andante ❈ benjamin pavard

NINE

           They ended up at a high end restaurant not too far from the hotel itself. It was clearly expensive, and Zoe couldn't locate any of the prices on the menu.

"I can't find any prices on the menu," Zoe said to Ben, who sat across from her. They were seated on the rooftop next to the railing, and Zoe could look down and see the people of Paris bustling beneath her. The wind blew some of Ben's curls back, and he squinted while he boyishly grinned back at her.

"The prices don't matter."

"Ben—"

"What?"

Zoe bit her lip self consciously. "I don't like you spending so much money on me."

It was fine when it was a few dresses, but then a few dresses turned into some shoes, and then shoes turned into makeup, and makeup turned into jewelry. Zoe had to physically stop Ben from purchasing an eight thousand euro necklace that she had been eyeing at a storefront. His kindness felt less genuine with the more money he spent. She didn't want to be his charity case. Poor drunk Zoe who didn't have money or her phone. The more she thought about it, the more it seemed like Ben was trying to make up for something. Zoe had no idea what.

"I have money to burn. It honestly doesn't matter to me. I want you to enjoy yourself while you're here– you should have good memories of Paris. I know how much you love it."

A shy smile graced Zoe's lips. There was no possible way a boy could be that perfect. Boys like Ben didn't exist in real life. They only existed in stories and movies, where girls dreamt that boys like them would somehow make their way into their lives, only to be utterly disappointed with the real life boys they'd have to settle for.

There was no way Zoe could be this lucky. That the guy of her literal dreams was sitting across from her, looking at her like she was the only person there. It made her heart skip a beat. It made blood rush to her cheeks.

"You're way too nice to me," Zoe simply responded. "I mean, we haven't seen each other in such a long time and you come in acting like some knight in shining armor. What sort of angle are you playing at?"

"What?" Ben laughed. "I have to have some sort of agenda to want to hang out with you?"

Zoe narrowed her eyes. Zoe had finely tuned her ears to the sound of Ben's laugh, and that one was unlike the others. It wasn't free, soft, melodic. It sounded tightly coiled. Stressed, even. Zoe's shoulders deflated. So he did want something. He wasn't taking her shopping, out to eat, and offering her shelter out of the kindness of his heart. He wanted something in return.

Dropping the tension in her shoulders, she asked tiredly, "What is it?"

"What's what?" He had the nerve to at least look nervous.

"The thing you want," Zoe said, paired with a shrug. "You want something."

Ben looked sheepish, trying to make his lanky frame smaller than it possibly could be. He glanced down at the streets, at the other tables, at his water- basically anywhere but Zoe. It was all that she needed to be proved right.

"There's a charity gala in Monaco tonight," Ben eventually revealed. "But I promise you, I didn't do all of this with the intention of asking you to go. I didn't even want to go. I just remembered when we walked in– seriously."

Zoe pondered his response for a moment. One of her major flaws was that she was too trusting, and she had been tirelessly trying to fix that before starting over in New York. But she couldn't help but trust Ben and his dark brown puppy dog eyes. He had to be telling the truth. There was no reason for lying.

"Why didn't you want to go?" Zoe asked.

Ben replied, "Well, because I didn't have anyone to go with."

Zoe raised an eyebrow teasingly. "And you do now?"

"At least, I hope I do." Ben raised his glass to his lips to take a sip of his water. Zoe opened her mouth to fire back a snarky retort, something about how she wasn't that easy, when the waiter came back with their food. Like all fancy restaurants, the portion size was tiny, but what her meal lacked in size, it made up for in flavor.

"I'm not saying I'm going," Zoe said, cutting off a piece of her meat. Ben quickly glanced at her as she did the same.

"Okay," Ben replied lightly, as if he didn't believe her. Hell, she wouldn't believe herself either. 

Why would she ever pass up on the opportunity to go to a charity gala in general, let alone with Ben? But she did have to keep him on her toes. She didn't want him to think that she would drop everything at any time just to be with him. Watching Margot lure boys in made Zoe learn that everything was about the chase-- something that she wasn't doing, if she really wanted him. 

Men always wanted what they couldn't have. Or maybe that's why Zoe was and was always so in love with Ben. Because he was so far out of her league and it felt safe to fantasize about a relationship with him. But now, with him eating a hearty lunch in front of her, everything felt way too real for her liking. Ben was a walking juxtaposition to Zoe. He felt real, but also seemed to be a dream. A fantasy.

"What is this gala for, anyway?" Zoe found herself asking, much to Ben's liking. He smiled easily.

"I'm not even sure, if I'm being honest." He shrugged. "Maybe for starving orphans. Baby dolphins. Starving orphan baby dolphins. Who knows?"

"You should," Zoe teased, kicking Ben under the table. His face lit up, and he immediately kicked her back. Soon enough, they were playing footsies like a pair of school kids in a michelen rated restaurant. Zoe couldn't wrap her head around it, even if it was nearing twenty four hours of them being together.

"Hey, hey, don't damage the money maker?" Ben said, referring to his feet. Zoe raised a single brow, something she had spent hours in front of the mirrors perfecting, before saying. "I'm serious!"

"Okay, I won't." Zoe took another bite of her food, all while Ben watched her. "You're such a bad starer."

Blood rushed to Ben's cheeks as he swiftly looked away. Zoe liked that she could make him blush the way he made her do so. It made her feel like they were on an equal playing field. Like Ben didn't have the upper hand.

"I'm really happy you said yes," Ben stated, looking anywhere but at Zoe. Zoe narrowed her eyes.

"I haven't said yes."

"No." Zoe watched as Ben rolled his eyes. "I mean to staying in Paris. To coming to Monaco."

"Oh." Zoe sunk in her seat, trying to contain the sweet smile that wanted to burst through. "Well, I'm happy I said yes too."

With that, Zoe stared at Ben who refused to stare at her, and wondered how she could ever not like him. She was attracted to him like a moth to light, and hopefully, just hopefully, she wouldn't get burned.

**

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