Page 25 of One Night in Paris

She was pretty damn amazing, too. I hoped I’d have lots more opportunities to make her smile at me like that.

14

HARPER

Logan’s car was mind-blowing. When the valet brought it around, my mouth had dropped open. Sleek, black, and faster than hell, the entire time he was driving us to the bar, I had a huge grin on my face, like a little kid at an amusement park.

Logan had only chuckled at me, saying, “I could go faster if it wasn’t for all of this traffic.”

“This is fast enough,” I’d assured him.

He’d used valet parking again, another reminder to me that we came from two different worlds. But Logan was a great guy, and even though I wasn’t rich like he was, he didn’t seem to judge me for it at all.

Seated at a table in the corner, the two of us picked up our conversation right where we’d left off over dinner. Just like he had been in Paris, Logan was down-to-earth and charming. The fact that he wasn’t really a student but happened to be an extremely wealthy architect faded to the back of my mind as we sat there chatting, drinking beers, and laughing at one another’s stories.

“Do you like your job?” he asked me, sipping on his beer.

“No, I hate it.” I laughed, wondering if maybe wine then beer wasn’t the best idea I’d ever had. I’d need to take it slow, considering I had to work the next day—like every day.

“Then why do you do it?” Logan spun his glass slightly in one direction and then back in the other as he awaited my response.

With a shrug, I said, “Because I can. I never got to finish college. Waitressing doesn’t take a lot of high-tech skills, you know? I’m not saying it’s easy and anyone can do it, but I’m pretty good at it, and I have to work two jobs. So… that’s what I do.” With a shrug, I hoped he wouldn’t ask any more questions about why I had to have two places of employment. So far, I hadn’t told him about my mother’s illness. I didn’t think that was the sort of thing a person was supposed to discuss, not on a first date anyway. Technically, this was our first date, after all.

“You’re so smart, Harper. I bet there are a lot of other jobs you could do if you wanted to. Have you ever looked at office jobs?” He finished his beer, and when the waitress came by to offer him another, Logan waved her off. I couldn’t blame him. It was getting late, and neither of us needed to stumble home. He hadn’t had that much to drink anyway and was legally able to drive.

“I haven’t ever looked at doing an office job,” I admitted. “I just assumed I wouldn’t have the right education or experience.”

“Everyone has to start somewhere,” he replied with a shrug.

Maybe he was right, but I wouldn’t even know where to begin to look for an office job. Some of my friends worked in offices, but they’d never suggested I apply there.

While I was pondering the idea of taking on an office gig in the future, the waitress came with the tab. Logan reached for his wallet, but I was ready. “I’ve got it,” I told him, handing her my credit card.

“No way, Harper,” Logan said while the waitress stood there awkwardly. “Let me.”

“You paid for dinner,” I reminded him. “It’s not a big deal. Just let me get it.”

His mouth opened and closed before he finally said, “Okay. Thanks.”

The waitress headed off, and I took the last few sips of my beer, deciding it was a good thing we quit right then before I started to get lightheaded.

A few moments later, the waitress came back with an uncomfortable look on her face. I recognized it from before, when we were arguing over the bill. Looking at her with my eyebrows raised, I asked, “Everything okay?”

“Uhm, no,” she said before leaning over to me. “Your card was declined.”

Immediately, my heart began to pound in my chest. My mouth dropped open and I asked, “Seriously?”

She nodded. “I’m sorry, miss. I tried it twice. Do you have another one or…”

“I’ve got it.” Whether Logan heard her whispering or just figured it out, I couldn’t tell, but while I sat there, mortified, he pulled out cash and paid the woman, leaving her a hefty tip.

Embarrassment flooded me. Dropping my head, I stared at the table for a moment before picking up my useless card and shoving it into my wallet. “I swear I had some credit left on that.”

“It’s no big deal,” Logan said. “These things happen to everyone from time to time. Besides, the drinks here are a lot more expensive than they are in most places. Don’t even worry about it, Harper.”

Logan was being incredibly supportive about this, but I couldn’t help but feel like a total failure. Despite all of the kind words he’d just said, I blurted out, “I’m so sorry. If I just had a better job, I wouldn’t have to pay with IOUs.”

Logan looked at me sympathetically. “Don’t be hard on yourself,” he said. “You’re a hard worker who clearly has someexpenses for reasons out of your control. Like I said before, it’s an honor to be paying for you, even if it’s just a drink. No need to make a big deal out of it.”

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