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She felt a flash of irritation. The man didn’t live in the real world. What she’d seen as glamorous and exciting, she now saw as immature. “Don’t worry. I’ll figure it out by myself.”
She gathered up her things and walked across to him. “Thank you for dinner, and for the concert tickets, and for a wonderful few days.”
She was grateful to him for the distraction, and for making her feel good about herself, but mostly she was grateful to him for reminding her what was important.
“My Grace.” He gave a half smile. “Always making the safe, sensible choice.”
Grace thought about her family. About David.
“You’re wrong,” she said. “There’s nothing safe about love. Commitment takes bravery because there is every chance you’ll be badly hurt. Not ever getting involved, just moving from one experience to the next—that’s the safe choice.” She reached up and kissed him softly on the cheek. “Take care, Philippe. If you’re ever playing a concert in New York, let me know.”
She grabbed a cab back to her apartment and on the way she dialed David’s number.
His phone might be switched off, but she knew where he was staying.
He answered after a couple of rings, and sounded sleepy and disoriented.
“David, it’s me.” As they pulled up outside the bookstore, Grace paid the cabdriver in cash and stumbled out of the car. “Sophie’s in trouble. You need to come.”
He responded exactly the way she’d known he would respond. He was calm, supportive and strong. He didn’t ask needless questions. Didn’t panic or waste time.
Instead, he said the words she’d hoped he’d say.
“I’ll be right there.”
Audrey
Audrey crammed her clothes into her backpack. Did she need to take everything? Yes, she probably did. Paris, Etienne, her apartment, the bookshop—it already seemed like a dream and she hadn’t even left yet.
She’d been so happy.
How could her life have turned to crap so quickly?
She wanted to call Etienne and tell him, but she didn’t want to be selfish. He had his own family issues. That was why he was flying down to the South of France. He didn’t need to deal with hers, too.
As soon as she was packed, she’d talk to Grace.
Grace would understand. She’d probably have some good advice.
In the meantime, she called Elodie. Not that there was any way she could be talked into staying, but she didn’t want to behave unprofessionally. Elodie had given her a second chance, so Audrey needed to tell her that she was leaving and why.
She was braced for a difficult conversation but Elodie was warm and caring, which made Audrey feel even worse.
Having cleared everything into her bag, she took a last look around the little apartment.
She pulled out her phone and took a few photos. Not that she was ever going to forget this place, but when she was feeling low the photos might give her hope that someday she might have a place of her own again.
With a sniff, she locked the apartment and took the stairs down to the bookstore for the last time.
She’d go direct to the station and get the first train to London. Hopefully she’d have enough money for a oneway ticket.
The last thing she expected to see when she walked into the bookshop was Grace, wrapped in David’s arms.
Audrey froze on the spot. Bad timing.
And then she saw that he wasn’t kissing her. It didn’t look passionate or anything.
It looked as if he was comforting her.
