by Kait Gamble
The gleaming, white marbled space glowed with the morning sunlight. She could almost imagine she was back in the 1920s as she looked at the intricate wrought iron patterns decorating the door. It was unobtrusive, drawing the gaze to the waves outside or to the arches above the entrance. A perfect touch of glamor.
Her eyes, however, were immediately drawn to Alexandre reading the paper, basking in the sunshine. If the sleeplessness of the night before wore on him, it didn’t show. He looked as calm and cool as ever.
“There’s Alex now. I’ll leave you two to talk.” As if he knew she needed the encouragement, he pushed her lightly in the direction of his son. “I will see you tonight.”
Mouth dry, Maia nodded and slowly made her way toward the table as if she were walking toward her execution.
“Bon matin, Miss Reynolds.” Alex didn’t even look up from his paper.
Maia would have bristled, but her entire focus was on the glaring headline and photo of her throwing her drink at Alexandre on the front page. Maia cursed herself. She must have been completely enraged for her not to notice any photographers around.
Point made, he folded the paper and placed it innocuously on the table in front of him. “Please sit. Would you like something to eat? To drink?”
Food was the last thing on her mind. “No. Thank you.”
She let him help her into her seat. A warm breeze blew as he moved back. It wafted over her, spiced with the scent of the sea and Alex. The memories it evoked sent her stomach into turmoil. No. No breakfast today. And possibly not again until after she left Nice.
He sat and regarded her as closely as she was watching him.
For Maia, it was excruciatingly silent. She’d hoped she could gauge what was going through his mind, but his face was implacable.
“What are you thinking, Miss Reynolds?”
Again, the ‘Miss Reynolds’ stung, but she forced herself to smile a little when she looked at him again. “I was wondering the same thing about you.”
The corner of his mouth lifted. “I was thinking how easily you moved from me to my father.” At her incredulous gasp, he continued, “Is he an easier mark for you?”
Bile rose in her throat. “You’re a pig. The only reason I’m still here is because your father asked me to write that article.”
“So you think that by getting on his good side, you will worm your way into his life.”
Her stomach rolled at his accusation. “You are one seriously twisted man. Was it the bump on your head that turned you into”—she gestured at him in disgust—“this?”
“You’re saying that as if you know me.”
“Obviously, I don’t. The man I thought I knew was kind and sweet and would never have jumped to repulsive conclusions like you have.”
As she said it, the sense of loss hollowed her again, leaving the sick, unsettled feeling in her gut. Alexandre Giroux had never really existed. She’d been played from the beginning. And she’d been stupid enough to let herself be fooled.
“I’m only stating what I’m seeing.”
“What you’re seeing isn’t the same as what you interpret.” She huffed a breath. “If you have anything to discuss that’s work related, I suggest you say it now.”
“Or you’ll leave?”
“How did you guess?”
“Ahh, sarcasm.” He reached across the table to slide a white folder to her. “Here is everything you will need to know about my involvement in the reopening.”
“Thank you. Is there anything else?” Maia wasn’t waiting for an answer. She was already out of her seat when he replied.
“Please stay. Have breakfast. I promise I’ll try not to offend.”
“No thanks. I’m not hungry.” She smirked humorlessly at him. “Or are you afraid your father will scold you for running me out of breakfast?”
“That too.” Alexandre levered himself up from his seat and stood, motioning for her to sit back down.
Maia hesitated, but ultimately stayed on her feet. “I should tell him that I can’t deal with this. I can’t write an unbiased review with you around.”
Alexandre frowned. “That won’t do. I won’t let you disappoint my father.”
“I think you’ve got that wrong. You’re the one who’s disappointing him. You are the one making it impossible for me to work.”
That seemed to get him thinking. Maia was within seconds of leaving when he put up his hand. “I apologize.”
She raised her eyebrows with a skeptical quirk. “Really? Because it doesn’t sound like it.”
“I won’t say another word if it will mean that you write this article.”
His steady gaze held hers. He was being serious.
She stared right back. “You know I won’t write anything that’s not true. Just because you stay out of my face won’t guarantee I will gush about everything.”
“I expect nothing else.” He motioned at the table. “Will you please sit back down?”
Maia looked around for an excuse and saw the perfect one when she noticed Chloe making a beeline for their table. “No, thanks. But don’t worry. It doesn’t look like you’ll be eating alone.”
“Off so soon, Maia?” Chloe edged between Maia and the table and took her seat.
“Yeah, I have work to do.”
“Always so serious. You should learn to have a little fun sometime.” She turned to Alex and gave him a megawatt smile. “Isn’t that right, Alex? Maia never lets herself cut loose.”
He smiled at his new companion even as he addressed Maia. “Don’t let us keep you from your work, Miss Reynolds.”
She turned on her heel and left without another word.
Alex barely heard a thing as the blonde prattled on about her flight…or the last place she’d been before arriving in Nice…or something.
His mind was on another woman and the things she had said.
