Henri’s thumb brushed her hand, as his parents whispered something to each other and smiled at them across the table. She had the sense that they were pleased to see their son so obviously happy.
‘I’m sorry I ever doubted you,’ Henri murmured, his words just for her. ‘But I will spend the rest of my life making it up to you if I have to.’
‘The rest of your life?’ she asked, thinking she’d misheard him.
He laughed. ‘I’m getting ahead of myself. How about the rest of the summer?’
‘For the rest of the summer then,’ she agreed, even as she felt her heart beat faster at the thought that what they had might last longer than that.
Blake laughed when Henri held his hand to his heart, as the waiter came to pour them more champagne and his stepfather ordered enough food to feed a small army. Now that she was with him again, it truly felt as if they’d never been parted.
Paris had been great last time, but this time it felt better than great. This time, Paris felt like home, and she had a feeling she might never, ever want to leave.
31
ONE WEEK LATER
Blake looked up when she heard Henri say her name. She groaned.
‘What time is it?’
‘Time for lunch,’ Henri said, offering her a hand.
She gratefully took it and extracted herself from the sea of photographs and fabrics surrounding her.
‘I’m sorry, I got so absorbed in what I was doing, I lost all track of time.’
‘I would tell you that the French don’t live to work, but given you’re working for my family…’
She laughed, but then squeezed his hand. ‘You’re sure this isn’t difficult for you?’
‘I’m sure,’ he said, before grinning. ‘Besides, I have a feeling my mother may choose you over me if it comes down to it, so I’m not going to complain about you working together.’
‘Where are we going for lunch?’ She yawned. ‘Sorry, it’s been a very long day already.’
Henri frowned. ‘The hours are?—’
‘Fine,’ she said. ‘The hours are perfectly fine. I just need coffee and fresh air. And you can’t talk, you’re at work all hours of the day and night.’
‘Yes, but once my exhibition is finished, I will have time to sleep for a month.’
They both knew that wasn’t true; he would be back working for the family business as soon as he was done, but she didn’t argue with him.
‘How’s it all coming together?’ she asked. ‘I can’t wait to see it.’
‘I’m actually taking you there right now,’ he said. ‘I thought we could walk and eat, so we both get some fresh air, and then you’re going to be the first person to walk through the door.’
Blake pressed a kiss to his cheek, before going to her desk and taking her bag and her coat. ‘I’m honoured, Henri. Truly honoured.’
Half an hour later, after wandering slowly and eating a Swiss cheese and ham baguette, talking in between mouthfuls and then stopping to get coffees andprofiteroles, they found themselves at the door to his workspace. Blake hadn’t been back since the first day they’d met, and she caught his hand, stopping him from entering the code to let them in.
‘Do you remember seeing me for the very first time here?’ she asked.
Henri grimaced. ‘I’d prefer you not to remember that first time,’ he said. ‘I was like a grumpy old bear who’d been woken from slumber.’
‘You were dreadful,’ she teased. ‘But I had to get answers from you, so I had to pretend you weren’t so bad.’
They both laughed.
