Chapter Nine More Than Dinner #2
Outside, the city moved just beyond the windows.
Inside, everything felt slower. More contained.
More intimate.A server moved gracefully between tables, placing plates, pouring wine, offering quiet smiles.
The air carried the scent of fresh bread, butter, and something warm and rich from the kitchen.It was the kind of place where voices naturally lowered.
Where moments stretched just a little longer.Camille sat back in her chair, her fingers resting lightly against the edge of the menu.She looked around once more, taking it all in.
“This place is nice,” she said softly.“It is, I’ve always wanted to come here.
” Simone said.Camille picked up the menu, she looked at the menu, but her focus wasn’t fully there.She looked up.
Simone was already looking at her. Simone set her menu down for a moment, reaching up to slide her jacket off her shoulders.Camille looked up.
Her eyes moved without thinking.From Simone’s shoulders, down the line of her arms. The way the top fits her, the way she carried herself so easily, like she didn’t have to try at all.Simone turned, draping the jacket neatly over the back of her chair.She looked up.
catching her looking.“What?”Camille blinked“Nothing.”Simone didn’t move.
“Mm.”Camille looked back down at her menu, even though she was still smiling.
Simone sat back down slowly, her eyes still on Camille for a moment longer.Then she reached for her glass.
“You sure?”“Yeah.”Then she said,“You just, look really nice.”The words came out softer than she expected.
Simone paused. Her fingers tightened just slightly around the stem of her glass.
“Thank you,” she said quietly.A server approached the table with a polite smile.
“Good evening, mesdames.”“Good evening,” Simone replied.
“Can I start you with something to drink?”Simone looked at Camille.
Camille looked up from the menu, still a little distracted.
“Um”Simone answered.“We’ll have two glasses of red wine.
”The server nodded.“Of course.”“I’ll give you a few moments with the menu.
”“Merci,” Simone said.Camille traced lightly along the edge of the menu, her eyes moving across the page without really reading.Simone leaned back slightly in her chair, watching her.Then Camille looked up.
“Today felt different.”“How?”Camille hesitated.
Just for a second. Then said.“I don’t know.
”She looked down briefly, then back up again.
“It just did.”Simone looked at her. There was something in the way Camille said it.
She leaned forward, resting her arm on the table.
“Different good?” she asked.Camille nodded slowly.
“Yeah, really good.”“I’m glad.”Then Camille said,“It’s just”She paused like she was deciding how much to say.
Simone didn’t interrupt. She just waited.Camille looked down again, her fingers brushing lightly against the stem of the empty glass in front of her.
“You’ve been different.”Simone didn’t answer right away.
“Different how?” she asked.Camille let out a small breath, leaning back slightly in her chair.
“I don’t know” she said, almost frustrated with herself.
“You just have.”Simone tilted her head slightly.
“That’s not very specific.” “I know.”Then she leaned forward again, resting her forearms lightly on the table.
“It’s like” she started, searching for the right words.
“You’re paying attention to everything.”“The way you’ve been looking at me,” she said quietly.Simone gripped the edge of the table.
“It just feels like you’re making sure I’m okay.
”“I am.” She said.The answer came too easily.
Too honestly.“Why?”There it was. That question again.
Simone leaned back as she looked away for a second.
Then back at Camille.“Because you deserve to,” she said.Camille’s voice dropped just slightly.
“Is there another reason?”Simone looked at her.
Really looked at her. She could of said yes, but the truth was she wasn’t ready.
“You’ve had a rough year,” she said instead.
Camille didn’t look away.For a secondShe almost said it.
Because I love you, and you deserve to be cared for.Almost. She was right there, but she didn’t.
“It’s been a long year, and I thought this would be a nice trip for you to unwind and relax.
”That was better. For now.Camille smiled “You’ve always taken care of me.
”Simone looked at her and said,“This is different.”The words slipped out before she could stop them.
“How?”Simone froze. That was it. That was the line she wasn’t supposed to cross yet.
