by Eydie Maggio
She was lethal – gorgeous, sexy, brilliant, boisterous, witty, appreciative, humble, confident, benevolent, and the list goes on. With Elise, what was on the exterior was why you came, but on the interior was why you stayed. And, he realized quickly that he wanted to stay.
Their last moments together were shared in the shower, which was so bittersweet. He was able to touch her and make love one last time, but he didn’t know if he would ever see her again. They had each other’s phone numbers, that’s it. There was no discussion about getting together when she returned. She didn’t mention it, so Trey didn’t either, but he wanted to.
She was heading to her reservations at La Tour d'Argent which was supposed to be for two. Her reservation was at 7 pm, and his flight was at 8 pm. He would be in the air heading west before she would be served her dessert. His car was coming in a few minutes to pick him up and take him to Charles de Gaulle.
There was a knock on his door. The bellhop was there to get the luggage. He and Ronald followed the gentleman down to the hotel lobby where he waited for his car.
Trey was glancing around the lobby when he felt his cell phone vibrated in his pocket. He pulled it out and keyed in his password. On his screen he saw Elise’s picture and smiled. She sent him a text message.
*Elise: Safe Travels….XO Elise*
Trey replied:
*Trey: Headed to restaurant?*
*Elise: Oui. Airport?*
*Trey: Oui*
*Elise: :)*
*Trey: Plans tomorrow?*
*Elise: Spa day*
*Trey: Enjoy it and enjoy Paris*
*Elise: I will and I have*
That was the last message he received from her before he headed to the airport and boarded his plane. The late night flight was once again bare in first class. He and Ronald buckled into their seats and awaited their departure.
“Are you alright, sir?” Ronald was good to Trey for the last five years and had become a confidant.
“I’ll live.” Trey smiled at the thought of Elise uttering those exact words when he inquired about her knee.
“Yes, you will. That’s what I’m here for.” Ronald smiled over at him.
“Thanks, Ronald.”
Chapter 11
Elise just finished her spa day at the Guerlain Spa. It was supposed to be a couple’s spa day and she was slightly sad that Trey had to leave and head back to the states. He would have enjoyed the massage, especially after all the extracurricular activities of the weekend. Elise spent 5 hours at the spa under various treatments which she quickly realized all that relaxing was actually tiring. She looked forward to room service and a good night’s sleep since tomorrow would be her last day in Paris.
She enjoyed this trip for many reasons, the biggest being Trey. She thought about calling him, but finally decided against it. She considered this her wild Parisian affair, and it needed to stay here in Paris; that’s what she told herself. Her mind instantly changed when she got back to her room.
When she opened the door, a wonderful smell was emitting from inside. First, she noticed a small bouquet of purple irises that were on the side table next to the sofa. As she walked further into her room, there was a linen covered cart with a silver dome-shaped chafing dish on it. When Elise removed the cover, there was an entrée of Seared Scallops, some sort of fondue, and a chocolate hazelnut dessert. In the wine bucket, there was a very nice Chablis that would probably go perfect with the Scallops. A note was also on the cart that read:
End your relaxing day with a relaxing meal. If you want company while eating, call me.
Trey
XOXO
It was probably lunch time in the states so she decided to give him a call. She wanted to hear his voice badly. Her wine was already uncorked so she poured herself a glass before she went to her purse to get her phone. She hit a few buttons to find Trey’s number, and then hit send. She sat down with her wine and meal on the sofa.
“Bonjour!”
Elise smiled with Trey’s greeting. “Look at you, speaking French after just one weekend in Paris.”
“I had a great teacher! How was your spa day?” It was great to hear his voice.
“Very relaxing. Am I calling at a bad time?”
“Not at all. I was hoping that you wanted some dinner company from 3,600 miles away.” He was beyond sweet.
“Trey, thank you so much. You really shouldn’t have done all this.”
“I should have been there to dine with you in person last night, so I wanted to make it up to you tonight.” He profusely apologized Sunday before he left. He felt bad for leaving her.
“You are so sweet. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it. The scallops smell delicious. It was so nice not to have to think about what to eat or ordering it. A girl can get spoiled very quickly around you.” Elise secretly hoped she was the only girl getting spoiled by him.
“You deserve to be spoiled, Elise.” She hugged herself with excitement over that statement. “What’s on the agenda for tomorrow?”
“Last day here, so I think I will be doing some shopping and getting to bed early. My flight leaves Wednesday morning so I’ll be back in the states that afternoon.”
“Are you going to be heading back to New York?”
“No, Virginia. I’m flying back into Dulles. I think my flight arrives around 3 pm.”
“Are you staying with your mom?”
“No, I have a townhome in downtown McLean. I’ll be heading there for a few days. How was your flight back?”
“Uneventful, which is good.”
“So, no random strangers trying to grab your crotch in first class?” Elise was still blushing over the thought of what she did.
“Surprisingly enough, there was! Can you believe it?” He was totally picking on her.
“Wow! I hope she wasn’t prettier than me!”
“It was a dude.”
Elise nearly spit wine all over her beautiful brocade sofa. “Ok, no jokes when I’m consuming wine.”
