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That being said, Alex did look gorgeous. He stood at the back of the sailboat, focused intently on the horizon. The day had ended up colder than either of them had expected, so swimming was out. But that also meant Alex looked like the personification of a cologne ad: distressed denim jeans, a black sweater over a grey button-down, black sneakers, and a pair of expensive gold sunglasses. Paris couldn't help but stare, a giddy smile spreading across her face as she watched him at work. Eventually, he noticed her gazing at him.
“What are you looking at, beautiful?”
Paris felt an uncharacteristic giggle escape her lips.
“Just watching you do your thing back there. I've never watched someone man a sailboat before. Hell, I've never been on a sailboat before. This is amazing!”
Alex grinned at her and let go of the wheel. Then he began bouncing all around the boat, pulling back the sail, dropping an anchor, and bringing the sailboat to a stop in the middle of the ocean. For a brief second, Paris thought it might have been foolish to come out on the ocean with a man she hardly knew.
She'd seen plenty of Lifetime movies of the week start this way, and they rarely ended well for the woman. But then, Alex went below deck and came back with a picnic basket and a bottle of wine. Paris felt her reservations melt away, and even felt a little guilty for not trusting Alex.
“I thought we could have lunch on the boat? Just drift around out here for a while?”
Alex set the basket down on the deck of the boat and waved Paris over to sit with him as he unloaded the food. A bacon and leek quiche, green bean and tomato salad, left-over roast chicken, lentil salad with goat cheese, smoked trout pâté, and a spice apple galette... all laid out on a red checkered blanket. As Alex began pouring them each a glass of the rich red Burgundy, Paris couldn't believe her life. Two-and-a-half days ago, she had lost everything, and was wandering the streets of Paris, alone and terrified.
Now, here she sat, on a sailboat, eating the most delicious food she'd ever tasted, drinking the most amazing wine, and staring deep into the eyes of the most beautiful man she'd ever seen in her life.
It was all so perfect.
Too perfect.
Her impeccably logical mind was preparing her for the rug to get pulled out from under her at any minute.
But as the sun was going down, as the food disappeared and the last of the wine had been drunk, the gentle sound of the water lapping against the hull of the boat began to lull her into a gentle easiness that was utterly soothing. And in that moment, she didn't care about what happened tomorrow. All she cared about was being present, with Alex, and enjoying whatever slice of happiness they had carved out for each other.
Back at the villa, as Alex was gathering Paris into his arms and kissing her with a passion that took both of them by surprise, Alex's cellphone was ringing with a persistence so incessant, it fell off the desk in the library and onto the floor.
The last text message that came through before the battery ran out was from Alex's youngest brother, Mathias.
Hey, golden boy. Don't know what you did, but you have efffffed up.
Dad is sending Bernie.
You should hide, or get back here first.
Trouble is brewing... ~M
* * *
The sound of King Alexander screaming in his office was enough to bring both of his youngest sons running from their rooms, even though Joseph was still recovering from a night out drinking with his college friends. They stumbled into the office to find their father shouting into a phone, his face beet red with anger.
“Are the pictures authentic?... How do you KNOW?... Oh... How much coverage have they gotten?... THAT far?... So what do we do?... I've already put Bernard on a plane for Arcachon, so he's getting him back... Bring her HERE? Are you mad? What? Is that a good idea?... Fine. I'll call Bernard and tell him to bring both of them.”
Mathias and Joseph just stood in the doorway, mouths agape, confusion obvious on their still-sleepy faces. The slightly more sober Mathias spoke first.
“Uh, father… What the hell is going on? Did someone die?”
The King slammed his head down on the desk and groaned. When he lifted it back up a moment later, he ran his fingers through his thick gray hair and frowned.
“No, but someone is about to. Have either of you talked to your brother in the last two days?”
The boys looked at each awkwardly, then looked down at the floor. Neither of them talked to Alex all that often, and when they did, it was usually just polite conversation in the hall when they happened to be home at the same time. Their oldest brother was the ‘good’ son, and they were the worthless layabouts, an arrangement that suited them just fine. But hearing their father angry over something Alex had done? That upset the balance and neither of them were comfortable with it.
“No, sir,” they mumbled in unison, seeming like naughty schoolboys in front of their intimidating father, rather than the grown, powerful men they were.
There was a moment of heavy silence that filled the room, and it was just enough to encourage the Princes to let their guards down.
Expecting that the shouting was over, both Joseph and Mathias were that much more terrified when, in one sweeping motion, their father angrily flung everything from the top of his desk. Papers, inkwells, glass figures, a phone... all of it went flying into the air and then clattering to the floor.
Joseph let out a yell of protest, and Mathias poked him in the ribs in an attempt to quiet him. Their father was a kind man, but in this moment, he wouldn't abide weakness.
The King walked slowly to the large picture window that sat behind his desk and stared out of it without so much as a sound. Mathias was just motioning to his brother that they should leave when their father finally spoke.
“Boys... I would like you to stay in the palace today. Things are about to get very unpleasant around here, and I'd rather neither of you were out adding to the chaos.”
Joseph spoke up, even though Mathias was giving him the evil eye.
“But father… I had plans with Genevieve. We're supposed to go... OW!”
Joseph was interrupted by a punch to the spine from his brother, who could see the reflection of their father's face in the window. His scowl made it clear this was not the time for arguing.
“We'll stay put, father. We promise. But, just out of curiosity, can you please tell us what is going on?”
King Alexander sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.
“You'll know soon enough.”
18
Hours later, on the other side of the continent, Alex and Paris sat down at a lovely, small table in a dimly-lit restaurant in a quieter area of Arcachon. There were only a few people sitting around them, and the owners of the restaurant were being extremely attentive.
Course after course of rustic French food, all delicious and all beautifully prepared, especially bathed in soft candle light. Paris felt herself melting into the present moment, her heart beating just a little faster as she looked into Alex's eyes. She had never felt this way about anyone in her life, and the fact that she'd just met him was still making her nervous.
But then, Alex reached across the table, and took her hand in his, and all of her nerves and worries disappeared.
“Paris... I know we just met. I know everything has moved really fast. But I just want you to know that I really care about you. I... don't want these next few days to be it. There’s something you need to know—”
Paris squeezed Alex's hand and couldn't help but smile at his own discomfort. He was always so poised and sure of himself, but now it was her turn to comfort him. He seemed to be getting up the courage to tell her something, in a way that he genuinely seemed concerned that she might leave him.
“Alex, I...”
But Paris never had a chance to finish her sentence. All at once, a flurry of camera flashes blinded Paris from outside the restaurant, and even through the thick glass of the picture window, she could hear a cacophony of voic
es yelling her name.
“Over here! Here! How does it feel...”
“Alex! Did you set out to steal...”
