Bastien’s body tensed under her fingers. “I’d rather not chit-chat about this, if you don’t mind.”
“Alright, then you should probably know you will have to bring fabric rolls here for me,” she said, and felt his muscles relax at the switch in conversation. “I can’t have them delivered at my house. Maman could find out.”
“Paranoia runs that deep, huh?”
“You would be too if you knew my mother.”
Bastien clicked his tongue. “Trust me, I’ve been raised by more oppressive people. But I still get my way. All it takes is a little rebellion.”
That didn’t surprise Celine at all. “You know it’s different for girls. We breathe a little too loudly and they immediately think we’re doing something wrong.”
He pondered that for a moment. “Anaïs gets away with a lot of things.”
“That’s because she has your shenanigans to cover hers.”
As far as Celine knew, in the Ménard family, Anaïs was the little angel. Between Bastien’s wild appearances in the scandal columns and Jacques’s shiny trophies on the front page, Anaïs’s comings and goings went unseen. There were times when Celine envied her; times when she wished she had a sibling to share the blame with.
Once done, Celine jotted the numbers down on her sketchbook alongside a full size rendering of a faceless Bastien. It was going to be her framework for her sketches.
“You’re not going to measure the rest of my limbs?” Bastien asked absently.
“I don’t require the rest of you to sew a dress.” In truth, Celine didn’t think it proper to measure the lower half of his body. Yes, it would mean nothing, yes, it would be for the sake of fashion, but there were some lines she refused to cross. “What I have is enough.”
“Good, then I’ll be on my merry way.”
“No,” Celine scoffed. “I need you here to try the mock-up.”
Bastien groaned. “Which will take…”
“Two hours at best.” He was about to complain again when Celine held up her hand. “What doyouhave to moan about? I’ll be doing all the work.”
She watched him drag his feet petulantly towards the old bookshelf again, and began inspecting the spines. “At least you have books here.” He sighed, finding what little bright side he could. “Any preferences?”
Chapter 7
Prince Charming
Bastien left the second Celine nodded her approval of the mock-up gown.
“I’d love to hang around and watch you struggle as you thread that needle—fascinating stuff by the way—but I have an engagement with Anaïs which I’m late for,” he said, one foot already out the door. “I will see you tomorrow for another try on.”
“Don’t tell her a thing about the competition,” Celine warned. “I will do it myself—Bastien? Did you hear me?Bastien!”
Certain she had been speaking to herself, Celine returned to sewing the dress until the bells of the nearby church rang six times, reminding her of her own engagement with Jacques that evening. And she couldn’t be late.
Attentively, she wrapped up her materials and headed downstairs. There was a muck-covered mirror on the corridor, and she stopped to find a clean spot and check her appearance. With a look of horror Celine noticed the measuring tape still hanging around her neck. She pulled it off, tossed it aside, and went to open the door.
Then startled.
Jacques was standing on the other side of the street, hands in his trouser pockets and leaning against a car parked by the sidewalk.
“Jacques!” Celine called, awkwardly thrashing around to barricade the entrance. “I-I thought we were going to meet at the restaurant.”
“Yes,” he chuckled nervously, checking to the right before crossing the street. He looked as handsome as usual, like Aphrodite’s Adonis, in his cream, pressed suit and meticulously gelled hair. “The driver was heading there when I told him to turn over on the next street. I must admit, I got a bit curious when I heard where you were.”
“Oh. H-how did you hear?”
“I called your house to check if you were still up for tonight,’ he replied, meeting her halfway up the stairs. The gold rays fell on his face; Celine lifted her hand to his cheek feeling as though she was holding the sunset in her hands. Jacques leaned against her touch. “Francine mentioned you might be here, though she did not mention why.”
