Page 43 of Falling for Paris
“I don’t deserve your forgiveness, or your time, or your love. But I’ll beg for it, anyway. That’s why I’m here.”
“You’re here.”
Cautious amusement tilted his lips to one side. “It is your turn to speak,mon ange. Why do you need to get off the plane? Especially when we have such good seats.” His voice was teasing but she heard a hint of nervous anguish as well.
“You’re the reason they moved me?”
“I figured if we’re sitting beside each other for a few hours, I could properly beg for your forgiveness. Maybe we would sort out all the things I messed up. That was my hope, anyway.”
“Madame? Would you mind moving please so we can continue boarding?” The flight attendant requested gently, steering Tori closer to Rafael.
“We’re sitting beside each other?” she asked.
She wanted to tell him how much she missed him. How the last two days were an eternity. Emotion made it impossible to turn her thoughts into clear statements so she stared. He made a gesture inviting her to sit. He did the same. Their foreheads leaning towards each other, Rafael spoke in a low, gruff voice.
“I was a fool, Tori. I had you in a place that you turned into a home but I let you go. So if we have to live in these two seats till I convince you to come back, that’s what I’m willing to do.”
She released a burst of incredulity that cut through some of the tension. “Live in these two seats?”
“I brought food so we should be alright.” The fact that he always worried about feeding her made her smile.
“We are sitting in a first-class cabin. I’m quite sure we were going to be alright, regardless.” It felt good to ease into their familiar teasing. She was still confused and unsure yet being around him, no matter how unsettling, always felt like they had a way of communicating uniquely theirs.
“Yeah, but they don’t havethis.” She hadn’t noticed the Tupperware container till he brought it between them.
“Do you remember when we first met?” he asked huskily.
She nodded, transported to the vague memory of two kids snacking in an alleyway.
“You were sad,” he said. “But cheered up when you saw my sandwich.”
What?She didn’t remember being sad, exactly, but she did recall how his attentive kindness made her giddy. And truth be told, she did in fact remember a sandwich.
“I asked about yourCroque Monsieurand you shared it.”
“At that moment, I couldn’t believe my luck,” he confessed. “This unbelievably pretty girl was enjoying something I made. I had been cooking for my family and working in restaurants for a while but it was the first time someone called me a chef. Do you remember that?”
“Honestly, I don’t remember much except how cute you were and how well you cooked.” She was smiling so hard her cheeks hurt. “You’re still a good cook, it turns out.” Tori couldn’t help flirting, not when he was grinning widely and a flush of color made him glow.
“Maybe less cute but more debonair?” he flirted back before opening the Tupperware container. Inside was a sandwich of melted cheese and ham. She burst out laughing.
“Now that’s just sad,” she said because it was nothing like the scrumptious dishes he usually created. Inside was a cold, wilted lump. He nodded in agreement, snickering at her honest reaction.
“I guess I’ll have to make you a fresh sandwich when we get home.”
After a beat, she ventured, “Home? Where is home, Rafael?”
She asked what was deep in her heart, consequences be damned. Maybe it was the wrong thing to say, or perhaps it was too presumptuous. The question scared her, left her vulnerable to another rejection. She realized, however, that no matter the outcome, nothing would keep her from asking that burning question:Where is home?
“Where do you want it to be?” Rafael asked.
Through the last few weeks, he indulged her urgent desire to explore new tastes, new experiences, new people. It didn’t matter if they were in the kitchen or visiting an isolated farm or touring a famous winery, he never held her back. In fact, he dared her to go further than she imagined possible. As if Tori could be herself and beyond, stretching her courage towards unknown futures and yet discovering something intimate and private about herself.
She couldn’t find the words so she said, “I asked first.”
“Here’s what I know,” he answered with a confident smile. “Home is where you are, Victoria Espinoza. From the first moment I saw you, you captivated me. Even all those years ago, I knew you were a person I wanted in my life. It took a while for that to happen and when it did, I was stupid enough to let you go. I doubted myself. I doubted us. And pushed away the most amazing person I had ever met. Will you forgive me?” Their foreheads were nearly touching as the words quietly lingered between them.
He closed the container and handed it to a flight attendant walking by. The man looked confused but Rafael was too intent to be interrupted. He turned to Tori and entwined their fingers. She welcomed his hand, his words, his warmth.
