Page 27 of The Paris Chapter

‘Wow. So, they are more like brothers.’ I understood their relationship much more now. ‘I guess Ethan maybe feels a debt towards Joe then.’

Juliette waved her hand in the air. ‘Debt? Yes! This is why he won’t open a restaurant with me.’

‘I had no idea you wanted to do that.’

‘Well, you know I work in my family’s restaurant?’

I nodded as I chewed my pastry, hanging on her every word.

‘I would love my own place and when I met Ethan, we had the same dream. To open a place mixing French with English, but he won’t do it until he pays Joe and his family back.’

‘Because they paid for him to study?’

Juliette nodded. ‘He is very… What’s the word?’

‘Proud?’

‘Yes. His pride means he feels he has to do that before we can have a restaurant, and he won’t let me pay for it myself; he wants us to be partners.’ Juliette shrugged. ‘So, we are stuck for now. And that’s why they are friends, because of how much they have helped him.’

I admired Ethan for wanting to pay back his debt, as he saw it. And for being loyal to Joe, who I was certain hadn’t done much to deserve it.

‘But I know that he hates what Joe did to you,’ Juliette added.

‘We did talk a bit about that last night,’ I said.

‘I wish he would ditch Joe. Joe is mean to him,’ Juliette said.

‘He is? Ethan did say he makes comments about his height…’

‘Joe likes to make people feel bad about themselves.’

I nodded. ‘You’re right. He does. I felt pretty shit about myself the whole time I was with him, and afterwards. I’m only just starting to feel like it wasn’t all my fault. Meeting Ethan has helped with that.’

‘Joe never introduced you two?’

‘To hide his cheating, Joe kept me away from his friends. I only met Ethan twice really briefly. That’s why it’s been so strange getting to know him so much this week.’

‘But you like getting to know him?’ She smiled as I blushed. ‘Hmm. Well, I heard Joe putting him down, making jokes about him, and it pissed me off. Is Joe a good man? No. He has looks and a fancy city job. Joe said being a chef is not a manly job.’ She scoffed. ‘Joe isn’t manly to me. I think Ethan can be jealous of Joe, but I also believe that Joe is jealous of Ethan.’

I thought about that. ‘Ethan said Joe can’t do what he really wants because of his family; he probably envies Ethan’s freedom. And he must see Ethan as a better man than he ever will be. Sorry if I sound bitter but he really made me think he loved me and all the time, he was with another woman.’

Juliette tutted. ‘Bastard.’

I nodded in agreement. ‘Yes. It’s kind of put me off men, relationships, all of it. I’m finding it hard to write my next book because I don’t know if love is really just all bullshit.’

She grinned. ‘Bullshit, yes, but it makes the world go around. And you must see Ethan is nothing like Joe. And the way he was looking at you last night, Ethan thinks you’re incredible. And you deserve a man who thinks like that.’

My cheeks were now bright pink. ‘Well, that’s sweet. I don’t know. Ethan’s becoming a good friend. I don’t want to ruin that by…’

‘Fucking him?’

‘Exactly. But…’ I took a sip of tea. ‘This morning, I thought about it. Fucking him, I mean. Well, just kissing, actually; I’m British after all.’

Juliette burst out laughing. ‘I love you, Tessa, and I can see why Ethan is hooked.’

‘A man has never been hooked on me, I can promise you that. I need to be more like you, Juliette, and keep my heart to myself.’

‘No,’ she said, so quickly and firmly I was taken aback. ‘You know why I am the way I am? Because I’ve never found anyoneI’m willing to risk my heart on. But if I did find it, if you found it, then we must risk it. Don’t you think?’

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