The silence that followed felt thick, almost suffocating. Ellen stood there, her fingers still clutching the napkin, her mind racing for something to say, anything to break the awkwardness between them. Edrick, on the other hand, seemed content to let the silence linger, his gaze steady on her, a small, unreadable smile playing on his lips.
Ellen shifted her weight from one foot to the other, her eyes darting around the room, searching for a distraction. But nothing seemed to offer her an escape. The elegant hall was filled with people, all lost in their own conversations, their laughter and chatter blending into a soft murmur that only emphasized how isolated she felt standing here with Edrick.
Finally, Edrick broke the silence. "I noticed you’re alone," he remarked casually, but there was a sharpness in his tone, suggesting he was searching for more.
Ellen’s heart skipped a beat. She wasn’t ready for this conversation, but she forced a smile, aiming to sound relaxed. "Mason is talking with some friends," she lied, her voice steady even though she was far from composed. "I didn’t want to disturb them, so I decided to wander off on my own."
It was a lie, of course. Not only did she have no idea where Mason was, but she also didn’t really know what she was doing. But, hey... maybe he was really talking to his friends—who knew? It was a possibility, after all.
Edrick’s eyes flickered with something she couldn’t quite read, but he nodded as if accepting her explanation. "I see," he said simply, though his expression suggested he wasn’t entirely convinced. Ellen couldn’t blame him—her reason was barely credible.
Desperate to ease the tension, Ellen reached for another appetizer from the table, choosing a delicate puff pastry filled with rich mushroom cream. She took a small bite, savoring the burst of flavor, hoping it would help distract her from the awkwardness of the situation.
Just as she was about to take another bite, a man approached them, his presence commanding enough to draw her attention immediately. He tapped Edrick on the shoulder, and Edrick turned, his face lighting up with recognition. A warm smile spread across Edrick’s lips, and he immediately pulled the man into a tight hug, the kind that spoke of a long-standing friendship.
"Mon ami!" the man exclaimed, his voice full of genuine excitement as he patted Edrick on the back.
"Ça fait longtemps, comment ça va?" Edrick responded in fluent French, his tone just as enthusiastic as he pulled back from the hug.
The two men exchanged a few more words in rapid French, their conversation filled with laughter and the kind of easy banter that only close friends could share. Ellen found herself standing on the sidelines, watching them with a mix of curiosity and—she hated to admit it—fascination. She didn’t need to force herself to ignore their conversation; her limited understanding of French made it impossible to follow along anyway.
But there was something undeniably captivating about the way Edrick spoke. The smoothness of his speech, the way the language rolled off his tongue with such effortless grace—it was almost hypnotic. For a moment, she found herself lost in the sound of his voice, the rhythmic flow of his talking. It was ridiculous, of course, to be so mesmerized by something so simple, but she couldn’t help it. French had always been a beautiful language to her, but hearing Edrick speak it? That was something else entirely.
Wait, what the hell was she thinking? She quickly shook her head, trying to snap herself out of whatever trance she had fallen into. This was Edrick, for crying out loud, Ellen Winter’s, and now, her ex-boyfriend. She needed to get a grip.
The man Edrick had been talking to suddenly glanced over at Ellen, his eyes lighting up with curiosity as he spoke to Edrick in French. His gaze lingered on her, and Ellen felt a slight flush creep up her neck. She couldn’t understand what he was saying, but she had a sinking feeling it was about her.
Edrick chuckled softly at whatever his friend had said, but his expression held a hint of sadness as he replied, "Non, malheureusement, elle n’est qu’une bonne amie."
The man raised an eyebrow and grinned, saying something else that made Edrick shake his head, though he smiled in response. After a moment, the man nodded at Ellen, his smile friendly and warm before he said his goodbyes to Edrick and walked off, leaving the two of them alone once more.
Edrick waved after his friend, the easy smile still on his face as he turned back to Ellen. "Wow," she said, her voice tinged with awe. "I didn’t know you could speak French."
Edrick raised an eyebrow, a playful glint in his eyes. "You didn’t know? It sounded like you just heard me speaking it," he teased, his tone light.
Ellen blinked, caught off guard by his directness. "I—" She paused, unsure of how to respond. Of course, Ellen Winters had heard him speak French, but what about her?
"I mean, yes, I heard you," she said quickly, feeling the heat rise in her cheeks. "It’s just... I’m always mesmerized when I hear you speak it."
Edrick’s expression softened, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Mesmerized, huh?" he echoed, his voice carrying a hint of amusement.
Ellen bit her lip, realizing how silly she must have sounded. "Yeah," she mumbled, looking down at the appetizer in her hand, suddenly very interested in the tiny pastry. She needed to change the subject, and fast. "So, what were you two talking about? You weren’t talking about me, were you?"
Edrick’s smile widened, and he shook his head. "Nothing too interesting," he said with a casual shrug. "Just some warm greetings between old friends."
Ellen nodded, though she still felt a bit uneasy. The way that man had looked at her, the tone in Edrick’s voice when he responded... She couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to the conversation than Edrick was letting on. But what could she do? It wasn’t like she could demand an explanation.
Instead, she took another bite of the appetizer, trying to focus on the taste rather than the swirl of confusing emotions inside her. As the savory flavors melted on her tongue, she couldn’t help but glance at Edrick again, her thoughts drifting back to the way he had spoken earlier. How was it that someone could sound so different, so... intriguing, in another language?