1.2 | Je T'aime Encore ✓

04 | partners

04

p a r t n e r s

Anita looked at Leon in shock before checking her watch and cursing. "Shit. I can't show up like this. This is a new jacket!" she exclaimed spreading her arms.

Leon looked at her for a second, before the side of his lip quirked up into half-grin. "Just wear your dress. The blazer is a bit too much and might intimidate the person."

Anita scoffed, but she started to peel if her jacket anyway. "Leon, you're probably the only person that might feel intimidated by this, because you hate when people look nicer than you."

Leon grinned at her. "That's true."

Anita's heart clenched horribly. It was too easy to get back into their old routine of teasing each other. And Leon was making it so much easier by pretending nothing ever happened between them. And now she was going to be late for her meeting.

Anita glared at Leon and he withered. "I need to go now. And I still haven't forgiven you." She snarked, with an icy cold tone, before turning on her heel and hurrying to the lunch reservation. She has a minute to get there.

Crap.

Anita managed to find a shortcut to the cute and charming café and spotted Ms. Laurent almost instantly.

"Hi, Ms. Laurent. I'm sorry I'm so late!" Anita apologized, putting her ruined jacket on the side of her chair, trying to cover up the annoyingly obvious stain.

Ms. Laurent dabbed at the sides of her lips with a tissue before smiling at Anita. "It's fine, Anita. Your partner just told me that they were going to be a few minutes late because they had an unfortunate accident."

"Oh," Anita said, before sinking into her chair in relief. She wasn't later than them. So, she wouldn't look that horrible.

"You can order already if you want. I recommend the croque monsieur with the orange juice because that's one of the best things they make here. Or the croissant. Those are really good too. But stay away from the fruit smoothies. Those are just nasty." Ms. Laurent says, then fake-shuddered, causing a small laugh from Anita.

Almost immediately, she thought of Olivia and her obsession with strawberry smoothies. Anita wondered what her friend's reaction would be to Ms. Laurent's comment.

Anita ordered the croque monsieur and sparkling water and started eating it while talking to Ms. Laurent.

"So, Anita," Ms. Laurent said, after taking a bite out of her croissant and chewing. "What's your theme going to be?"

"My theme?" Anita asked, confused.

"Yes, the trilogy of paintings you're planning to do." Ms. Laurent said.

"Oh!" Anita said, now understanding what her teacher was trying to ask her. "I'm going to be doing city scales and skylines. I have one of New York, and I am planning to paint two while I'm here in Paris."

Ms. Laurent nodded, showing her approval. "City scales are always popular."

Anita internally smiled with relief as she took a bite of her sandwich.

Ms. Laurent looked up and smiled at something behind her.

"Hi Ms. Laurent!," the person behind her said. "I apologize for being late, but I got into an incident where I accidentally spilled coffee on someone-"

"Oh, hush." Makes. Laurent said waving her hand. "What matters is you're here now."

For the second time that day, Anita realized she recognized that voice and was almost scared to look up.

"Anita, meet Leon. Leon, meet Anita." Ms. Laurent said. "Although, I remember you being friends so that'll be good!"

Anita looked up into Leon's deep blue eyes that stared straight at Anita, almost piercing into her soul.

Anita's stomach churned.

This wasn't going to be good.