𝗕𝗟𝗢𝗢𝗗 𝗔𝗦 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗖𝗞 𝗔𝗦 𝗪𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗥 ⚔︎

10

jet-lagged and sleep deprived, giovanni finally returned to new york on a monday in the late hours of the morning. he trudged through the airport, his feet as heavy as lead and his head pounding from a torturous string of sleepless nights. his suitcase almost scraped the linoleum floor with how loosely he carried it.

as he stepped out into the pale, winter sunlight, he shielded his eyes and looked ahead to see chantelle, arms folded, leaning back against her white BMW.

confused, he began walking towards her and called out her name. "chantelle?"

chantelle turned to face him. "hey!" she greeted, stepping toward him and giving him a hug. "how are you, giovanni?"

giovanni smiled and patted her on the back as they both pulled away. "i'm good. glad to see you. i didn't know you were going to be picking me up?"

chantelle grinned and gave a playful shrug. "i thought i'd surprise you — take you out for brunch," she said. "i mean, i called jesse and asked if he wanted to come, but apparently he's busy."

"oh... okay."

she turned around and opened the trunk. "yeah. i haven't seen him properly in days. i think he's staying at tracy's or andre's or tommy's—" she waved her hand in dismissal as giovanni put his suitcase in the back. "whoever. one of his friends, anyway."

chantelle closed the trunk before walking back around to the driver's side. giovanni followed, opening the passenger door. "you have no idea how glad i am to be back," he sighed, tipping his head back onto the cream leather headrest.

she looked at him and gave another smile, switching on the ignition. "did you miss us?"

"i did, i cannot lie," he said shyly. "but the weather— i'd gotten so used to the warmth over here that i forgot how brutal my father's farm was in winter. everything was so... bleak."

"i can imagine," chantelle replied. she reversed out of her space in the taxi bay and started for the airport's westbound exit. "i can't stand this cold. johnny and i just got back from monaco and i miss it already."

"oh, yes. i was wondering why you looked so tan. how was it?"

switching gears, she pulled onto the interstate for manhattan, the wheels skidding on some ice. "it was wonderful! we rented a corvette and drove out to the countryside. we went sailing, saw the cathedral, the palace— oh, it was amazing. you must go, giovanni," chantelle said, clearing her throat. "how were things back home? russia, italy, all of it?"

giovanni slumped in his seat and closed his eyes. he sighed, long and heavy. "hm..."

chantelle raised a brow. "oh? what's that for?"

"i'll tell you about it later."

on the interstate, she drove along through brooklyn and up the east side of manhattan to giovanni's apartment. when they arrived, she waited for him out front in the car, while he quickly skipped up to put his bags down before heading back out again.

they had brunch at pablo's, a restaurant just a few blocks away on 3rd avenue, where he informed her about the happenings with his family over omelettes and cups of tea. she listened with a keen ear, poised with her chin on her fist, giving appropriate reactions to each statement. he managed to keep the conversation rather brief when it came to natasha — he didn't like to think about it, let alone even talk about it.

"so, you kissed her."

giovanni gulped. "yes— well, she kissed me."

"she obviously likes you, huh?" chantelle said, running a hand through her big wavy hair.