Mr. Smithfield - Louise Bay Page 0,98

made a musical about the place. Paris was all crimson and bright lights and optimism against the dull, grey sky. I pulled out my guidebook, complete with color coded Post-its and dogeared pages. Paris was always meant to be the first stop on my trip, and I’d spent so much time looking forward to being here that I was kind of nervous now I had finally landed. It was like the first day of a new job or a first date with . . .

If only he was here.

Hollie had told me to fight for him, but I wasn’t sure what that meant. It didn’t feel right to stand between a man and his wife, try to separate him from the life he’d always wanted. But being without him didn’t seem right either.

What had been a bright blue sky until about five minutes ago had darkened, and as sure as night follows day, a sprinkle of drizzle began to speckle the pavement. The rain had followed me around in Europe. I pulled my tote from my shoulder and rummaged around trying to find my umbrella. But it wasn’t in there. Damn it, I’d left it on the bed in my hotel room. I shouldn’t have been so optimistic.

Never mind—it was getting late anyway, so I’d make this my final stop. I’d just wanted to see the lights of the Moulin Rouge at twilight. I zipped up my tote and straightened as the clouds above me darkened. I tipped my head back and saw not a cloud . . .

But an umbrella that someone was holding over my head.

I turned and came face-to-face with Gabriel. The man I’d thought constantly about for the last four weeks.

He grinned. “Need an umbrella?”

My heart lifted in my chest as if it was chasing the moon. “Gabriel? What are you doing here?”

“I thought I’d show you Paris. Unless you have other plans?”

I couldn’t help but grin up at him like he was my sunshine breaking through the clouds. “Where’s Bethany? Aren’t you on Dexter’s bachelor trip?” I gazed up at him and felt instantly like right here was where I was meant to be. How had I spent all these weeks away from him? I’d pushed so much aside—so much grief at having to leave him, so much love that I had for him, and now it all came crashing back in, threatening to overwhelm me. My knees weakened and I stumbled, but he caught me, his hand around my waist.

“You okay?”

Of course, I was more than okay. I was with the man I loved. “What are you doing here? How did you find me?”

“I didn’t want you to see Paris without me,” he said, like that explained everything. He hadn’t moved to take his hand from my waist, and no matter how strong or strong-willed I was, not a single thing could have caused me to step away. “And I had a feeling you’d want to come here as soon as the light started to fade. You know, because of all that Baz Luhrmann genius.”

He’d remembered. “It’s so cute, right?”

“Cute?” He shrugged. “If you say so.”

“What about Penelope? And Bethany?”

“Bethany’s fine. She’s in London. With Penelope as it happens. I did as you asked. I spent time with her.”

My stomach churned at the thought of him dating someone else, even if it was his wife. He was mine. Did he know that?

“But she’s not the woman I want. Not because I won’t give her a second chance, but because we were never right for each other. When we married, we were both hoping we could find something in each other that was missing. But that’s not the way life works.”

“But your perfect family?” As much as I wanted him, I wanted him to be happy—to get what he’d always wanted.

“There’s no such thing. I should have realized that a long time ago, rather than being bitter about mine falling apart. Being Bethany’s father should have shown me that I’m a different man to either of my parents, but it took me so long to see it. I’m not about to repeat their mistakes. I don’t need to prove that to anyone. Not even myself anymore.”

He looked peaceful. The dark circles that sometimes ghosted his eyes had lifted, and the corners of his mouth twitched as if he were trying to hold back a grin.

“I’ve missed you,” I said.

He cupped my face and gazed at me like I was treasure he’d been searching for his