Page 53 of The Carver

It gave me no pleasure, none at all.

He finally opened his eyes again. They were slightly wet from the tears he tried so hard not to shed in front of me. “I’ll do it.” He spoke so quietly, his words were barely audible. “Whatever terms you want, I’ll give them to you.”

“Thank you, Adrien.” The defeat meant the world to me, the war finally over. I’d left this house almost four months ago, and when I’d walked out with my bags, I assumed I would be miserable for a very long time. I assumed it would take years to put myself back together, and by then, the dating pool would be empty and I would die alone. Never did I expect the most remarkable man to walk into that bar and change the colors of my life from black-and-white to glorious Technicolor.

I opened my arms and hugged him tightly, and for the first time, I felt only love for him. I let my anger and resentment dissolve in the air around us. I let the past remain in the rearview mirror. Instead of eviscerating him with the talons of my heartbreak, I chose to comfort him as a friend.

He squeezed me hard and rested his chin on my head, giving a heavy breath that was full of both joy and pain. “I love you, Fleur. Always will.”

I’d just gotten home from work after buying a baguette at the bakery. I had an assortment of cheeses that I’d picked up a few days ago from Le Grande Épicerie and they were still good, so I made a snack in my little kitchen, smearing the cheese on the edge of the bread before I took a bite. I was still in my heels and my coat, the raindrops glued to the windows of my apartment. I leaned against the counter, mentally drained from staring at the computer screen and doing spreadsheets and booking appointments. The work was boring and unfulfilling, but it was good pay. Now I had the heater where I wanted it, could get groceries delivered instead of using what little time I had leftto take care of that myself. Money didn’t buy happiness, but it bought time, and that freedom was happiness.

My phone vibrated in my pocket. It was Bastien.What’s my woman doing?

Standing in my kitchen eating cheese and a baguette. What about you?

Just took care of something.

That could mean anything. Killing someone or signing paperwork. I’d rather not know which.

Put down that baguette and have dinner with me.

It’s a really good baguette…but you’re really hot…what will I choose?

He didn’t say anything. His dots didn’t appear.

Looks like the sexy man wins.

Good choice, sweetheart. I’ll be there in five minutes.

I left my apartment and exited the lobby to the street. Bastien was already there, wearing a long-sleeved shirt with the sleeves pushed to his elbows. He was dressed in dark colors, a dark blue shirt with black jeans. A grin slid over his face at the sight of me, and he moved into me and kissed me right there on the sidewalk, gripping my ass through my skirt. He abruptly pulled away and opened the back door for me to get inside.

The driver took us a few blocks away before he pulled up outside an expansive restaurant. There was a sea of tables covered in white tablecloths with little white vases on top, each holding a single white rose. Bastien pulled out the chair for me then took the seat across from me.

He grabbed the menu and took a look, distracted for a second so I could stare at him.

My god, he was so good-looking. Soft eyes in a hard face with a sharp jawline. He always carried himself with the kind of confidence that commanded the room. Even when he was seated, he felt like the tallest person in the restaurant.

His eyes flicked up to me, like he felt my stare.

I tried to hide how obvious I was. “Let me guess…you’re getting the steak.”

He smirked at the comment and placed the menu aside. “Roast chicken. Need to cut back on the red meat.”

“And the cigars…and the scotch.” I smiled so he knew I was teasing.

Playfulness was in his eyes. “I’ll give up red meat before I’d give up either of those things.”

“Really? I figured you would give up the cigars first.”

“No. Speaking of cigars, I noticed you haven’t smoked in a while.”

“You’re right, and I didn’t even notice.” The separation from Adrien stressed me out, but life had become easier since. Didn’t even realize I didn’t need it anymore. Bastien had taken up my entire focus. I looked at the menu. “I don’t know what to get.”

“Full of that baguette?” he teased.

“No. Everything just sounds so good.” I continued to stare at the menu. “Do I want the pasta or the pizza? Sometimes life can be so hard.”

He smirked. “Get both.”

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