The first semester in Oxford has already started. Balancing between studying to become a lawyer and life in general, Julia Eden has found herself sitting across from a shrink, or in better words: a psychologist.
It only gets worse when the old man s...
song : don't fear the reaper - gus black ( a song for julia and neal)
ps : a bit of steam ahead. nothing much. but still there.
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It was the second time Neal had shown Julia how far his reach was when the very same evening Noah had told her about his feelings, she was seated on a velvet chair across from Neal in Clos Maggiore.
It was notoriously difficult to book. Clients booked months in advance. The first time Neal and she had been here was because Peter had a reservation for himself and his wife Fay and they couldn't go for some unknown reason. So, she wondered how much Neal spent for the dinner here tonight. Neal wanted to stay at home but she wanted to go outside to take her mind off what Noah had said earlier that evening. He suggested dinner. She said yes. However, she had no idea he would choose this place.
Romantic settings couldn't get more splendidly over-the-top than this.
They were in the main dining room. Last time, they hadn't been in this room. In here, the ceiling was a canopy of blossoming flowers that enveloped every guest sitting in this small, intimate dining room. The dining room seated only a few couples, with ample space between each table for privacy. Burgundy velvet chairs were slipped under perfectly ironed, draping tablecloths.
The service was seriously impressive, the food polished.
Julia loved it.
This place made her feel pretty. It wasn't just the cream lace dress she wore, the demure makeup she had done or the way she pulled her hair back. It was just the way he looked at her, smiling once in a while and telling her how pretty she was and it made her want to find the washroom and stay inside for hours. They had ordered sharing dishes. She looked at the couples with her honey ice cream in hand and wondered if they thought how awful Neal and she looked here. Could they see how much of an amateur she felt among the crowd? Especially with Neal.
"Siddiq contacted me again," Neal said with a mouthful of Armagnac jelly.
"For the job?"
"Yes."
"He is desperate. What did you say?"
"I told him to mind his own business. I don't do politics." He had a small smile concealed by a grim line.
"Not yet," she snorted, concentrating on her ice cream.
"You don't have to be so mean about that, Julie." He was smiling though but it didn't reach his eyes. The silence continued until the waiter served a glass of warm and spicy Shiraz. Neal let Julia take the first sip and when he held the glass, he finally spoke, "I still can't believe you didn't tell your friends about us."
"You're still sulking about that?" She snatched the glass from him but he didn't seem to mind.
