I walked quickly over to Aaron and popped my head into the opening. A dark hallway led to a wooden staircase. “So cool.”
I turned to face Aaron who was grinning. “You think you’ll be okay over here?”
“Okay? I think I’ll be more than okay. Gabby and Lily said I wouldn’t want to come back and I thought they were full of it. Now I’m not so sure.” I slid a kiss across his cheek as he shut the door.
“That’s what I wanted to hear.” He walked me into the sitting room, where a chaise and small table were tucked in a corner. I turned to my right and saw the kitchen. It was small, but larger than I imagined. The whole flat was larger than I expected. To make the room appear larger, the cabinet doors were paneled in glass and soft grey tiles covered the back walls and floor.
“If we make our way through the kitchen, we’ll find the two bedrooms. What I think was supposed to be the master suite, I left as the guest bedroom. It’s bigger, but when you open the shutters you stare directly at a wall from the other building and it’s pretty dark.”
I nodded and followed him through the kitchen and into the bedroom. It was cozy, but I could understand why he chose it. The white shutters were open and the sheer curtains moved slightly with the breeze. The bed was centered in the room and covered with a large white duvet. Two chairs were positioned in front of the window, and I made my way over to look at the view of the bustling Parisian street below.
“I think this is the perfect room for us. You chose well, Mr. Sullivan.” I flashed a grin and imagined myself waking up in the morning in such an idyllic setting. “I can’t wait to bring the roses in and put them on this table.” I spun around and Aaron was less than a foot away when I spotted a gorgeous, red dress hanging from the armoire. He followed my gaze and slid his arms around my waist.
“I thought you might like something new to wear to tonight’s dinner. When I saw it in the boutique’s window, I knew it was meant for you.”
I brought my eyes to his and smiled as I attempted to push away the anxiety that was threatening to ruin this moment. When he mentioned dinner tonight, I assumed it was a normal dinner, but I should’ve known better. Nothing in Aaron’s world was normal. If my family mentioned throwing a dinner for someone, pot roast was in the oven and mashed potatoes were on the stove. In his world, galas were the norm and cocktail parties the equivalent to our backyard barbeques.
“Everything okay?”
I nodded and smiled. “Sorry. I …I didn’t know it was that kind of dinner. I assumed it was something small and…”
“You’ll do amazing,” he interrupted, his thumb running along my cheek.
Going to events with Gabby should’ve prepared me for Aaron’s lifestyle, but it didn’t. I still felt like a fish out of water, and I had no idea why. Ever since the accident, I noticed my tendency to shy away from events. Well, not just events—people in general, and I kept hoping that putting myself out there would make it easier. It still hadn’t.
“If you need to rest…”
I shook my head. “No way. And let my sexy man have fun in Paris without me? I don’t think so.”
He shot me a devilish grin and scooped me into his arms. Tonight would be full of new beginnings, and I couldn’t wait to see what tomorrow held.
A bowl filled with floating candles and white rose petals greeted partiers in the front foyer. Large bouquets anchored the doorway leading into a sitting room. A man dressed in a tuxedo offered flutes of champagne to the couple in front of us, and I glanced at Aaron who was taking in the scene. He looked to be in his element. Except for an occasional snippet of French, the party could have been held in Seattle.
“Merci,” I said, as I took a flute of champagne from the tray.
“You’re very welcome,” the man said, giving me a wink.
So much for nailing my French.
I chuckled and took a tiny sip as Aaron led me into the sitting room where several small groups had assembled. Watching the guests sip champagne in between whispers and laughter reminded me so much of all the other parties I’d attended with Aaron. It was like there was a handbook on how to throw these kinds of gatherings and no one ever veered. A tiny seed of homesickness sprouted, and I had to push down the silly feelings as I thought back to my family’s parties of streamers and confetti.
“The guest of honor,” a man called from across the room with no hint of an accent.
The man’s greeting was just the trick to pull me out of myself. His wide smile and sparkling eyes conveyed a chumminess that I hadn’t expected. The older man made his way through the room, and Aaron slid his arm around my waist as I spotted a woman in her late twenties trailing behind the man. Maybe she was the man’s daughter. There was a slight resemblance. He had blue eyes and so did she. Both of their jawlines were strong, and their expressions held determination. Her red hair was braided loosely and a diamond pendant dangled on her creamy skin. She was breathtaking. I was completely grateful to Aaron for picking out my dress as I watched this woman practically glide through the room. Dressed in a powder blue dress that streamed behind her with each step, I felt completely out of my league. Her eyes fastened on Aaron and that was when I figured it out. I was Aaron’s surprise. She gave me a considering look as her eyes slowly trailed up and down my body, and I realized that my standing here must be quite the disappointment for her.
“Aaron, it’s wonderful that you could come tonight,” the man said as they shook hands. His eyes fell on me, and his smile deepened. “And who is this lovely woman?”
“This is my girlfriend, Brandy Rhodes. Brandy, this is Gregory Sennet and his daughter, Tracy.”
“It’s nice to meet you both.” Before I had a chance to react, Tracy gave me two air kisses—one on each cheek—and her father did the same.
