Chapter 35
Tuesday
“This is your family’s chateau,” Allison says, pointing at the first photo in the album.
A white stone structure with a dark-tiled roof sits at the crown of a hill keeping watch over acres of groves. History but with such French elegance in the details. “Wow, it’s beautiful.”
“It really is.”
Thinking about the sweet things in the room upstairs—my life in trinkets and fashion—but nothing in that bedroom or down here, for that matter, inspired memories. “I have a wild idea.”
“Oohh, I love when you get those.”
Guess I’ve had a few in my lifetime. “You said this is my happy place.”
“It is. That’s why you wanted to get married there.”
Setting my glass on the table, I say, “We should go.”
“We should totally go to France.” I love her and how she’s up for anything.
I look around the room, realizing this house hasn’t done what I hoped it would. “I think that could be my best shot of getting my memory back.”
She leans over and hugs me. “Let’s do it.” I hug her because it feels good to spend time with my friend. She makes me feel less alone. Popping to her feet, she says, “No time like the present. Let’s pack.”
We run upstairs, vowing to be ready for a flight first thing in the morning. But in the excitement of the moment, I only have one thing on my mind—texting Loch: I’m going to France.
My phone rings immediately. “Hello?” I answer, grinning ear to ear.
“France wasn’t the agreement, Tuesday. Rhode Island was.” Why must he sound so sexy when he’s being overprotective?
“I have to go, Loch. This may be my last chance to get my memories back. It’s all I have left.” I walk into my massive closet, thinking this might be my actual happy place by its impressive size.
“What are you talking about?”
Running my hands along the pretty clothes, I reply, “Allison—”
“Who’s Allison?”
He exhales slowly, but I answer anyway. “My best friend since preschool. She said the place my family owns in France is my favorite place in the world, and since nothing here brings back memories, I figure my best shot is to go there.”
I hear him sigh like it’s already been a long day. I wish I were there to ease the muscles in his shoulders and take his mind off the things that trouble him. Wait a minute. Am I what troubles him?
“Allison is a woman you just met, technically, but you trust her?”
“I do trust her. I’m going with my gut here, Loch. And my parents are there.”
“That does change things.” A harsh breath travels the line to my ear. “How are you getting there?”
“We haven’t booked flights yet. We just know we’re leaving first thing in the morning.”
“Let me take care of it for you.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“I do, and I will. I feel . . .” The emotion heard in his deep tone, and then the sudden pause, causes my chest to tighten.
I whisper, “It’s okay.”
“It’s my job to protect you. I need to.” His voice is so quiet as if the words themselves cause anguish.
“No, your job is to love me, and you excel in that. I’m safe, babe. I don’t need you to worry.” I imagine he’s shaking his head, though he doesn’t say anything. “I appreciate your help.”
The silence extends, but then he says, “I’m glad you have your friend.”
“And tomorrow, I’ll have my parents.” I wish I was better at containing my emotions, but tomorrow is what today was supposed to be—the day I get my life and family back.
He says, “I’ll text you the details at five o’clock in the morning, so you can get some sleep.”
“Thank you.”
“I love you, Tuesday.” How is it possible to miss him after such a short time apart? I do, I miss him, and I adore hearing him call me by that name. My name.
“I love you, Loch.”
As excited as I am to go to France and see my parents and the estate, I wish I were climbing in bed with him, making love until the early morning hours, and then sleeping in with him. He’s my haven.
When we hang up, I start packing. I don’t plan to stay in France long, but I’m also not sure how long it will take to discover my history. Fingers crossed, it’s only for a few days, and then I can be back in Loch’s arms and his bed. Our bed. Again.
I finish packing and then get ready for bed. My phone rings with a video call. I eagerly answer, “Hey.”
With a toothbrush in hand and the phone in the other, Allison enters her bathroom wearing a fuzzy pink robe. “How’s it going over there?”
“I’m ready for tomorrow, so now I’m getting ready for bed. You?”
“Just finished.” I’m treated to glimpses of her bedroom and the boho vibe she’s got going on.
Sheer fabric is draped over the headboard, and colorful curtains cover the window.
She has photos scattered around, but they’re too small to get a good look at who’s in them through the screen.
A colorful lei is looped around the top of a lampshade on the nightstand, and clothes are scattered at the end of the bed with a few piled on the floor in the corner.
“What are you going to tell Carter regarding France?” she asks over the purr of her toothbrush and running water.
“What should I tell him?”
With a mouth full of foamy paste, she ducks out, and says, “Fuck him.”
“Fuck you very much, too, Allison,” he says, coming into my room.
“What are you doing?” Thank God I’m still dressed, but I know I need to lock my door from now on or, better yet, kick him out of the house entirely. He can work remote from his place.
He comes to me with a drunk grin on his face, and judging by his demeanor, alcohol courses through his veins. He’s loose, totally relaxed in his own skin. So unlike how he was earlier when I met him. “How are you, darling?” He grabs me, but I slip out of his hold on my arm and move away from him.
“I’m—”
“Going to France. I heard. I’ll go with you.” No. No. No. No. No.
Allison says, “It’s a girls’ trip, so go to bed, Carter.”
