The car drove across downtown, pulling to a stop in front of a classic stone-fronted building. The sign out front had the restaurant’s name, Coquette, in white on a royal blue background. Inside, he could see more color, each wall a different hue. The look and feel of the place had originally drawn his attention, reminding him of Ruby’s personality, but the private room upstairs had sealed the deal.
“Oh, Flynn,” she whispered as they got out of the car. Ruby hadn’t had a single meal outside of the flat—apart from their picnics—since she got sick.
“Don’t worry. I made sure this would be safe for you.”
“I never doubted that,” she told him as she followed him toward the front door. She stood back, allowing him to open the door for her, not touching anything.
He gave his name to the hostess, and she led them upstairs to the room he’d rented for the evening. In this case, the pictures he’d seen on the internet hadn’t done it justice. The walls up here were a warm golden yellow, and the night sky had been painted on the ceiling above, giving the impression that they were dining under the stars.
A table for two had been set up in front of the window, a candle gleaming in its center next to a small vase filled with red flowers.
Tears welled in Ruby’s eyes as she sat across from him. “You’ve really outdone yourself tonight.”
“Well, let’s wait and see if the food’s any good,” he told her playfully.
“I’m sure it will be. I haven’t had anything yet here in Paris that I didn’t like.”
Their waiter came to check on them, and they ordered a bottle of wine and two cups of soup to start. Ruby excused herself to the bathroom to wash up before she ate, always responsible despite her desire to seize every opportunity for adventure that presented itself.
“I feel a little bit underdressed for this place,” she told him as she sat across from him, hands still pink from their recent scrubbing. She had on a blue floor-length sun dress and black sandals.
“You’re perfect,” he told her, and he didn’t just mean her outfit.
The waiter brought their wine and soup, and they ordered entrées. Ruby got a seafood dish while he went for steak. She lifted her wineglass and tapped it against his. “To dinners out, with wine, because your sickly date finally finished her antibiotics.”
“If you mean my incredibly strong, resilient date who just kicked pneumonia’s ass, then yes, I’ll drink to that.” He lifted the glass to his lips and sipped.
Ruby did the same, a happy sigh escaping her lips. “The wine is so good here. Everything is so good here.”
And he didn’t think she meant just the food either.
“I’m really glad you’re coming with me tomorrow,” she said, reaching out to take his hand across the table.
“I am too. You know, I’ve known Theo my whole life, but I’ve never been to Rosemont Castle. I’d say I’m overdue to visit, wouldn’t you?”
“Definitely.” She sipped her wine, a thoughtful look on her face. “Elle told me Theo’s putting together a dinner for us all tomorrow night.”
“Is he?” Flynn was glad for the chance to sit down with his and Ruby’s mutual friends, although it might make his departure even more difficult when the time came.
Their entrées arrived then, and they chatted casually as they ate. Outside the window, sunset fell across the Parisian sky, bathing it in deep blues and purples behind the endless network of buildings that spanned the skyline.
“It’s so pretty,” Ruby said, following his gaze.
“It sure is.”
“Virginia’s pretty too. In fact, you should be just in time to enjoy peak foliage in the Appalachian forest. There are some great trails around the castle grounds. I can’t wait to show you.”
“I’ve seen photos of the kind of foliage you get in America, but I haven’t seen it for myself.”
“Perfect,” she said. “You’re in for a treat.”
After they’d finished their meals, he asked for a dessert menu.
“Who says I have room for dessert?” Ruby asked with a twinkle in her eye that said she’d never pass up dessert on a night like this and loved that he already knew this about her.
“Just a hunch,” he told her.
In the end, they shared a plate of macarons as they finished off their bottle of wine.
