Chapter 12
LAILA
As Gabriel led me towards the lift, I tried to ignore the way his light blue shirt clung to his muscular back and the bulge of his biceps.
The only reason I’d agreed to stay was because I’d always wanted to see Paris and I didn’t want to waste Juliette’s money. That was all.
This excursion with Gabriel would be purely platonic. I hadn’t crossed any lines so far by being in the same hotel as him, so as long as I stuck to that, I’d be fine.
At least that was what I’d told myself when I had breakfast in my room this morning as I tried to psyche myself up to come to the briefing.
I’d wanted to eat in the restaurant, but I was worried I’d be seated with Gabriel. And sitting across a table, staring into his gorgeous eyes, wouldn’t have been ideal.
But now that the Love Alchemists had revealed the Love Tasks we’d need to do every day, I was seriously questioning my decision.
Doing romantic things in every location?
Taking photos together?
Making playlists?
Finding extra locations to visit?
Every single requirement had big mistake written all over it.
I understood that the whole point of coming here was to bring the couples closer together, so it made sense for most of the guests. Just not for Gabriel and me.
It’d be fine though. I was a grown woman, not a horny teenager. I had raised my son single-handedly, despite the odds. If I could do that, I could manage two days of excursions with a man without catching feelings.
Gabriel pressed the lift button and we stood there in silence for several beats. Maybe taking the stairs would’ve been less awkward.
‘What made you stay?’ he asked.
‘I’ve always wanted to see Paris, so I thought it’d be a good opportunity.’
‘So you are here just to sightsee?’
‘Yes,’ I replied defiantly. ‘I meant what I said yesterday. Nothing can ever happen between us. I just want to enjoy the city for forty-eight hours. But if it gets too awkward, I’ll leave.’
‘I see.’
My gut twisted. Although this was the best decision for me, I hadn’t thought about how Gabriel must feel about all of this.
‘I’m really sorry.’ I winced. ‘You came here expecting to meet your dream woman and you ended up with me. And not only that, I’ve just told you there’ll be no romance.
I hate that I’m wasting not just your time, but also your money because I know you must be working hard on your app and it must be so hard to get it off the ground.
Don’t they say it takes several years for new businesses to be profitable? ’
Gabriel frowned. He was probably thinking I didn’t know the first thing about running a company and he’d be right.
‘Anyway,’ I continued, ‘my point is, the last thing you need is to waste money coming here when you could’ve invested that cash in marketing and advertising stuff. The hotel wouldn’t give me a refund or find me a new match, but maybe they’d make an exception for you, seeing as it’s my fault.’
‘I do not want another match,’ Gabriel said quickly.
I swallowed hard. His words made me feel flattered and guilty at the same time.
‘But I just told you I can’t have a relationship with you.’
‘I know. But you also told me that you will stay for two days. That is good enough for me right now.’
‘You’re sure?’ I said, thinking it was important to double-check. The last thing I wanted was to lead him on.
‘Certain,’ he said as the lift dinged and the doors sprang open. ‘After you.’ He gestured for me to step inside.
As soon as the doors closed, I wished for the second time that we’d taken the stairs. Now we were in this small space. Alone.
Gabriel’s woody, masculine scent surrounded me.
God, he smelt so good.
I’d thought the same when I’d sat next to him on the rooftop. Because we were out in the open air, I assumed I’d be fine. But every time there was a gentle breeze, it carried Gabriel’s scent and I couldn’t help but inhale it.
Now in this lift, there was no escape.
‘It’s not moving!’ I said, panic rising in my voice.
Gabriel stretched out his muscular arm and pressed the ground-floor button again. He had very big hands. I wondered whether what they said about men with big hands was true?
Just as my mind started taking an unauthorised trip down forbidden thoughts street, the ground-floor button lit up and the lift descended.
Thank God.
Imagine if we’d got stuck in this confined space together.
What felt like hours rather than seconds later, we reached the ground floor and when the doors opened, I exhaled.
‘I will speak to reception about arranging a car.’
‘Car?’ I repeated, the panic returning to my voice. ‘Can’t we just walk? It’ll be better for the environment.’
‘We will have a lot of walking to do when we arrive and with the extra locations we will visit, so it is better to save our energy. And the hotel only uses electric cars, which have less impact on the environment.’
‘Oh,’ I said, when I really wanted to say shit.
Travelling in a car with Gabriel was exactly the kind of close-proximity situation I was trying to avoid.
Gabriel strode over to reception, started talking at a million miles an hour in French before walking back to me with a smile on his face.
