Page 13 of The Paris Chapter

‘Things you should know about me,’ Ethan said when we let go of each other’s hands. ‘I am a sous chef, I am passionate about food and wine, and I have quite possibly the largest collection of cookbooks in London. I find them soothing to flick through. I love Paris, walking around cities, I’m addicted to coffee, the stronger the better, and I always have it black…’ He grinned when I grimaced at that. ‘I am a talker, am honest, so don’t ask me something if you don’t want to know the answer, I love cooking for people and will make you food whenever you want, and I’m very forgetful so I need lists, reminders, messages to remind me of everything, and I hate it when people are late. Or are rude to serving staff. That’s a real bugbear.’

I nodded. ‘With you on that one. Okay, I am an author, I love writing and books, and I also am addicted to Netflix and love to binge a series in a day. I hate coffee but have to have at least five cups of tea a day. I love hoodies, graphic tees, jeans and trainers and I hate wearing anything fancy. I am an overthinker, my brain is always on overdrive, I have a sarcastic sense of humour but it’s never mean, I am an introvert and have to be pushed to leave my house because being cosy is everything, and I love playing board games.’ I didn’t add that was something Joe had been unimpressed by. ‘I hate being lied to. Oh, and exercise. I really hate that too.’

‘Anything other than walking around the city, it should be banned,’ Ethan agreed. He smiled at me. ‘I’m glad I know you better now.’

‘Me too. Do you have your course tomorrow?’ I asked, finally looking away from him because those blue eyes of his were kind of hypnotic.

‘Yes, but not until the afternoon. We’re making pastries so I might have some to bring home.’

‘I’m happy to be your guinea pig,’ I said, wondering why Ethan saying the word ‘home’ hadn’t felt as strange as it should have. ‘So, Paris tour guide, where should I go tomorrow for more inspiration?’

He propped a hand under his chin. ‘I mean, it’s meant to be raining so being inside sounds good. You’re an author, you love books, where better than a bookshop in Paris? I know a really good café nearby for a hot drink afterwards.’

I looked at him in surprise. ‘You want to come?’

‘Can’t have you lost on the streets of Paris in the rain.’

‘I don’t know, sounds kind of romantic.’

Ethan smiled. ‘Spoken like someone who writes love stories.’

‘Let’s hope I still can.’

Ethan’s phone beeped with a message. He picked it up. ‘Oh, Juliette and Oscar are on their way back,’ he said. He met my gaze. ‘My friends who’ve been away in the country. They’re coming back to the city tomorrow. So you might not have to put up with me for much longer.’

‘Oh, right.’ Suddenly, I wasn’t quite so desperate for him to stay somewhere else. I was starting to get used to sharing this apartment with him. ‘Great.’

‘Great,’ he echoed, but his eyes met mine and I wondered if he might have been getting used to being here with me too.

7

After dinner, we cleared up and poured out the remainder of the bottle of red wine into our glasses. It started to rain outside as Ethan had suggested it might do, so there was no view of the Eiffel Tower to look at. I supposed Ethan had nowhere to go without his friends and I was too cosy to bother even thinking about leaving the apartment on a rainy night. ‘Maybe I’ll watch a movie,’ I said, hovering awkwardly as Ethan put away the last of our dinner things. ‘I haven’t been able to read much lately.’

‘Too much on your mind?’ he asked.

‘I suppose so,’ I said, feeling even more awkward. ‘I’ll take my laptop into the bedroom, leave you to relax.’

‘Or…’ Ethan walked over to the sideboard cupboard and opened it with a flourish. I peered inside and saw a stack of board games, cards and a chess set. ‘You said you liked board games?’

‘Ooh,’ I said, my eyes lighting up. I went over and kneeled down beside him to look. ‘You really want to play something?’ I remembered telling Joe about my family’s annual board-game tournament at Christmas and I could see his face fall, as if thatwould be the last thing he would want to do. We ended up breaking up before that moment arrived so I supposed he thought he’d had a lucky escape.

‘I’m up for the challenge. What do you fancy?’

‘Most of these are in French but there is a chessboard. Do you know how to play?’ I asked.

‘You’re on.’ Ethan grabbed the set and placed it on the coffee table. We sat opposite each other on the floor and arranged the pieces. ‘I should confess I haven’t played chess for about a year; when I stayed at Juliette’s family home in the country, we played games most of the weekend.’

‘I would say I’ll take it easy on you but that would break my competitive heart.’

Ethan shook his head. ‘I would never want you to take it easy on me.’

Our eyes met across the board and I wondered if he had meant that to sound flirty or not. Because it had.

‘Ladies first,’ he said quickly before I could respond.

‘Okay.’ I moved my first pawn. ‘Who taught you to play?’

Ethan moved his first piece and glanced up at me. ‘An ex-girlfriend. We used to play when we wanted to get out of studying for our chef diploma exams. You?’

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