“We’re really looking forward to Aaron’s opening,” Gregory said, nodding. “His pieces are quite soulful. It’s unusual to capture such expression with metalwork.”
Tracy nodded and continued to eye me. “Amazing indeed. I’m thrilled Elizabeth reached out to me about your work.”
Aaron’s body stiffened, and I caught a flicker of something behind his gaze.
“I am too,” Gregory responded. “It’s always exciting to introduce such talent to the world.”
“Your ex-fiancée always had exquisite taste.” Tracy smiled at Aaron and took a sip of her champagne as I attempted to stay upright with this revelation.
I watched a subtle change transform Tracy’s face as she watched Aaron. It was a mixture of smugness and amusement, and I wasn’t completely sure at whose expense.
My heart pounded, and my face flushed as I struggled to keep my confusion, anger and hurt in check. This wasn’t the place to discuss such a gut-wrenching surprise. In fact, I didn’t think anywhere in France would be an ideal locale to discuss finding out my boyfriend of almost a year, who also excelled at running away in life, had an ex-fiancée that he just so happened to forget to mention. I felt the fury ramp up my spine, and it felt eerily similar to the moment when I’d found out Aaron was headed to China without me. This communication thing had to improve.
I was all for ending things gracefully with an ex. In fact, I’d endured endless teasing from Gabby on the subject, but that didn’t mean I had ex-fiancés and husbands hanging out in my closet of relationships past.
Even though the room was filled with air-conditioned air, I felt extremely hot as I puzzled over what else Aaron forgot to mention. Gregory was completely oblivious as guests surrounded our group, and he began introducing Aaron to everyone.
Aaron slid his arm from my waist and began greeting the waiting guests as I shuffled off to the side. I didn’t feel much like plastering a Howdy Doody grin on my face so I retreated to the hors d'oeuvres table and stared at the escargots smothered in garlic butter. A shudder ran up my spine at the thought of having to plop one of those slippery suckers in my mouth. I preferred all my snails and slugs to slink along in our garden not on a dining table.
Weren’t things supposed to be easier than this?
“It’s so nice to see Aaron settling down,” Tracy cooed as she came up behind me.
I’d already hit the elaborate crudité display when I heard her. I turned to greet her while still loading my plate with vegetables. Not realizing how many carrots I’d loaded onto my plate, one rolled off and hit the ground. I kicked it quickly under the long tablecloth and put the tongs down.
“I’m not sure that’s completely possible.” I smiled, stepping away from the table.
“How long have the two of you been an item?” Tracy asked, picking up a plate.
“About a year,” I said, glancing behind me at Aaron, who was being bombarded by eager art collectors. Gregory and his daughter certainly were excellent at building the buzz.
“That’s impressive.” She placed two snails on her plate and flashed me a smile. “And you two are living together?”
Not that it was any of her business, but I found myself nodding.
“He’s a wonderful man, but he’s a man,” Tracy said, her voice lowering. “Elizabeth understood certain things would never change.”
Gripping my plate tight enough that it might shatter, my fingertips began to tingle.
“It’s never a good idea to try to change someone,” I said softly.
“She’s here in Paris, you know. But she decided not to come tonight. She didn’t want to be a distraction.”
I nodded and smiled. “Very thoughtful of her.”
“You didn’t know about her, did you?” Her eyes narrowed on me.
“I…uh—”
Aaron came up behind me and interrupted the conversation that threatened my ability to maintain control. “You doing okay?” he asked, his hands gripping my hips.
I nodded and spun around to see him. “Better than ever.”
We glanced at Tracy as she wandered off, leaving us standing in the middle of the bustling party.
“A fiancée?” I arched a brow and waited impatiently. I kept a smile plastered on my face so nothing looked as off as it felt. I prided myself on being fair and not one to rush to judgment but come on…never a mention?
“I can’t argue with the obvious. I should’ve told you, but it meant so little to me I—” he stopped himself once he saw my horrified expression.
“How could being engaged mean nothing?”
He drew in a breath and glanced around the room before bringing his gaze back to mine. “I honestly didn’t think I was engaged.”
Another carrot tumbled off my plate, and I quickly bent down and picked it up. Looking for a place to put everything, I spotted a tray with a few empty plates. Since I’d lost my appetite, I walked my full plate to the tray and dumped it off. Aaron was right on my heels as I attempted to grasp what he was saying. How in the world could someone not know they were engaged?
I spun around to ask that very question right when a couple of guests introduced themselves to Aaron, and I lost him in the crowd once more. This wasn’t the time or the place to discuss anything like this with Aaron, but with my best friend across the globe? Absolutely. I opened my clutch and pulled out my phone. Even though Aaron was doing his part at acting interested in everyone around him, I saw a worried look only a blink away and knew that whatever he had to tell me wasn’t something that I’d want to hear. I quickly did the math in my head and felt better about calling Gabby. She was probably already at the bakery.