‘We are the first couple, so there is already a car waiting for us. Come.’
I followed him reluctantly to the shiny black Mercedes.
A woman dressed in a smart grey suit and cap greeted us.
‘Bonjour, Madame, Monsieur. I am Daphné and I will be your driver. Please.’ She opened the car door and gestured for us to get in.
‘Merci,’ I said, before sliding onto the plush leather seats.
A privacy screen rose up, obscuring Daphné’s view of us on the back seat. Very cool. It was irrelevant though, because there was nothing I’d be doing with Gabriel that wouldn’t be acceptable for her to see.
Once we were strapped in, Daphné set off.
‘Wait.’ My face crumpled as I faced Gabriel. ‘How does she know where to take us? I thought we wouldn’t be allowed to leave until we told her?’
‘I replied to the message with the clue and had to confirm the destination with reception who then told me that we were cleared to have a driver.’
‘Oh.’ I nodded, thinking that made sense. ‘Actually, I don’t even know where we’re going.’
‘Would you like to?’
‘Now that I think about it, it doesn’t really matter. Based on the clue, I’ve probably never heard of it, so maybe it’s better if it’s a surprise.’
‘D’accord,’ he nodded, which I remembered meant okay.
Silence filled the air and I stared out of the tinted windows, taking in the sights.
As a flurry of impressive monuments came into view, some I recognised from TV shows or internet research, others that I didn’t know, I gasped. I still couldn’t believe I was in Paris.
I contemplated taking photos, but decided to just enjoy the moment.
Throughout the journey Gabriel didn’t speak. Part of me had expected him to try and persuade me to reconsider my decision to date him, but he didn’t.
He was respecting my decision and giving me my space, which was certainly welcomed, given how close we were in this car.
I was sitting on the right-hand side of the back seat, whilst he was on the left. But even with the space between us in the middle, it still felt too close for comfort.
‘We have arrived,’ Daphné’s voiced boomed from a speaker I hadn’t even noticed. Once the car stopped, Daphné opened my door.
‘Merci,’ I said as I stepped out. It was so weird having someone open and close doors for me, but I knew this was all part of the hotel’s five-star service and I appreciated it. ‘What is this place?’ I asked as I joined Gabriel on the pavement.
‘This is Jardin du Luxembourg or Luxembourg Gardens,’ Gabriel said, before thanking Daphné, then leading me towards the park’s entrance.
‘Oh, wow, this is beautiful!’ I said, as we stepped through the gates and took in the sight of the lush landscaped gardens with their immaculate lawns and colourful flowerbeds.
‘Gabriel? Laila?’ Lisette, the Love Alchemist, called out.
‘Salut,’ Gabriel greeted her.
‘You arrived quickly!’ She smiled. ‘Here.’ She handed us two booklets.
‘These are your Love Passports. Everything should be easy to follow, but if you have any questions, please call me. All of the Love Alchemists’ numbers are on the message that was sent to your phone earlier.
We will meet for lunch at 12.30. The details will be sent to your phones half an hour before. ’
‘Okay,’ I said, thinking how well organised everything seemed to be.
‘Enjoy!’ Lisette said, before greeting another couple who’d just arrived.
‘So,’ Gabriel said. ‘We do not have very long. We should decide on what activities we will do that we can photograph.’
I swallowed hard. They weren’t just ‘activities’. They had to be romantic activities.
‘Honestly, I have no idea,’ I shrugged. ‘It’s my first time here, so I don’t even know what there is to do.’
‘Tu as raison,’ he nodded. ‘Come. Let us sit.’
We passed a large pond opposite what looked like a palace. There was a crowd of people gathered around it as they used a long stick to control tiny little wooden boats across the water.
‘This is the Grand Bassin.’ Gabriel pointed to the pond. ‘Sailing the handmade toy boats has been a tradition here for almost one hundred years. And that building over there is the Luxembourg Palace.’ He pointed towards the grand stone building.
We sat at a green metal table with matching chairs. There were already men and women of all ages sitting around us either reading a book, drinking coffee or just people watching.
‘Have you been here a lot?’ I asked.
‘Many times. It is one of my favourite parks in Paris.’
‘Cool,’ I replied awkwardly, not sure what to say next.
‘I have thought of an idea for our activity,’ he said.
‘Yeah?’
‘I do not know what the hotel has planned for lunch, but if I was coming here for a date, I would arrange a picnic. They have a special area for them. So perhaps we can take a photo together on the grass with whatever food we have later?’
A picnic did sound romantic.