If Not For You (44 page)

“From one boat to another, I don’t get it but okay.” I shrugged then took Philippe’s hand and climbed aboard.

“Tandy honey, you’ll understand once we get moving and lunch is served. The best food and the best view await,” John assured me.

John handed each of us a blue plastic card. “These are your passes, they will get us into anything you want to see for the next two days, so don’t lose them. Anything, anywhere with this symbol gets you immediate access.”

“You didn’t have to do this John, but thanks,” Gage said, with a hand shake.

“It’s the least I could do, I owe you two so much. Besides, I want Tandy to have the time of her life. I don’t want you to miss a thing.” John smiled and squeezed my hand.

John was acting strange, he seemed to be paying me a lot more attention than usual. Perhaps he was still suffering with guilt or it was just the Paris thing, love in the air and all that shit. We sat at a table for four near the front where we would get the best view all around. John and Philippe insisted Gage and I face forward so I could see what was coming, they had each done this cruise before, both quite familiar with the highlights the city offered.

“Don’t try to argue with him. I live here. Seen it all more often than not,” Philippe confessed, when I opened my mouth to protest. “And John owns a loft in Lion, so that makes you the virgins this tour is for you.”

Gage and I looked at each other and laughed, the virginal inside joke was a playful secret we were enjoying.

Gage stretched his arm across the back of my chair. I could feel him searching for a lock of hair to play with. A tight tug assured me he had.

“Were you born here?” I asked Philippe.

“No, I was born in Germany.”

The table went silent for a moment. “With the name Duprey, I’m not feeling the whole German thing,” Gage laughed.

“Long story short,” Philippe took a sip of water then continued, “my parents are world travelers, too much money, spoiled rich lifestyle, yada, yada, yada. I was born during a stop in Frankfort. My Mom is Italian, my Dad is French. They’re in China now so I don’t see them often. Paris is my home since there really isn’t a family one.”

“And the legacy lives on,” John said, entwining his fingers with Philippe’s giving him an endearing smile. “Sailing the seven seas like his parents, my Mr. World Traveler.”

The boat started to drift off from the bank and music played as servers began taking orders. We left the choosing to Philippe, he knew the cuisine well, the chef being a friend. He ordered Shallot tart with onion marmalade to start, a la bordelaise beef with anise flavored carrots for the main and an assortment of cheeses and iced yoghurt soufflé with mango for dessert.

Our main was served and our wine glasses topped just as a tour guide announced, that to our right, we could see the museum of sewers of Paris and we all laughed at the thought.

By the time dessert had been served an hour had passed and we had gotten a glimpse of some of the more popular tourist attractions. Among the most popular; Orsay Museum, Louvre Museum, Notre Dame Cathedral, we shared great conversation and a few laughs with the boys.

Once lunch was over and the boat tour had ended, we decided to part company. The boys were heading off to Philippe’s home nearby, he gave us the address should we feel lacking for something to do, like that would happen. Gage and I were off to the Louvre to visit with Mona Lisa.

The Louvre Museum was huge, so much larger than depicted in photos and the many movies I had seen it in. Old and regal, like a palace, it was bustling with people. Tour groups galore swarmed the grounds outside where a huge glass pyramid sat as an utter contrast to the aged building. Walking through the entrance it didn’t get any quieter, the interior buzzed like a hive of bees with all the chatter echoing in the great halls. I had always thought of these places being quiet like a library where people sat and contemplated the masterpieces, lost in thought and time, I couldn’t have been more wrong.

Deciding it much easier we joined the Masterpiece tour, 1 ½ hours to see all the touristy paintings famous the world over. But first Gage dragged me away to see the Venus de Milo.

“A woman with no arms,” I laughed, “I never understood the attraction.”

He shook his head. “No she’s so much more, the goddess of love and beauty, born from the sea. Sensual, sexy, realistic.”

“She doesn’t look very happy.”

“A timeless beauty,” he said, leaning closer he whispered, “like you.”

I could feel a flush heat my cheeks and shouldered him away. He graced me with that great dimpled smile, took me by the hand and directed me on.

