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Hehad watched her arrive through the front window of his gallery that afternoon.Hissister greeted the woman and showed her to the investment rental they ran together in the building above, a few floors below his penthouse apartment.By‘running it together’, he meant that he paid the bills and his sister,Elodie, did everything else: the marketing, the cleaning, and any human interaction.
‘Dieumerci,’Michelexclaimed.Gabrielsuspected the waiter would have grabbed him by the shoulders and kissed him ifMichelwasn’t a full head shorter.
Finally, she found her wallet and waved the card towards the machine, missing it.Michelhad to move the machine around to connect the receiver with the plastic rectangle as her hand swayed.Jobdone, he briskly tore off her receipt and gave it to her, saying toGabriel, ‘She’syour problem now!’ before practically skipping back into the restaurant.
Withanother deep sigh,Gabrielsurveyed the scene before him.
Onher table—along with her second empty bottle of red—sat two antique cookie jars.Onewas a pig in a chef’s outfit with rosy cheeks and its tongue poking out of its mouth.Theother one was uglier, a green-skinned witch with dark hair, beady obsidian eyes, a pursed mouth, and a pointed ceramic hat on her head.Theywere arranged on the table as though they were her dinner companions and confidantes.
Gabrielcleared his throat. ‘Whoare your friends?’ he asked, trying to make conversation to put her at ease.Hedidn’t want her to accuse him of being a wanker.
Sheturned her face up and refocused on him, eyes widening slightly as her gaze settled.Blue.Hereyes were a clear aquamarine blue, like the sky on a sunny day.
‘Oh, hello again, handsome,’ she said.Anattractive blush pinked her cheeks as she ogled him. ‘I’mJess.ThisisPierre.’Shewaved a manicured hand towards the pig. ‘Andthe ugly witchy one…Icall herFrancesca.’Shelaughed at a joke that was not apparent to him, but it rapidly transformed into sobs.
‘I’mGabriel,’ he said, ‘let’s get you back to your apartment.’Hepicked up her bag and slung it over his shoulder, on top of his satchel.
Withsudden energy, she stood up and shouted, ‘Sir!Iamnotthat kind of girl!’Andthen she slapped his cheek hard.
Bothof them blinked with shock.
‘Ouch.’Herubbed at his throbbing cheek. ‘Whatdid you do that for?’
Righteouslyangry, she said, ‘Ithought you were hitting on me!’Andthen a little less sure: ‘Weren’tyou?’
‘Iwas trying to help you.Mysister is your host.Iwas going to see you safely back to your apartment.’Hisskin still smarted from the impact.
Jess’shands flew to her face and tented over her nose and mouth. ‘Omigod!I’mso sorry.Yes,Ican see the resemblance now.’
Gabrielraised an eyebrow.Heand his sister looked nothing alike, especially since his black hair had become prematurely peppered with grey.
‘I’msuch an idiot,’ she continued. ‘Yousee,I’venever slapped anyone before, andI’mtrying to be more spon…spon…spon?—’
‘Spontaneous?’
‘Yes!That!’Shetried to click her fingers and failed.
‘Andslapping me was spontaneous?’
Shebit her lip and nodded.
Gabrielcrossed his arms. ‘Turningleft rather than right is spontaneous.Slappingsomeone is assault.’Hetilted his head to the side and narrowed his eyes. ‘Andby the way, ifIwas hitting on you, you’d know it.’Callhim old-fashioned, but he preferred his sexual partners to be sober, willing and, most importantly, no strings attached.
Hershoulders drooped. ‘Ithink my ex broke up with me because—because he thinksI’mtoo buttoned-up.Youknow…boring.’Thesobs overtook her again, and she tipped towards him, leaning her forehead against his shoulder.
Hisnostrils filled with the scent of her shampoo.Strawberries.Hisfavourite fruit.
‘Iwant to go home now,’ she said as her crying stopped and she pulled back, wiping under her eyes with her fingers.Heglanced down at his shirt and saw two mascara marks on the linen.Hewas already regretting his intervention.
‘Yourapartment is there.’Heflicked his head towards the seven-storey building next door, the uniformJulietbalconies looking south overParis.
‘Imeanhomehome.WhydidIcome here?’Herchin sank towards her chest and something in him growled, angry to see this beautiful creature brought so low.
Againsthis better judgment, he reached out and lifted her chin.Hersad eyes found his, recognising a kindred spirit in pain, he supposed. ‘Youcame because you were being spontaneous.’
Theirgazes locked.Henoticed a fleck of dark blue in her left eye.Anisland in a calm sea.
‘Goon, man!Kissher!’ yelled a passing group of drunkenBritishtourists, followed by exaggerated smoochy noises.Gabriellet go of her chin, and she swayed as though he had been holding her up.Shestumbled backwards into the table.
