Chapter 61: A Table For Three (ii)
The lunch ended on a high note. Laughter, a few harmless teases from Elise, and even a reluctant smile from Adrien. Elise had this way of making me forget where I was— all I could feel was belonging.
For the first time in a long time, I did not feel like I was just getting by.
Adrien stood up and pulled my chair back like a proper gentleman, offering his hand to help me up and I took his hand as I rose. His fingers brushed across mine and he lingered just a moment enough to make me glance up at him. Is he zoning out or what?
That unreadable expression was back but there was something softer beneath it. Something he didn’t say.
"We will walk you to the door," he said to his mother.
"Oh! Wait!" Elise’s voice stopped us. She reached into her purse and pulled out her phone. "One more thing before we leave."
Adrien groaned without hesitation. "No."
"Yes," she insisted. She laughed and her face was alive and mischievous like a teenager. "Just one picture. For me. You both look absolutely perfect."
I blinked. "A picture?" The word felt alien. Pictures were for real couples, for real families made on something more than carefully curated lies that were held together with fragile strings of agreements. My stomach turned a little.
Adrien sighed. "Mum, we talked about this. I don’t like being photographed."
"Nonsense, dear," "Elise dismissed with a wave of her hand, already playing with the camera on her phone.