Page 92 of All the Gossip from Paris
“I… I just need to go into Paris and see someone. Figure some things out,” she stammered. Her heart was beating at a thousand miles an hour.
“Come on. Swap seats. I’ll drive. You’re a complete maniac behind the wheel,” he said.
She was in no mood to argue. Sophie put the car in park. She got out of the driver’s seat, and went around to the passenger side. Her brother tossed his travel bag in the back, then got in.
“Your apartment in town?” he asked.
“Cami’s actually, but yes, same building. I’m hoping to speak to Liam.”
Éliott grinned at her. “That’s my girl. Now buckle up—we are about to take on the motorway. Not to mention a few thousand bad-tempered Parisian drivers.”
Her seatbelt was in her hand before he’d finished his sentence. Her younger sibling who lived and breathed the world of motor racing, was all about speed.
Sophie gripped the edge of her seat as Éliott slammed the car into reverse. He spun the steering wheel round like a professional rally driver.
Thank god I missed lunch.
The moment they were clear of the main door of the parking garage, her brother hit the accelerator. The back of the car fishtailed, causing Sophie to question many of her life’s choices.
As they neared the front of the house, Éliott reached over and tapped Sophie on the leg. “Slide lower in the seat. I’ve just spotted Patrice coming out the main entrance. He’s heading for the steps.”
Her ex was the last person she wanted to see. Sophie scooched as low as she could, then hit the recline button. By the time the car passed the front door, she was well hidden.
Éliott casually waved to Patrice. He chuckled. “He’s now wondering two things. Why am I driving your car? And where the hell is Sophie? That should give his tiny little brain something to ponder for a while.”
From her near horizontal position, Sophie laughed. She wished she could see Patrice’s face. He’d eventually figure out what had happened. But right now, she was loving her grand escape far too much to care.
Her cell phone pinged. It was Patrice.
Where are you?
At home. Lying down for a rest.
It wasn’t a complete lie.
When they reached the end of the long estate driveway, Sophie righted her seat. “Thank you. It would have been really awkward if he’d seen me.”
“So have you finally got Patrice out of your system?” asked Éliott.
“Yes,” she replied, without hesitation. He had been out of her heart for a long time. Starting today, he was officially out of her life.
As Éliott turned the car sharply onto the main road, Sophie glanced back briefly at the chateau. She’d traveled away from the family estate many times before, but today felt different. In her heart she sensed that when she eventually returned, it would no longer be her home.
“Is this how it feels every time you leave? Like you are escaping?” she asked.
“Yeah. Though I was never a prisoner here—not like you and Camille. Once you’re gone, Papa’s going to be learning some hard truths about his business. And each one of them will be well deserved.”
Sophie turned to face the road ahead. The traffic was all moving in the one direction, toward Paris.
Her leaving wasn’t about revenge. It wasn’t about trying to hurt her father. It was none of those things. It was everything about living her own life.
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
Liam might have thought her driving skills were insane, but her brother made Sophie’s efforts behind the wheel look positively sedate. Éliott only braked to change lanes and slot in behind another car. The rest of the time his foot was hard on the gas pedal.
The 1997 mega hit “Tubthumping” by the British band Chumbawamba was pumping loud through the music system when he finally pulled the car over to the curb in central Paris. Leaving the engine running, Éliott leaned over and smacked a kiss on Sophie’s cheek.
“Thanks for letting me drive, Soph. Message me when you sort things out with the American. I can’t believe both my sisters have fallen for the charms of the Collins brothers. Tell me something. Do the guys from New Jersey know some sexy tricks in bed?”
