Chapter 31
Comfortably seated on the train,I glance up at Corentin and immediately sense something is wrong. He”s trying to hide his discomfort, but I”m not fooled. He keeps running his hand through his hair and tapping his index finger on the table, clear signs of his anxiety.
“What”s going on?” I ask gently.
He shoots me a look of palpable surprise, as if just realizing I”m sitting across from him. Quickly, he regains his composure, feigning indifference.
“Nothing,” he says, falsely confident.
“Okay, thanks for the lie. Otherwise, would you do me the honor of being honest about what you”re feeling for once?”
“I”m fine. I”m worried about you. How are you feeling?”
A bitter smile appears on my face. “You do this all the time. Whenever I talk about you or your family, you find a way to shift the conversation to me.”
He sighs, caught in the act, aware his little charade doesn”t work with me.
“It”s because there”s not much to say about me. You”re much more interesting.”
Now it”s my turn to sigh. “If you don”t want to talk about it, I won”t force you, but understand, I”m worried about you.”
I placemy hand on his as a sign of support.
“It”s obvious you”re not okay, Corentin.”
Without taking his eyes off me, he entwines his fingers with mine and kisses my knuckles.
“Don”t pay attention to it, Florence. It”s family stuff, nothing to worry about. Everything will be fine, and before we know it, we”ll be back home. And how about you? How are you feeling?”
He doesn”t release my hand or his gaze, which drastically accelerates the beats of my heart.
“I”m a little afraid thing won”t go as planned or people won”t like the ceremony, but otherwise, I”m okay. For once, I don”t feel anxious; in fact, I”m excited.”
“That”s good news. And if people aren”t happy, let them go to hell.”
I smile, both touched and amused by his unwavering support.
“I doubt it will work this way, but I appreciate the attempt at comfort,” I reply sincerely.
“Don”t worry about it. The most important thing is what Clara and Naisha think. The rest, we don”t care. And I”m going to love it, for sure.”
Hand on my mouth, I chuckle.
“You have no idea about the decor, the chosen dishes, or any other details regarding the organization and progress of the wedding.”
He”s not objective when it comes to me, but knowing he believes in me feels good.
“So what? You”re the one handling it, so it will be incredible,” he says with a shrug.
Through the window of the TGV, I watch the sun play hide-and-seek with the grayish clouds and then glance sideways at Corentin.
“Would you consider a vacation?” I ask suddenly. “We haven”t dedicated time to ourselves, and I believe a week away from everything could contribute to recharging our energies.”
Corentin lifts his face, visibly surprised.
“Do you have a particular destination in mind?”
“London,” I smile. “Will you accompany me?”
“Wherever you go, I”ll follow.”
His penetrating gaze, a burning spark, reignites a blazing flame within me. The intensity of his eyes shakes me, devours me slowly, as if he”s trying to convey a message I can”t decipher yet.
I take stock, trying to understand what”s happening, then broach the subject we”ve been avoiding for days, hoping to find answers.
“What”s happening between us? Our glances, our kisses. What does it all mean?”
Elbows on the table, he leans a little closer, his brows furrowing with concern as he peers at me.
“I don”t know, but do you think we should stop?”
“No!” I reply hastily. “Well, I don”t know, I don’t understand what is going on here. This isn”t what two friends should be doing, don”t you think?”
I slide my trembling hands between my thighs and avert my gaze, embarrassed. Corentin clears his throat, fidgets in his seat, and then, with two fingers, he clasps my chin and turns my face toward him.
“We don”t need to label what”s happening between us. Life is too short; we”ve had recent proof of its brevity. We”ll discuss all this after the wedding, at home. For now, I want to relish your presence by my side. I feel fortunate having you by my side instead of being with Lucas. Don”t ruin everything, don”t seek explanations, let”s live as we please.”
Feeling remorse after making such a beautiful declaration, I finally decide to be honest and free myself from the deception gnawing at me.
“Oh yeah, that— It was a lie,” I murmur, feeling uneasy.
He furrows his brow before reacting with a cold voice. “Do you mean there”s something between you and him?”
I widen my eyes, realizing he misunderstood everything.
“No! Absolutely not. When we made the deal, I already had my answer because there was nothing between Lucas and me from the start.”
The redhead, completely disillusioned, mumbles unintelligible words before regaining composure, his face closed.
“Why didn”t you tell me?” he asks in a hoarse voice.