“I’ll let you eat. I just wanted to make sure you had some company for dinner tonight.”
Elise was sad that he was letting her go. “I can’t tell you how much I appreciated it. Oh, and the flowers are beautiful.”
“I’m glad you like them.”
Elise took a deep breath and decided to jump off the cliff, “Did you want to maybe grab some dinner when I get back to the states?” She held her breath while she waited for his answer.
“Absolutely. I look forward to seeing you when you get back.” Elise heard his smile through the phone.
“I do, too. Thanks again for everything, Trey.”
“You’re welcome, Elise. Have a good night.”
“Night.”
Elise was excited that he wanted to see her again. She picked up her fork and began eating her dinner. She had a fabulous time here, but she was ready to head home and see her mom, her friends, and now, Trey.
~
Trey hung up the phone with a sigh. He was glad Elise called him and enjoyed the surprise that he had for her. He was excited that she wanted to get together for dinner when she returned to the states. His cell phone rang, immediately grabbing his attention. He hoped it was Elise calling back. When he looked at the display, it was his mom’s number. He picked up his cell phone and answered. “Hey, Mom. What’s up?”
“Hey Darling, I have huge favor to ask you. But first, what’s wrong?”
Trey rolled his eyes. He didn’t want to go into it with her. “Nothing, Mom.”
“Trey…”
“What! I’m fine!” He was smiling and shaking his head. This sixth sense shit was getting out of control.
“Is it Elise?” How does she do that?
“Mom, just stop! I’m fine, really!” He rolled his eyes at the thought of this conversation which was not even close to being over.
“When’s the last time you talked to her?”
“I just got off the phone with her.”
“Then why
do you sound so agitated? Is she back in the states?”
“I’m agitated because you won’t take I’m fine at face value, and no, she’s still in Paris.”
“Oh, that’s where the agitation is coming from, you miss her.” Trey closed his eyes and shook his head. He took a couple of deep breaths before he spoke again. “Trey, are you still there?”
“Yes, Mother.”
“Trey, I’m not trying to butt into your life, but it’s ok to be vulnerable. It’s ok that you are feeling this way.”
“Ok, thanks for the advice, but vulnerability isn’t an emotion that I understand.”
“Well, without it, you wouldn’t feel so happy when you were with her. You have to have sadness without her, to feel happiness with her. Do you understand what I mean?”
“Like I said, vulnerability is a concept that I have some issues with. My entire business and campaign is built around me NOT having any vulnerability. That’s how I’ve been successful.”
“Well, I completely disagree. Vulnerability is the idea that you have to be willing to put everything out there on the line without any surety that it will turn out how you want it to. Are you one hundred percent certain that you will win your election? No. Were you sure when you made your first investment with Sophia’s money that it would payout like it did? No. So son, don’t mistake vulnerability for weakness. Those are two very different concepts. So when it comes to Elise, please know that you are enough and put everything out on the line without any certainty. You’ll be surprised on what you can feel for someone when you do that. Remember, you can’t numb out pain without numbing out pleasure, too.”
Those words hit Trey to the core. If he never risked, he would have never seen the rewards. He wanted to take that risk with Elise. “You should seriously consider becoming a life coach. Who knew under all that beauty and wisdom lived the Dalai Lama?”
“Your father did. That’s why he married me.” Trey laughed.
“I think I want more with her, Mom. I just have no idea if she feels the same way.”
“And you won’t until you lay it on the line. Embrace the vulnerability, Trey. I have a feeling you will see rewards if you do. I just have a feeling about this one.”
Trey took a deep breath and welcomed the sadness of missing Elise. He knew it would be replaced with joy as soon as he saw her when she returned to the states. “Well, thanks for putting things in perspective and not taking I’m fine at face value.” Trey really needed this little talk.
“I’m a mom. It’s my job. And speaking of jobs, my role as First Lady is needed in West Africa. So, I really need a huge favor from you.”
“Anything, just name it.”
“It actually has to do with Elise.” Trey was taken aback.
“I’m listening.”
Chapter 12
Even though Elise slept through the entire trip from Paris to Washington D.C., she still felt exhausted when she reached Dulles. She was planning on spending a few days at her Virginia townhome since she hadn’t seen her mom in over two weeks, but she would be back in New York soon for the Women in Fashion Awards Banquet.
She called the Palladium to have them pick up her bags and drop off her car. The Palladium was the luxury townhome development where Elise bought both her townhome and her mother’s. Besides the beautiful layout and great view, the Palladium offered a 24/7 concierge service that was at the beck and call of their tenants. The concierge service was the main reason why Elise bought the townhomes there. She wanted to make sure that if her mother needed anything while she was in New York or travelling, she would be able to find assistance.
Her mom was totally independent and capable, but Elise needed that extra measure of security for her own piece of mind. It was only the two of them and had been that way all her life, so she felt guilty being so far away because her work made demands that caused her to be in New York more than Virginia. It hadn’t occurred to her until now that she would be able to spend more time with her mom because of the buyout. She liked the slower pace that Virginia had to offer, and thought about possibly of returning there permanently. For the first time since the whirlwind started, she was actually excited to relinquish her role. There was still some sadness there, but she liked the all the different possibilities.
