“Well, I still say he should have picked you. And since he did not, that shows he had no spine and no taste.” She made a face like she had bitten into a piece of cheese and found mold, then her face broke into a wide smile. “Enough about him. I want to hear about your wedding plans. When will it be? Where? How big?”
Laughing I replied, “I only got engaged this morning, Grandmère! We haven’t had a chance to make any decisions.”
“While you are here, I will try to give you much time to be alone, so that you may have these discussions.”
“No,” I protested. “While we’re here, I’d like to spend the time with you and Bernard. Jack and I will have a lifetime together, but I so rarely get to see you.”
“As you wish, cherie, but your handsome man may have other ideas. I’ve seen the way he looks at you.” She waggled her eyebrows to convey her meaning.
“We are not sleeping together or anything yet, if that’s what you mean.”
“Non? That is good. To wait for the physical passion until the passion of the heart is established. It is easy to get those two confused, especially if the physical comes first.”
“Oh, we definitely have passion of the heart. He is wonderful. He is kind, thoughtful, and generous as well as being obnoxious and aggravating.”
“It sounds like he is a perfect fit for you, sweetheart. If he was bland and easy, you would tire of him quickly. You need someone to challenge you a bit. Someone who has big dreams and is not afraid of a challenge himself.”
That sounded just like Jack. I picked up our mugs and rinsed them out, kissed my grandmother on her cheek and went to my childhood bedroom to sleep, dreaming of my future husband.
The four of us breakfasted together in Bernard’s apartment and made plans. Jack and I agreed to spend two more days in Paris before returning home. I figured that Diane could hold down the fort for three more days.
Grandmère wanted to take me shopping to look at wedding dresses and, as she put it, a trousseau. I protested that I had everything I needed, but she insisted that wedding dresses were never as good in the US and a honeymoon had special requirements. While we were out shopping, Bernard would take Jack on a motor tour of the city in his new car, possibly stopping at some of his favorite sites. Before I departed with Grandmère, I made Jack solemnly promise that he would not play poker with Bernard. He laughed but promised.
We hit up three of my grandmother’s favorite fashion houses. Because she was such a long-established customer, they were most solicitous to us, seating us in elegant velvet chairs, plying us with coffees and pastries while a parade of models showed the latest looks for brides.
It was exciting to be shopping for a wedding dress, something I’d given up on ever doing. But I was flagging by the time we entered the fourth salon. Nothing had been right. Too poofy, too frilly, too daring, too severe, too…everything. Until I saw The One. It was perfect. Strapless with straight lines in a sparkling silk, tiny hand-sewn crystals embellishing the bodice with a wisp of tulle around the shoulders. It looked like it had been made specifically with me in mind.
“That’s it,” I told Grandmère.
“Yes, darling, I think you are right. It is exactly right for you.” Turning to the elegant, poised saleswoman, she said I would be trying this one on.
“But of course,” was the answer, so I was whisked into the back to strip down and have the gown majestically floated down over me. Then it was clipped into place, tucks and creases smoothed, and I walked out to show Grandmère.
Tears welled up in her eyes as she watched me walk toward her, silk softly swishing. “Oh, cherie, you are a vision! Look in the mirror. Do you love it?”
I turned toward the mirrors set up to display front and sides. I stopped breathing. This was it. The perfect dress. I would wear this dress to marry Jack. I couldn’t wait to show it to him.
“Yes,” I nodded, enthusiastically. “Yes, I adore it.”
“Then we must have it!” said Grandmère. “I will wait while they fit you. I hope there is not much alteration needed as you will need to do a final fitting before you go. We can have them fly it to New York if there is any additional work to be done.”
When the seamstress had carefully marked her alteration lines and I’d changed back into my regular clothes, I went out to the showroom to find that Grandmère was handing over her credit card.
“Non! I can pay for it!” I protested.
“Cherie, do you think I would have saved nothing for a wedding for you? It is all taken care of.” Patting my hand as if that was the end of the matter, she said, “Now, a veil?”
Chapter 29
Back at the apartment, I was unloading my purchases, trying to figure out how to stuff it all into my carry-on. Perhaps I should just purchase a new suitcase for all the beautiful things Grandmère had bought for me. The gentle chime of the doorbell sounded, and I rushed to open the door.
Jack stood there, smiling, with a twinkle in his eye. “I’ve missed you,” he said, drawing me into a hug that lasted both forever and not nearly long enough. I looked up into his deep, brown eyes and still felt that same hum of excitement that I had the first time I looked at him. He was so gorgeous. And he was mine. Would I ever be able to look at him without my pulse racing? I hoped not.
I stood on tiptoe to give him a kiss. He wrapped his arms around me and lifted me up, kissing me soundly, then gently putting me back on the ground.
“What’s up, soon-to-be-husband?” I asked. “Did you have a good time with Bernard? Did he take you to dens of iniquity? Have you lost your fortune and are here to beg for bread crusts? If so, you’re in luck. Grandmère and I stopped at the boulangerie for baguettes for dinner.”
He grinned and reached up to stroke my cheek. “I’ve been instructed to invite you two ladies over for dinner. Bernard has been teaching me how to make coq au vin. And if, by den of iniquity, you mean the butcher, then, yes. Also, the vegetable stalls in the market. And a true pit of licentiousness, the cigar store.”
