Page 61 of Love in Bloom

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Eiffel Tower

Camille didn’t eat or sleep. She watched the shadows change on the ceiling as the sun set, the lights of the city came alive and darkened, and the sun rose. All night she turned over the problems of Tristan’s past and her feelings for him. Was she going to let Tristan’s mistake define him as Jia had done? Was she willing to hear him out? Did she love him enough to forgive him, regardless of the answer?

She took a bath, then stared out the window. The Eiffel Tower dominated the morning landscape. She wouldn’t see it on this trip. She skipped the tour breakfast, letting Lisette know she was ill.

She packed her suitcase, still waffling between hearing Tristan out and going home without an explanation.

Camille opened the door and picked up a rectangular package from the floor. There was an envelope attached. She went back into her room and sat on the bed. She ripped off the brown paper to reveal a watercolor of the lilies at Giverny.

Tristan.

Her hand trembled as she opened the envelope and read the note inside.

Dear Camille,

I wanted you to have the painting to remember our time together. If there’s any chance for us at all, please use the enclosed. I’ll be waiting. My heart is yours.

Tristan.

Camille looked inside the envelope. A ticket to the Eiffel Tower. “What do I do?” She grabbed her phone and dialed. The call went through. “Connor, Connor!”

“It’s Maddie. Connor’s in the shower. I saw your face and picked up. What’s going on? Did you talk to Tristan?”

“He gave me a painting and a ticket to the Eiffel Tower. He’s waiting for me there.”

Maddie laughed. “Classic. Just like An Affair to Remember except it’s the Eiffel Tower instead of the Empire State Building.”

“What?”

“An American movie. Never mind.”

“What should I do?”

“Do you love him even though he’s acted like an idiot at times?”

Camille’s heart thumped. All her doubts and fears fled. “Yes!”

“Then what are you calling us for? Get off your butt and head to the top of the Eiffel Tower!”

“Okay, I will.” She ended the call, Maddie’s laughter trailing after her.

In the lobby, she dumped her luggage with a bell hop to be picked up later and grabbed a waiting taxi.

“EiffelTower,” she told the driver.

Camille could’ve taken public transport, but she couldn’t wrap her brain around figuring out the subway or the bus. All she wanted was to get to Tristan. Her leg bounced up and down double time. Come on. Come on.

Finally they reached the tower. She threw a wad of bills at the driver and hopped out. She ran past the flower beds, the colors of the blooms blurring together in her haste to reach her destination. Ticket in hand, she located the right queue and wanted to scream at the crowd to move faster. Didn’t they know she was racing to meet the man she loved? She hoped Tristan would forgive her for acting like an idiot. Agonizing minutes later, Camille stepped onto the platform at the top of the tower. For a fleeting moment the view took her breath away. She focused on the task at hand. Find Tristan. Hear him out. Ask him to forgive her.

She found him on the third side. His back was to her. His hair blew in the breeze, auburn highlights glinting in the summer sun. He’d never looked more handsome.

Camille felt shy as she approached. An odd sensation to say the least. She joined him at the rail.

“Hi,” she said.

“Hi.”

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