She knew it. But Camille was waiting for her answer.Simone leaned back.
“Because we’re in Paris,” she said.But even she knew that wasn’t the truth.
Camille didn’t call her out. Not this time.
But the look on her face said she heard everything Simone didn’t say.Then, she asked Simone a question.
“What are we doing while were here?”Simone blinked once, the question snapping her back to reality.
“The whole trip?”Camille nodded, lifting her glass slightly.
“Yeah. You’ve had everything else planned, so what’s next?
”Simone laughed just a little.“Some sightseeing,” she said.
“Stop at a few bakeries, maybe do some shopping. Anything we can find honestly.”Camille leaned forward slowly, her glass still in her hand.
“Shopping and sweets?” she repeated, her voice softer now.
“Yes, two of your favorite things.”Camille’s smile got bigger.
“You’ve really thought this through.” Simone couldn’t help but smile.
“I did, and I wanted to make sure things were good.”Camille looked at her for a second longer.Then she leaned back slowly, shaking her head with a quiet laugh.
“Yeah, I can tell.”She lifted her glass, taking a small sip.
But the smile didn’t fade. Camille looked back down at her menu, scanning the options again.
“I can’t choose.”“Too many options?”Camille looked up at her.
“Everything sounds good.”Simone leaned forward slightly, her arm resting lightly on the table as she looked at Camille’s menu.
“Then don’t.”“What do you mean?”“We can order a few things.”“Try everything together.”Camille looked at Sione smiling.
“I like that.”The server returned, attentive and composed.
“Are you ready to order?”“Yes, we’ll start with a few appetizers.
”She looked briefly at Camille again, then continued.
“The escargots de Bourgogne, the foie gras, the salade de chèvre chaud, and the tartare de saumon.”The server nodded, writing quickly.
“And for your mains?”Simone didn’t hesitate this time.
“We’ll have the steak frites, the duck confit, and the poulet r?ti.
”Camille raised her eyebrows slightly, impressed.
Simone saw it, which boosted her confidence.
“And a side of gratin dauphinois.”“Très bien,” the server said.
“Anything else?”“That’s all.”“Excellent. I’ll have that right out for you.
”“Merci.”The server collected their menus and stepped away.
Camille leaned back slightly in her chair, exhaling softly.Camille reached for her glass again, taking a small sip before setting it down.Then she looked at Simone.
“You know what?”“What?”Camille picked up her phone, unlocking it.
“I took so many pictures today.”“I noticed.”Camille laughed softly, scrolling through her camera roll.
“Look.”She turned the phone toward her, leaning in just enough so Simone could see.
Simone moved in her chair, leaning closer.The balcony view, the café from earlier, the river and the bridges.Camille stopped on one of the photos.
The water. The light hitting it just right.
“That was my favorite part,” she said quietly.Simone looked at the screen, then at her.
“The river?”Camille nodded.“Yeah.”“I don’t know why.
”“I do.”Camille looked at her.“It slowed you down.”Camille blinked.
She hadn’t thought about it like that.She nodded slowly.
“Yeah.”Then Camille leaned back slightly, setting her phone down on the table.
“Mesdames.”Camille sat back fully as Simone straightened.
The first dish was placed carefully at the center of the table.
“Escargots de Bourgogne.”The rich smell of garlic and butter filled the air.
The server set down small plates and utensils.
“Enjoy.”“Merci,” Simone said.The server stepped away.
Camille looked down at the dish, then back at Simone.
“Wait.” Simone already knew what was coming.
“You’ve never had escargot before,” she said.Camille shook her head slowly.
“No.”“Tonight’s going to be your first time.
”Camille looked at her. Skeptical and amused.
“I am?”Simone reached for the utensil, her tone calm.
“You said you wanted the full experience.”Camille watched her.
That same look creeping back in.“Okay,” she said finally.
“But what if I don’t like it?”“You will.”Camille smiled.And for some reason, she believed her.
Simone reached for the small utensil, her movements calm, precise.
