Page 52 of The Paris Chapter

Instinctively, I let go of Ethan’s hand as I looked at the man I hadn’t seen for two months. The man who had made me think love just didn’t exist. His best friend had started to make me think it did again but now my heart spluttered as the man turned to me.

‘Tessa, what an unexpected pleasure,’ Joe said.

23

My stomach turned over as I faced Joe again. Two months ago, he had broken my heart and now he was smiling at me like we were old friends reunited.

‘What are you doing in Paris?’

‘Exactly!’ Juliette cried, unable to stay silent any longer. ‘I said that when he walked in!’ She glared at Joe, who looked unruffled by her greeting.

‘You didn’t say you were coming to Paris,’ Ethan said to Joe, but then he glanced at me and I saw his eyes drop to his now empty hand. I felt bad for dropping it but it had felt too weird holding in front of my ex. I wondered if he had seen me kiss Ethan or not. I had no idea if I wanted him to have seen it. My mind was racing and my heart was thumping. He was the last person I had expected to see in Paris.

Am I having an out of body experience?

‘It was an impromptu decision. So I thought I’d pop in here in case Juliette knew where you were,’ Joe said with a casual shrug.

‘Why didn’t you just call Ethan to ask him?’ Juliette asked, putting her hands on her hips. It was a good question.

Joe fidgeted on the spot then, the first visible sign that he wasn’t completely comfortable. ‘I didn’t just come to see Ethan,’ he replied, his dark eyes locked on mine. ‘I want to talk to Tessa.’

I stared back in shock, frozen and unable to speak or react. I thought about how he had been trying to get hold of me and meet up with me. I hadn’t agreed to it so, what, he had come to Paris to force me to speak to him?

‘Merde!’ Juliette cried, making me jump. ‘You…’ she began, her hand in the air, then she slipped into a stream of French flung at Joe, who stood there nonplussed.

‘Juliette,’ Ethan said firmly. She glared at him. ‘Why don’t you show Joe to a booth and we’ll get us some drinks and come over? Tessa?’ Without looking at me, Ethan strode towards the bar.

‘Fine. You, come on,’ Juliette said, sighing, pointing with her finger for Joe to walk on ahead towards one of the red booths. Then she looked back at me and spoke more gently. ‘Tessa, you don’t need to do anything either of these men want you to, okay?’

I blinked and made myself move. I followed Ethan to the bar, seeing how tense his shoulders were as he got a tray and started to pour red wine into glasses on it. ‘Ethan?’ I said, tentatively.

Ethan took a quick swig of the wine then looked at me. ‘Did you tell Joe to come here?’ he asked, his tone harsher than I’d ever heard it.

‘What? No, of course not!’

‘Well, he asked you to meet him yesterday when he messaged you, and suddenly here he is!’

‘Why would you think I’d do that and not tell you?’ I asked, hurt that he thought I’d make plans with my ex like that after how we had been naked together last night.

Ethan must have seen the truth in my eyes because he slumped, leaning against the side of the bar. ‘I’m sorry, I’m just so shocked to see him. And we were having such a good time. What does Joe want to talk to you about?’

‘I have no idea.’ My eyes involuntarily looked over as Joe slid into a booth and Juliette marched away from him towards us. Joe caught me looking so I quickly turned back to Ethan. ‘Maybe he’s just here to apologise. Not that I will accept it.’

‘I’ve never known Joe to apologise for anything,’ Ethan replied darkly.

Juliette came up to us then. ‘He wants to eat here,’ she said, shaking her head. ‘I told him that depends whether my two good friends who are dating want him to or not,’ she said, looking pleased with herself.

‘You said we were dating?’ Ethan asked her.

‘Are you not?’ she flung back. ‘He should know he lost someone amazing!’

I was touched she felt that way about me. ‘What did he say?’ I asked her, wondering what I was hoping Joe’s reaction had been.

‘He said he would only stay if you two were okay with it.’ Juliette folded her arms across her chest. ‘Which I suppose was the right thing to say.’

‘Are you okay with it?’ Ethan asked me.

‘Why is it all up to me?’ I snapped back. I saw a flicker of hurt cross his face. ‘Sorry, this is just very weird. I have no idea what to say or do.’

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