There were many statues, some looking like they would crumble if you sneezed and some strong and solid, downright sexy, these masters knew what sensual meant. Mostly nudes, I wondered when fashion came into play and when modesty came to light and people started covering up. Crazy thoughts, but I was surrounded by nudity after all.

“I want to show you one more before the tour starts,” he said, directing me through an archway into another of many huge rooms.

“This is Cupid and Phyche.”

“Wow, it’s beautiful.”

“I don’t recall exactly how the story goes, but as I remember, Phyche is Cupid’s bride but she’s never seen him so she has to spy on him when he sleeps. He tells her ‘Love cannot live without trust’ and then takes off and Venus forces her to do superhuman things. Phyche falls into a deep sleep and in the end Cupid’s kiss is the only thing that can wake her.”

“Romantic. You have a romantic soul, Gage Carter.”

“Reading material when there’s nothing else and I like art,” he said, trying hard to rough up that shining image I was seeing, a more polished refinement he had hidden just under the surface.

“Of course, that has to be it,” I teased.

“On with the tour.” Gage pressed, trying to conceal his embarrassment.

It was amazing standing in real life, right here, right now gazing at works of art I had only seen in books. The wedding Feast of Cana, The Coronation of Napoleon, Odalisque, they were all so beautiful. Larger than life, I was in awe.

When I stood before the Mona Lisa, I was lost in time. Far smaller a piece than I had conjured up in my mind, for some reason I presumed it would be huge, a mammoth monument of Leonardo Da Vinci’s’ work. A shame that time had treated her so cruelly, as I heard it had once been bright and colorful with rich yellows and blues that were now dulled.

Time has a way of being cruel to all things
, I thought.

“What are you thinking?” Gage asked, seeing something in my stare.

I drew in a breath and sighed, “I’m just happy to be here. This is a dream come true for me.”

“I wasn’t aware that Mona Lisa held such strong feelings for you.”

“Not just Mona Lisa,” I held out my hands, “all of this, everything and every single moment. You. Paris. John and Philippe, it all means more than you’ll ever know.”

I choked back a tear. “The first day I stood on board that ship, I had it all planned out. I was going to see the world on my own terms, me, myself and I. Then came you.”

Gage turned me into his arms. “You make it sound like not such a good thing.”

“Good, very good,” I assured him with a stroke of my hand across his cheek. “If not for you, I’d still be living my drab, dreary life. I’d simply exist each day and nothing more. I couldn’t see a tomorrow, certainly not a day after or a day after that. Now I actually look forward to what might come, because of you.”

Gage’s jaw tightened as did his hold around my waist. “Because of you, sweetheart, I have a reason to get up each day. We have today and tomorrow and every other day after that to look forward to. I’m not leaving your side for a minute; you’re my future, only you.”

“For now.”

“Always.”

Shaking his head, I watched as he struggled with his thoughts. “What’s wrong, Gage? What aren’t you telling me?

“Let’s get outta here,” he said, dragging me along. “I need to tell you something, important.”

Fuck, what now?

***

Time flashed. It bordered on bizarre the way I was suddenly in an entirely different scene and I couldn’t remember getting there. Was this due to the tumor, or was it just my way of dealing when an inevitable talk was approaching?

We were seated at a table for two at a little bistro just off the beaten path, when a throat cleared asking something in French. Or at least it sounded like a question.

“Vous préférez blanc ou rouge vin?” The tall skinny server leaned forward, waiting for a reply.

“I’m sorry?”

“Red or white wine, sweetheart,” Gage translated.

“Uh, rouge thank you.”

The waiter tipped his head and scurried off.

“Tandy are you okay? You haven’t said a word since we left the museum. Not feeling ill are you?” Gage asked, taking my hand in his, stroking his thumb over my knuckles.

“My nerves aren’t faring well. What do you need to tell me? Can we just get this over with?”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to stress you out, that’s the last thing I wanted to do.”

My heart skipped a beat, bile rose from my stomach and I wanted to throw up. “You don’t do sorry, what’s going on?”

“I quit my job,” Gage shrugged, with a grin.

“You quit, why, when?”

“Just before we left the ship.”

“That was the call?” I asked, remembering Gage’s face when he joined us, saying he’d tell me later but I’d forgotten.

