Page 97 of All the Gossip from Paris
He cleared his throat. “We will talk when you come home. Make sure you call your mother when you land.”
And then he was gone.
Stubborn man. I suppose I should be grateful he didn’t threaten to cut me off like he did with Camille.
At least that was one lesson her father had learned. When he’d cut Camille’s finances off, she’d turned to other members of the Royal family for help. From what Sophie understood, François had been deeply embarrassed. And if there was one thing her father held dear, it was his pride.
She set her phone on the table which sat between her and Liam.
“He said he and I should talk when I come home. We will. I just don’t plan on telling him exactly when it is that I intend to return to France.”
Liam came to sit on the plush arm of Sophie’s armchair. “Will you promise me something?”
“What?”
“Promise me, that you’re not leaving Paris because you are angry with your father. This has to be about you and me. The two of us seeing the world together. It won’t work if you all you are doing is trying to punish him.”
He was still a little unsure. Sophie could understand Liam’s need for reassurance. He’d been badly burned by someone he trusted.
She held his hand. “I will admit to a teeny tiny bit of this being about punishing him. I want my father to see what Patrice is really like. The rest is all about you and me. About stepping off the path I have walked since I was a child. About sharing new adventures with the man I love.”
Liam bent and placed a tender kiss on Sophie’s forehead. “Ok. That’s all I need to know.”
He trusted her to tell him the truth. It was a precious gift. One she would never take for granted.
The flight crew was now moving about the cabin. Closing up the various lockers. Checking that curtains were open.
Sophie was leaving home. Leaving behind all the things which had held her back. But with Liam by her side, she was ready to take on the world.
She rose from her seat as he shifted from the armrest. “From that very first night, you’ve been opening doors for me. And now I’m ready to step through this next one with you, Liam.”
They shared a long kiss. Then just before Liam went to take his seat, he bent and whispered in Sophie’s ear. “Buckle up, Ma chérie. You and I are in for a fun ride.”
EPILOGUE
Papeete, Tahiti
A year and a bit later
Sophie ran her skilled gaze over the silver piping on the hem of the gown one last time. She’d already checked it before she’d left the house an hour earlier, but haute couture habits died hard. If the evening gown wasn’t perfect, she wouldn’t hand it over to her client.
“I think that’s perfect,” she said, taking a little time to relish the moment.
Another of her made to order gowns was complete. Not haute couture, but still something special. She’d established a new creative path forward—one which was truly her own.
“You have such amazing skills, Sophie. The diplomatic community in Papeete might be small, but we are all going to miss you,” said the diplomat’s wife.
She gave a nod of thanks. “Who knows? We may be back here again someday. Liam loves French Polynesia as much as I do. It will remain forever in our hearts.”
They had travelled the world over the past year, but some places seemed to capture the imagination better than others. Tahiti with its black sandy beaches and stunning blue lagoons was one of those places.
But life never stopped moving. Liam’s photography work meant they rarely stayed for long in one place. This four month stop in the South Pacific had been their longest. She would miss the warmth of the local people, the white and yellow Tiare flowers they wore in their hair. Most of all she would miss the nights where she and Liam sat outside on the deck of their little rented house, talking into the late hours while watching the sun set over Coco Lagoon.
She packed up her things, and after processing the last payment on her mobile banking app, Sophie said. “I’ve emailed you the care instructions. Make sure you store the gown in the breathable garment bag I have provided. I’ve also included the details of the only professional garment cleaner in Papeete whom I would trust to handle any stains. And for repairs…”
“Send the gown to you in Paris,” said the woman.
It was hard enough trusting others with cleaning a custom made gown. Sophie drew the line at letting anyone else touch her designs.
