Page 48 of The Boyfriend Material Novellas

“True. Apparently, I am easily enchanted by American accents,” he says with a wry smile as we wind past a street lamp, and he hands me his bag of chocolate. I tuck it into my purse.

“Your British one isn’t too shabby,” I say, and then I dive right into questions. Because I can. Because clearly this is a day that is bursting with possibilities and none of those options require holding back. I can’t help but think Bethany and Emery will be so jealous, but I’m not doing this to make them jealous. I’m doing this because it feels like what a last day in Paris should be like—a walk beside a river with a handsome stranger, full of potential and flirtation. “You’re from London and heading home tonight?”

He nods as we reach the corner of the street, and I let my eyes roam over him. Jeans and a gray T-shirt. He looks about twenty-four or twenty-five. “My bags are packed, and I’m ready to go,” he says, and there’s the slightest hint of sadness in his voice.

Funny, I feel a touch of it too already. A touch of missing. That’s so odd because I’ve spent only a few minutes with him.

But already we click.

Instantly. Incredibly.

And that’s whynotspending another hour with him in this city would be a missed opportunity.

“Mine too,” I say, choosing to enjoy this time fully.

“Are you headed home today?”

“Tomorrow morning. At the crack of dawn,” I say with a frown. “Why do six a.m. flights even exist? We have to be at Charles de Gaulle at four thirty.”

He shakes his head. “They should be abolished. When I’m in charge of all things, I will outlaw flights at ungodly hours.”

“Thank you,” I say, like I’m imploring his graciousness. “You have my vote for prime minister.”

His brown eyes seem to twinkle. “I thank you for your support.” He takes a beat as we cross the avenue. “Have you enjoyed your trip so far, Marley? Summer in Paris can be lovely or vicious.”

“It’s been lovely. We went to Italy and to Spain and to Paris.”

“Quite the jaunt.”

“I know, and I’m so lucky we were able to pull this off. My friends are at the top of the Eiffel Tower now, but I didn’t want to do that. I happen to detest heights.”

“You do?”

I nod, like I’m confessing. “They make me nervous. Like, I can see all the ways they can go wrong. I picture flinging myself down from the top story, and well, that kind of ruins them.”

“That would definitely do it.”

“Are you afraid of anything? Like, anything totally irrational?”

“Just your standard fear of poisoning by chocolate. But that’s hardly irrational,” he says with a wink. “Tell me more about your trip.”

I picture the last few weeks, recalling our adventures in Rome, our meanderings across the city of Barcelona, and our time in Paris these last few days. “We did it on a shoestring budget,” I explain. “We’d made a vow to take a European trip when we graduated, especially since we’re all heading in different directions. One of my friends is going to law school. The other starts her first job.”

“And you’re going to business school?”

“Yes. And while I’m there, I hope to figure out what exactly I want to do in business someday.”

“Ah, work. Yes, I’ve heard of that. It’s so dreadful when it gets in the way of bike races and chocolate shops. Shall I ask if you’ve given any thought yet to what you want to do, or is that a topic best avoided?”

I shrug, but it’s the happy kind, because it doesn’t entirely bother me that I don’t know. “Is it crazy to say I’m not sure? I do want to run my own business. But I’m torn. Sometimes I think I might want to work in public relations and open my own firm. And other times I think I want to market new fashion lines. But I also really like just talking to people, so maybe I should open a cute little boutique, and then it’ll turn into a whole line of cute little boutiques. Or I could start a coffee and chocolate shop,” I say, tossing out that last option.

“Do you like coffee?”

I adopt a serious stare. “Like it’s a religion.”

“I pray at that altar too. So, I say you should open a café that sells clothes and then do your own PR for it.”

I snap my fingers like I have all the answers now. “There you go. Now I know what I want to do.”

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