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Willens offense "Bread and chocolate are not rins "Not the only ones And they are very French Chocolate croissants? We can have those for breakfast toht Céline beings to feel a little farther away now

"Unless, that is, you prefer crisps for breakfast," he continues "Or pancakes That’s American Maybe crisps with your pancakes?"

"I don’t eat chips for breakfast I do occasionally eat pancakes for dinner I’m a rebel that way"

"Crêpes," he says, snapping his fingers "We will have crêpes Very French And you can be rebellious"

We walk along,the cafés until we find one on a quiet triangle corner that serves crêpes The menu is hand-scrawled, in French, but I don’t ask Wille with Céline,to feel like a handicap So I stu on citron, which I’e, or citrus of some kind I decide on a citron crêpe and a citron pressé drink, hoping it’s so?" I ask

He scratches his chin There is a tiny patch of golden stubble there "I was thinking of getting a chocolate crêpe, but that is so close to chocolate and bread that I’m afraid you’ll lose respect for me" He flashes me that lazy half smile

"I wouldn’t sweat it I already lost respect for you when I found you undressing for Céline in her office," I joke

And there’s that look: surprise, a out his words "And I would say she wasme"

"Oh, never mind, then By alllook "No To repent, I will orderNutella is practically chocolate"

"It’s "

"You just say that because you’re A to do with it! You seem to have a bottomless appetite for chocolate and bread, but I don’t assume it’s because you’re Dutch"

"Why would it be?"

"Dutch Cocoa? You guys have the lock on it"

Willeians And I get my sweet tooth from my mother, who’s not even Dutch She says she craved chocolate all through her pregnancy with ures Bla?"

The waitress comes over with our drinks

"So, Céline," I begin, knowing I should let this go but am somehow unable to "She’s, like, the bookkeeper? At the club"

"Yes"

I know it’s catty, but I’ratified that it’s such a dull job Until Willem elaborates "Not the bookkeeper She books all the bands, so she knows all these h, he adds, "She does some of the artwork for the posters too"

"Oh" I deflate "She ?"

"No"

"Well, how did you meet?"

He plays with the wrapper fro why I’uys were an item"

"No, that’s not it"

"Oh" Surprise And relief

And then Willem says, ever so casually, "We just fell in love once"

I take a gulp of my citron pressé--and choke on it It turns out it’s not lemonade so ar and a napkin

"Once?" I say when I recover

"It was a while ago"

"And now?"

"We are good friends As you saw"

I’m not sure that’s exactly what I saw

"So you’re not in love with her anylass

Willem looks at me "I never said I was in love with her"

"You just said you fell in love with her once"

"And I did"

I stare at him, confused