There was something about Maia Reynolds that told him that what she said was the truth. It made something deep inside ache, even if he couldn’t remember her or anything that she mentioned. All he knew was that the pain in her eyes whenever she talked about the past was real. And that hurt something in his chest.
But was he really the cause of it?
“Where should we go today, Alex?”
He lifted a shoulder and let it drop again. Alex had little concern with what Chloe did with the day. His interest was with the enigmatic brunette with the fiery temper. “What do you know about Miss Reynolds?”
Chloe pursed her over-glossed lips. “Maia? Why do you care?”
“I’m curious.”
She shrugged as she considered his question. It took her a moment before she pouted and shook her head. “There’s not much to tell. She’s a workaholic. I’ve heard she keeps a tiny apartment that she’s never there to stay in and that she’s left a string of broken hearts because she has commitment issues.”
His smile was sardonic. “That’s quite a bit to know about a woman you claim not to know very well.”
She smiled. “I like to know the people I work with.”
He toasted her with his juice. “As do I.” He took a long sip. “If you’ll excuse me, I forgot I have another appointment this morning. Forgive me. We’ll have to do this another time.”
Alex wanted to retreat to the beach and actually started walking toward it, but the amount of people there kept him near the hotel. Instead, he made his way back up to his suite. The solitude suited his mood as he stood on the wide balcony and stared out at the undulating sea. There was something about the motion of the water that was soothing, hypnotic. It was what he always did when he had to think long and hard.
A knock at the door caught his attention before it opened a crack and his father’s head peeked through. “Alex?”
He nodded in greeting. “Papa.”
Guillaume picked up on his son’s mood and entered quietly. “I just wanted you to know I invited Miss Reynolds to dinner tonight and I need you to bring her.”
&nb
sp; Dinner? After what had happened this morning, it would be a miracle if Maia was going to still be in the country.
Alex frowned. “Are you sure she agreed? You didn’t force her into it, did you?”
Guillaume’s eyebrows snapped together. “What are you talking about? Of course I didn’t.” He joined Alex at the rail. “What is going on between you two?”
Alex turned back to face the sea. For a long moment, he stood silently, listening to the distant sound of water meeting beach. “She hates me.”
The lines on the older man’s face softened as he chuckled. “Of course she doesn’t. Is that what’s bothering you? You think she dislikes you?”
“I don’t think, Father, I know. She’s told me to my face that she hates me. What bothers me the most is I have no idea why.” Or why he cared. Alex sighed as he remembered the horrible things he’d accused her of. If Maia hadn’t hated him before, he would judge her if she didn’t now.
He turned to his father. “While I was abroad or after I returned, did I mention anything about a girl?”
Guillaume thought it over, shaking his head slightly as he did. “Not as such. You were on your independence streak and didn’t communicate much while you were away.” Guillaume frowned at the memory, and Alex felt a pang of regret for his youthful impudence. “I knew you were interested in returning as soon as possible but you never mentioned a girl, though I would assume no one would be as eager as you to return to just your studies.” The older Girard sighed heavily. “That time was such a blur. With your mother ill…”
Alex took in his father’s words with a sad scowl. His mother’s illness had consumed them both and had taken over their lives for that brief moment in time. It was entirely possible that any other subject had been pushed aside. “Did I bring anything back with me? Photos? A keepsake of some sort?”
“You know you dropped everything to return because your mother was sick. No one was thinking straight. After your accident, I sent Marcel to collect your things and it was all stored away, though you never had any interest in seeing them again.”
Of course his father would have sent his PA. He hadn’t been in any state of mind to do it himself after the death of his wife, then the accident that had nearly claimed his only son. Marcel was discreet and wouldn’t have looked twice at anything unless instructed to. He would have simply overseen that everything was packed up and shipped back, as quickly and efficiently as possible, ready for whenever Alex decided to retrieve it. Only he never had.
Guillaume walked to his son’s side. “Now, what is this all about?”
“Maia insists we were lovers for a year during my time at university. That I abandoned her.” Alex raked his hands through his hair. “I thought she made it up at first, but now I don’t know.”
“Mon dieu.” Guillaume barely whispered the words as he stared blankly out to sea.
“But when I told her about the accident, she immediately told me to forget what she said. That it didn’t matter. But I can see it in her eyes. It matters. Very much. But she refuses to talk about it and even threatened to quit and leave if I push her.”
His father’s gaze hadn’t left the water. “And you think that dinner tonight will do that.”
“I think anything that has to do with us breathing the same air might set her off.” He turned to his father, sighing as he did.
Guillaume smiled gently at his son. “What can I do to help?”
Alex shook his head bleakly. “I don’t know if you can. I doubt if I can do anything to sort this mess out.”
“Perhaps you should talk to the doctor? I can check to see if your things are still in storage.”
Alex shook his head. “Talking to the doctor won’t help. He said that if the memories didn’t come back after a year, it was quite unlikely that they ever would. I would appreciate if you would ask about my things and whether he ran into Maia back then.”
Nodding, Guillaume patted him on the back. “You should sit her down and talk to her. But gently. C’est le ton qui fait la musique. A little wine. Dinner. And use some of that Girard charm I know is hiding in there somewhere.”