Before she left Paris, she gave the concierge a call to have her car brought to the short term parking area at the airport and to have someone shuttle her bags back to the townhome. She knew she would be tired and didn’t want to have to deal with her bags. As Elise walked through the airport and headed to the short term parking area, she noticed a gentleman holding a sign with her name on it. When she actually looked up from the sign to the person holding it, she was excited.
Ronald, Trey’s security guy, was standing tall with his black suit on holding the sign. A huge smile crossed her face as she look over and saw Trey standing next to him. He looked absolutely gorgeous. He must have come from work or a political appearance because he was still wearing a tailored light gray suit with a navy tie. Simply edible!
Once Elise made eye contact, she couldn’t help but run to him. It only took a few seconds for her to reach him and wrap her arms around him.
“Hey! What are you doing here?” Elise shrieked loudly catching the attention of a few travelers around them. She hugged Trey tightly not realizing how much she actually missed him.
“I wanted to pick you up since I figured you would be exhausted from the flight.” Trey handed Elise a bouquet of white lilies, “These are for you.”
Elise loved the bouquet and appreciated the sweet gesture on Trey’s part. The bouquet consisted of only five lilies with long stems tied together by a small white ribbon. She looked up from her flowers and asked, “Has it only been two days?”
Trey smiled, “I know what you mean.” He cupped Elise’s face and kissed her lips gently. “I missed you, too.”
Elise smiled as Trey grabbed her carry-on bag with one hand and wrapped his arm around her shoulders with the other. He was guiding her to the exit when she realized that her car was here.
“Crap! I can’t ride with you, my car is here. The concierge dropped it off this morning.” Elise felt bad because Trey’s gesture was so sweet.
“Ronald can follow us while we take your car. Did you need to make any stops along the way?”
“No, I was just planning on heading home. The concierge is picking up my bags for me.”
“Perfect. Where is your car parked?”
“Short term parking.”
Trey and Elise headed in the direction of the parking lot where her car was parked. Elise reached in to her purse and retrieved the keys to unlock the vehicle. When the horn went off and the lights flashed, she headed in that direction.
“Why am I not surprised that you drive a Porsche?” Trey was smiling down at her.
“Do you like it? I just got it a few weeks ago.” Elise bought the black Porsche Turbo S Cabriolet when they solidified the deal for the buyout. She chose the convertible because she always wanted one. The car and the trip to Paris were both presents that Elise bought for herself.
“It’s pretty bad ass.” Elise watched Trey as he walked around the car. He looked like a kid in a candy shop.
Elise popped the trunk to put her carry-on bag into it. Trey placed the bag down and closed the trunk. She handed her keys over to him, “Here. You’re driving.” Elise smiled up at him. She really was exhausted and didn’t feel like driving, but she also loved the look on his face when she handed over the keys.
Trey grabbed the keys then walked over to the passenger door to open it for Elise who was following him. Before she climbed in, she wrapped her arms around his waist while raising herself onto her tip toes. “I really did miss you,” Elise whispered before she closed her eyes and kissed Trey gently on his lips.
Trey’s eyes were closed as he whispered back to Elise, “Say it in French.”
She smiled then recited the phrase, “Tue m’as manqué beaucoup.” She punc
tuated her translation with another small kiss on Trey’s full lips. Elise climbed into the car as Trey walked around to the driver’s side, removed his suit jacket, and climbed in.
“They key slot is to your left.” Elise pointed it out around the steering wheel. Trey slipped the key in and started the ignition. In no time they were heading down VA-267 E on their way to McLean. “So you look gorgeous. Where are you coming from? Or going to?” Elise smiled as she stared at Trey’s profile. He was so damn good looking! His suit and the way he carried himself screamed power, but that façade didn’t fool her. She had gotten to know the sweet, sexy man inside that two thousand dollar suit. She didn’t expect to see him so soon after returning, but she was definitely glad that he met her at the airport.
“I was in the office catching up on some work from this weekend. And, once again, you are very good for my ego, Ms. DePaul.” Trey looked at her for a split second before returning his eyes to the road. That small glance was enough to send Elise’s heart into overdrive. Her body had a mind of its own when she was around him.
“I only speak the truth.” Elise knew he didn’t need her around to tell him how good looking he was when a mirror did a much better job. “So are you heading back to work?” Yes, she was fishing to see if he was going to hang out with her for a while.
“I hadn’t planned on it.” Trey looked over at her again, but this time Elise had a huge smile on her face. She liked that response. “What’s the smile for?”
“I’m happy to see you and glad that you weren’t planning on returning to work.” She was being honest because she had no reason to lie or play games. She liked him and she missed him. Why shouldn’t he know that?
“Did you have any plans for dinner?”
Elise was tired, but she could suck it up to spend a few hours with him. “No. I was just planning on heading to my townhome tonight, and tomorrow morning I’ll be having breakfast with my mom.”
“Can I make you dinner tonight?”
