Page 21 of Here in My Heart (Here Together #2)

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Sylvie scribbled Monday’s date on her board and readied herself for the day ahead. Paul still hadn’t come through with her reduced timetable, so she faced another jam-packed week of lectures and seminars. It was for the best. Staying busy would keep her mind from wandering.

It had been a fairly easy task to avoid Ade for the week, once she stopped straying into their mutual locations. Just a lick of discipline and a little diary management was all she’d needed. She’d still procrastinated through her book edits for the whole week, but any progress was progress.

But even Isa’s midweek excursion to a poetry reading hadn’t totally rid her of the sense that her little world had grown quieter without her favorite Californian’s commentary. She spent the whole night thinking of how Ade would’ve loved to have been at the poetry reading too.

Popping open her calendar, she scanned today’s agenda. “What is this?”

Ade had requested some time with her this morning.

She glanced at the clock. Three minutes to wriggle out of the tentative appointment, which was blinking away, slicing through her peace with its jagged edges.

She could hardly say no. That would cause even more trouble, and she’d have to admit to herself that there was something she couldn’t face.

There was only one way to handle this: be the professional she should’ve been all along.

Keep her distance and definitely no sleepovers.

“Hi there,” Ade said softly, announcing her arrival as if she didn’t want to disturb Sylvie’s train of thought .

All at once, Ade’s presence filled the room, flooding Sylvie’s senses.

Her clothes hung off her strong body with an effortless style, like she hadn’t even noticed what she’d put on that morning.

But it had all worked out perfectly. Her scent floated in ahead of her, a unique, natural aroma so far away from the synthetic perfumes that made Sylvie gag in the malls.

“You’re early.” Sylvie cleared her throat and wished she could be more commanding and authoritative.

Ade frowned and flicked the screen of her cell. “No, I don’t think so.”

“Come on in.” Sylvie rubbed her palms. “Please take a seat.” Rolling back to a time before they were familiar with each other was going to be much harder than she thought.

“Is everything okay? Maybe now isn’t a good time. I saw that you hadn’t accepted the invitation I sent.”

“No.” Sylvie met Ade’s eye contact and froze in her gaze for a moment too long. She wasn’t going to be able to brush her off like this. Ade was a good person, and she didn’t deserve that. “Please, let’s talk. I’ve missed you this past week.”

“Me too.” Ade fiddled with her cuff. “Steph arrived from Barcelona. We went shopping for Thanksgiving.”

“Of course. Are you looking forward to it?”

“Sure. My dads arrive on Wednesday.” Ade’s expression lit up the room.

“It’s wonderful that they’re able to make the trip over here.” Sylvie loved Ade’s obvious excitement.

Ade’s smile faded. “Part of me wishes I could’ve gone home for the holidays. It’s not going to be the same here. But Steph keeps reminding me that it’s more about us being together than being somewhere specific.”

“You Americans are very enthusiastic about this holiday, aren’t you?” Sylvie asked.

“It’s bigger than Christmas in our house,” Ade said. “My dads go crazy for all the traditions. Usually, the whole family joins us for a huge dinner. It’s a big deal.”

“Must be strange though, having to celebrate away from home. And it’s not like we have the same holiday here in France. Most people don’t even know about it.”

“You mean, the United States’ colonial victories aren’t in your calendar?” Ade’s eyes widened with a sparkle. “Sorry, I shouldn’t joke about it. I love the holiday, but its origins are flawed.”

“Trust me, we have our own ways of marking our country’s questionable role in history.” Sylvie chuckled. “I find it fascinating though, how the world continues to honor these historical events through the rose-tinted glasses of modern times, without making more of the unheard voices of history.”

“It’s all turkey. Hearing untold stories might bring the mood down.”

“Exactly.” Sylvie bit her lip. She could talk to Ade all day.

“So, you wouldn’t want to join us for lunch? With my folks?”

“For Thanksgiving?” Sylvie asked.

“The day after. They’ll be here for a few days, and they want to fill their time.” Ade blushed and looked to the floor. “Forget I asked.”

“I’d love to meet your parents.” That sounded wrong. “I mean, it would be lovely to welcome them to the city.”

Joy radiated from Ade’s face. “That’s fantastic. I’d love them to meet you.”

“Why?”

“Because they’ll see that I’m doing okay out here.” Ade nodded.

Sylvie wondered why her presence would validate Ade’s success.

Sometimes she forgot how young she was. Ade sought the approval of her parents in a way that Sylvie no longer needed.

It was another good reason to maintain the professional boundaries between them.

So why had she just agreed to a family lunch?

That suddenly seemed much more intimate than she’d thought it would be.

Sylvie straightened in her chair. “Did you want to go over some work items?”

Ade retrieved her notebook from her bag. “Sure. I’m more or less up to date with supervision meetings.”

“All the students are on track?” Sylvie asked, poised to take any notes.

“As far as I’m aware.” Ade fidgeted, as if she was being stretched out of her comfort zone.

“What do they all have planned for Thanksgiving?”

Ade frowned. “I’m not sure.”

Sylvie raised her eyebrow. It wasn’t that Ade was self-centered, but she could be so blind to the needs of others sometimes. “Might be worth checking in on people to make sure they’re not missing their loved ones back home.”

Ade studied her notebook. “I guess so. I’d hate to spend Thanksgiving alone.”

“Right.” Sylvie fought the urge to tip Ade’s chin in her direction. “The whole group is away from home, and they might be struggling just like you would be if your sister and your dads hadn’t made it here.”

Ade withdrew into herself in the way that Sylvie had gotten used to over the past few weeks. She guessed it was Ade’s way of digesting and making sense of the world.

“I’d better go. Thanks for your time,” Ade said, gathering her things.

Ade took away some of the room’s warmth when she left.

Even though her impromptu meeting had interrupted Sylvie’s morning, it had been a welcome distraction.

Left alone, Sylvie busied herself with preparation for classes but continued to drift to the shape of Ade, her closeness, the rise and fall of her voice.

Was she ever going to maintain the professional distance she needed to get through the year?

Every time Ade was around she melted, drawn ever nearer to her heat.

Ade lit a spark inside Sylvie that hadn’t flickered in a long time.

She enjoyed the warmth of her rekindled desire but feared its unknown depths.

Allowing herself to think about Ade was sparking a fire that could rage out of control, its white heat scorching everything in its path.