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“You must have started early, you don’t look that old.”
“Keep drinking wine, I like the effect on your vision. How about you? What’s your story?”
“Nothing very exciting. My dad made huge amounts of money. He and my mom died way too early and I was the only child.”
“Sorry to hear that. I guess the money doesn’t make up for it.”
“I never thought it could, and I turned out to be right. I was young when they passed away, but I still miss them.”
“I can understand that.”
“But life goes on,” she said, staring off for a moment before looking back at him and managing a weak smile. “I’m rich, I like to travel, see different places. It’s so beautiful here. So how long have you been in town?”
“A few days.”
“And after this?”
“Italy and then Greece. But I’m taking my time. My whole life has been run on a tight plan. I’m sort of into winging things now.”
“Where are you staying?”
Shaw shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “Well, maybe there is such a thing as forward after all.”
Her cheeks reddened. “Okay, I guess I deserved that. I tend to ask too many questions and volunteer too much about myself to complete strangers.”
“I would agree with that. The part about you being rich is not something you want to blab about. Too many lowlifes who’d take advantage of that information.”
She looked like she’d been scolded. “I guess you’re right.”
“How come you’re solo? Don’t you have any friends who’d like to travel with you? I’m sure you go first-class.”
“Friends have jobs. That’s the downside to not having to work for a living.”
“I think most people would be able to cope with the trade-off,” he said kindly.
“Well, we could hang out.”
“You don’t even know me.”
“Sure I do. You’re um…”
“Bill,” he said helpfully.
She playfully punched his arm. “From D.C. Ex-lobbyist guy and divorced with two beautiful teenagers. See, my memory’s not that bad.”
“Okay, Jane—”
“Janie to my friends.”
“All right, Janie, but just take it slow with people.”
She said sheepishly, “I’m nearly thirty; you would’ve thought I’d have gotten that lesson by now.”
“Some people never get it.”
“So where’d you learn to speak French?”
“How do you know I really can? The few words I spoke aren’t exactly going to get me a job at the UN. Your French sounded pretty authentic. Where’d you learn?”
