Page 33 of Once Bitten

Paris was chaos compared to Dublin.

The flight over was short and uneventful enough, not that I noticed much other than the awkward silence between Finn and me. I buried myself in work and Finn, who’d insisted on sitting next to me, sat back with his eyes closed.

Using our express passes, we were processed quickly through immigration and soon we were collecting our bags and ready to go.

“Um, I booked Larry and I to stay at the Radisson Blu off Champs- Élysées, is that ok with you, or...do you want me to book you into somewhere else? Or do you have...?”

“Is this your first time here, Kara?” He asked abruptly.

“Yes. I told you, I’ve never been anywhere.” I was prickly from embarrassment at my uncultured history.

“Then why don’t you let ME take care of this part of the trip.” He offered.

“Finn.”

“Have you thought more about what I said back at the hotel?”

“Yes. But...I don’t have an answer for you, yet.” I admitted. “I’m sorry, I just...I just don’t know, Finn.”

“Shhh, ok, forget that for now. Think about this, we used to be friends, didn’t we? Before I fucked everything up? Before last night? Back when everything was simple and sweet? We were friends, weren’t we?”

“Yes.”

“And I don’t have a lot of close friends, it must be my scintillating charm.” He winked at me and I couldn’t help but smile. “I definitely don’t have a lot of friends I talk to about Dad, and even less who knew who he was, the man he was, I need us to be friends, Kara. I need you to remind me about him.”

“Ok. But…” But friends with benefits? When had that ever worked out best for both parties?

“No buts! So, as friends, let me do this. Let me show you what Paris really is, and if you don’t like it, we can put you back up at the Radisson. Deal? Come on, Kara! Live a little!”

I remembered the dull lifeless reflection I’d seen of me in his eyes. To hell to everything, my brain yelled, urging me on.

“Deal. But! Business first.”

“Yeah yeah, Mom. When’s our first meeting?”

“This afternoon.” I reminded him.

“Plenty of time!” He held out his arm. “You ready?”

I took a deep breath, “I’m ready.”

I’d been ready my whole life.