“I wish I could’ve seen it,” he said.
“Me too,” I admitted, without hesitation.
There was a beat, then?—
“What’s your schedule like next week?” Dominic asked. “I have to be in London, but I could take the train over if?—”
I glanced up at the sky, the rain may have slowed, but the clouds were still there. My mind went briefly, unhelpfully blank. I couldn’t picture my calendar without opening it.
“I don’t know yet,” I said honestly. “Let me check.”
“Okay,” he said easily. Then, softer, more deliberate, “Text me as soon as you know. Even if it’s just for a couple of hours.”
Another beat. Not heavy. Not demanding.
“Flash,” he added, and I could hear the smile in it, the affection threaded through the word. “I need—” He paused, then blew out a breath before he admitted, “Wantto see you.”
My chest tightened in that quiet, familiar way. “I will,” I said. “I promise.”
“I really do have to get back to work,” I said finally, regret threading lightly through the words. “But as soon as I can actually look at my calendar, I’ll let you know.”
“Okay,” Dominic said, easy but attentive. “Just text me. Even if it’s messy or tentative.”
“I will.”
A pause settled between us, comfortable, unhurried.
“I miss you,” he said then, no hedging this time.
My smile softened. “I miss you too.”
Another pause—warmer now, affectionate in a way that made my chest feel too small for my heart.
“You’re falling in love with Paris,” he said, indulgent rather than accusing.
I grinned, leaning back against the café wall as people streamed past. “Too late. I’m already in love with her.”
His chuckle was low and warm, threaded with something that felt like pride. “Well,” he said, “that just means I have to work harder to keep your attention. Even if I have to share you with her.”
The words sent a flutter straight through me, excitement tangling with something deeper and more complicated.
“I don’t think you’ll have trouble,” I said lightly, even as my system churned.
“Good,” he replied. “Talk soon, Flash.”
“Soon,” I promised.
We said goodbye, and when the call ended, I blew out a long breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. The moment that thought crossed my mind, I let out a startled laugh. I’d become one of those women in the books I loved.
I was still riding that high when my phone buzzed again as I crossed the street toward Paris Daily.
Her.
What about tonight?
There’s a little place not far from the Daily—quiet, good wine.
I smiled at the screen, pulse ticking up again. Effervescent felt like the only word for it.
