It's now been a week since we arrived in Paris, and everything is going smoothly. Our presence at the restaurant has attracted more customers, and our good looks have drawn in more ladies than men. Madame, our boss, has been really good and supportive, but she's always hard on Lydia, her stepdaughter.
"I can't believe how well things are going," Max said, as we took a break in the kitchen, sipping our coffee and enjoying the warmth of the sun streaming through the window. "We're really making a name for ourselves here."
"I know, it's amazing," I replied, wiping the sweat from my brow and running my hand through my hair. "And the ladies love us, don't they? I mean, we're not just waiting tables, we're putting on a show."
Max chuckled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Yeah, we're like the main attraction. But we have to keep up the good work. Madame is counting on us, and we can't let her down."
Just then, Madame herself walked into the kitchen, a stern look on her face. "Bonjour, mes garçons," she said, her voice firm but friendly. "I see you're doing well. But don't get too comfortable. We have a lot of work to do, and I expect you to keep up the good work."
"Oui, Madame," we replied in unison, our eyes locked on hers. We knew she was a tough boss, but we also knew she was fair, and we respected her for that.
But as she turned to leave, her expression softened, and she smiled at us. "You're doing great, boys. Keep it up, and you'll go far in this business."
As she walked out of the kitchen, Lydia, her stepdaughter, walked in, a scowl on her face. "What's going on here?" she asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Just a little coffee break, I see."
Max and I exchanged a glance, our faces expressionless. We knew Lydia was always trying to provoke us, but we refused to rise to the bait.
"Just taking a break, Lydia," Max said, his voice laced with indifference. "We're not slacking off, if that's what you're thinking."
Lydia snorted. "You're always taking breaks. You're not even doing your job properly. I mean, I've seen the way you're always flirting with the customers, and it's just not professional."
I sighed, my patience wearing thin. "Lydia, we're doing our best. You can't expect us to work non-stop without a break. And as for flirting with the customers, that's just part of the job. We're in the service industry, after all."
But Lydia just rolled her eyes. "You're not even trying. You're just coasting on your good looks, and it's not going to get you far in this business."
Max and I exchanged a glance, our faces expressionless. We knew Lydia was just trying to provoke us, but we refused to rise to the bait.
"Whatever, Lydia," Max said, his voice laced with indifference. "We're not going to let you get to us. We're here to do our job, and we're going to do it to the best of our ability."
Lydia huffed and stormed out of the kitchen, leaving us to our work. But we knew she'd be back, always trying to push our buttons.
Despite Lydia's constant provocations, we remained focused on our work, determined to prove ourselves. And as the days went by, our hard work paid off. The restaurant became busier and busier, and our reputation grew.
Madame was thrilled, and even Lydia couldn't deny our success. But we knew we couldn't rest on our laurels. We had to keep pushing ourselves, always striving to be better.
And so, we continued to work hard, our bond growing stronger with each passing day. We were a team, united in our quest for success. And nothing, not even Lydia's constant negativity, could bring us down.
As the day drew to a close and we were preparing to leave the restaurant, Lydia approached us with a hint of disappointment in her eyes. "Hey guys, I'm heading out. Do you need a lift?" she asked, her voice laced with a hint of hope.
Max and I exchanged a glance, and I shook my head. "No, we're good, Lydia. We can make it on our own," I replied, trying to sound casual.
Lydia's face fell, and she looked at us with a tinge of disappointment. "Oh, okay. I thought I could give you a ride," she said, her voice laced with a hint of sadness.
Max and I exchanged another glance, and I shrugged. "We're okay, Lydia. Really," I said, trying to reassure her.
Lydia nodded, but her eyes still looked disappointed. "Okay, well, I'll see you guys tomorrow then," she said, her voice laced with a hint of resignation.
As she turned to leave, Max called out to her. "Hey Lydia, wait up," he said, his voice laced with a hint of mischief.
Lydia turned back to us, a questioning look on her face. "What's up, Max?" she asked, her voice laced with a hint of curiosity.
Max grinned at her. "Just wanted to say sorry for being a bit hard on you today," he said, his eyes sparkling with amusement.
Lydia's face softened, and she smiled at us. "It's okay, guys. I know you're just trying to do your job," she said, her voice laced with a hint of understanding.
As she drove away in her car, Max turned to me with a knowing look on his face. "You know she's into you, right?" he asked, his voice laced with a hint of teasing.
I was taken aback by his question, and I shrugged it off. "Max, you're just talking nonsense," I said, trying to sound casual.
But Max just chuckled. "I'm telling you, she's got a thing for you. She's just too afraid to show it," he said, his eyes sparkling with amusement.
I rolled my eyes. "Max, you're just trying to stir up trouble," I said, trying to sound dismissive.
But Max just grinned. "I'm telling you, I know what I'm talking about. Just be careful around her, okay?" he said, his voice laced with a hint of warning.
I sighed, shaking my head. "Max, you're just being ridiculous," I said, trying to sound exasperated.
But Max just chuckled. "I'm telling you, I know what I'm talking about. She's been eyeing you all day, and she can't seem to get enough of you," he said, his eyes sparkling with amusement.
I raised an eyebrow, my curiosity piqued. "What are you talking about, Max?" I asked, my voice laced with a hint of curiosity.
Max grinned at me. "I'm talking about the way she looks at you, the way she smiles at you, the way she can't seem to stop thinking about you," he said, his voice laced with a hint of mischief.
I shook my head, trying to ignore Max's teasing. But as we walked away from the restaurant, I couldn't help but wonder if there was any truth to Max's words. Was Lydia really into me? And if so, what did it mean for our friendship?
As we walked, Max continued to tease me about Lydia's supposed crush on me. But I just laughed it off, trying to ignore his jokes. But deep down, I couldn't help but wonder if there was any truth to his words. Was Lydia really into me? And if so, what did it mean for our friendship?
As we walked, the sun began to set, casting a warm glow over the city. And I couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder, a sense of excitement. Was this the start of something new? Something special? Only time would tell.