“You might pop in on Sawyer and tell him.” She worried her lip. “He’s been worried.”
Her expression made it clear Sawyer hadn’t been alone in that. “I’ll stop in on him next. So, how’s the place coming along?”
“Good.” She took a few steps further into the large showroom and flung out her hands. “Marcello wants there to be a huge glass case winged with his proverbial hummingbirds to greet customers. He thinks it will make a statement. I told him it will stop the flow of traffic into the store. Axel weighed in and said it would break the feng shui of the space. Marcello put his hand to his chest and practically wept with gratitude for that assessment.”
He made sure to wince. “Well, you knew what you were getting into having one of the world’s greatest fashion designers as a partner.”
“I did.” She executed one of her dragon breaths. “Of course, Marcello’s ideawasbrilliant. Not that I’m telling him. I’m still considering how to do it and keep our May opening date.”
Kyle laughed, keeping an eye on Spike, who was busy sniffing the cement floor. “That’s the Third Course we know and love.”
“My heart might be in Paris, but my head for business comes from New York.”
He put his arm around her, imagining the huge showroom she was creating. “The world had better watch out.”
“Damn straight.” She laid her head against his shoulder. “How’s Madison?”
“Tired. Focused. Badass. Guarded about tonight. God, Brooke, I’m so crazy in love with her, I don’t know how I ever lived without her.”
“That’s how I feel about Axel. Every morning I wake up feeling lucky. To think I was ready to give up on love…”
“Then you came to Paris.”
“Yeah, and the whole world opened up.” She turned to him, her green eyes filled with a new peace, which looked really great on her. “I’m glad we all came back here, Kyle. It scares me to think about what might have happened to me if I’d stayed in Manhattan.”
“I know that feeling.”
Would he be married to Paisley? Or would she have shown him enough of her dark side before they walked down the aisle for him to call it off? Would he have finally had enough of his parents’ bullshit and told them no, or would he have continued humoring them?
“Want the nickel tour? There isn’t much to see yet, but I’d love to talk through my ideas.”
“I’d love that.”
As she walked him through the space, he could see the promise in the blank walls. She was starting over, creating what she wanted from the ground up. That was what they all had done, returning to Paris—and look at how much they had accomplished.
Paris really was the city of dreams, hoped for and lived. God, he loved this town.
When he was finally poised to leave, he kissed her cheeks, and she surprised him by saying, “Tell Madison hi for me.”
“Sure thing,” he managed as he and Spike left.
The streets looked brighter as he was struck with the realization that people were now sending messages through him to Madison because they were a couple, a unit—even though she and Brooke were friends.
Another bright spot in an already great day.
By the time he arrived back at the house, Spike was ready for a puppy nap.
Kyle headed up to Sawyer’satelieron the third floor. When he knocked on the door, he heard muttering and stomping before Sawyer appeared. He had white paint in his curly black hair and a smudge of green on his right cheek. His glasses were down on his nose, calling attention to his frown.
“Sorry to interrupt, Doc. I only wanted to check in and say hi. Why don’t you find me when you’ve reached a stopping point?”
He glanced over and felt his heart stop. Madison was in the center of the painting Sawyer was working on. A secret smile played on her beautiful mouth, and her face was turned to the side as if she were looking at someone—him.
His pulse rate quadrupled. “My God… You’ve made good progress since I was last here. Is that really what she looks like when she looks at me? I mean, I see it, but usually I’m there. She’s standing in front of me, and I can touch her and feel her heat because she runs hot and…”
Sawyer was fighting a smile.
“That’s probably more than you wanted to know,” he finished, clearing his throat. “How about them Yankees?”
