Leave the Space

Chapter 12

I was nervous, I couldn't lie. After today, there was stress for two different reasons. One was from work and the other was personal. Today's work events revealed Charles career was more than I expected. While that thought was of course with me, I was more scared of myself. The feelings of liking him now impossible to ignore. The butterflies I felt always revealing the pit in my stomach.

There were no butterflies right now though. Sitting on the top patio of a restaurant in Nice, I was just a puddle of nerves in my own way. It was almost enough to call Charles and postpone the date. The problem was no matter how many times I avoided this interaction, the next one would carry the same anxious feelings, just multiplied the longer it went on.

Charles strolled onto the patio with his hands in his pockets. He looked handsome in a tan quarterzip and navy slacks approaching me. A bright smile to top off his approach that pulled at the knot in my stomach.

I stood to greet him, Charles hand landing on my waist we air kissed both cheeks in greeting. "Nice looks good on you," I said stepping back while Charles pulled out my chair slightly. I took my seat and Charles made it around the table.

"You beat me to my line," Charles grinned settling in and giving me his full attention. My legs crossed nervously shifting my direction slightly away from him. "Happy weekend," Charles said filling my silence.

"Thank god," I breathed out. "It was a busy one."

"Yeah?"

I shook my head letting us fall into conversation. "Something about getting back into routine after vacation can always be difficult."

Charles raised his eyebrows to me. "Are you a routine junky?"

I chuckled quietly to his comment. "Guilty. I kinda figured it out this last year and got hooked."

"What does a typical week look like for you," Charles asked curiously.

"A mix of virtual and in person days. Work is far different here than in America so I had to figure out how to incorporate a touch more leisure in the work day here."

"How so?"

"Something active in morning, later start to work, long lunches, work, and something around here after."

"Sounds very French of you," Charles smiled.

"Are you a creature of habit," I asked curiously.

Charles shook his head amused. "You'll have to excuse my poor English. I don't know what that means," he said amused.

"You speak perfect English," I said surprised.

"Stick with me long enough and you'll see. I'll say something that gets the point across, but it'll catch you off guard," he winked which made me blush.

The conversation paused as the waiter approached with the bottle of red I ordered ahead of time. After our glasses were filled Charles flipped to French letting the waiter know we needed a little while before getting food.

I grabbed the base of the glass to ground me, Charles turning his attention back to me. "Creature of habit can translate to routine junky."

"Ahhh," Charles let out. "Then no," he said simply.

"No," I hummed out curiously pulling my eyebrows together.

"My work makes it difficult to get into a routine," Charles shared out seeming to offer the conversation to me.

"Peroni ambassador and race car driver seems like it could be a busy schedule," I shared setting up the conversation early.

"'My ears were burning today," Charles smiled and took a sip of his wine.