Page 28 of Mountain Trial

Chapter 12

Luc

His heart beat fast as he wheeled himself purposefully up the slope. The address Kat had given him was a fifteen-minute walk from his apartment, but on a street he’d never been to before.

He stopped for a second to look at his watch.

Quarter to seven.

He’d come early because he was worried about the accessibility of the restaurant. He shouldn’t have worried, he realized, as the restaurant came in sight. There was a ramp heading up to the door, which opened up as he approached, without him needing to touch anything. Once he was through the first door, that one closed and the second door opened, letting him into the warmth inside.

The warm smell of pasta and butter knocked him back in his chair. He’d never smelled anything so delicious.

Inside, the restaurant was wood-beamed and rustic, with plenty of space between one table and another. Tables were far enough from one another that guests could have quiet conversations without other people overhearing.

No Paris café vibes, here.

He noted most tables were filled by couples, many of them holding hands.

The thought that Kat had chosen this restaurant filled him with a different kind of warmth―not just because she’d made sure it was accessible, but because it wasn’t the kind of place one would take a friend to.

An older lady walked over, moving like she owned the place.

Maybe she does.

She beamed down at him. “Soyez le bienvenu, Monsieur.” She waited for him to provide the name of the reservation. Luc appreciated the coyness, though he was one hundred percent sure the lady knew exactly which table to take him to.

As he’d expected, there was a chair missing at the table where she led him. He wheeled himself into that space, glad it faced the door so he could look out for Kat. He took off his jacket and placed his fingerless leather gloves in one of the jacket pockets.

A couple minutes later he looked up and saw her. She was a vision in slim blue jeans and a red sweater that made her hair look even brighter.

She looked flushed, as if she’d run all the way here.

“I’m sorry,” she apologized. “We had a last-minute job. I had to stay late with the helicopter.”

Luc was a assaulted by a sense of inadequacy.

She saves people’s lives.

Every day, that’s what she does.

What can someone like her see in someone like me?

She must have seen something in his expression, and misunderstood it.

“I didn’t have time to change,” she said, pulling down on the sleeves of her sweater. It had the effect of lowering the neckline, exposing a bit more of her creamy cleavage.

“Are you kidding?” he growled. “You look beautiful. And you’re just on time. I only just arrived.”

“They’ve got great food here,” she confided.

“I can smell it. What would you recommend?”

They ordered a burrata and tartufo salad, to share, and spaghetti carbonara as a main.

Half-way through the meal, a couple of teens came over to their table. The younger one pushed a notebook towards him.

“Monsieur Fournier,” the boy stammered. “Could you please sign it for us?”