Isabella raised her head, and looked into the eyes of each of the three women in turn. They all leaned in.
‘It wasn’t good,’ Isabella whispered. ‘It was amazing.’
‘Yes!’ Amber said and gave her a high five across the table. ‘So, what now?’
‘You going to sample the Etienne platter?’ Wren said.
‘She’s going to drink of the Etienne juice. . .’ Amber said.
‘You’re going to get Etienne’d,’ Rosie proclaimed with finality.
Isabella swung her head from side to side, definitively.
‘Nope, I am most definitely NOT breaking my promise.’
‘But you’ve said it yourself, you can’t trust yourself around him,’ Wren said.
‘And he’s everywhere here, you can’t avoid him,’ Rosie added. ‘I mean, we’re all in the same friendship group.’
‘What do your nipples think about that?’ Amber asked.
‘Believe me, I’ve taken my nipples into consideration,’ Isabella said with a smile. ‘And I’m also taking my own personal journey into consideration. And I’ve got an idea of how to combine both. We’ll just have to see if Etienne is up for it.’
She checked her surroundings again and beckoned the women in until their heads were almost touching over the table. When she’d finished whispering, Amber slumped back in her chair.
‘If you can pull that off, then you’re a stronger woman than me.’
Later that night, Isabella watched as the last diners left The Bistro, and Etienne waved his staff goodbye before flipping the sign to closed and dimming the lights. It took her exactly one minute and ten seconds to lock her flat, hurry across the windy square and tap lightly on the front door. Etienne appeared from the kitchen, squinting to see outside, and she caught the glint of his smile in the shadows when he spotted her waiting.
Chapter Thirty
Etienne
Brothers from Another Mother WhatsApp group
Fox: Thanks for coming today, guys. George and Riley finally asleep in the den in the lounge. Reggie in bed. I’m shattered.
Walker: Glad George had a good day.
Fox: I think he had almost as much fun as you, Etienne.
Etienne: I doubt that somehow.
Fox: She was in quite a hurry to get out of the cupboard, though.
Walker: And leave.
Etienne: Don’t you worry. She’ll be back.
Fox: Not sure. Maybe you’ve met your match.
Walker: Just got a callout to help the on-shift crew. Another house fire. Update you tomorrow.
Fox: Be careful.
Walker: Yes, Dad.
Fox: Fuck off.