I sigh and lower my eyes in shame. “It hurts, you know, when your best friend openly and publicly mocks you because of a long singlehood. As if it were inconceivable for you to believe I could attract a man. I was embarrassed, no, more than that, I felt humiliated by your words, so I lied to shut you up. Afterward, there was no turning back; it would have been too embarrassing. I didn”t want you to pity me or perceive me as a poor girl inventing a romantic relationship to get your attention, or worse, mocking me again.”
“That”s not what I intended, it”s— Damn! It didn”t occur to me. I”m sorry,” he murmurs, taking my hand gently. “Since you”ve been in my life, there has been no one else for me, and I was sure it was the same for you. I”m sorry. I didn”t have the right words that day, but at no point was I implying you”re not attractive. On the contrary, you”re beautiful. You”re a fantastic woman, inside and out.”
It takes a second for us to grasp what”s happening as he plants his forest-green eyes into mine. An intense gleam shines in them, similar to the one from our passionate night, making me swoon. In this public space, I can”t prevent my groin from awakening, and my stomach comes alive with a new sensation.
Lost in his gaze, I try to decipher what lies behind his darkened eyes. He”s trying to share something with me, and I don”t understand, as if I”m missing essential information.
* * *
We arrive not farfrom the Thomas residence, whose driveway is adorned with sumptuous flowers emitting an intoxicating scent, as if urging us to move forward. With my eyes fixed on the facade of white stones, I am impressed by its raw beauty. The house is immense, harmonious, with imposing lines, resembling a luxurious mansion.
I glance at my best friend, thinking about the life he had here, the magnificent view he could admire during his childhood. Despite the relaxed air he tries to display, I know it”s not the case. I take his hand in support.
“Do you feel okay?” I ask.
He swallows hard and finally nods. This version of him is so different from the confidence he shows on a daily basis. He seems troubled, on the verge of turning back, but restrains himself to keep up appearances.
“Yeah, I”m fine,” he asserts, unconvincingly.
We stop a few steps from the house, facing each other. I run my hand over his jaw while standing on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. He inhales deeply in response, caresses my hair, then slides his palm into mine and guides me.
We climb the steps of the porch, and with an uncertain gesture, he rings the doorbell. Positioned behind Corentin, we wait for someone to open. It doesn”t take long before a blonde woman with blue eyes, whom I immediately recognize, invites us in.
Jackie displays a big smile and rushes into the arms of my friend, showering him with tender kisses, the kind only a mother knows.
“Hello to you too.”
“My rabbit,” she begins, taking his face in her hands. “I”m so glad to see you. How are you feeling? You seem to be in good shape.”
“Yes, I”m fine, don”t worry.”
When she steps away from my friend, her eyes land directly on me. She immediately pulls me into a comforting embrace, welcoming me into her tribe as if I were her own daughter. Her affection reminds me once again of my mother”s, filling my heart with a gentle warmth.
“I was so afraid you wouldn”t come.”
My neighbor shrugs. “I love surprising you.”
She rolls her eyes, a smile playing on her lips. Jackie turns to me, tinted with surprising kindness.
“Your colleague is already here, and I must say she”s doing a good job. I”m quite curious to see the final result.”
“As am I,” Clara”s melodious voice declares as she approaches us. “I can”t wait for tomorrow to finally marry the woman I love.”
She takes Naisha”s hand and places a loving kiss on her cheek. Naisha wraps her arms around Clara”s neck and also places a kiss on the top of Clara”s head.
“I”m counting the hours, but we have to wait for everything to be ready,” she says with gentleness.
“I”ll need to join my friend so we can finish on time. Even with many vendors to help, an extra pair of hands is useful.”
“That”s why we”ll let them finish quietly,” Jackie intervenes. “Let”s go have dinner. Florence, will you join us?”
Corentin doesn”t get a chance to respond when a grave and accusatory voice cuts through the air.
“You”re late!”
While he doesn”t directly address me, the chilly tone has a freezing effect on me. Corentin, too, exhibits visible discomfort once more. The patriarch emerges, clad in an immaculately pressed white shirt and dark blue pants. He advances toward us with a destabilizing energy. Fortunately, Jackie intervenes to assist my friend, who remains motionless with muscles tensed to the extreme.
“Enough, Edward! The kid arrived, leave him alone.”
His father shrugs, surprised under Jackie”s stern gaze.
