by Tamie Dearen
Then he stopped and his eyebrows drew together “Mon dieu! He could fire you. Je suis désolé. I am sorry—I was not thinking. I should take you back?”
Anne considered for only a moment. “No. I’m not going back. I can’t let him think he can control whom I date. He’s only my boss at work. If he fires me, I’ll just go back to Texas.” She took Henri’s arm and started walking again. “Now tell me about Paris… Is it as beautiful as they say?”
Emily’s face looked irritated as she Skyped with her mom. It was Wednesday night, and Anne was reporting in to her daughter. Unfortunately, Emily had learned of her mom’s date with Henri from her sister, and now she was demanding details. “I can’t believe you didn’t even call me.”
“Well there just wasn’t time…”
“But you called Charlie. You even showed her the dress before your date.”
“Okay, I’m sorry, I’m sorry. But you’re still my favorite.”
Emily knew this game well. “But didn’t you tell Charlie she was your favorite?”
“Yes, but of course I was lying to Charlie. You’re the real favorite.”
Emily chuckled. “Okay, just give me the details about the big date so I can tell Charlie I heard about it first.”
“Well, as you know, first I went to see Wicked with the Kleins and Mr. Gherring.”
“How was it?”
“A-ma-zing! I can’t even tell you how much fun it was.”
“I knew you’d love it. But how did Mr. Gherring act. You know, was he weird about being seen with you, like you thought he would be?”
“No, he wasn’t too bad. He was uptight as usual until after the play, when Henri showed up.”
“So was he mad you were going somewhere with Henri?”
“Ohhhhh—yeah. He was furious. It turns out he just doesn’t like Henri. Evidently that’s why he didn’t want me to go out with him. But Henri was a perfect gentleman. We walked to a coffee shop, and I got the best hot chocolate I’ve ever had in my life. And then we walked around a bit. I was getting cold, so he took off his long wool coat and put it over me. I thought he would freeze to death, but he swore he was used to the cold weather.
“He told me all about Paris, and the little town in the countryside where he grew up. Then we took a taxi back to the apartment and he walked me inside. He kept the taxi outside, so I knew he wasn’t trying to get invited upstairs.”
“So… did he kiss you goodnight?”
“He just said, ‘Tu es si parfait.’ And then he hugged me. When he pulled away, he bent down, and I thought he was going to try to kiss me—I was so nervous. But he just bent down and lifted my hand up and kissed it.”
“Oh my gosh. That’s so romantic.” Emily held the back of her hand to her forehead in an exaggerated swoon. “What does that mean—what he said to you?”
“It means ‘you are so perfect.’ And today, he sent a box of candy to the office—dark chocolates.”
“The best. Did it have a note with it?”
“Yes, it said, ‘Tu avez capturé mon coeur!’ That’s ‘You have captured my heart!’”
“Wow, Mom. So do you like him?”
Anne thought for a moment before she spoke. “Yes I do, I like him. No doubt, he’s pretty hot. I don’t even know why he’s interested in me. But he makes me feel very special, like I’m important. He seems to like everything about me, even my lack of sophistication.”
“But?”
“But I feel like… It’s hard to explain. I feel like he’d have to change for us to have a future together, and I think he knows it. And I feel like he wishes he could change, but he knows it’ll never happen.”
“That’s a lot of feelings, Mom. You know you can’t depend on your feelings. Did he actually say any of those things?”
“No, but he said it with his eyes and his actions. I know he’s a bit of a player, but he treated me like I was a lady. Like he was protecting me from himself.” Anne sighed. “And then there’s Mr. Gherring.”
“What about Mr. Gherring?”
“Well, Johanna said he barely spoke on the way back to the apartment after I left with Henri. And then today, he literally didn’t speak to me. He just avoided me altogether. He must have been at work by six thirty, and he stayed in his office or conference room in meetings all day. There was no opportunity to talk to him.”
“So, do you think he’s really mad at you? For defying him and going out with Henri?”
