Page 93 of One to Watch

“Never,” Luc responded. “But I am curious to know about this amazing night that has caused you so much pain.”

Bea shook her head. “That’s my point exactly. Some nights, you’d just as soon forget.”

Luc raised his glass. “Then we must toast to nights we are glad to remember. And to people we are glad to have beside us, even if we are eating a cheeseburger.”

The others raised their glasses in turn, and Luc leaned over to kiss Bea softly. As he pulled away, she searched his eyes, wondering how she could have spent so many hours with him and still feel she didn’t know him at all.

After dinner and goodbyes, it was still light out—just after 5 P.M.—so Lauren decided that Bea and Luc should take a stroll along the High Line. It was a chilly day, so the promenade was fairly empty, but of the few joggers and tourists about, several gawked at Bea and Luc and their camera crew, and a few even paused to take photos. A harsh wind blew and the sun was beginning to set over New Jersey as Luc and Bea walked side by side.

“So,” Luc said, breaking the silence, “did you enjoy the dinner? And the company?”

“The food and the people were lovely,” Bea replied.

“Then why are you upset?”

“I’m not upset,” Bea snapped.

Luc shot her a pointed look. “Upset and lying about it.”

Bea exhaled. “I take it you and Stefania used to date.”

“Yes, what of it?”

“I just didn’t know I was going to meet someone you slept with today.”

“Two people, en fait.”

Bea frowned. “Isabeau too?”

“Non.” Luc grinned at Bea, who couldn’t help blushing as she took his meaning. “Does this bother you?”

“I just think you could have warned me that you were planning to introduce me to a string of your gorgeous exes.”

“This is why you are unhappy? Non, but you were in a bad mood even before you met them, so this cannot be the reason.”

“I was not in a bad mood.” Bea scowled.

Luc smirked at her—totally not buying it. He took her by the shoulders.

“Come, say what you think. You are still upset about Jefferson?”

“No.” Bea was so frustrated. “Maybe! I don’t know.”

“You think I am not being honest with you? Bea, we discussed all this in Morocco.”

“When you came to my room in the middle of the night, you mean?”

Luc gestured meaningfully toward the cameras. “Perhaps we should not mention this?”

“Oh, come off it, the whole world knows. You made sure of that when you bragged about it to Asher, when you let him think we’d slept together. That was fun for me to deal with.”

Luc closed his eyes—finally, the answer he was looking for.

“This is why you are angry.”

“For starters,” Bea fumed.

“Okay, good,” he encouraged her. “Dites-moi. You tell me.”