“Wait. Rousseau? As in the Rousseau that owns the hotel?”
I chuckle as I nod. “My parents own the hotel and my siblings and I run it. Where in France are you from?”
“I’m from Beblenheim. Is your family from France too?”
“We’re from Riquewihr.”
I watch her sapphire-blue eyes get really big. I feel like this is fate. Like we were supposed to meet each other. The towns we grew up in are less than ten minutes from each other. If my family had stayed in Riquewihr, we might have met sooner. I don’t know how I know, but I know she’s my person. And I know something’s happened to her. I just need her to trust me and tell me what it was. And then I’ll make sure no one hurts her ever again.
I don’t want to push her, but I also feel like if I don’t take a chance, she’s going to slip away in the dead of the night.
“Would you like some company for dinner?”
“I don’t think I’d be very good company,” she says, sounding sad.
“It’s okay, we can even order up room service. That way we could watch TV if you’d like.”
I can see the war going on inside her as she thinks about my offer.
Genevieve
I don’t understand why Michel is offering to hang out with me. And why he gave me the penthouse room. The only thing I do know is that I shouldn’t be feeling what I feel around him. Up until three hours ago, I had a boyfriend and a home. Now I’m homeless and single. I can’t tell Michel what happened because I feel like an idiot. The more I think about it, there were signs that I just ignored. Nights that he would call and tell me he had to stay late. Or days like today when he said he was called in early. Were they all a lie? How could I have been so wrong about Julian? My sister asked me if I thought he was leading me on. I told her no way, he was a great guy and made me feel so loved. Fuck love.
And now I meet Michel and he’s from the town right by mine. Is this what people call fate? Or am I just setting myself up to get smacked in the face again? I hate that my heart is telling me that it’s okay to take chances. But it’s so fresh that I wonder if I just don’t want to be alone. Or what if he’s a serial killer?
“Dinner would be nice. But maybe your room service idea?”
“Anything you want. Take a look at the menu, it’s on the table by the phone. Then text me and let me know what you want. I’ll put it in and see you around six?”
I nod. “Thank you. I still don’t understand why you’re doing this for me. But I appreciate it.”
“We all need help sometimes. Even if we don’t want to ask for it.”
Part of me hates that he’s right. When I walked out of Julian’s house, I had no idea where I was going to go. Something told me to go to the hotel. I still haven’t called my parents or siblings. I’m so scared of admitting I was wrong about Julian.
“I need to get back to work. Text me what you want for dinner and I’ll get the order in, then bring it up to you.”
“Thank you. I really do appreciate this so much.”
Michel comes over to me and hugs me.
“I got you. Rest up, there’s lots to do here. With your key, you have access to the pool, the gym and the code on it lets you watch any of the movies that we have.”
Listening to the rumble of his voice is relaxing to me. I follow him to the door and watch him walk to the elevator. I wave at him as the doors close. I take a moment to look around the room. I’ve never stayed in a penthouse room before. It has a kitchen, living room and three separate bedrooms. Each bedroom has an attached bathroom. The layout feels bigger than Julian’s house. Julian. How could he have done this to us?
I finally sit down and feel all my energy leave, and I start sobbing. I jump when my phone rings. I see my sister’s name pop up. I take a deep breath and answer it.
“Hey, Céline. What’s up?”
“Are you okay?”
“Ofcourse I am, why?”
“Well, Julian called and said that he hasn’t been able to reach you. He said you two had a fight and you just left.”
What an asshole. I can’t believe he called my sister and lied to her.
“You can’t tell Maman and Papa what I’m about to tell you.”