“Come here.”Camille blinked.“What?”“It’s easier if you sit closer.
”Camille hesitated for half a second. Then stood.
Moving her chair just enough to sit beside Simone instead of across from her.
Closer now.Simone leaned in slightly, her focus on the dish in front of them.
“Okay,” she said softly. “Watch.” Camille nodded.
But she wasn’t watching the plate. She was watching Simone.The way her hands moved.
Steady and intentional. The way she handled everything like she knew exactly what she was doing.Simone used the utensil carefully, lifting one piece.
“Like this,” she murmured.Camille’s eyes followed, but only for a second.
Then they were back on Simone. Simone looked at her and Camille didn’t look away.Not this time.
Simone’s voice lowered just a bit.“You’re not paying attention.
”“I am.”Simone raised a brow slightly.“Are you?”Camille nodded once.
Still looking at her. Then, she lifted the fork up, holding it out toward Camille.
“Just try it.”Camille looked at the fork.
Then back at Simone. For a second, she didn’t move.
Then slowly, Camille leaned in.Taking the bite.
Her eyes didn’t leave Simone’s. Simone watched her carefully.
Camille chewed slowly.“I wasn’t expecting that.
”Simone smiled.“I told you.”Camille let out a quiet laugh, shaking her head.
“That’s actually really good.”Simone leaned back just slightly, still close enough to feel the warmth between them.
“You’re good with people, I’m good with food.
” “Yeah,” she said softly.“Way better than I thought.”Simone leaned back slightly, still close beside Camille.
“You know,” she said, reaching for another piece, “it’s good you tried snails.
”Camille looked at her.“Why?”Simone lifted it casually, like it was nothing.
“Because now,” she said, “when kids complain about how bad medicine tastes, you can tell them you ate snails.”She covered her mouth quickly, shoulders shaking as she tried to hold it.
Simone watched her, laughing as she took a bite herself.
“What?” she asked, chewing.Camille shook her head, still laughing.
“That’s so true.”“I’m just saying.”Camille leaned back slightly, still smiling.
“Our medicine was actually bad.”“It really was.”Camille nodded, still giggling.They sat there for a moment, both laughing softly.
Still looking at each other more than necessary.The conversation drifting between laughter, small comments, and quiet moments where neither of them said anything at all.Those quiet moments said the most.
The laughter settled slowly between them into something softer. Camille still sat close beside Simone, her body angled slightly toward her now without even realizing it.
Another small plate sat between them, barely touched.
Neither of them seemed to be in a rush.Then looked at Simone.
“You’re really good at this.”Simone looked at her.
“At what?”“This.”She gestured loosely toward the table.
“The food, the planning, all of it.”“Taking care of me.”Simone looked at Camille as she spoke.
“That’s not hard,” she said quietly.“What do you mean?”“Taking care of you isn’t hard,” she repeated, softer now.Camille’s voice dropped just slightly.
“What does that mean?”Simone exhaled slowly, as if she was about to say something.
She should’ve stopped. She knew she should’ve.But she didn’t.
“It means,” she paused, trying to figure out what to say.
“It means I don’t have to try.”“I don’t have to think about it,” Simone continued, quieter now.
“I just, want to.”Camille leaned closer.
“And you don’t do that for everyone?”Simone shook her head once.
“No.”“Just you.”Camille sat back, not really sure of what to say.
But she looked at Simone.It Became quiet for a short minute.
Then Camille spoke.“Well, I’m glad it’s me.
”“And I mean that,” she added, softer.Simone’s finally found her voice.
“You are?”Camille nodded once.“Yes, I am.”For the rest of dinner, they talked.
About everything. Home. Work. Camille found herself watching Simone when she wasn't paying attention.The way she smiled.
The way she listened. The way she always seemed more interested in Camille's answers than her own.It wasn't new.
Simone had always been that way. The person she called first. The person she trusted most. The person who somehow always showed up.For years, she'd known Simone as her best friend. But now, something was diffrent.