“Or maybe because of the picture that came out in the social column.”
“What picture?”
“I’ll text you the link. Sam showed it to me at work today. It’s a picture of me and Gherring sitting together at Wicked. I had no idea anyone was taking pictures. That play was really emotional, and you know how I am. I was watching the play and crying, and Gherring was staring at me. The caption read, ‘Steven Gherring breaks another heart!’”
“I can’t believe it. They really don’t give him a break do they? I never realized how hard it is to be rich and famous.” She thought for a moment, and then smiled. “But I’d still like to give it a try.”
“I really do feel bad for him. I took my roses home today, so he wouldn’t feel like I’m flaunting Henri in his face. From the little I know of Henri, I have a feeling he does things on purpose to irritate Mr. Gherring. Everything is like game for Henri, and Gherring takes everything so seriously. I wonder if he ever relaxes and lets loose.”
“So, are you and Henri going out again?”
“He told me he’d call me tonight, but he’s in Chicago until Friday.”
Emily looked smug. “Okay, I’m going to call Charlie and tell her everything, so don’t bother to call her yourself.”
“Oh thanks—you’re so much help.”
“Don’t mention it. That’s why I’m your favorite.”
Thursday, Katie was back at the office. Anne updated her on the plans for the big reception and briefed her on the new contracts she’d sent to the legal department. Then she casually mentioned Henri’s name.
“Henri was here? I love him—he’s so much fun. A little flirty, but he doesn’t mean anything by it. Gherring hates him, though.” Katie gave a furtive glance toward Gherring’s office doors.
“Why does Gherring dislike Henri?”
Katie kept her voice low. “This is just between us, right? But I think you need to know. About five years ago Gherring was engaged to a Michelle Caravan. She was sweet and beautiful, and very rich—an heiress to the Caravan estate. But she wanted to have a family, have children, and Gherring wouldn’t even discuss it. So they broke up very discreetly, kept everything out of the press.”
She stopped to check over her shoulder. “A few months later, Henri started dating her. They dated for six months or so, and she was pretty serious about him, but Henri broke it off. This time it was very public. The breakup happened in France, and the paparazzi took some candid pictures with them arguing and her crying. No one really knows what happened, but Gherring was convinced Henri was cheating on her. He’s hated Henri ever since, but tolerated him because of business.”
“That makes sense now,” Anne said.
“What do you mean? Did Gherring have words with Henri?”
“No, Henri just flirted and asked me out and sent me some flowers. Nothing serious. But Mr. Gherring sort of flipped out and told me Henri was a player and he’d just use me.”
“So what did you do?”
“I sort of went out with him anyway, because it made me mad Gherring was trying to control who I dated.”
“I bet that really ticked off Mr. Gherring. Is he giving you the silent treatment?”
“Silence and avoidance,” agreed Anne. “I didn’t even see him yesterday.”
They both looked up when Gherring’s office door burst open. He scowled in the direction of Anne’s desk. When he spotted Katie, he smiled.
“Good morning, Katie. I’ve missed you. I have some contract changes to discuss, if you can spare a moment.�
�� He gestured toward his office.
Katie rolled her eyes at Anne before turning back to follow Gherring into his office.
Anne murmured under her breath, “I guess I’m still getting the silent treatment.”
With Katie back, Anne decided to take her regular lunch at Papa’s Place. She tried to make plans with Sam so she could hear about her “Beatles” date with Tanner. But she and Tanner already had lunch plans together, so Anne headed down alone. Just as she was exiting the revolving door in the lobby, she spotted Henri on the other side.
He broke into a happy grin. “I found you just in time. I am here early! You are going to lunch? You can eat with me?”
He grabbed Anne’s hand, and she led him next door to her favorite lunch spot. May inspected Anne’s companion with unbridled curiosity as she led them back to Anne’s regular table. They both ordered one of the day’s lunch specials. Then, to Anne’s astonishment, Henri pulled a package from his coat pocket and handed it to her. “I have a surprise for you.”
