Rule No. 1: No Romance (GirlxGirl WlW)

Chapter 3

"What do you think?" Louise asks before I could so much as open the document she has sent me.

"I'll have to look at it first, don't you think?" I say raising a brow at her, she's trying to act cool but there's an edge to all of her movements. "You can go, I'll call you after I thoroughly review it."

"Why can't you do it now?"

"I'd like to drink my coffee first, and I have things to do." I groan seeing her getting comfortable in one of the chairs in front of my desk. "I wasn't expecting to have you waiting by my office door first thing in the morning but at least you're not late."

"I was excited to show it to you."

"I bet."

"C'mon Esther, I've worked so hard," she says, giving me a very bad attempt of puppy dog eyes.

"Miss Bouvet, we're not at the bar anymore."

"My apologies, Ms. Agassi," she sighs but still doesn't make an effort to leave.

I internally groan as I open the document she has sent, spending a few minutes meticulously looking at it.

"It's good," I say simply.

"Good?"

"Yeah, I approve it," I look back at her with a raised brow.

"I suppose you're not very good at praising."

"Not exactly, I don't see how 'good' is not good enough of a praise."

"So, do you get to treat me with a coffee? You did promise."

"Now Miss Bouvet, I said I would — only if you made my jaw drop."

"You just told me 'good' was a very valid form of praise."

"But I didn't say it was the highest."

"Touché," she groans, slouchingly resting her back on the chair. "Let me treat you a coffee instead then?"

"That won't be necessary."

"I insist."

"If that's what it takes to make you leave my office right now, then fine."

"Then meet me at the entrance after work?"

"Uhum," I say simply, dismissing her with a hand gesture and going back to my computer, she's at least smart enough to accept it as a yes and leaving right after.

Surprisingly the day isn't as busy as I thought it would be, giving me the very rare chance to enjoy a decent lunch with Joane.

"I can't remember when was the last time we got to have lunch together like this," Joane says, dipping her bread on my Shakshuka sauce.

"Mind you?" I groan, swatting her hand away. "Long enough for me to forget how annoying you are at the table."

This restaurant is owned by my aunt, they serve all kinds of North African and Middle Eastern dishes, traditional and Jewish. It's one of the very few actually good kosher restaurants around.

"Sharing is caring."

"I'm not caring, eat from your own plate."

"Put some of it in my plate then," she says with an annoying toothy grin, pushing her plate closer to mine. I swat her hand away again, reluctantly pouring some of the sauce on her plate. "Don't be shy, give me an egg too."

"You're abusing my goodwill."

"I'll give you some of my Couscous."

"I hate Couscous."