“Yes, love?” he whispered back.
“Why do we always seem to have an audience when we kiss?”
Chapter 28
I barely remember anything of the cab ride back to the apartment, other than being wrapped up in Jack’s arms. I rested my head against his chest, feeling his heartbeat, feeling solidly grounded. Like here, right here in his arms, was home. And when we kissed, which was frequently, it felt like each kiss was another cord, binding us closer and closer together.
To go from friend to fiancée in a day was a big shift, but I was happy to adjust.
“I’m going to marry Jack.” I said it to myself over and over, feeling the lustrous magic of the phrase. I would be his wife, and he would be my husband. Wow.
I knew we had a ton of details to work out, but I wasn’t going to let my analytical brain barge into my happy cloud and make trouble. There would be plenty of time for decisions later. I turned my ring hand to watch my beautiful ring sparkle in the evening sunlight and looked up to find Jack watching me with such tenderness my heart melted. I reached up to kiss him and whispered, “I love you, Jack.”
He ghosted his lips over mine, sending shivers down my back, and whispered back, “I love you, Eve.”
Bernard and Grandmère were waiting for us at his apartment. He’d clearly been fussing over her as she sat on the couch with her feet propped up, a blanket tucked around her legs. As we walked in, she caught Jack’s eye and raised a questioning eyebrow. He grinned and gave her a thumbs up and her face broke into a huge smile.
She threw her arms wide and called, “Cherie!” I sank down next to the couch to embrace her. She patted my back and stroked my hair. “Cherie, I am so happy for you. So happy that you and Jack have found each other.”
I leaned back and looked at her, both of us slightly teary-eyed. “Grandmère, was this what you and Jack were talking about in the hospital while I was out making my calls?”
“But of course, darling. He asked for my permission to propose. He is a good man. And he was well brought up. As long as he makes you happy, dear heart, I approve.”
“Thank you, Grandmère. He does make me happy. We haven’t decided a thing, but please promise me you’ll come to the wedding!”
“Of that you can be certain, dearest. And I will drag the old coot with me, if he is invited.”
“Of course he is invited! I could hardly get married without both of you there.”
She kissed both my cheeks and patted my hands, her eyes shining. I knew she worried about me, especially because we lived so far apart. I could see that it gave her peace to know that there would be someone else looking out for me.
From behind us, Bernard rumbled that the sandwiches were ready, and we should come feast. The sandwiches were delicious, as was the champagne Bernard opened in celebration. And we had macarons for dessert. I got the pink ones.
After dinner, we cleared up the dishes, then Jack walked Grandmère and me home. It wasn’t like we were in any danger of being mugged, walking down the hallway to the next door, but he insisted. Grandmère let herself in and promised to leave the door unlocked for me. Jack gazed at me with burning intensity. I shivered as his eyes consumed me. He placed one hand on my hip and drew me close. His other hand went behind my head and supported it. Which was a good thing, since he proceeded to kiss me senseless. At his touch, all of my limbs went weak, and I clung to him, desperate to maintain connection to him. This kiss was unlike any we’d shared before. I was panting and shivering by the time he broke it off.
The corners of his eyes crinkled as he looked at my flushed face. “It looks like kissing affects you the same way it does me. I think this definitely warrants further investigation. At another time and place. A more private place.”
Further investigation and I might need a walker to hold me up!
I placed a chaste kiss on the end of his nose. “Hold that thought, handsome. We’re not married yet, you know.”
His eyes widened. “Are you saying you want to wait…?”
I winked, kissed his cheek, and said, “Good night, future husband.” I might have done a tiny sashay as I entered the apartment. I was teasing, of course, but the look on his face made it worthwhile.
Grandmère had changed into silk pajamas and was fixing us hot chocolates when I entered the apartment. She placed two mugs on the small kitchen table and motioned me to sit by her. This was one of our rituals. When we had things to talk about, we did it at the kitchen table. Usually with hot chocolate.
“Cherie, I am so happy for you,” she began. “Jack seems like a good choice for you. Unlike the unspeakable one who used you so badly.” Grandmère had had reservations about Ali, I think mainly because he took me away from her. After the horrific reveal on graduation day, she vilified him at every opportunity, telling me I was much better off without him.
“Grandmère, I think I might have been wrong about Ali.”
“What do you mean, dear heart? The man had a wife. A wife! While he was living with you and pretending to love you.”
“I’ve been thinking about that. I don’t think he pretended to love me. I know he had a wife, but I think his father forced him to marry. I don’t think it was his choice.”
“If he had truly loved you, he could have stood up to his father and said no!”
I answered slowly. “He always told me that family was everything. It was like he’d been trained to do whatever his father wanted. I think the consequences of going against his father would have been…severe.”
