happyfalcon | [For Thomas] [Modern AU] Secret Holiday

As he called her easy, Anne looked at Thomas with a tilted brow. She knew him well enough to know that he didn't mean it how the comment had sounded. But still, that didn't stop her from picking on him for it. She laughed and pushed away from him a bit. "Easy, indeed!" She pretended to huff and looked away.

Again, it was all in good humor. Just playful banter.

When he pointed out the shoes, Anne smiled and looked to him again. "For your biting words, my dear, I'm thinking you'll need something a little shinier than shoes to soothe your lady's ego." Anne pointed to the shop across the street, which happened to be a jewelry vendor.

((ooc: I'm not sure if vendow refers to an outdoor seller or to a normal shop indoors so I'm keeping this vague))

"Wouldn't shoes with diamonds do?" Wyatt suggested but obediently followed Anne to look at the jewelry.

"You're emptying my wallet on the first day... After dinner, I have to stay behind and do dishes at the restaurant," he moaned. "I could be so tired that I end up writing a menu, not a poem, on your back."

He did shut up as they neared the seller, though. Wyatt's talents didn't lie in choosing jewelry but it was interesting for him to watch what kind of ornaments Anne was drawn to.

((ooc: It's fine, sorry! Vendor can be anything from street fare to indoor shops, kind of synonymous))

"Ah! Perhaps a nice heel studded with diamonds, no less!" Anne teased and gave him a playful wink.

She stepped up to the vendor with him and leaned into him as she looked over a few glittering rings and diamond necklaces. There was a heart pendant in silver with diamonds surrounding a ruby at its center. But what truly drew her attention was a simple silver pendant and a locket that matched beside it.

"So many lovely things," she leaned up and kissed him softly. "But I don't want to empty your wallet, not so early in our trip anyway." She smiled.

Her leaning into him was always good. It made him feel warm inside. "I don't mind buying if you have your heart set on something," he whispered in English, rubbing his hand at the small of her back.

The salesperson had of course paid close attention to them. She picked up the locket and held it for Anne to see. "This one, mademoiselle? Beautiful craftmanship if I say so myself. It is made by a young artisan who is slowly gaining name among Parisian silversmiths."

"Very nice," Wyatt agreed, "but I wonder... well, it's up to you, love," he smiled at Anne.

Anne's eyes lit as she saw the salesperson lifted the locket and held it up. She could clearly see all the detail and passion that had gone into crafting such a fine piece.

"It's lovely indeed," she looked to the salesperson with a smile. When Thomas spoke she turned her head and tilted a brow. "You wonder what, love?"

Truly she didn't have her heart set on having him buy her anything; at least not right this instant. It was only their first day in Paris, after all.

"That you should have something custom-made," Wyatt pondered. He had noticed this particular locket wasn't quite as unique as he'd thought it to be. The seller had others behind her but she had understandably chosen to showcase only one. That meant that if Anne really wanted it, she didn't need to buy it right this instant. She could sleep on it and they could always come back here later.

"It can be engraved to make it more personal," the seller tried to tempt them further.

Wyatt nodded. "We'll think about it. Would you by any chance have the artisan's business card? And yours."

"Certainly." The seller handed the cards to Wyatt who then said his thanks and hooked Anne's arm with his. He felt bad for making such a rushed exit but something just didn't sit well with him.

"I hope you're not mad. It was a pretty locket but I didn't think it was you. Maybe I'm wrong, I don't know. I'd rather commission an original piece from them."

Anne thanked the seller and took Thomas' arm as she walked with him. When they were far enough away, out of earshot, and as he began speaking again, Anne smiled and shook her head to him.

"Why would I be mad? If it's not a worthwhile purchase, I wouldn't expect you to make it!" she smiled. "And I would certainly expect you to purchase jewelry only if you thought it was absolutely perfect for me."

She rested her head against his shoulder and smiled as they walked. "As I said, no need to go crazy on our first day; we should pace ourselves as far as spending goes, no?"

Anne leaned up and kissed his jaw softly. "Still, it was a nice thought."