She opened the package to discover a CD of Wicked, sung by the original cast. “I love it. What made you decide to get this for me?”
Henri studied his napkin in his lap. “I saw the picture—you and Gherring in the theater. And I thought that it was the music that made you cry. Was I right? It was not Gherring? It was the music?”
“That’s so sweet. Yes, you were right, it was the music.” Anne chewed on her lower lip. “Henri, I have a question. What happened between you and the girl Mr. Gherring used to be engaged to? The girl you dated for a while?”
“What? What are you asking me?”
“I hesitate to ask, but I want to know why Mr. Gherring doesn’t like you. You see, Mr. Gherring says you’re just a player and you’ll hurt me, but… but you don’t seem like that kind of man to me.” She looked into his green eyes as they peered earnestly at her. “You seem to be thoughtful and kind, and not the sort of guy who would use a girl or hurt someone.”
Henri studied the table as he responded. “I cannot tell you what happened, because telling would hurt her. I promise you I did not want hurt to her. I loved her. I think she was the only woman I ever loved. But I did not deserve her. I did not deserve anyone that good. But she found someone else, someone better than me.”
He pushed his chair back from the table and started to stand. “I do not deserve you either. I flirt too much. I should not be here.”
“No,” Anne put her hand on Henri’s to stop him. “Don’t go. I believe you. I think you’re a better man than you realize, Henri. Only the good in you can recognize the good in someone else. Give yourself a chance. I don’t know what you’ve done in your past, but you’ve got to learn to forgive yourself.” She squeezed his arm. “Thank you so much for the music. It’s the most thoughtful gift I’ve been given in a long time.”
His worried face transformed as his eyes crinkled in a relieved smile.
Anne jumped as Gherring’s office door opened. Gherring and Henri had been in private conference for over an hour. As the two men stepped out, Anne looked for signs of a bloody battle. She was caught by surprise as Gherring smiled at Henri, shook his hand firmly, then patted him on the back as he turned to go. Gherring looked pointedly at Anne, and then returned into his office and shut the door.
As Henri approached Anne’s desk she asked, “What happened in there? I thought y’all almost hated each other. You almost looked like friends shaking hands just now.”
“I just did what I should have done long ago. I talked to Gherring. I told him the whole story, good and bad. I thought, assurément, he would be angry, mais non—he was less angry. What he thought was worse than the truth. He thought I did not love Michelle. He thought I slept with another woman. Now he knows the truth. We can be friends.” He laughed, “No we cannot be friends, because I will always irritate him, always, toujours. But we can do business and he will not hate me quite so much.”
“Well, I’m proud of you Henri. I think you did the right thing.”
“That is good. I want you to be proud of me. And now I want you to do something for me. I want you to say yes. I am going to ask you a question, and I want you to say yes.”
“What are you going to ask me?”
“Mon dieu! It is not bad. I will not ask you to kill someone!” Henri smirked at Anne’s expression.
Laughing, Anne asked, “Okay, but what is it? I’m not saying yes until I know the question.”
“S'il vous plait, go to the gala with me. Veux-tu venir avec moi? You will go? Tomorrow night?”
Anne stared at Henri, dumbfounded. Henri began to plead. “I will be good. I will not drink too much. If you desire I will not drink at all. You will say yes, and make me happy?”
“Henri, you can’t go with me. Surely you know many women in the city who’d love to go.”
“Why do you say I should forgive myself and give myself a chance, but you will not give me chance?”
“That’s not what I mean. I mean I’d love to go, but you shouldn’t go with me. You should go with one of your, uhmm… sophisticated friends. Like Mr. Gherring, he’s going with a famous model, Margo Milan. I won’t fit in with you and your important friends—I’m just a simple Texas girl. I wouldn’t even know what to talk about in a party full of international business people.”
“I do not care about them. You are important. You are important to me. Tu es tres importante.”
