French Wanker - Victoria Pinder Page 0,44

why are you here with me?”

She added butter to her cooking… just a drop, but it was always her favorite ingredient.

“Because you love me unconditionally.” She patted me on the back and waved goodbye. “Well, I won’t be around forever.”

I kissed her cheek and walked her to the door.

Then I finished preparing my lunch. As the sauce and chicken cooked, I imagined Kara beside me, sitting with me.

She’d probably hate farm life.

But the idea of telling her ran through my head. It didn’t matter if the image of running to America to ask her to marry me for real played in my mind.

I checked on my cooking and then snapped my fingers. She’d given the hotel her information. I left the kitchen for my bag and asked myself, “Where is my receipt?” I checked in the pockets and found it. Her name and address in Pittsburgh were labeled.

I returned to the kitchen and my lunch. I grabbed a bottle of wine, but nothing felt right.

Maybe I was too spoiled and hadn’t told her how I felt. This might be the stupidest thing I’d ever done, but I called my travel agent, Gisette, who was also a local woman in town who’d be my patient soon. After hellos I told her, “I’d like to book a ticket to Pittsburgh.”

“Certainly, do you have your ESTA?”

“No,” I said and took out my tablet.

Gisette said, “The Electronic System for Travel Authorization can take up to three days to approve your background, Quentin.”

I typed in my information and missed the days it was effortless to travel. “Hold on.” I typed my credit card. “There. I paid my fee. Done.” The screen said it can take up to seventy-two hours, but then I had the green light. “I have the confirmation. I can text you the numbers.”

“Excellent. When do you want to leave?”

My heart sped up. I was probably about to make a complete fool of myself. I hadn’t told her I loved her and wanted to marry her. Now it was time. If I could be a doctor again, I could risk my heart. “When’s your next flight?”

I heard her typing. “You’ll have to make a connection.”

That didn’t matter as much. “I want the fastest ticket to get me there the soonest. First class, if possible.”

She stopped typing. “I can get you on tonight, sir.”

“Excellent,” I told her and then read her my credit card information.

I hung up the phone, ate a little, and cleaned the kitchen. Tension racked my body, but this was the right choice.

I texted my parents my plans and packed my bags.

As I headed downstairs, my parents and my grandmother were waving at me. I went over and hugged them. “Maman, Papa. I will call you soon.” And then I hugged my grandmother. “I put the leftovers from lunch in the refrigerator.”

“Humility is a good look for you,” she said, and I stilled. “It’s the best way to get the girl you love. Good luck.”

She was right. I knew it. I had to try. Kara was in my heart.

I took my old car and headed to Marseille for a flight to Paris when my phone rang. My heart stopped, and I hoped it was Kara until I saw the number. I put my phone on my dash and answered. “Desiree?”

“Quentin, I heard you replaced my sister already.”

I thought of Kara and how I’d missed her today. “Yes. Is that why you called?”

“No. I hope you’re happy, and I wanted to apologize for pushing that lawsuit so far, after Cecelia…”

“You were fine,” I said fast. I get she’d loved her sister. I’d been happy with Cecilia, as she fit into a life I thought I wanted.

“I was in grief, and I blamed you.”

I swallowed and old guilt spoke first. “I didn’t catch what was wrong fast enough.”

“Her doctors said it spread so fast, and you caught it as soon as you could. She never complained, and I was wrong to force you to listen to my parents and family all blame you.”

Forgiveness was like another stone I hadn’t expected to find. “It’s okay. I loved Cecilia and wished there had been something I could have done differently.”

“She’d want you to help as many people as you can.”

A few weeks ago, I’d asked Desiree to let this go, and she’d refused. I’d spiraled and sold my practice. Now I hadn’t needed to hear that, but I took a deep breath and said, “Thanks for calling, Desiree.”

“Au Revoir.”

“Oui. Au Revoir.” Then I hung up