Page 37 of Three's a Crowd
I guess I’ll just have to wait and see.
The lift doors opened and they both walked in.
Once they’d exited through the hotel’s reception – Zach nodding to a number of people who called out to him on the way – they walked out to the driveway to find a dark-grey Aston Martin DB9 waiting for them, that a valet had pulled around to the front of the hotel.
‘Whoa, Zach, you really are doing well for yourself,’ Daisy breathed as she took in the sleek interior and snuggled back into the comfortable seat.
‘Sadly, it’s just a rental,’ he admitted ruefully, ‘but I was thinking of getting one,’ he added, flashing her a wicked grin.
A low pulse began to beat, deep in her body, and she quickly turned away from him to look out of the window as the trees on the Croisette flashed by.
The restaurant that Zach had chosen was indeed off the beaten track. It was located down a narrow back street and Zach pulled the car over alongside a high brick wall and turned off the engine.
‘Right, I know it looks a bit dodgy, but believe me, the food is out of this world,’ he promised, smiling confidently at her.
He leapt out of the car and before she had time to unbuckle her belt, he’d opened her door, proffering his hand.
‘Mademoiselle,’ he said with aplomb.
Daisy couldn’t help but smile. She stretched out her hand and took his, relying on his strength for support as she drew herself up from the low-slung chassis.
‘Arm?’ he asked her, his eyebrows raised in a mock over-politeness.
‘I think I can walk on my own, thanks. I promise not to trip over,’ she replied giving him a faux reproving look back.
He laughed and motioned in the direction they needed to go.
The restaurant was dimly lit inside and it took Daisy’s eyes a few moments to adjust. Despite its secluded location, it was packed; every table seemed to be filled with loudly chattering French couples, gesturing wildly in their archetypal way.
The maître d’ glided over to them. ‘Ah, Monsieur Dryden.Suivez-moi, s’il vous plaît,’ he said, gesturing for them to follow him. He led them to a small table at the back of the restaurant. No one turned to look at them as they moved through the tables, which Daisy found a bit of a relief. She’d been dreading being stared at all night.
Once they were seated, the maître d’ sent over their waiter who baffled Daisy with a stream of French, until Zach halted him with a wave of his hand and spoke back in perfect French, apparently placing a drinks order.
‘I didn’t know you spoke French,’ Daisy said, shocked at this new discovery. She’d thought she knew him pretty well, but of course she didn’t. There had been a number of intervening years when she’d hardly seen him at all.
‘Yeah, I took a course when I was studying at the London Acting Academy and kept going to night classes after that. I thought languages might come in handy one day. I can understand some Spanish too, and a bit of Italian.’ He said this with a coy smile, so unlike the over confident Zach that she was used to.
‘Right,’ was all she could think to say.
This new information felt akin to someone telling her a piece of gossip about her own parents.
‘What’s wrong?’ he asked, apparently concerned by her discomfort.
‘Nothing. I just realised I don’t really know you that well any more,’ she admitted, smiling and shaking her head to dispel his worry.
‘No, I guess not,’ he agreed. ‘I don’t think we’ve ever really sat down and talked. Just you and me. We’ve always been surrounded by your and Adam’s family. And Adam, of course,’ he added quietly.
This hung in the air between them.
They were saved from any further awkwardness by the waiter returning with their drinks.
‘I hope you don’t mind, I ordered you a champagne cocktail,’ Zach said. ‘I’m so used to ordering for dinner companions back home, I did it without thinking.’
‘No… well… I guess that’s okay. Just this once,’ Daisy said, not wanting him to think he should do that for her every time. ‘It’s a good choice for me.’
She loved champagne cocktails, but never would have dared ordering one for herself, especially in a place like this.
Truthfully, she was a little taken aback by Zach’s assertive manner. She was so used to Adam asking for her opinion on every little thing that, honestly, it felt good to be looked after like this for a change.
