Chapter 76
76
SOPHIE
G avin had told Sophie he was taking her on an adventure and that she’d better dress warm. She was glad for her DKNY gray wool and down-filled mid-length coat when they were let out of their car at the large open square of the Place du Trocadéro. She gasped as they were greeted with a breathtaking view of the Eiffel Tower. She had seen it in passing, of course, but seeing it unhurried now and with Gavin was exactly what she had wanted. This location on the north side of the Seine offered enough distance to get a full view of the iconic amber-hued structure and surrounding city lights. They weren’t alone, as there were other tourists sprinkled across the square, but it still felt like the night was all theirs.
“Here, let’s make a spot on the stairs,” Gavin said, leading her to an unoccupied area.
He opened the large bag he’d carried with them and placed a blanket on the stairs. Next, he pulled out a still-warm baguette, a container of soft and hard cheeses, another with fresh and dried fruits, and one more with an assortment of olives. He also had a small box of dark chocolate truffles. The final but most essential item was the red wine and glasses.
Sitting there, she was mesmerized by the combination of the cool, fragrant air and the wondrous glow of the tower. “It’s like magic,” she whispered to him, and he smiled. “Have you ever seen anything more beautiful?”
“All the time,” he replied, looking at her.
She smiled and squeezed his arm.
“This all right for dinner?” he asked as he set up their impromptu picnic.
She looked at the spread with delight. Her smile faded, however, when she looked back at him and saw the telltale sign of him rubbing at his nose.
“How did you even get it here?” she asked.
“I had the help of the hotel’s amazing concierge, I have to admit.”
“No, not the food. The cocaine. I can’t believe you’re high right now, Gavin.” Though she was furious, her voice betrayed nothing more than mild disappointment.
“Don’t let’s ruin this, darlin’. Just relax and leave it be. Have some wine.” He looked her in the eye for a long, silent moment. “It’s okay. Really.”
Finally, she nodded. “You are so incredibly lucky that I love you beyond all reason,” she said. She didn’t have the will to follow through on her disapproval. She would rather give him a pass so that the gesture he had made of taking her to this spot wasn’t spoiled. It wasn’t healthy to pick and choose what she would acknowledge, but it was part of her survival instincts in this unnatural new world.
“I am that indeed,” he said. He took her hand and pressed his lips to it before putting his arm around her shoulders. “Now, do you want to hear something ridiculous about that beautiful thing there?” He gestured to the glittering tower.
“What?”
“It’s illegal to publish photos of it taken at night. Technically it would be a copyright violation to do so.”
She laughed at the absurdity. “Guess we’ll have to stay for a while to get our fill of the view, then.”
“We can stay here all night. Remember, like we did in Dublin when we were in school and we stayed out until sunrise?”
That night was burned into her memory, like so many other moments when he had seduced her out of her better judgment. She had always trusted him implicitly. Every time he implored her to do something she’d normally hesitate to do, it ended up being a time she treasured. In this instance, however, his cocaine high would keep him up through the night and she wouldn’t be able to stay up with him. Thinking of that left a bad taste in her mouth and a longing for those simpler times. If she could just hang on a little longer, she was sure he would find his way back to who he used to be.