Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 102731 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 514(@200wpm)___ 411(@250wpm)___ 342(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102731 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 514(@200wpm)___ 411(@250wpm)___ 342(@300wpm)
“Je sais.” He pushed up off the bed and crossed the room. I watched him a little warily as he lowered to his knees in front of me and took my hands. “Callie, I … I came here to apologize for how I treated you. I was not a good boyfriend to you in those last few months. And I am sorry if I made you feel like I did not care for you.”
Shocked by the apology, I reassured him, “Gabriel, I never … we were never very serious. I didn’t take it to heart. There’s no need to apologize.”
“There is.” He was grim-faced. “Because I have feelings for you, and we could have had more if I had been better.” His eyes darkened. “If I had been a better man.”
There was something about the look in his eyes, his tone, that set my teeth on edge. Something ominous. And it reminded me of those moments I’d felt the same shivery spark of warning back in Paris when he was brooding or extra evasive.
“You really don’t have to apologize,” I insisted, feeling my emotional walls climb higher.
It was maybe selfish and unkind, but I didn’t want a heart-to-heart with Gabriel. For me he was a French fling, and for the most part, we’d had a good time together. He’d made living in Paris less lonely. As brutal as it might sound, I didn’t want him to exist outside of those memories for me.
Gabriel seemed to sense what I didn’t say. He gave me a melancholy smile and released my hands. “You are so beautiful. I forgot how beautiful you are.”
“Thank you.” I didn’t know what else to say.
“I do not … I do not think we shall see each other again.”
I didn’t think so either.
“May I … May I give you something? Something to remember me?”
“Gabriel, I’m not likely to forget you,” I promised him.
He grinned that cocky, self-assured smile that had lured me into his bed in the first place. “Perhaps not, but I brought it with me specifically to give to you.” He lifted off one knee to pull a jewelry box out of his back pocket. Thankfully, it was too long to be a ring box. He snapped it open. Inside was a pendant on a chain. It was an unusual long, rectangle-shaped pendant molded out of silver and liberally engraved with flowers and vines in the Gothic style. “It belonged to my grand-mère,” he explained. “She was Scottish.”
My eyes widened. “Really?” He’d never spoken about his family while we were dating.
“Oui. She had passion and was strong. As you would say, she was fierce.” He smiled fondly. “I cannot explain it, but even though we will likely not see each other again, I feel this belongs to you.”
A family heirloom? “No, Gabriel, I couldn’t.”
“Please,” he insisted. “It feels right to give it to you, my way of thanking you for our beautiful time together. And hopefully, a way for you to always remember what we shared.”
The pleading look in his gorgeous eyes undid me. I found I couldn’t say no. I reached out for the necklace. It wasn’t my style and looked a bit heavy, but it was a lovely thought and keepsake. “Thank you. I’ll take good care of it.”
“And perhaps pass along to your daughter so you can tell her about the handsome French man you knew before you knew her father.”
I laughed at his mischievous grin as he closed the box and placed it in my waiting hand. Then he pressed a soft kiss to my knuckles. “Do you have time this morning to show me around your village before I leave? My bus arrives at two.”
“I can drive you wherever you need to go.”
“No.” He shook his head adamantly and stood. “Just take me for a coffee so whenever I want, I can picture you here in your little village, safe and happy.”
Twenty
LEWIS
Callie’s fury last night all made sense now.
At first, I was bemused by the fierceness with which she attacked me. Callie had always been competitive (we both had), but this was different. I sensed from the moment she walked into the class that she was raging at me. I just had no idea what I’d done now. Then to swipe me with a move that wasn’t even allowed in tae kwon do and walk out like she didn’t care? It was out of character. As was not answering my calls or texts, or even responding to my sister once I enlisted Eilidh’s help.
I assumed turning up at her house was a bad idea too.
Then Carianne called me as I was attempting and failing to fall asleep.
Apparently, she’d taken it upon herself to begin the “ruse” without my go-ahead. And Callie had basically told her to get the fuck out of her life. Now that might have reassured me Callie still had feelings for me, except Carianne was in a panic and wanted “to end the ruse” because she hadn’t expected Callie to be so cold or unforgiving.