AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I miss jovial Dave.
I mean, I get it. We’ve all been freaked out. God knows I still am. But we’re also in Paris, and I want to enjoy it.
A waiter comes by. “Bonjour! What can I get for you today?” he says in a slight accent.
Brock sets his menu down. “I’ll have the croque-monsieur, please.”
“And you, mademoiselle?” he asks Brianna.
“I’ll go for the quiche Lorraine, and a side salad.”
“Mademoiselle?” He nods to me.
“I’ll try the Niçoise salad, dressing on the side.”
“Et monsieur?” To Dave.
“I’ll have the French onion soup and a salad as well, please.”
The waiter nods and then takes our menus.
“Crap,” Brock says. “We forgot to order drinks.”
No sooner do the words come out of his mouth when another server appears. “De l’eau aujourd’hui?”
“Oui, merci,” Brianna says. Then to us, “He’s asking if we want water.”
“Gazeuse ou non gazeuse?” he asks Bree specifically.
“You guys want sparkling?” she asks.
“Plain is fine for me,” I say.
“Me too.” From Brock.
Dave simply nods.
“Non gazeuse,” Brianna tells the waiter.
He pours four glasses from a pitcher and then leaves the table.
Our food comes in the next ten minutes, and it looks fantastic. Brock’s croque-monsieur is a tantalizing combination of ham, creamy béchamel sauce, and toasted bread with a golden-brown crust oozing with melted Gruyère cheese. Brianna’s quiche has a golden pastry crust cradling a velvety filling of eggs, cream, and bacon. Meanwhile, Dave dives headfirst into his steaming bowl of French onion soup, topped with a toasted baguette and a layer of melted Gruyère that rivals Brock’s.
I look down at my Niçoise salad. Before me sits a medley of colors and textures. A bed of crisp lettuce with cherry tomatoes, olives, hard-boiled eggs, and seared tuna, drizzled with a zesty vinaigrette. I bring a forkful to my mouth.
“It’s delicious!” I say. “It tastes like I’m swimming in the Mediterranean.”
Brock chuckles as he wipes some of the béchamel from his chin.
I get no reaction from Dave. Maybe he didn’t hear me.
We don’t talk much as we finish our meal. Once we’re done and have paid up, we head back to the hotel for some much-needed rest.
I don’t invite Dave to my room.
He doesn’t ask, either. I think we both need a little sleep.
But once I’m inside, someone knocks. I check the peephole. It’s Dave.
