Page 21 of The Paris Chapter

‘Oops,’ I giggled as I seemed to trip on nothing but Paris air.

Ethan placed my hand on his arm. ‘Hang on to me, let’s go home.’

There was that word again. Home. I liked it.

I looked at him. ‘But aren’t you leaving?’ I nodded to Juliette, who was walking ahead, singing with Oscar, arm-in-arm, as they weaved past glistening puddles on the pavement. The thought of him staying with her and not at our apartment was disappointing.

‘Do you want me to leave tonight?’ Ethan asked.

‘No,’ I said, so quickly we both looked surprised. ‘I mean, you didn’t pack anything.’

‘True,’ he said, giving me that amused look again. ‘And I really shouldn’t leave you this drunk alone. What if you need me?’

‘A very good point,’ I said, happiness pooling in the pit of my stomach that he wasn’t rushing off to stay with Juliette. Hewanted to look after me. I stumbled and Ethan wrapped an arm around my waist. I steadied myself against him. He was stronger than I had thought he would be. ‘I blame those cocktails. But they were bloody good. And I needed fun.’

‘You had fun then?’ He smiled.

I nodded furiously. ‘I had a great time. I’m glad you’re staying with me.’

‘Yeah?’

Juliette stopped and looked back at us, pulling Oscar to a stop beside her too. ‘We go this way, you go that way,’ she declared, dramatically pointing. We walked up to them. She grabbed me and pulled me from Ethan into her arms. ‘Tessa,’ she said, squishing me against her. ‘We see you lots while you here, yes?’ She leaned into my ear. ‘And maybe I tell Ethan that there is no room at my flat so he has to keep staying with you the whole time, yes?’ She pulled back and laughed, letting me go. ‘Goodnight, my darlings!’

‘Goodnight, Juliette.’ Ethan gave her a kiss and hugged Oscar, who had just kissed me.

Waving madly, Juliette and Oscar disappeared into the night. I watched them go, still stunned by what Juliette had said and how I wondered whether I did want to ask her to not let Ethan stay with her so he could keep on staying with me.

What is wrong with me?

‘Did she say something to upset you?’ Ethan was looking at me curiously.

I shook my head. ‘Of course not. Come on, we go this way!’ I pointed and he laughed, hurrying after me. When I stumbled a little, his arm held me steady again. I wrapped an arm around his waist too so we were pressed together. I told myself this was because he wanted to make sure I didn’t fall over, but his strong, warm body against mine made my stomach somersault anyway.

We walked to our building and inside and up the stairs. We had to separate for Ethan to unlock the apartment, then we went in. Ethan pulled his phone and wallet out to put them down on the kitchen counter.

‘Juliette has tagged me in something,’ he said, looking at his phone. ‘Oh my God, look at what she’s posted.’ He passed me his phone and I saw Juliette had shared a series of photos from the night on her Instagram, tagging us. I smiled at one of me and her, our arms wrapped around each other like we were best friends, and one of the four of us. I was squashed up with Ethan, my elbow propped on his shoulder, and he was looking at me with a huge smile on his face.

‘I love them,’ I said quietly. I would have to ask Juliette for her to send them to me. I wanted to be able to remember this night.

We looked at each other in the dark kitchen for a moment. I was not feeling quite as tipsy as I had in the bar. Now that it was just the two of us alone in the apartment, that realisation seemed to dampen my alcohol high. I watched as Ethan went over to the fridge and pulled out a bottle of water. I shrugged off my jacket and dumped it with my bag in the counter, then I flopped down onto the sofa, kicking off my trainers.

‘Here.’ Ethan held out a bottle of water. ‘Drink some.’

I sipped on it as he sat on the opposite sofa and drunk some water himself.

‘I really like Juliette and Oscar,’ I said, leaning back against the cushions.

‘Good. They really liked you,’ he replied. ‘Juliette wants to adopt you, I think.’

‘You really have never slept with her?’

Ethan spluttered on his water. He eyed me across the room. ‘Why, would it make you happy or sad if I had?’

I looked back at him, unsure how to respond.

He took pity on me. ‘No, never. We are better as friends. I think we knew that as soon as we met. Sometimes, you just know.’

‘Sometimes, you make the wrong decision,’ I pointed out. I put the water down on the table and curled my legs up on the sofa. Ethan watched my every move. ‘So, if Juliette isn’t your type – what is?’

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