“Why Henri? Why me? You barely know me.”
“Because, mes amis importants, my important friends, they see à l'extérieur, the… outside. But you, you see the inside. Your eyes see deep, dans l'âme, in the soul. With you, I have hope that I will be a better man. I am better, I am good with you.” He paused to let his words sink in, watching for a sign of her relenting. “And also, tu est tres jolie, non… belle. Et chaude!”
Anne blushed at being called beautiful and hot, but Henri held her hand and gazed at her seriously, expectantly, waiting for a response.
“What about Gherring?” asked Anne.
“Gherring? You told me he is taking someone else. He has asked you to go with him?”
“No, but up until a few minutes ago, he seemed to dislike you a lot. And he didn’t want me to go out with you.”
“Is Gherring your father? You must ask permission?”
“No Henri—that’s not fair. I just don’t want to appear spiteful. It is his event, and he’s my boss. I’m trying to be respectful, even though I’m not very good at it…”
“Pardon moi. You are right to have respect. But he said all is well between us, I promise. He knows now, I am not as bad as my reputation. I think he has had a similar experience with reputation. And we will stay across the room and not even go around him, not near him—the party is big, énorme, infini, vaste. Gherring will never know you are there…”
“Okay, okay.”
“Okay? That means yes? Okay yes?” His green eyes peered fervently at Anne’s.
“Yes, yes I’ll go with you.”
Chapter Six - A Gala Affair
“What!” exclaimed Katie. “Are you kidding me? Really? Henri asked you to the gala? I can’t believe he never asked me.”
“But you’re engaged.”
“Well I am now, but Henri’s been coming to the international business gala long before I was engaged.”
“And Henri is way too old for you anyway. He’s my age.”
“Well he’s been going out with girls younger than me in the past, and I certainly don’t think he’s too old for me. I’m so jealous. Henri is sooooo hot.”
“But Katie—”
“Oh don’t worry—I’m just kidding. I’m happily in love, so don’t fret. I’ve just always lusted over Henri a bit.”
“Well, he is kind of cute.”
“Kind of cute? That’s the understatement of the year. You’re a lucky dog. All these years I’ve done the preparation and planning, but I’ve never gotten to go to the bash. And you get to go after your first two weeks on the
job. Plus, you get to go with Henri, who is smokin’ hot. But wait… We’ve got to get you ready for the party.”
“What do you mean? It’s not until tomorrow night.”
“But you need to go to the spa, get your hair done, get your makeup done.”
Anne’s heart skipped a beat. “Oh I couldn’t do that. I’ve never had my makeup done. I don’t even wear much makeup. And I wouldn’t know where to go. Anyway, it would cost too much.”
“I have a connection, a friend who’s just getting started in the business. She’s great, but she needs publicity. If she could just post your picture to advertise, she’ll give you a great deal, I’m sure of it.”
“Well, maybe. But I don’t really have time. We’ve got a lot to do tomorrow—”
“Nope, you’re taking a personal leave day tomorrow. I’ll wrap up all the details for the event. I’ve done it by myself before.”
“But won’t Mr. Gherring be mad?”
“Gherring will be so busy with meetings he probably won’t notice. But if he asks, I’ll just tell him you had a family emergency.”
“But that would be a lie.”
“No, it’s true. You are part of a family—you’re the mom. And this is an emergency.”
Anne’s cell phone sounded a musical refrain of a classic Joe Walsh song about a fast Maserati. Anne struggled to answer the call with her paraffin-dipped hands in plastic bags, trying vainly not to disturb the green mud on her face. “Hey Charlie, I can’t talk for long, I’m in the middle of a spa treatment to make me beautiful, although it seems to be doing the opposite. I look quite frightful.”
“So you’re spending the day getting ready for the big date with the French playboy? And tonight, Emily says, you’re wearing Giselle?”
“Yes, Katie came over last night. She took one look at Giselle and insisted I wear her tonight. I thought my red one might be better.”
