The Bakery that Brought Us Together

Chapter 5: The Café

“No Izzy, he didn’t tell me where we are meeting, just that it’s a cafe.” Valerie murmured; Isabella was squinting in concentration as she dabbed light pink blush of Valerie’s pale cheeks. Isabella had shrieked when Valerie and Camila had explained the ordeal after she returned from dance. What was he wearing? She had asked. What did he say? You should have gotten his autograph, no that would have been coming off to strong, Isabella’s words tumbled over each other in excitement. “I think it is creepy he didn't tell you where you were going and said he would send a car.” Camila interjected unplugging Isabella’s old curling iron. It was so beaten that it took half an hour to heat of and another half hour to cool down.  Camila had curled the light brown locks of Valerie’s hair into tight ringlets, Valerie tried to brush her fingers through the curls but Isabella slapped her hand away before she could get too far. “Finished!” Isabella said dusting her hands off on her sweatpants and standing back to admire her work. “Wait you need a necklace!” Isabella exclaimed opening Valerie’s jewelry box and weeding through it until she paused. Both hands plunged into the box and emerged with a silver chain in hand.  Valerie was unable to see the pendant from where she sat so she waited until Isabella slung the chain around her neck and clipped it together, to touch where it had landed on her neck. A dark red gem was lodged into the pendant, a garnet, Valerie’s birthstone. It had been her grandmothers who passed it down to Rosemary before cutting off contact with her.  Rosemary seldom spoke of her parents; she said it was clear what they thought of her when she was pregnant and decided to keep the baby. All Valerie knew was her grandfather was an author and a mediocre one at that, she had pick up one of his books searching for any hint of the family she knew nothing about. She gave up quickly, the book was non-fiction rambling about the formation of clouds.  never asked about them either, they were a forbidden topic with Rosemary, it was reluctant she even told Valerie the necklace was her grandmother’s. The scarlet crystal swung on Valerie neck as she stepped over piles of clothing to see her reflection in the mirror. A black mini skirt hugged at her hips over see through mesh tights and ankle high boots. A white Ralph Lauren V-neck sweater kept her arms warm and necklace visible., Valerie had begged for this sweater in her seventh year of school when she was redoing her fashion sense. Her mother bought it as a Christmas gift but Valerie never wore it due to her every changing style. It became her fancy night sweater, Christmas dinners, Isabella’s dance recitals and now apparently fake dates with celebrities. Valerie turned side to side in the mirror, she had to fight back the urge to criticize every inch of her body, the way her legs touched and how her shoulders hunched. Valerie knew she would never look like Céline Boucher but how was anyone ever expected to believe a celebrity would be interested in her. She hoisted a small black bag over her shoulder and zipped it up. Its only contents were an old lip gloss, a ball point pen, her wallet and a pack of mint gum. The purse was snatched from her mother’s closet, she knew it would go unnoticed. Rosemary’s closet was a disaster even now in Paris it was already a mess. When Valerie was young, she would pretend it was her own fantasy world, placing feathered hats on her head and wore elegant cocktail dresses that flowed passed her knees to imaginary fairy balls. Now all she saw was chaos and clutter, it’s funny how our imagination fades as we age. Camila tapped her phone sitting on Valerie’s bed and the screen lite up. “It is 10:52, do you have everything you need?” Camila asked looking around the room for anything Valerie could have missed. “Your phone?” Camila checked. “Yes,” Valerie paused, “I have a text from an unknown number.” She said unlocking her phone, the face I’d refused to work so hastily she typed in the passcode into the keypad. It was her birthdate, her mother set it up when she got her first phone and never bothered to change it. “What does it say?” Isabella asked putting down the makeup brushes and crowding behind Valerie with Camila leaning over Valerie’s shoulders. The text read: Your driver sent by Daniel Laurent has arrived downstairs. Isabella dashed to the window and peered down onto the streets. “It’s a black car!” she yelled, “The windows are tainted, how fancy.” Camila looked hesitant, “Are you sure you want to go.” She asked quietly to Valerie. Camila and Valerie had always known how to read each other, and Camila was sending Valerie’s nervousness. “Yeah, I’m fine, you only live once right?” Valerie chuckled reassuring her best friend and heading downstairs. “Have fun.” Isabella smirked. “Valerie smirked as an older man with jet black hair and suite stepped out from the driver’s seat of the vehicle. “Bonjour.” He greeted plainly as he opened the back door for her. “Merci.” She ducked her head and stepped in, adjusting her skirt as she sat. Valerie questioned if her outfit choice was the right on, she had no idea what the celebrity fashions were. That was Isabella’s forte and Valerie had to trust her. Valerie’s eyes widened as she searched the car, glasses lined a shelf above a row of a variety of champagnes, wines, Proseccos and Rosés. As curious as she was to have a sip from each one, she decided it was best not to show up to a fake date tipsy.
