"Come on!" she laughs. "How could I have known he had a girl over?"
"He opened the door while wearing boxers!"
"I thought I had woken him up!"
Her cheeks go red as she's reminded of the sight that had greeted her earlier today when they'd stopped by Pierre's apartment uninvited. It had taken her way too long to realize what was going, and Charles had had to gently guide her away, an amused smile on his face as she struggled not to throw up.
"I wish it was the first time I walked in on him..."
Their fits of laughter that don't go unnoticed by the clients in the restaurant they're currently sitting in but neither of them really care. Charles is a bit tipsy on wine and she just finished eating way too much dessert. That chocolate cake was truly to die for, and one look from her had been enough for Charles to push his plate in front of her, claiming he was full and that Andrea would kill him, but she knew he'd probably ordered it for her. It had always been her favourite and the main reason they'd chosen to have dinner here tonight.
"Seriously, did you know Pierre was seeing someone?"
"He might have mentioned it in passing, yeah..."
"Who is it? Is she nice? What's her name?"
"Wow, easy woman! I can't say anything, he swore me to secrecy."
"Excuse me? You can't say anything to people, but I don't count! Tell me!
"I'm still not telling you."
"Do I know her? Is she one of my friends or something? It's either that or he's sleeping with an ex." If there's one thing she's learned by now, it's that Charles would be terrible at poker. His mouth twitches and he busies himself by taking a sip of his wine. "Oh my god. He is sleeping with an ex. Which one?"
She won't give up, he knows that much. "Cate."
"Oh my god, really?!" she screeches, clapping her hands in enthusiasm.
"You're happy about it?" he says, tilting his head at her, a confused frown on his face. "Pierre thought you'd be mad."
"Please!" she snorts. "Caterina was the best thing that's ever happened to him, he was just too chicken shit to realize it and he let her go."
They keep talking until one of the waiters politely comes over to let them know that they're about to close.
"Wow, I did not realize we were the only ones left," she says as she looks around, a bit embarrassed.
"Me neither..." Charles reaches for her hand across the table and she shivers, for reasons she doesn't want to dwell on right now. "I've had a great time tonight."
She'd confessed to Pierre that she felt confused at Charles's attitude ever since their fight in the car in Baku. A few times, she thought Charles was about to kiss her, and he hadn't. It had left her... unsettled. Pierre had been... well, Pierre. No bullshit, straightforward, blunt Pierre. He'd called her stupid.
Charles, apparently, was just trying to give her some space and time to figure out what she really wanted. He didn't want to rush anything or pressure her into something she wasn't ready for, so the ball was in her court now.
"Me too."
"Are you saying that because of the chocolate cake or because of me?"
"Honestly? 70% cake, 30% you."
"I can work with that," he laughs and she sticks her tongue out at him. "Shall we head home?"
She nods, feeling lighter than she had in a while, and she even melts a little when Charles guides her out of the restaurant with a hand low on her back. The last two weeks have been filled with moments just like this one. Small touches. Echoes of laughter. Deep conversations. Silly jokes. Nights spent watching god awful movies on TV. It feels right and natural and just... so them that it throws her for a loop sometimes. Maybe even better than what they used to be.
