The lighting was subdued and Lou faced the balcony, not into the room, like she had planned. Her table was the farthest away from the huge dining rooms main entrance.

Dashing up to check on Eve, she was back and seated well before the boys reserved dining time.

Then all she could do was wait. Lou's eyes drift over as much of the room she dared ogle. The furnishing were like nothing she had ever seen before; so sublime and lavish they were. Heavy ornate curtains draped down to the floor, yardage of material pooling where it fell. The curtains framed the dazzling lights of the city of Paris exquisitely.

As the four men were lead through the restaurant by the maître d'hôtel they each stole looks around the room.

Perhaps the lady in red was dining with a male friend....

Or perhaps she dined with three more female friends, of equal mystique.

"There. Over there by the balcony doors" Paul nudged John as they pulled their chairs away to sit. Paul and John sat facing her, not that it was much good to John....
George and Richy weren't much better off, sat with their backs to the action.

"Is she alone?" John glared at the shadowy figure, willing his eyes to work perfectly for just once in his darn life. He'd forgotten his bloody glasses and now he'd have to rely on Mc20/20 to fill in his sight... Of her, the vision in red. His dreams, his teenage cravings.

Paul watched the woman as she turned the pages of her menu. She was still very much hidden from view, but nothing changed his perception of her.  Still, she was a willowy vision of grace and elegance. And even more wonderful...she sat alone. "Yeah ya fool, she's alone"

The table beside Lou's was crowded. Four rowdy men, full of red wine and half eaten meals left idle. One rose to stand as the lads ordered their own meals. The men heckled their mate as he moved toward the woman dressed in red. Intent on joining her, his hand splayed large over her back as he leaned close and spoke quietly in her ear but a twitch of her head had him fleeing back to his own table which erupted in laughter.

"She's not interested in men that one" George stated boldly, as he sat twisted in his seat. He wouldn't have a hope of impressing the female woman they were all ogling so he just tossed out any old thing to put the others off "I still say she has probably got an affliction"

Richy glared at George, if he said something 'bout his nose, he'd take him down here and now.

"To hazard a guess I'd think she couldn't speak a word of English" George stuck a chunk of fresh crusty roll in his mouth, munching and rolling his eyes, showing his happiness at being impressed with the tasty morsel.

"That's not an affliction, it's just like you... you can only speak English, no other language comes out of your gob" Paul retorted, throwing another roll at George.

"Can too. Merci Beaucoup. Bon jour, ummm. Yeah lots" George grinned proudly "See, I'm bilingual"

"You're bi something but definitely not bilingual, George" John pointed a finger at George "You know... I think you truly have a problem with keeping your trap shut"

"That's not very nice. Don't say nasty things to you now, do I. Well not tonight I haven't" George grumbled under his breath, John was a bloody big bully most of the time and tonight was no different.

Everyone was silent, the meals sublime. Music played, something classical and light. It just grated on John, felt like he had to watch how he ate in places that were stuffy like this. If he lifted the wrong fork the waiter would probably jab him in the eye with it. Nah give me a baggy of chips any day over frogs bloody le--

Paul was off. The bloody scoundrel, he knew I wanted to lay claim John grumbled to himself now I've no chance if the lad lays the charm on thick like he's prone to do.

John watched Paul tug his tie straight as he rounded their table, then rolled his eyes as he imagined Paul's fingers grazing the woman's bare shoulders as he spoke and moved around the table to face her. McOperator doing usually McCharmer things.

Paul's face dropped.

She was bloody gorgeous.

All Bardot and Bridgette for sure.

Or was that Bridgette and Bardot.

No, no... Bridgette Bardot. 

Paul was terribly, off kilter.

She was familiar like he'd know her anywhere but he hadn't even heard her speak. Her large sunglasses were still in place.

Intriguing.....

"Hello me, Paul" She's got to be French this bird. I'll speak like a local.

John went to stand but Richy put a hand on his arm. "Wait John, let her shoot 'im down first. It'll be a right laff"

"Hullo, me Lou" Louise giggled and Paul's face visibly paled. He had to sit down immediately. He flopped heavily into the chair opposite. The lass was as English as his underwear.

"Well sorry there John I was sure he was gonna be torpedoed like the last bloke" Richy let Johns arm go, dusting invisible fingerprints away.

Paul woke up....

No.

Nooo.

No, it can't be.

Nahhhhh, surely not.

Paul searched the blonde angels face, leaning forward to try and inspect the eyes that lay hidden behind the dark tint.

Louise pulled the sunglasses down a little tiny bit, letting him see her eyes over the top of them and smiled broadly "Don't you dare scream Paulie" she whispered.

