Page 14 of The Paris Chapter

I was immediately curious as to what this ex-girlfriend was like, what kind of woman Ethan had fallen for in the past. What he was like in relationships. I couldn’t help but want to know more about him.

‘My dad. I grew up playing games with my family.’ I swiped one of his pawns. He tutted. ‘I miss it now I live in London. They live up north so I don’t get to see them as much as I’d like. How about you?’

‘I don’t really have any family,’ he said. ‘I used to spend holidays and a lot of time, uh, with Joe’s family in the country. But Ihaven’t seen them for about a year. I spent last Christmas with Juliette and Oscar and our other friends here in Paris.’

‘I never went to his family’s home,’ I admitted quietly as I moved my knight to swipe another pawn from him. ‘Maybe it was for the best; I’m not sure I would have fitted in with Joe’s family.’ I didn’t add that I was surprised Ethan did.

‘Their loss,’ Ethan said. ‘Is this your first trip to Paris? Oh crap,’ he said as I took his rook.

I was grateful to stop talking about Joe and his family. ‘Yes. I’ve always wanted to see the city so when Joe suggested it, I was excited… Anyway, my best friend Carly and her husband Luke encouraged me to come here on this trip alone. I’ve been really struggling to write romance. They thought maybe I could find my spark again here.’

Ethan swiped one of my pawns but I had planned for that as I had my eye on my queen getting into check position in a couple more moves. I sighed though so he wouldn’t know.

‘If there is anywhere that you can find romance again, it’s Paris,’ he said.

I looked at him. ‘Have you left broken hearts all over the city?’

‘Do I look like a heartbreaker?’ He raised an eyebrow, clearly joking, but I thought that actually there would be a fair few women who would love to be romanced by him in Paris. Those eyes, his warm smile and the glimpse I’d had of his body… ‘Don’t answer that,’ he said quickly. ‘I did date while I worked here but never found that elusive connection, you know?’

I nodded even though I was surprised. Ethan very much gave ‘take me home to meet your mother’ vibes. Unlike Joe. Who I should have realised gave troublemaker vibes. With a capital T.

I had experienced heartbreak before, or what I thought was heartbreak, but once the hurt passed, I had realised it had beenfor the best, but something about Joe’s betrayal had hit harder than any of my other relationships. I think it was because I had thought I’d felt that connection Ethan was talking about. That I’d finally found my person. I still hoped that it was out there but it was almost worse thinking you’d had it then realising you’d got it so wrong. I felt stupid for falling for Joe. And now I didn’t think I’d ever be able to trust someone enough to give my heart away again.

‘What are you up to?’ Ethan asked suspiciously when I left my bishop open. He took it but eyed me across the board.

I moved my queen. ‘Checkmate.’

‘Huh?’ Ethan looked at the board. ‘I have been hustled, haven’t I?’

I laughed as I swiped his king. ‘I may be undefeated.’

Ethan chuckled. ‘I can see why. I didn’t even notice my king was open. I was too busy gloating about taking your bishop. Great game, Tessa. But next time, I will win.’

‘I’d like to see you try.’

We smiled at one another.

‘Well, I guess we better call it a night,’ I said, although as I spoke, I realised I would have happily stayed up chatting and playing games with him. He somehow took my mind off worrying without trying. ‘I’m sorry about you having to be on the sofa,’ I said as I stood up.

‘You have nothing to be sorry about,’ he replied firmly. ‘Mind if I use the bathroom first?’

‘Sure.’

I watched him get up and walk off then I went into the bedroom. I pulled on my Disney pyjamas that I had brought with me, sure no one but me would see them, took off my makeup and put my hair into a ponytail as I did my skin care. When I heard the bathroom door open, I walked out andstopped as Ethan emerged in a towel again. ‘Oh, sorry.’ What was it with us stumbling on each other in towels? But Ethan’s seemed particularly skimpy. I had to force my eyes to stay on his and not let them drift lower.

Get a grip.

Ethan ran a hand though his damp hair. ‘It’s fine, Tessa. Sweet dreams.’ And the smile he gave me as he walked away made me desperate to know suddenly what he was going to be dreaming about.

‘Goodnight,’ I said, hurrying into the bathroom. I closed the door and sank against it. That was weird. Ethan was definitely not my type, like I’d told Carly, but there was something about the man when he came out of the shower in that damn towel that sent the blood rushing to my cheeks. And the way he smiled at me.

I went to the basin to brush my teeth and tried hard to not think about the fact he would be taking that towel off any second with only a thin wall between us.

When I woke up the following morning, the apartment was quiet. I crept out of the bedroom and was surprised to see the place was empty. Ethan wasn’t there. I tried not to feel disappointed. He’d mentioned coming out with me before his course, but he must have found something better to do. I didn’t want to be there when he got back, sitting around waiting for him, so I hurriedly had a shower and got dressed for the day.

It was really hard to not let that down feeling wash back over me. It had been such a crazy couple of months. After I’d found out Joe had cheated on me, and he admitted he’d been seeing Rachel the whole time we were together, I left his flat and stayeda couple of nights with Carly and Luke while I looked for a new place. I had been so angry but focused on sorting out practicalities that it wasn’t until I was alone in my new flat that I let myself cry. And I hadn’t stopped. It had been a couple of weeks before I’d been able to shake off that sadness. I felt a lot better now albeit still stressed about writing and my looming deadline, but I knew how easy it would be to fall back into that funk.

As I contemplated whether to go to the bookshop on my own, the apartment door opened and in walked Ethan with two takeaway drinks and a paper bag, wearing a puffer jacket. ‘Okay, it’s pouring with rain outside but we’re still going to the bookshop, right? I bought you tea and a coffee for me, and two croissants. I thought we could have them on the way. If you’d be okay walking though? Do you have a raincoat?’ He saw my face. ‘Am I talking too much again?’

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