“That was the call. There’s a lot more to it though.”

“More,” I said, there was always more and if I knew my father, he was pissed.

Our wine arrived along with croissants and a plate of cheeses and fruit. Evidently I missed Gage ordering us a snack in my fog.

Tossing back the contents of his glass and refilling it from the bottle the server left on our table he continued, “Your father knows all about us…in great detail.”

Wide eyed, I blinked and closed my gaping mouth, reached for my glass and guzzled the entire thing. “Fill it up,” I ordered, watching as the liquid neared the rim.

“I can’t believe you told him, what would possess you?” I began, but Gage cut me off.

“No, no baby. I didn’t tell him anything, swear to God!” He crossed his hand over his chest.

“Then how?”

“He’s had a man on us for while…I think that was your stalker, all those times you thought you were being watched? You were. We were.”

“Holy fuck!” I burst out, a bit louder than planned, drawing some attention from fellow patrons and nodding my apologies.

“That’s not all.”

“It never is,” I said, closing my eyes and placing my hands over my face. I peeked up through my fingers to see Gage’s scrunched brow and an I’m-sorry-as-fuck look on his face.

“Whaaat?”

“He has pictures.”

“Pictures, what do you mean pictures?” There was a nauseating feeling welling up in the bottom of my gut, the one that said this ain’t gonna be pretty!

“Well.” His hesitation was like a silent scream in the dark, blood curdling and frightening as fuck. “Remember the night outside the sport center, when we…?”

I pulled in a deep quivering breath and stared at Gage. Then burst into a full belly laugh. His brow furrowed, the look on his face was priceless. Surely he pegged me as going off my rocker. Tears streaked down my cheeks and he handed me a paper napkin, all the while thinking I had totally lost my mind.

Not a word passed his bewildered lips, not a sound, probably not even a breath. Hell, if the roles were reversed, I’d be stunned too.

“I’m not crazy, Gage,” I assured him. “I can just envision his face the minute he saw those pictures. His daughter the virgin that he’s managed to control all her life, all hot and sweaty getting fucked by his best friend’s ex-con son. That’s priceless!”

Gage’s jaw jutted forward. “Well, I won’t say that didn’t sting.”

My hand slapped over my mouth. “I am so, so sorry. I didn’t mean it to come out like that. I don’t judge you, you know that. I’d never in a million years.”

Holding his hands up, he gave me a reassuring smile. “I know, baby. Forget it. It’s the truth, just haven’t heard it before.”

Chuckling and bobbing his head. “It
is
amusing, I would have liked to be a fly on the wall.”

It was good to hear him laugh about it, relieved that he wasn’t going to hold what I had stupidly said against me. “Me too.”

“I wonder?”

“Yeah.”

“If he’d give me copies?” he pondered, boldly sending us into stitches. We laughed until we couldn’t anymore.

“What did he say when you quit?”

“Actually he fired me before I had a chance to officially quit. Ho told me to get on the next flight home and he would have one of his men take care of you. I guess I kinda freaked and told him no one was going to get past me to get to you and he could go fuck himself. He didn’t take that well.”

“You think?” I said sarcastically.

“I told him I love you and that you loved me. That we were committed to each other and nothing he did would change that. Now he’s holding my father’s inheritance over my head, says he’ll see to it that I never see a dime of it.”

“He can’t do that, I’ll talk to one of the lawyers I know.”

“I don’t need it, never did. I’ll get a job, it’ll be fine.”

“When we get home, we’ll get a place. I have money and Henry will help us. That is if you want.”

“I want, yes I want.” Gage moved his chair so he was seated tightly to my side. “Who’s Henry?”

“Henry’s my best friend and body guard, my peanut butter chocolate chunk,” I said, grinning knowing how silly that sounded. “Long story, I’ll explain later.”

I’d call Henry as soon as we got back to the hotel, fill him in on my father’s actions. I’d have him find us a place and move my and Gage’s things before we got back. A fresh start to what I hoped would be a new long life with Gage.

“Trust me,” I said.

“With all my heart.” He kissed the palm of my hand. “Now eat, we have that appointment to get too soon.”

***