"Hmm, yeah, no need to go crazy. Let's see what Paris has to offer first. We can easily go back to a store we like if it comes to that."

That was true while they were in Paris at least. When they drove out in the countryside, it would no longer be convenient to turn back because of something they saw 100 miles earlier.

"Lockets are difficult. If you wear one out in the open, someone's bound to ask what you hold inside of it. You want to be proud to open it and show. Say you had a child... that would be precious enough to warrant a locket."

His voice got soft to say that and he turned to kiss Anne's temple in return.

"Exactement," Anne smiled.

Anne nodded as he spoke, but a coy smile played across her lips. "True, but there's something exciting in having a secret locket, no? Something that we share, out in the open yet hidden from the world?" She shrugged. "But it's also very risky."

Knowing her brother, such a temptation would mean that she would have to wear and keep an eye on the locket at all times, lest he take it when she was unaware and discover their secret.

"It can be but I'm not going to keep you a secret forever. After summer's gone, I'm hopefully living in my own apartment and Liz will finally believe that it will be best for Junior's sake."

Divorce took two years if both parties consented, five if not. Wyatt really, really hoped that his wife would not try to prolong the inevitable.

"Sorry, didn't mean to discuss that here and now. You know all about it anyway." Wyatt had explained it before. Anne knew he tried to please Liz but he refused to be blackmailed or forbidden to see his son.

He stopped in front of a pastry shop. "This the one?" There were macarons in window display but of course Paris was full of similar shops.

Anne smiled, happy when he said aloud that he intended to be more open with their relationship. She understood his reasons for keeping it a secret, and catering to his wife. Anne didn't want to see him lose his son, and she'd grown to hate his wife for what she was doing. She tried not to make it a habit of talking about her with Thomas - Anne's comments about the woman were vivid and none-too-nice.

"No need for apologies," She smiled and kissed the corner of his mouth. When they stopped and she looked up at the pastry shop, Anne smiled brightly and kissed him again. "Fate. How else could you have known?" There were perhaps a dozen pastry shops in this district alone, the fact that he'd just happened upon her favorite shop...

It only fueled her fantasy that they truly had been put on this earth to be together.

"Come on, fresh French pastry is just what we need for a pick-me-up!" Anne smiled and pulled him into the shop after her.

Wyatt was about to find out it really was the right shop. Inside, there were several customers but no sooner than the middle-aged lady behind the counter had laid her eyes on Anne, she came forward with arms wide open to greet them, in French of course.

"Mademoiselle Boleyn! Is it really you? It is, it is. How wonderful to see you again. How long has it been?" She was nearly in tears as she called for her husband in the back room.

"Alain! Alain! Come here! You will not guess who has come to see us."

Naturally everyone else in the little shop had by now turned to look at them. A handsomely aged tall man appeared from the other room and echoed his wife's enthusiasm while kissing Anne's cheeks more times than Wyatt could count.

"Mademoiselle, you come with company!" Alain cheered and wasted no time in shaking Wyatt's hand and kissing him as well.

Anne's eyes lit when she saw the woman behind the counter. She separated from Thomas just long enough to bolt towards the other woman and hug her tight before kissing both cheeks. She responded similarly in French.

"Madame Dubois! So good to see you! Too long, far too long it's been!" Anne grinned. When the woman's husband appeared she smiled and greeted him in turn, kissing both cheeks.

Anne turned back to Thomas and wrapped her arm in his as Alain greeted him with similar enthusiasm. She smiled, unable to stop herself from doing so as she leaned into him.

"I should have told you Thomas, I'm sorry," Anne should have better prepared him for the greeting they could have expected when entering the shop. "Thomas, the best bakery in Paris here belongs to my beloved Madame and Monsieur Dubois. Madame and Monsieur, this is my beloved poet, Thomas."

There was no harm in introducing him this way, they had no communication with her father or siblings. Occasionally her mother popped in when she was in town, but that was rare. Likely her mother and the couple would share a similar greeting and discuss matters more catered to her mother than to with whom Anne traveled.

