Chapter Four
It was only later, when they were in the thick of the event, that Hope had to concede that what he’d really meant was don’t worry, no one will talk to you because you’re not important. She had to appreciate his diplomacy.
It was almost funny. The people either side of her at the vast dinner table, on learning that her name held zero recognition, had simply turned to the—presumably—more recognisable people on their other sides, leaving her looking across the expanse of dinner table—artfully decked out with what seemed to be an entire field’s worth of wild flowers—at Axel, whose dark gleaming head was inclined towards his neighbour as he listened intently.
The event was being held in one of Paris’s most iconic museums and it had been lit with thousands of candles and glittering chandeliers, making everyone look as if they were glowing. She’d never seen so many beautiful people in one space.
There had been paparazzi outside when they’d arrived and Axel had taken her hand in his and said, ‘Just keep walking, no matter what they call out.’
The barrage of shouts and flashing lights had been seriously intimidating and she’d unconsciously gripped Axel’s hand tight and stuck as close as she could to him.
At the entrance, when they’d run the gauntlet, she’d realised she was gripping his hand and had let go, saying, ‘Sorry, I hadn’t expected it to be like that.’ She’d had a new appreciation for anyone on the other end of that attention on a regular basis.
‘No, I’m sorry, I’m so used to this that I didn’t fully consider what it would be like for you.’
Hope had shaken her head. ‘I’m sure I’ll get used to it.’ She’d have to, if this was part and parcel of appearing in public with this man.
Then, when they’d walked into the venue, her mouth had dropped open in sheer wonder and Axel had touched her back lightly with his hand and said softly, ‘Close your mouth.’
She’d snapped it shut more because of the effect of his hand on her bare skin than because he’d told her to. Where he’d touched her still felt warm. As if he’d branded her.
As if sensing her regard he looked up now and their eyes met across the table. He raised a brow in question and she forced a wide smile back, trying to assure him all was fine even though she was being ignored by her companions on either side and she felt like a fish out of water.
It was still totally unbelievable that she was here with him.
She was almost too afraid to touch the food. It didn’t really look edible—it was too perfect. And she couldn’t really see anyone else tucking in. Her belly rumbled though and she went red, hoping no one had heard it over the chatter.
And then, as if a silent signal had been given, people started to move, getting up from the table.
Hope looked around, wondering what she should do, and she looked across at Axel, who mouthed across to her, Stay there.
He didn’t have to tell her twice. People were mingling now, in couples and small groups.
She had a very real sense that everyone in this world knew everyone.
Axel was making his way around to where she was but he kept getting stopped by people.
Hope could see his frustration, the way the muscle in his jaw popped.
It wasn’t because he wanted to get to her, it was most likely because he was afraid that if she was left alone too long she’d do something to embarrass him.
Eventually he got to her and held out his hand, she took it and let him pull her up. He didn’t let go. She figured he had to make it obvious they were together.
‘OK?’
She nodded and then said with a touch of wryness, ‘Dinner was interesting.’
He made a face. ‘Yes, you don’t come here to eat. And your neighbours didn’t seem very polite.’
Hope shrugged. ‘They realised I had nothing to offer them and that I was a nobody.’
To her surprise Axel looked angry. ‘Don’t say that. You’re not a nobody and they’re idiots.’
She blinked up at him. ‘I… OK, thank you.’
‘If we come to something like this again I’ll ensure we’re together.’
Hope was touched by his assertion. She wanted to tell him that she didn’t want to be a distraction or a burden but he was saying, ‘Let’s get out of here.’
‘You don’t need to stay?’
He shook his head. ‘Not really, the paparazzi will have done the job for us, establishing you with me. There’s no one here I need to see.
I have a meeting tomorrow before we leave.
All the charities have received generous donations.
Their CEOs will feel obliged to acknowledge it but I don’t need it. ’
‘You’re the boss.’ And he was, literally. Hope had to remind herself of that as he took her hand again and led her back out. Thankfully the paparazzi had moved on. Hope held one side of her dress up to avoid tripping over it. Axel’s car was waiting for them and they got in.
As the car moved into the Parisian traffic Hope smoothed a hand down the dress. ‘It seems an awful shame that dresses like this only get a brief outing. I’m sure no woman in that room would be seen dead in the same outfit twice.’
