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He laughed and hooked his arm with mine. “You’re exquisite, but so is he, and I know if I sent you to him, I’d never see you again.”
“Looks aren’t everything.”
“They aren’t. Money means more, and he has both. Let me share with you my chaos.”
Tomas took me to his studio, and it was what dreams were made of. Well, mine anyway.
He gave me the standard tour first, with the history of the house and some of their most famous collections. Then he took me back to the studio, and the weight on my soul lifted. I was in my element.
Tomas wasn’t just showing me his work. He asked me for my thoughts on every piece, and I loved the amount of interest he took and the gentle instructions he gave to my suggestions. I couldn’t imagine what it would be like to sit under Tomas’s teaching instead of some of the design school staff. After about an hour, he led me to knitwear, and I was in heaven.Oh, how I miss my beloved knit.
“What about extending the sleeves or adding piping here? Oh, and knit. I’m all about knit.”
“Show me,” he said.
I waved my hands. “It’s just things I’ve worked on myself. Nothing remarkable.”
“Never turn down advice,” he said and looked at my online portfolio.“Move this piece to the front. Add in more of your textiles. Remove these, they scream amateur.Mon Dieu, what is this copper ring and steelwork? You’re designing couture?”
“I was inspired one day.” I shrugged. “My professor loved it, so I added it.”
“I love it, too,” he said. “What are you working on here?”
I reluctantly took out my sketchpad, and he studied the pages.
“I like this dress, as it looks very futuristic. What is the textile you think for this?”
“I’d create my own pattern like Monet’sThe Artist’s Garden at Givernyand add in silks and panels of leather. Maybe?”
Tomas squeezed my shoulders. “You’ve got a good eye, but you lack confidence. You should come here for our mentoring internship.”
I laughed. “You’re not serious.”
“Why would I ask? I don’t joke about work. You are incredibly talented, Nadia. You’re a sponge. You can soak up what you need to make it your own.”
“My dad’s ill. I’ll never stay so far away from home.”
He frowned. “That’s sad. Okay, we’ll drop it. Have you been to Versailles yet? You must see the gardens since you came up with some interesting ideas from visiting the Jardin des Tuileries. Let’s go have a café.”
“Yes,” I said with a smile and bounced on the soles of my feet.
He grinned at me. “Nadia, I’m already falling in love with you. What can I do to have you?”
I laughed. “Very funny. I’m flattered, of course, but I doubt your wife would feel the same,” I said with a smile.
“We’re open to having lovers,” he said without missing a beat. “One look at you, and she’d understand.”
He was serious? What the…?
I shook my head. “I wouldn’t. I’m the type of woman who would rip everything you own, throw it out the window, and light it on fire. Then I’d hurt you. That’s how insane I’d feel if another man I cared for looked at someone else. I’m that kind of possessive.”
My mind focused on what I wished I’d done when Linux kissed Paul. However, I wasn’t his girlfriend and couldn’t put any claim on him. Luckily for me, Paul wiped off her kiss.
His mouth fell open. “Oh, please tell me you’re kidding. I don’t like possessive women, but I’d take you furious at me in bed.”
I rolled my eyes but followed him outside. He stopped to light a cigarette before taking my hand and walking a few blocks to a café. As it turned out, it was another Renault who ran the place. She immediately insisted I try her crepes. There, we fell into talking about movies we loved and places we’d traveled to. He’d been everywhere. After, I waved goodbye and walked over to the metro underground.
Checking my watch, I’d only spent two hours with Tomas. I pulled the metro map that Andre gave me out of my bag.Versailles doesn’t seem that far. Right?