"It's alright," Wyatt whispered and squeezed Anne to his side. Perhaps the surprise was for the best; he hadn't had time to be intimidated in advance. Besides, it would have sounded a bit selfish actually if Anne had told him how well liked she was here.

Monsieur Dubois threw his hands up in the air after the introduction. "Poète! Oui, you deserve beautiful words in your life, Mademoiselle Boleyn." He smiled to both of them before excusing himself. One didn't become an owner of the best bakery in Paris by ignoring all other customers. Madame Dubois, however, pulled them slightly to the side and took the time to catch up on the latest news in Anne's life. Wyatt explained what he could about their travel plans while still keeping Anne in suspense for future destinations.

"I am so pleased you came to see us, my dear," Madame Dubois concluded and gave Anne one more hug. "We certainly didn't expect it but there ought to be some of your favourites available today. Please look around." Then she too returned to her work.

"I do love you," Wyatt smiled at Anne as he stepped closer to the long glass counter full of good things. "Let's buy a few different things and walk to the Eiffel Tower."

Anne laughed softly at Alain's compliments. "You're too kind as always, Monsieur Dubois." She did lean into Thomas a bit though, enjoying the secure feeling of leaning against him.

She had fun talking to Madame Dubois about what she'd been up to and what else was new in her life. When Thomas shared about the plans for their trip, she chuckled softly. "My beloved poet has taken great pains to keep this entire trip a secret surprise for me, you see."

Anne hugged Madame Dubois and kissed both cheeks. "It was so very good to see you! I hope we are able to see you at least once more before we leave."

She smiled as Madame Dubois went back to work and Thomas led her towards the glass counter. She chuckled softly and rubbed along his upper arm. "I love you too," she pointed to a light yellow sandwich cookie. "The passionfruit macarons, they're my absolute favorite! We should get at least six. The espresso macarons are also very good."

Anne pointed to the breads behind the counter. "We should get a baguette and stop at the cheese shop for fresh brie."

"Fruit de la passion," Wyatt chuckled. Her favourites, yes. That's what she'd told him. "Alright. We'll take six of those, two with espresso flavor, and... chocolate truffles?" The shop sold packages that contained four tiny truffles, all different kind. Anne's suggestion of bread and cheese met Wyatt's approval since he preferred to have some savoury food to balance out the sweet things.

"Now you're talking. And champagne in mini bottles. Have to have champagne."

Madame Dubois packed their purchases in a paper bag adding two more macarons for free. They were bright red cherry flavoured macarons with a dark chocolate layer in between. "These are newest in our selection," she explained.

Anne smiled and nodded at his choices. This was shaping up to be a very decadent picnic. She found herself anxious for it. Anne watched as Madame Dubois put together the treats for them and smiled the whole time. When she added the two extra macarons, Anne's smile grew bigger and she reached out to gently clutch the other woman's hand.

"You're far too kind, sweet lady," Anne smiled. "I'm sure they'll be wonderful, as is everything you both make here."

Once everything was rung up Anne brought out her purse, insistent on paying for the treats. She included a generous tip, which Madame Dubois tried to decline, but Anne wasn't taking no for an answer. They hugged one last time before the younger couple left the shop.

"So, what did you think?" She smiled to Thomas as she took his arm and handed him the small bag to carry.

Wyatt laughed. "I think you're famous here and we'll definitely come back to taste their cakes before we leave Paris." Macarons were easy to carry and have as picnic treats but it was a different matter for tarts with wobbly mousse and cream layers. Those were best enjoyed in the bakery's cafe.

The next stop was the fromagerie, the cheese shop that thankfully had a small selection of wine and champagne so there was no need to find a liquor store. A water bottle and napkins also found their way into the paper bag.

"Eating local food is one of the best things about travelling," Wyatt said and lifted the bag to smell that fresh baguette. "And it's doubly good with you as company."

They now followed the River Seine to reach the Eiffel Tower that was well in their sight already.

Anne laughed and leaned into him playfully. "Famous, hardly. I was there almost every day between classes. Their espresso is also very good - helped me stay awake late into the night during exam weeks."

After they'd collected the final pieces for their picnic lunch, Anne led the way along the Seine towards the Eiffel Tower. Thankfully it hadn't begun to rain in the city just yet, so the ground was mostly dry.

