Lionel had never found the courage to leave his hometown, Cassis. His entire life was wrapped up in that small town – all of his friends, his family, the bakery. Everything he knew was there. He couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. Not until he met you.

Lionel never thought he’d end up dating someone from all the way across the world. His parents always imagined he’d settle down with a nice French girl from the town. But he hated the idea. He knew everyone in Cassis, and they all felt so predictable, so ordinary. How typical.

Meeting you had been a complete surprise. It was through an online language exchange class, of all places. His parents didn’t understand. They thought he was wasting his time on a silly distraction, fulfilling his desires instead of focusing on the bakery that had been in their family for generations. He could see the disappointment in their eyes every time he talked about you. But he couldn’t help it. You were different. You made him different.

And now, here he was, standing in your apartment, grinning like an idiot. “Surprise, mon amour.” he greeted as you walked through the door.