And then Hope’s stomach rumbled and she looked at Axel, horrified. His mouth twitched. ‘Hungry?’
‘Sorry, I…yes…when I saw no one was really eating I felt I couldn’t and I was afraid I’d spill something on the dress.’
‘It’s OK, I’m hungry too.’ He leant forward and said something in French to the driver and sat back. ‘We’ll stop en route for supper.’
They crossed over a bridge onto one of Paris’s islands on the river. Narrow cobbled streets. Tall buildings. The iconic shape of the Notre-Dame in the distance against the darkening sky. ‘Oh, this is so beautiful,’ breathed Hope, enchanted.
‘I thought you’d been to Paris before?’
Hope nodded. ‘Yes, but not like this. The airlines I’m used to working with tend to fly into airports far out of the city and their turnarounds are brutal.
It always seemed a bit like a busman’s holiday to come back on my own.
’ Now she felt embarrassed. Surely she should have tried to carve out the time to come into the city to explore?
‘I get it,’ Axel said. ‘I rarely make time to go further than my meetings or social events.’
Hope was amused. ‘Thanks for trying to relate but your experience is still vastly superior to mine. Have you ever had to be bussed into a city from an airport and then dropped at a car park?’
He shook his head.
Hope opened her eyes wide. ‘You don’t know what you’re missing. Truly.’
Axel’s mouth went up on one side. ‘I’ll take your word for it.’
Something light bloomed in Hope’s chest. She’d made him almost smile.
The driver said something from the front and Hope noticed the car had come to a stop outside a charming-looking restaurant, gold light coming from two windows with a door in between.
Plants and flowers overflowed from window boxes and vines trailed over the entrance.
Axel was at her door, opening it. Hope got out, the dress exposing her thigh as she did.
She quickly pulled it over again, hoping Axel didn’t think she was trying to entice him or something.
Then that made her almost giggle because she knew she was so far removed from the kind of woman this man would usually be seen with. The kind of woman he would marry.
And that was obviously completely fine with her. She was part of this world for a short time and then it would be back to the regular world of grim car parks on the edges of beautfiul cities.
* * *
Axel didn’t think he’d ever spent time with someone who was just so fascinated by everything around her. She took it all in. And she was constantly smiling. At everyone. And he noticed how everyone smiled back, unable to help themselves. Even the famously taciturn Parisian waiters.
She glowed on the other side of the table like a jewel. Hair and skin lustrous. The gold dress skimming enticingly over curves.
‘Was your hair always short?’ Axel found himself asking apropos of nothing.
Hope shook her head and put her water glass down, her glass of champagne barely touched. Axel had noticed she wasn’t a big drinker.
‘No, it’s usually longer. I cut it off for charity. One of my co-workers had a child with leukaemia and so we all did something to raise money.’
Axel was taken aback. He was used to philanthropy on the level of millions being donated but he knew well that it was this level of grass-roots charity that had just as much significance, if not more sometimes, and he was pretty sure no one he knew had ever done anything like this. Or him.
‘That’s impressive.’ He sat back in his chair and reached up to undo his bow tie.
He saw how Hope’s eyes tracked the movement and the way her cheeks flushed a little.
Heat zinged through his veins. She was aware of him.
But she wasn’t going out of her way to show it.
If anything she seemed embarrassed. She looked away now, flustered, and almost knocked over her glass of water but Axel reached out and caught it.
She laughed a little. ‘I swear I’m not normally clumsy.’
‘Do I make you nervous, Hope?’ Axel knew he shouldn’t play with fire like this but he couldn’t help it. Those huge blue eyes swivelled to him and the flush in her cheeks deepened. ‘Um, no…well, maybe a little. You’re an intimidating guy.’
‘I don’t think I really intimidate you though, do I, Hope?’
She swallowed and his gaze tracked the movement. The waiter arrived with their starters and Axel cursed the interruption even though he knew he should be welcoming it.
After the waiter had left Hope spread her napkin on her lap and said, ‘I didn’t think this would be your sort of place.’
Axel let her change the subject. He shouldn’t be toying with her.
He said, ‘I like it here. It’s not fussy.
’ He realised then that he usually came here alone and he’d never brought a woman here.
The women he associated with usually wanted to go somewhere more high profile. Where they could be seen and noticed.
‘It’s exactly how I imagined a Parisian restaurant.’