"You flatter me, my love," she kissed his cheek. "But I must thank you again. All this...it's barely been one day and this has been incredible."

Closer to the Tower, tourists had begun to assemble, making a great ruckus and yelling to one another. That scene was not for Anne. She pointed out a shady spot beneath the trees that had a prime view of the river. "Shall we eat there?"

"I wish I'd known you then," Wyatt said while trying to imagine Anne during her university years. When she thanked him once again, Wyatt didn't see any other option but to stop and kiss her. He held her face between his palms and took advantage of being in one of the most romantic cities in the world. There was no Paris without kissing couples.

"Looks fine to me. We lack a red and white checkered blanket to sit on but I can gallantly offer you my jacket."

They had talked about a picnic but this was more spontaneous than he had expected. But it was good. They could do without blankets and champagne glasses. The cheese shop had given them a small disposable knife which was handy. There were flowers in the park.

"Perfect. I'll open the bottles."

Anne chuckled and thought back to those days. "I was something of a bookworm," she admitted. Anne had still been dealing with her image issues, worrying about her appearance and still thinking herself inferior to her sister Mary.

But that had lessened when she came to work for her father. Anne had become less concerned with her appearance and more determined to become successful. Then she'd met Thomas. Any doubts had melted away at that moment.

She smiled when he offered her his jacket, and politely waved her hand to refuse. "Think nothing of it. Truly nothing should separate a person from the ground - we draw energy and inspiration from the earth and all it gives us, do we not?" Anne laughed, getting a little carried away with her imagery.

Spontaneous was good. Anne liked it. They didn't get much spontaneity back home, so it only made sense that their holiday be filled with spontaneity. She settled down against the grass and took the bag from him to set it down and begin unpacking.

A bookworm and a beauty. In Wyatt's opinion, Anne was a full package. He was convinced he'd seen the truth of her personality in the photograph in Boleyn's office. She was smart and well-read on top of being gorgeous. And now he did laugh with her about the importance of sitting on the ground.

"I believe you, my dear." He sat close and brushed his hand across her ankle. The jacket proved useful anyway since Wyatt wrapped its sleeves around the tiny champagne bottles in order to keep them upright.

"That's something I thought of but didn't make reservations yet," Wyatt said, pointing to the river cruise boats that sailed past them. "A dinner tour at night could be nice but I wanted to leave enough wiggle room in my plans so you can show me Paris in your own way."

Anne looked out on the river as he pointed out the cruise boat. She gave a nervous little look and smiled to him. "It's just as well - cruises provide a nice view but it's hardly experiencing the true spirit of Paris."

She smiled as she looked out on the water with a smile. "Paris is something that you need to experience from the inside out, you can't discover her secrets by looking in."

Anne smiled and reached for the box of macarons from the bakery. She plucked a yellow-orange passionfruit macaron from the box and held it out for him to take a bite. There was a darker orange jam that made up the filling of the cookie, and Anne practically licked her lips just looking at it.

Wyatt held his hand under the macaron as he bit into it, ready to catch any falling crumbles. "Mm... inside out. My insides say Paris is very tasty."

He could understand that dinner cruises were mostly for tourists. He'd never gone on a cruise on the River Thames in London so that probably was an indication of something. It wasn't that locals couldn't enjoy the city from the river but more interesting life happened elsewhere.

"You must have had other opportunities here. You could have stayed, right? Was it hard to return to England?"

Anne smiled and gave a soft laugh as he replied. She popped the remainder of the macaron into her own mouth. Anne sighed in delight and closed her eyes as she enjoyed the taste. "Mmmm...the best macarons in the whole, wide world!"

Anne considered his question and looked out on the river for a good long moment.

"I could have stayed, yes," she replied. "I didn't necessarily want to leave Paris. I didn't want to be under father's thumb again. In truth I'm not sure what brought me back. A promising job, perhaps."

She smiled as she looked up to him. Anne reached up to tuck one wayward dark curl behind her ear. "Or perhaps it was fate, bringing me to you."

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