“I didn’t need a car. I biked to work.”
“Ah, the mystery of your amazing legs, finally solved.”
Chloe laughed and blushed. “We talked about buying a café in the country one day but he was way too busy with his family’s company, Sport de Qualité.”
“That’s Jean-Marc’s? I love their microfiber shirts. Huh. Well, I guess it’s a mystery until you get there.” Sam polished off his cruller then leveled a serious look at Chloe. “As long as we’re confessing, it looks like I’m going to the Raiders.”
“The Raiders? In Las Vegas?” Chloe changed her mind and reached for a petit four. News that Sam might be moving called for fortifications.
“The Titans have been shopping me, and Bruno has done his best to land me with another champion team. I don’t want to go and to be honest, it hurts that the Titans are using my trading power to get more draft picks, but that’s the game. I’ve seen it a lot over the years.” He got up and moved to Chloe’s side of the table. “Mostly, I don’t want to be apart from you.”
“But it’s only for the season, right?”
“Only? Feels like an eternity. Unless—unless you were with me. Then it would be bearable.”
She set the petit four back on the plate again. “Sam, a-are you proposing?”
“Maybe. What would you say if I was?”
“I-I’m not sure.” She loved him, but moving to Las Vegas? What would she do with herself? And what awaited her in Paris?
“I know I said I’d give you time and I will, but Chloe, I do love you. I want to marry you.” He pushed his plate away. “Ah, man. I didn’t plan to ask you like this. You deserve the whole romantic thing. Maybe not a hot air balloon ride?—”
“Thank you very much.” She grinned. Was Sam really proposing? Were they really talking about getting married? Or was this just “what ifs?” What if he moved to Las Vegas? What if Jean-Marc left her—oh, she had no idea…the patent rights to a new ski design?
“But definitely somewhere with twinkle lights and champagne. Me on one knee—my good one.” He winked and she laughed. “A ring in a box. Maybe a string quartet.”
All right. This had gone on long enough. Time for a reality check. “Sam. Come on. I’m like the Black Widow. My men die.”
“Chloe, please don’t say that.” He pressed her hand over his beating heart. “One, it’s not true, but two, I’m not going to die. I’m going to live a long, long life just to prove you wrong.” His kiss was quick and sure, then lingering on her lips until she could almost taste his love. It tasted like chocolate milk and sweet dough.
They were startled from the kiss by someone hammering on the paned glass window. Chloe glanced around to see Sophie standing outside the bakery, her distraught face ghostly in the streetlight, tears glistening down her cheeks.
“H-he broke up with me,” she said, her voice muffled against the glass. “Er-Eric—broke up with me.”
Happy to see the back of @SamHardyQB15. Good luck in Vegas. #hateRaiderNation #theygetwhattheydeserve
– @No.1TitansFan on Twitter
“Gather around everyone.” Chloe began the staff meeting at five-thirty a.m. Monday morning, when Laura Kate already had flour and sugar in her hair net and dusting her hairline. Ruby was on her third cup of coffee. And Chloe ached with love of the place. Whatever Vivienne and Albert had in France would not compare. Mom suggested last night perhaps they wanted her to see Jean-Marc’s final headstone. Maybe they had purchased an accompanying plot for her. But that seemed like an odd surprise. Chloe was sure graves were not what Jean-Marc had planned to give her as a surprise.
“This is our last meeting before I leave for France early tomorrow.” She tapped the schedule in her hand. “I presume you reviewed this. Everyone will have to work a bit more, but you can do it. Rick has approved the overtime. You can have some extra cash for your Christmas savings accounts.”
“But why are you going to France?” Ruby said, her eyes wide with a bit of sadness. “What on earth for?”
“My in-laws need me to come. They said something about a surprise but either way, I think we all need closure. Perhaps we’ll talk about Jean-Marc and laugh, cry, and go away feeling the grief has loosened its grip.”
“What does Sam say?” Ruby again with her bold inquisition.
“What can he say? Of course, as my boss, he?—”
“Forget boss, he loves you.”
“Yes, but he’s also a kind man and letting me do what I need to do. Is that okay with you, Ruby?”
“Well, no, but I guess it’ll have to be.” She waved the schedule at Chloe. “I’m doing all the banking?”
“I’ve shown you how. You can handle it.”
