Suspects(48)

“You’re not a normal person. You’re an exceptional, remarkable one that people are jealous of, which makes you a target. And there are dangerous people in the world.” He was adamant on the subject. She hated the thought of it and didn’t want to think about it. She was quiet for the rest of lunch, and they went for a long walk on the beach, past the little old-fashioned cabanas with stars’ names on them lining the boardwalk, before they drove back to the city.

She was totally relaxed as they drove home and she dozed off for a little while. He smiled over at her. It was the best Thanksgiving of his life, and she was the best woman.

When she woke, she smiled at him. She liked seeing him next to her, and not a driver. The DGSE tail had followed them in a separate car, but Mike had driven them without a bodyguard in the car. “Did I snore?” she asked him, and he laughed.

“Like an old man, a chorus of them!”

“I did?” She looked embarrassed and he grinned.

“No, you didn’t.” She was glad he was coming back at Christmas, but it was a month away. He had asked her about going skiing, but she hadn’t skied in years. Axel had gotten too good for her by the time he was ten, so she finally gave up, since she couldn’t keep up with him. Matthieu had been an outstanding skier too. She didn’t veto Mike’s suggestion, but they didn’t organize it yet. And Courchevel was full of Russians, with their mistresses and hookers, and so were most of the snow towns, and they would be mobbed at Christmas. She was thinking maybe they should go someplace else, like someplace warm.



* * *



—

They stayed in bed on Sunday until he had to leave for the airport, and she had brought him breakfast on a tray.

“You ruin me for real life, Theo. My breakfast is usually a granola bar on the subway on the way to work.” The reality of his life was very different from hers, she knew it but hadn’t seen it yet. She hoped she would one day.

“Stick around,” she said, smiling at him, “the service is pretty good.” She had made fresh-squeezed orange juice and bacon and eggs the way he liked them. She knew that about him now. And coffee with a tiny splash of milk. “I’m going to have so much to do, getting my stuff out of the chateau,” she said while he ate, almost cringing as she said it. “And I have to get it all out in the next three weeks.”

“It’s too bad you can’t wait till I’m here over Christmas,” he said thoughtfully. “I could help you pack up.”

“The new owner is planning to come with his wife the day after Christmas, so she can see her new chateau. I hope she loves it. It would be hard not to.”

“Just be careful who you hire to do the move. Moving companies aren’t always the most respectable, they use a lot of temporary help. Make sure you use a reliable firm.”

He left a few hours later, after they’d made love. They could barely force themselves to get out of bed, savoring every moment.



* * *



—

“I’ll be back in a few weeks,” he reminded her and smiled after he kissed her at the airport, lingering for a minute. “Thank you for a beautiful Thanksgiving.”

“Thank you for everything,” she said, and she left the airport after Mike had gone through security and disappeared.

All she could think about was how much she had to do. Now that the chateau was sold, she wanted to get her things packed up and moved, and Matthieu’s and Axel’s, and turn the page. She was going to be busy every minute of the day while Mike was in New York. Then he’d be back for Christmas and the magic would start again. He had given her back something to live for, which she had thought she would never find again.





Chapter 12


The opening of the pop-up store on the Avenue Montaigne was a huge success, like everything Theo did relating to her business. She had an unfailing eye and instinct. All of fashionable Paris came and crowded into the glamorous space she had created. All dazzling white, it looked like the inside of a giant snowflake. The ice sculptures and bar were fabulous. The press loved it. Lots of movie stars, socialites, and famous people attended.

She made a brief appearance at the party, for the first time in over a year. She felt anxious about it at first, but was pleased to see familiar faces and all of the fashion editors she knew. She wore a soft white cashmere dress from their own line. It draped over her body, showing off her dark hair down her back and tall black suede high-heeled boots to her thighs. She was the chicest woman in the room, and as soon as the photographers realized she was there, they thronged her, and told her how glad they were to see her. Everyone knew what she’d been through, and no one had seen her publicly in fifteen months. She was surprised by how warm their greetings were, and how comforting it was to feel their support.

“Fabulous place, Theo…gorgeous…love the ice sculptures…so nice to see you back, we missed you,” was what she heard from everyone.

She only stayed for half an hour, and then went home and told Mike about it that night.

“The store looks fantastic,” she told him.

“I’m sure you did too. Send me pictures.” He missed her and wished he could have been with her. The party in New York had been beautifully done, but the sparkling white ultra-modern space for the one in Paris was spectacular. And the one that opened in London the next day was just as big a hit and received accolades from the British fashion press. They said she had a magic touch and hadn’t lost it in her long seclusion. Everyone who was anyone in London had been there, including several royals.