The car bounced along the Paris streets; Valerie had a fleeting glance at the Louvre which she had still not had the chance to visit. At this point she thought she may never get to explore the gallery. The driver, Philippe, refrained from speaking to her, she supposed it was half her fault, her social skills were weak. That was another thing to add to my list, Valerie thought to herself. She had made a pros and cons list of why she should and shouldn’t agree to purse the rumour. The pros category was weak in comparison to the cons. The cons were: Hate on social media, Daniel Laurent turns out to be a total weirdo, she embarrasses herself on the internet and now she added weak social skills to the imaginary tally in her head. She had only one thing in her pros list however it was the side she was leaning towards: new experiences. Her mother loved the idea of never looking back and making wild rash decisions, Valerie on the other hand did not. Maybe this was the time to try this new mindset out. The car came to a halt outside a lavish building with a large sign outside. Café de Luxe Parisian was the name. Valerie crossed her fingers her outfit was appropriate. A million anxious thoughts stormed though her head, how would she know where to go inside, what if everyone starred at her judging as she looked lost. What if she couldn’t afford anything on the menu, she couldn’t just expect Daniel to pay, this was a fake date after all. Valerie held her breath as she opened the door and stepped into the cold dimly lit room. “No regrets.” She whispered so that only she could hear. The ceilings were high with two crystal chandeliers towering over head, a steel staircase winded up from the marble flooring and the dark walls gave the illusion of privacy at each booth in the café. “Bonjour, je suis ici pour voir Daniel Laurent.” Valerie asked the hostess politely. She looked her up and down once and said in French to her colleague, “Un sacré pas en retrait par rapport à Céline.” She snickered and her partner responded with, “Céline me manque déjà.” Valerie looked down at her shoes, a red-hot feeling searing her throat. Should she leave now and ghost Daniel? They hadn’t even bothered to hide their comments to her. Mentally Valerie added that intersection to her cons list. The hostess gestured to Valerie with the sharp waves of her hand to follow her deep into the dark café. “Bonjour Monsieur.” The hostess smiled, quite a change in demeanor from Valerie’s greeting, “Votre invité est là.” she moved to Valerie could sit across from Daniel in the booth. “Merci.” He said politely dismissing the hostess. “Hello again.” He smiled at Valerie; she liked that spoke in English for her. She smiled back shyly. “I thought we would first discuss events you would attend,” he paused, “If you were to agree of course.” Valerie nodded as he pulled out a sheet of folded paper and unwrapped it smoothing down the edges. She could see the upside-down lettering of a list. Just as Daniel pointed to the first point the waitress came to take their order.
