap with the restaurant and Juliette.’

‘I’m so happy we worked things out. It’s a new chapter for both of us.’ I grinned. ‘Sorry for the writing pun.’

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