“What? I”m still happy to see him.”
Jackie sighs. “Will you join us, my rabbit?” Jackie asks.
I feel my friend”s discomfort is palpable, and it goes beyond that, he”s eager to escape at any cost. Considering our previous dinner experience, I comprehend sharing a meal with his father is something he wishes to steer clear of for a while. Although it”s not my place to intervene, I choose to step in and help him, nonetheless.
“Sorry, but I need Corentin. I hope that”s okay with you? He has to help me get everything in place and ready for tomorrow.”
If my friend is surprised by my lie, he doesn”t show it and even takes control of the situation.
“Yeah, we still have a lot to do.”
The family members exchange glances, and I can see Jackie doesn”t believe a word of what we”re saying. Nevertheless, she doesn”t press the matter, understanding our intentions are not malicious.
Clara”s lips curve into a bright smile and her eyes light up as she breaks the silence. “Thanks for your contribution, bro. You”re a sweetheart.”
The much lighter atmosphere beginning to soothe us instantly disappears under the sharp comment from the patriarch.
“You”re not going to start ignoring us because you”ve come, right? You can still make some effort,” he complains, with a stern expression.
A heavy tension re-forms and suffocates us as I wonder how I manage to endure it. After a throat clearing from Clara, they leave, wishing us a good evening. The moment the door slams behind them, I feel relieved. Alone with Corentin, I take his hand and turn to him, my eyes fixed on his sad gaze. But for some reason I don”t understand, I feel, as long as I”m there, everything will be okay for him.
“Thank you, Florence,” he whispers with relief.
My heart pulses under the tender gaze he gives me. His palms descend to my hips, burning my receptive skin with each of his movements as he presses his hips against mine. Our lips are about to touch, and, calling to each other, our mouths seek to meld together. Only a few millimeters separate us from our deliverance when we are interrupted by Manille. Corentin and I remain motionless, frozen in time, under the surprised grimace of my friend who oscillates between my firefighter and me.
“Hi, you two. I”ll leave you.” She smiles, sending me a complicit wink.
Without hesitation, she leaves, and I struggle to hold back my laughter. When my amusement subsides and I raise my head, I instantly notice Corentin is not done with me.
“I—I have to get to work,” I murmur with hesitation.
Understanding I”m looking for a way to escape, my redhead holds me more firmly against him. His lips kiss mine in a chaste yet enchanting movement. When we detach, barely a few seconds later, a feeling of emptiness overwhelms me.
“Do you need a hand?” he asks, almost in a low voice.
I know he means well, but fatigue is imprinted on his face, and dark circles are visible under his eyes. On the train, I slept during the journey while he stayed awake the whole time, unable to calm the anxiety he was vainly trying to hide from me.
“It”ll be okay, but it”s kind of you. Manille has things well in hand, and you”re exhausted. Use my absence as an opportunity to rest.”
He doesn”t insist, aware of his limits, but still mentions I have to join him later in his outbuilding located in the garden, and I confirm with a nod. My brain notes he doesn”t sleep in the house with his family, but it”s not the right time to ask questions.
Corentin guides me to the immense kitchen where Manille is seated, busy working on her tablet. She tries to stay focused, but I can tell her attention is turned toward us.
“See you later,” Corentin whispers. “If you need me, you know where to find me.”
I shake my head again, and then he kisses my forehead, greets my friend, and leaves. Once alone with Manille, she rushes toward me, excited as a flea.
“You little sneak! What was that?”
My face lights up even more. As I tell her, Corentin and I have decided, for the moment, to go with the flow, I become enthusiastic at the memory of the moments I shared with my neighbor. When I reach the end of my story, I observe Manille, who also wears a broad smile.
“It”s so cute! So, are you two together now?”
My grin suddenly disappears, as does hers at my reaction. Corentin and I haven”t talked about that, deciding to take it one day at a time for now. But this reminder of reality forces me to anticipate an anxiety-inducing conversation.
“It”s complicated,” I admit finally.
She furrows her brows. “Oh! And does it suit you?”
I respond with another nod, more out of habit than conviction. I like the relationship we have with Corentin now, but I”m terrified when I think about when it will all end.
“Don”t worry about me, I”m fine.”
She settles for a smile and puts an arm around my shoulders.
“Be careful not to lose yourself along the way.”
“I”ll watch out,” I whisper, not believing it myself, convinced I”ll leave my heart along the way.