The café was higher class than Valerie had anticipated. Daniel spoke to the waitress but Valerie was distracted watching the array of people passing by; business women in powerful silk pant suites waltzed by and older gentlemen smoking cigars in the corner of the room pulled at the velvet of their suites. “What do you want to order?” Daniel asked tapping her hand, the touch sent sparks up her arm. She was snapped back to the reality of their booth. “Espresso, s’îl vous plaît.” She answered crossing her legs under the table. The waitress scribbled on her pad of paper and nodded walking off; this drew Valerie’s gaze back to the members of the café. A familiar face clasping a Gucci purse in hand strode by, “Is that…?” Valerie began, recognizing the woman from a television series she couldn’t quite remember the title of. “Yes.” Daniel answered before she could finish. “Anyways you were saying?” Valerie said indicating to the list in front of them. “Right.” He said placing his hands on either side of the paper. “The first event is in eight days, October 1. It’s just a gala, so a few pictures will be taken and inside no cameras are allowed. It is like a social function.” Valerie nodded along to his words, reassured that the camera would not be spotlighted on her the entire night. “Then another eight days later is the movie premiere… Céline will be there. So more photos and then we watch the film, and the last event is an awards show which again is just pictures and watching the awards being given and speeches. That’s nearly a month later on…” he looked back down at the list, “November 13, I believe will probably see each other between events if something comes up.” He explained. Valerie pursed her lips; three events wasn’t much and she knew she could handle it. “Oh, and this would also what’s the phrase in English? Ah yes, all expenses paid.” Daniel finished. All expenses paid was another tick to the pros. “And after?” Valerie questioned. “We fake break up from our fake relationship.” He concluded. She had taken time to think about this decision but she hoped she wouldn’t change her mind about what she was about to agree to. This was crazy but you only live once right! “Okay let’s do it.” She said leaning her crossed arms on the table. He smiled and Valerie admired how his eyes crinkled and his lips turned up at the corners. She caught herself staring and cursed herself for it, she wouldn’t fall for his celebrity charm. “So, tell me about yourself.” Daniel asked leaning back against the velvet cushions. Valerie laughed, “Like what?”                                                “What’s your middle name?” he quizzed.                                         “Lily.”                                      “Favourite colour?” he continued. Valerie considered this for a moment, “Purple.” She answered. Daniel nodded, “And your birthday?”           “January 16, 2005.” She replied, “And you?”
“Louis, red, February 4, 2003.” Daniel said answering each question. She smiled, maybe she would his enjoy his after all. “Where do you live?” Valerie question now asking him a question. “Acting still, I hope. Maybe I will have directed a film by then.” He shrugged. “Do you have a dream film in mind?”
“Something action. I’m growing tired of romance and dramas. Actually, I just had a call back audition recently.” He explained lift the coffee out of the hands of the waitress that had just arrived with their order. Valerie held the warmth of the cup between her hands inhaling the nutty smell of the coffee. “It’s important you know these things if you are to be my fake girlfriend.” He said bringing the cup to his lips. Lifting her elbow onto the table Valerie rested her chin on her palm and curled her fingers to tuck against her chin. She hated to admit it but his accent had her mesmerized, she had heard this voice in French through the screen but listening to it in person was something else. The rolling of the r’s and the silky smoothness of the flow of words captivated her into taking French in high school. Perhaps It wasn’t her strongest subject but it had come in handy living in France. “So where do you see yourself in five years?” he asked her. “I’d like to go back to school when the bakery becomes stable and my mum doesn’t need my help anymore.” Valerie explained, she wasn’t sure how long that would take but she had time. “What you to school go for?” 
Not even Valerie was sure but a career she wanted to pursue, “I’m not sure, maybe something in management or business.” She explained. Valerie always had ideas that would spring into her head of innovative store ideas she would pitch to her mother. The layout of the bakery was partially her design. “Interesting.” Daniel said glancing down at the watch on his wrist, he sucked in a breath. “I have to be going now.” He said sounding disappointed. “Let me call a cab for you.” Daniel said standing to grab his coat. Valerie stood too taking the last sip from her coffee, the flavour swirled around her mouth until she swallowed it. We both thanked the hostess in the way out and we stood on the street waiting until each of our cars arrived. After a few minutes of waiting both cars pulled up to the pavement. “I had a great time today, I’m glad you chose to pursue the rumor. Trust me you won’t regret it.” He grinned leaning down to place a light kiss on her cheek before ducking into the open door of his car. Valerie froze as her face tingled, she still wasn’t accustomed to the polite greeting and goodbye kiss on the cheek. As she stepped into the taxi and told the driver her address, she put a hand to her cheek and felt the warmth of a blush.