"Is that a fucking wig? What the hell are you on at Lou. We're all over there wetting our bloody pants trying to get a piece of you" Paul whisper yelled back, he pulled her sunglasses down a fraction more. Yep, bloody Louise.

"It's not a wig and are they really? All of you!?! Well it's a bit yuck if Georgie's ogling but hell yeah! Mission accomplished" Lou pumped her hand in triumph out of sight of the others.

Paul raised his head and looked over Lou's shoulder at Johns mad as hell face, he then wiggle waved his fingers and gave the fellas a double thumbs up. Richy must have relayed Paul's waving and whatnot as John's face scrunched up even further.

"Go away you. Be gone" Lou smacked his arm lightly, tossing her hand about like a queen wanting a minion gone. "Send the next victim, would you please"

Paul smiled, after all it was a surprise for sure and he decided he was going to enjoy all that played out in the next few minutes, very much indeed "And who would that be, your highness? My suggestion would be Richy, he's always good for a laff" Lou nodded and Paul returned himself with a downcast face back to the lads table.

"What happened? you forget to chew gum before opening your trap?" John grumbled "Shall I try a pull?"

"Nah. Like George said she has affliction. Let Richy go, might have a shot with this one" Paul frowned then pat Ringo on the back in gentle unwarranted encouragement.

"I can do very nicely without you offering me your scrapes Paul" Richy was already standing anyway.

"Hey Rich" Paul moved over to give Richy some pointers quietly "Poker face mate, you need a poker face"

"What are you on about, I'm not playing poker? Sometimes you a real ditzy ya know. Like a unicorn on oats"

"Hey Ringo!" John called out, making Richy huff and turn about "Stop yer slouching you'd be quite a tad taller if you didn't walk like a little old man" Rich rolled his eyes and gave a suspiciously sarcastic double thumbs up to the lad.

"All done? Anyone else want to have a go at me?...No? Good." Turning on a dime he started to move in the direction of the woman they all thought was fit "Wish me luck" Ringo tossed over his shoulder.

"Luck" George watched Richy saunter off then cast an eye over Paul, he was grinning like a loon he was and his knee was bouncing up and down a shocker "What's up your shirt then wack? Thought she was a waste of your time?"

"Nothing... she just wasn't my type, Geo" Paul took a large swig of his scotch and coke then began coughing and spluttering wildly when he saw Richy lean over and kiss the woman, that had just 'rejected' him, on the cheek.

Richy wore a huge grin as he wandered back to the lads, hands shoved deep in his trouser pockets, whistling away.

"Oh, that one's a right nutter..... George- definitely up your alley" Richy teased as he returned to his seat, taking a sniff of his drink before sculling it down.

"Big knockers?" John inquired.

"Nah she'll only reject me and I don't take well to that sort of failure" George reached for a third bread roll and slapped a chunk of butter on it.

"Give it a good English crack George. She just ordered two plates of spaghetti and meatballs!" Richy turned to John "Arrr yes, I mean no, I'm not sure, I couldn't really tell you, I didn't look at them, at all John" Better to be safe than sorry than being subject to Johns wrath at a later date.

"Oh well, if she needs assistance in that regard I would be ok with helping in that respect. Don't wait up now, lads" George jumped up and lopped quickly across the room.

"Cocky bastard" John had watched the blurry procession as he tipped back the two scotches he had lined up, another just off the waiter's tray was now heading toward his dry lips.

"Hey up, looky see, he's been nuked" Paul laughed as George wandered back with a plate of spag and meatballs.

"Oh well, she may be a food fancier but not my cup of parmesan I'm afraid, she's tipping back scotch like a sailor though. Should be easy enough to rope by even you, John"

"Well thanks for the vote of encouragement George but my usual ladies don't need liquor to let me lick 'er" John stood up and tossed his napkin on the table as George spat out a mouthful of food. "Watch and learn my loser friends"

"God help you, Lennon" Richy muttered and grinned happily as John turned about and saluted. He sauntered off with his usual cocky Lennon stride.... "She's gonna make him fall over dead faint, I tell ya's"

"She's gonna spilt that dress if she eats all them meatballs" George tut- tutted "Why would she wind us all up like that, she's evil.... I told you all. You never listen. An evil wicked witch be our Louise"

"Stop talking bout her like that. It's not a wig either, you know" Paul leaned forward and to the left to see over George's shoulder to get a better look at John closing in on Lou. He'd probably smack the backside off of her after he got over the shock.

"Had us all going, didn't she though. Bloody smashing. We should give her an award or somethin'" Richy clapped his hands as he sat back and undid the top button of his trousers, the soufflé was very filling and he needed room for the chocolate gateau he had spied on the dessert cart that kept trundling by.