Completely ignoring her, he says, “You ladies can lounge and do what you do best—look pretty for the camera—while I tend to my meetings. It will be good to be back in the office and for the others to see me in person. When do we leave?”
“It’s not your decision. It’s mine,” I add, opening the door and inviting him to get the hell out.
“We’ll take a few days and reconnect, Céline.” He comes toward me with a smirk on his face. But it’s not the sexy ones Loch gives me. It’s insincere. Distrusting of me. “Shoot me your itinerary.” He leaves, but from the hall, he chimes, “Good night.”
As soon as he’s gone, I lock the door behind me and then hold the phone up so I can see Allison again. I whisper, “He’s not coming with us, so be ready to leave from here at five.”
She silently jumps up and down. “It’s so espionage-like.”
I laugh, not able to keep it down because I feel the same excitement. “We need sleep, though, so I’m turning in. Good night.”
“Good night.”
I get ready for bed, but it feels impossible to fall asleep with so much on my mind with the anticipation that tomorrow brings. I close my eyes, though, and let my mind drift away to the city where my heart still lives.
Allison was sweet enough to show up early and help me carry my bags to the car this morning. Tiptoeing downstairs, she whispers, “I need coffee.”
“We need to get out of here. We’ll get it on the plane.”
“I made coffee.” Carter’s voice causes me to scream and almost fall down the stairs. “Holy—”
Allison slips on a step but catches herself by grabbing the railing. “What the hell are you doing?” she gripes. “Trying to give us heart attacks?”
With him standing at the door, I drop my gaze to the suitcase on the floor beside him. Oh no. It’s too early to concoct a plan, but I still try my hardest. “It’s so nice of you to see us off.”
“I’m coming,” he says, leaving no room to argue. “You can have your girls’ trip, but when it’s over, I’ll be spending time with my fiancée.”
“We still need to discuss that—”
“Coffee is in the kitchen, but we should get a move on.” He walks out the door, leaving it wide open for the cold to come in. I’m seeing a trend of dramatic exits when it comes to him.
I look back at Allison, who’s irritated with pursed lips and anger darkening her usually wide eyes. “I’m not drinking it. I don’t trust him,” she says.
“What about the trip? What do we do?”
“Do we have a choice?”
I reach the bottom step and look out the door. He’s already climbing in the back of a rideshare he must have called. “Doesn’t look like it.”
We stand there debating what to do for too long. If we don’t leave, we’re going to miss our flight.
Huffing, I say, “Whatever. We’ll just let him work, and we can do our own thing.”
She heads outside, and I follow, closing the door behind us.
In the SUV, Carter is tucked in the second row, leaving Allison to climb over him to get to the third row.
He might have won this battle, but he won’t win the war.
I won’t let him, and I’m taking this trip to set the record straight with him once and for all.
We aren’t engaged.
We aren’t even friends.
We won’t be.
Ever.
I will do everything I can to get him removed from the company if he decides to fight me on this. There’s no way I’ll live trying to guess what he’s capable of when I can choose to live in peace and love with Loch.
My phone vibrates in my back pocket before I climb into the vehicle. When I pull it out, I see Loch has sent an address of where to go once we arrive at the airport. I knew I had nothing to worry about. He always takes care of me.
Less than an hour later, the SUV turns into an entrance to the airport, and Carter says, “This is the private jets.” Since I chose to sit next to Allison, he turns around. “Spending this kind of money is ridiculous. The company better not be paying for it.”
Searching outside the window for confirmation because I missed the sign he referenced.
But I quickly see what he means when I spot a few smaller private jets parked ahead of larger planes, which is confirmation enough to realize that Loch got us our own plane.
He spoils me rotten and will get a big thank-you next time I see him.
Apparently, that will be sooner rather than later.
My heart skips a beat when I see him standing on the tarmac and looking as handsome as ever. As soon as the vehicle stops, I open the door and run to him. His grin tells me everything I need to know. He loves me as much as I love him.
I’m about to throw myself into his arms when I hear Carter say, “You must be the porter. Our luggage is in the back.”
Oh shit. Loch’s eyes harden as he looks over my shoulder. When his gaze returns to me, he says, “Let me guess, your boyfriend?”
The devastation of my past decisions drops to the pit of my stomach. “Worse.”
I see the wreckage of realization entering his warm eyes and turning them cold. “Don’t tell me you’re married.”
“Engaged.”
“Engaged.” He grins. “We can handle that.”
Carter walks up the stairs and then calls back. “Come on, darling,” he says, laying the love stuff on thick. “Let the man do his job.” I hate him.
With my eyes never leaving Loch, I beg. “I’m so sorry. I’ll clear this up as soon as we’re on the plane.” As much as I want to kiss him, to hug him like I always do, I turn to the plane, still uncertain of Carter’s intentions. I know they’re bad, but what he’s capable of is still an outlier.
Loch catches my hand and kisses it. “Not if it will jeopardize the trip.”
“I can’t promise that it won’t. I don’t know what kind of pact I’ve made with him, but it’s ending very soon.”
Loch’s gaze reaches the early dawn, and he stares into the sunrise in the distance before he turns back to me and winks. “This should be fun.”