Alex couldn’t help but smile a little. His father was a charmer in every way. Unfortunately, he only took after his father physically. If only he had his talent with words.
“Unless you think she’s lying.” Guillaume clapped his son on the back. “What does your heart tell you?”
Alex didn’t know. Only that it hadn’t been the same since she’d thrown champagne in his face. “I need to find out more.”
“I’ll leave it up to you, then.”
If only he had the faith in himself that his father did.
Chapter Four
Maia spent the afternoon trying to put words together to describe the fantastically luxurious hotel. The downside of being alone and inside her head was that her mind kept wandering back to Alex.
After so long with Alex out of her mind, she was overwhelmed with thoughts about him. How he’d changed—physically and otherwise. The ridiculous attraction she still felt for him. That even being in the same room with him was too much for her. And now here she was essentially stuck working with him and living at his hotel.
Just a week or two tops. Maybe even less if she could get her act together and just start writing. She had all the info she needed for the article. Alex had been thorough in the information he provided. Paradoxically, it was too much and not enough at the same time. She hated that she wanted to know more about what he did. See him at work.
Maia scowled at the screen as she reread what she’d written. Seeing her thoughts so disjointed just annoyed her even more. Slamming her laptop shut, she decided she needed a break. Not that she had much choice. If her words were anything to go by, it was the only thing she could do right now.
But where to go?
Part of her strategy was to stay in her sanctuary as much as possible to get the job done and get out of here and to her next job.
The less she saw Alex, the better. At least that’s what she thought before she realized that he was going to be in her head the whole time.
Maybe a shopping trip would do her some good. She could see some of the area and relax at the same time. Killing two birds with one stone was more appealing than sitting cooped up in her suite, staring at her laptop.
And now she was rationalizing.
So far, nothing about this trip had gone well, so she half expected to see Alex when she stepped into the lobby. It didn’t mean she wasn’t hoping against it.
He stood at the desk and was already watching her when she noticed him. Not that it was hard to spot him. He was easily the most attractive man in the room and she wasn’t the only one who had her eye on him.
He took no notice of anyone else and even smiled a little as he approached her. “Miss Reynolds. I was hoping to catch you.”
Pulse fluttering at her throat, she stared at him. And that was how she felt right now. Captured. “Why is that, monsieur?”
“Please, call me Alex.”
His gentle tone aroused her suspicions immediately. “What are you playing at?”
“Nothing. I just want us to get along.”
“Why?” After the things he’d accused her of, she was sure he’d want to stay as far away from her as possible. Was this about the article? Her hackles started to rise. “You don’t have to be nice to me. I’ll write a fair piece on the hotel.”
He put up his hand. “That’s not what this is. Are you always this suspicious of everyone?”
“Can you blame me? Especially after all the vile things you’ve been accusing me of?” She hadn’t always been this way. It wasn’t until after he’d disappeared that she’d come to learn that people weren’t what you thought they were. “So then what are you doing? It’s clear what you think of me. Why else would you want to be anywhere near me? I told you that you could just leave me with any information you want me to include and I’ll take it from there. There’s no need for you to be involved.�
�� Let alone be near enough to scramble her brains any further.
When he stepped closer, she took an instinctive step back.
He halted immediately, a shadow clouding his eyes. “You’re afraid of me?”
“Of course not.” At least not the way he was obviously thinking. She just didn’t want him touching her. It brought back too many feelings. Maia sighed. “I just need to go.”
Alex stayed where he was. “Where are you thinking of going?”
“I just need to get some air. And maybe something suitable to wear tonight.” She looked up at him. “If you’re going to offer to take me—”
He shook his head. “I was, but it’s clear that you want nothing to do with me.”
What was clear to Maia was that the gentle tone he had started the conversation with was a farce long gone. “I’ll see you at the party, I guess.”
He pressed his lips in a firm line for a moment. “Be ready by seven. I’ll be waiting here.”
Right. He was taking her to what sounded like a night of torture. “Fine.” She didn’t wait for him to say anything else and swept past.
It took a while for her heart rate to return to normal. It didn’t help that she hurried out of there as fast as she could and continued the pace until she couldn’t see the hotel anymore. Maia knew that holding the past against him wasn’t right. The man couldn’t remember her. Or what they had. Or…anything. But seeing him brought all the feelings back that she’d thought she had buried forever. And every time she laid eyes on him, it was like running razors over old wounds.
“That can’t be Maia, can it?”
Maia sighed at the familiarly irritating voice. The last thing she needed right now was to deal with Chloe. She turned to see the woman heading right for her with an array of bags hanging from each hand.
“And here I thought you never left your laptop.”
“Funny.” Maia looked up and down the street. She had no idea where to go to find a dress.
“What are you looking for?” Her line of questioning was cut short when her phone started ringing. Chloe rearranged her bags to fish it out of her purse. She barely spared Maia a glance before answering with a delighted giggle. “Monsieur Girard! What a pleasant surprise!”
