This Dream Isn't Done

Alex and I spend the next few days continuing our exploring.
“Are you sure you want to go back?” I ask him.
He nods, “my feet are killing me!”
“Well, I’m going to continue, okay?”
“Go ahead,” he replies, “I’ll be back in the hotel.”
I nod and watch as he begins to head off. I look around, not too sure of where I want to go. I decide to see if Rick still holds his offer. I walk to the restaurant which is a couple blocks up and I head inside. The hostess smiles at me, and in French, of course, she asks me how many people there will be. Rick comes up just in time with a smile on his face.
“Hey!” He says.
“Hi,” I reply and the hostess moves off, “I was wondering if you’re still up to showing me around?”
He nods, “yeah, sure. Where’s your friend?”
“He’s resting,” I reply.
“Okay, well I get off soon, want to sit and I’ll come out in a few?”
I nod, “okay.”
He finishes off with his customers and soon, he joins me outside.
“Have you seen the Eiffel Tower yet?” He asks.
I shake my head.
“Want to go there?”
I’m about to agree but I remember Alex saying he wanted to go there. I smile.
“Alex wanted to take me,” I say, “is there somewhere else?”
He nods, “of course. It’s France.”
We walk along as he shows me all the things Alex and I missed and I decide I want to show Alex the majority. I walk around with Rick for nearly 4 hours, talking nonstop, getting to know each other.
“I should probably get back to the hotel,” I eventually say.
“Aren't you hungry?” he asks.
I nod.
“Have dinner with me and I’ll take you back to your hotel?”
I think about Alex and how he’s probably alone in the room. He might be asleep. I smile at Rick.
“Okay.”
He leads me off to a different restaurant and with my luck, no one speaks English.
“I’ll order for you,” Rick offers.
“Thanks,” I reply embarrassed.
The waiter takes our order and once he’s gone, I look at Rick who glances at me.
“It’s kinda embarrassing to come to France and hardly know the language,” I admit quietly.
He smiles, “you’ll just have to learn for the next time you travel here.”
I smile, “I want to live here. Maybe I should start studying now.”
“You want to live here?” He asks.
I nod, “it’s beautiful.”
“Only the parts I’ve shown you are beautiful,” he chuckles, “France has it’s nasty parts.”
“Glad I didn’t see them,” I laugh.
He smiles, “it might make you want to leave.”
“I doubt it,” I say quietly.
Our food eventually arrives and we eat. The same thing that happened between me and Alex occur with Rick - we argue over the bill.
“It’s my treat,” he says.
“I can’t let you! We just met and it would be rude of me.”
“I want to,” he replies.
After a few more words are exchanged, I give up just so we’re not here for hours.
“Thank you,” I say as he walks me to the hotel.
“You’re welcome,” he says.
I smile a little, liking his French accent, I’ve never heard one before. We get to the main doors and stop.
“Well, thank you for walking me and showing me around.”
“You’re welcome,” he replies, “it was fun.”
I smile, “it was. Hopefully we’ll see you before we leave.”
“Same here,” he replies.
Before I pull away to go upstairs, Rick steps forward, kissing both my cheeks. I freeze as I look at him as he steps back.
“We do that here,” he chuckles.
“Oh! Okay!” I laugh nervously.
He smiles, “take care, Ashlynn.”
I nod, “you, too.”
I walk inside, going up to the room. I smile a little, happy I asked Rick to show me around. I walk inside the room and see Alex isn’t in the bed. I hear the shower running and I walk over to my stuff and get changed. I get onto the bed and soon, Alex comes out in a towel.
“Hey,” I say and he jumps a little.
“Shit!” He exclaims, “you scared me.”
I laugh, “sorry.”
He grabs his boxers, “when did you get back?”
“Just a few minutes ago,” I reply.
“You walk around by yourself all day?” He asks as he dries his hair, making it messy.
I shake my head, I shouldn’t be telling him the truth.
“Let me guess, the waiter?”
I nod, “I asked him so I wouldn’t be a loner.”
“How was it?”
“Fun,” I reply, “I have a few places I want to show you.”
“Is the Eiffel Tower one of them?” He asks, a hint of annoyance.
“He wanted to take me but I told him you wanted to,” I reply quietly.
He looks at me, “you did?”
I nod.
“Oh,” he says quietly, “why did you do that?”
I shrug, “you asked first.”
“Maybe we’ll go tomorrow,” he says.
“Yeah,” I sigh, “I’m really tired now.”
“Goodnight,” he says.
“Goodnight, Alex.”