I raise my shoulders in return.
“Of course, mo ghrá,” he says, kissing the top of her head.
“Hah.” She muffles into his chest.
“Yes, clearly an unbiased opinion. You were right,” I tease, heading to the back. An avalanche of questions regarding postcards, romance, and other such miserable concepts berate me with the accompanying quiet.
Sighing while I organize the contents of my apron, two thoughts poke through the chaos, thundering the loudest.
How long have I been surviving without living?
And how long has my heart just been left to pump blood?
Oh, damn it, well, that’s not a depressing way to start work or anything.
Ugh. Maria’s the worst.
9
Donut Speak
Whenit’stimefora break from behind the bar, I lean against the cool limestone wall in the side alley of The Quays and soak in the ultimate view of the Seine from the shadows.
Golden strands ripple in the wake of a dinner cruise floating slowly under the archways of Pont Neuf as the faint romantic lilt of an accordion plays “La Vie en Rose”somewhere in the distance.
Light mist hangs in the raw spring air, puckering my skin with gooseflesh. Huddling further into myself, I inhale the sweet aroma of fresh crêpes from a nearby stand and find some semblance of peace on the crystallizing exhale, releasing the heaviness that’s loomed over me since my earlier conversation with Maria.
I may have let a part of my heart die, but simple moments like these remind me there’s still breath worth stealing from these lungs.
“Bonjour, Paris,”I whisper into the night, my soft swoon mixing with the brusque tone of two Americans arguing around the corner at the front of the building.
A familiar agitated voice rattles my nervous system, killing any sense of serenity my calming breaths acquired.
Honestly, I should have guessed Eli would pay the bar a visit given his blossoming romance with Fionn, but if he could send a girl some warning given his chosen company, I’d appreciate it.
“Dude, you were on your phone all day. Put it away,” Eli says.
A heavy sigh I was unaware Liam used on anyone else follows. “Sorry. Last one, and then I’ll shut it off for the night.”
“Fine, I’ll be inside with your girl.”
Apparently, Eli’s clever nickname maintained its charm from yesterday.
“Yeah, that’s why we’re here. I can’t believe it’s been a week, and you’re already in knitwear for someone.”
“Shut up. It’s cold,” Eli says, his embarrassment betraying itself in his tone. Eli’s a lot like Maria, where he falls hard, fast, and deep. But where Maria maintains composure with her feelings, Eli becomes possessed by the spirit of a golden retriever puppy with high energy that cannot be left alone. I haven’t had a front-row seat to his disaster in love show in a while, so I’m excited to see how this pans out.
The condescending scoff I know intimately rattles the back of Liam’s throat. “And your flannels weren’t warm at all.”
“You’re always such a dick before we see Evie.” Eli chuckles.
“I’m always a dick. It doesn’t have anything to do with her.”
Well, at least he’s self-aware.
“You’re definitely more of a dick when she’s around.”
“Just go inside,” Liam says, almost sounding defeated.