Wandering through the foyer with phone in hand, I began texting Gabby this nasty revelation. Still feeling quite stuffy, I trundled outside to get some fresh air. There was something about tonight that seemed almost surreal. Aaron and I had been through so much, and yet I suddenly felt like he was a stranger. I glanced up at the windows as I walked down the street and saw the back of Aaron as people continued to indulge him with attention. I let out a sigh and stopped walking so I could finish texting Gabby. I knew she didn’t know about an ex-fiancée, but I thought I’d ask anyway.
It was early evening and the sidewalks were bustling. A line at the patisserie across the street wrapped around the side of the building, and the coffee shop patio was filled with customers sipping lattes and smoking. Maybe that would make me feel better—not a smoke—but my first Parisian latte. I looked both ways and crossed the street. There was no question I was overdressed for a cup of coffee, but I needed an escape and this seemed perfect.
I took a seat outside on the patio, and the waiter immediately appeared with a menu. Once he heard me squeeze a few French words out, he switched over to English, and it was as if a huge weight was lifted. He could understand me, and I could understand him. Now if only it was as easy with Aaron. Aaron was a complicated man, and it seemed as if the longer we were together, the more complex he became. I watched the waiter return back inside, and I let out a sigh as my phone buzzed.
Gabby texted her response, which was that she was horrified and had no idea, and asked if I needed to come home.
I almost laughed aloud when I realized I hadn’t even thought about going back home. My reaction wasn’t to run, yet hers had been and so was her brother’s. Was that what happened with his fiancée? He ran?
My latte was delivered, and I ordered a brie sandwich before turning my attention back to texting Gabby. I relayed what little I knew and waited for a response. I didn’t want to overthink things, but I was getting nervous.
I looked across the street and saw Aaron through the window. He was laughing and talking in a large group. I’d be lying to myself if I didn’t admit I was a little puzzled. Did he even know I was gone? I let out a deep breath and picked up my large mug of frothy goodness and took a larger gulp than I intended, but it was so delicious. I’d never had a latte this creamy, and then it hit me, I was probably drinking whole milk. I took another sip, confirming my suspicion, and delighted in the cavalier attitude the French appeared to have toward fats. I watched as the crowd slightly dissipated around Aaron. He pulled his phone out of his suit jacket and began texting. Within seconds, my phone buzzed, and I couldn’t help but soften slightly as the text came over asking where I went. So he didn’t forget about me.
I let out a breath and texted Aaron as the waiter set my brie sandwich in front of me.
Look out the window.
Aaron slowly turned around, and I gave a quick wave before pointing to my sandwich. He smiled and texted back.
Not a fan of the escargot?
I texted quickly.
Not even on my worst day and this just might qualify.
His text came right over, and I glanced back down at the phone.
We need to talk. Whatever might be going through your head is probably not what actually happened. Promise me that you’ll hear me out.
I looked up into the window and saw Aaron besieged with more admirers and let out a deep breath as he tucked his phone back in his pocket. Taking a bite of the sandwich, the creaminess of the brie melted in my mouth, and I wondered if I’d ever be able to eat a sandwich in America again. I also wondered why my feelings were so mixed about Aaron not revealing he’d been engaged. Wasn’t I supposed to be furious? I didn’t know who or what to blame, but the numbness wasn’t new. I just hadn’t expected to be numb in all types of situations.
Taking the last bite of the baguette, I slid my plate away and sipped down the rest of my latte. Leaving Aaron wasn’t the right thing to do, but sometimes emotions didn’t always play fair. Apparently the anger toward Derek I’d managed to hide from myself also seemed to effect
my reactions to most everything else.
The waiter asked if anything else was needed and dropped off the check. I glanced at the total and put cash down before pushing away from the table and crossing the street. Food helped to put things in perspective. It always did. Making snap decisions on an empty stomach was always a terrible thing to do. Sage advice from my mother, who always felt any family crisis could be averted with a platter of fried chicken.
As I mulled over the Aaron issue, I almost ran right into a woman who was staring into the window of the home I was about to reenter. She was dressed in an emerald knit cocktail dress with a deep-v dipping down her back.
“Oh, sorry.” I cringed when I realized I hadn’t even attempted French, and I’d probably just perpetuated the myth that we were all rude. “Je suis désolé.”
A feeble smile tipped the woman’s lips and she shook her head. “I’m from the states as well.” She barely turned her head from the window as she spoke.
I laughed and glanced inside. I saw Aaron using his hands to describe whatever it was he was talking about, and I knew where I belonged. Right next to him. “Thank goodness. My French is really rusty.”
She hardly gave me a look as I climbed the steps and paused. “Are you coming inside?”
Her gaze was fixed on the window when her voice caught. “No. I just. I thought I knew someone inside.”
I pushed away the feelings of worry that started to steal my wits. The very wits I’d prided myself on for so long. The party I’d left was quite lively, and the energy could be felt by anyone who happened to steal a glance. I was certain that was all that was going on with the woman next to me.
She looked on intently, almost as if she was wishing herself inside, and that was when dread filled my entire body as I realized I was staring at Elizabeth, his ex-fiancée.
Beyond Chance Page 5
