Maison Plaisir (Spirit World 1)

“That fancy place? Don’t you need a reservation for months before or something?”

“I know somebody I could bribe.”

Her smile widened. “I’m actually in the mood for low-brow stuff.”

“Oh?”

“Foot-long hotdog with sauerkraut at Jimmy’s.”

“Then hotdogs it is.”

“I’m a cheap date, aren’t I?”

Hervé laughed. He didn’t expect to see the humorous side of her. Or her humility. Isabelle Beaumont intrigued him more by the minute. The hell he would surrender his claim to Armand.

Not this time.

Belle ate her hotdog with gusto. It was loaded with ketchup, mayo, relish, and tons of sauerkraut—it almost overfilled the bun. She put layers of napkins on her lap to catch any dripping from her fingers. She didn’t want to make a mess in Hervé’s expensive car.

Jimmy’s Hotdog Heaven was rather deserted from the rain. They parked a few feet from the shoddy roadside stand. The hotdog was her main diet when she left home because it was the only thing she could afford. Her mother had cut her off from her allowance as a way of controlling her. But her mother had never guessed Belle was determined to never come back. Luckily, Belle had a little savings that allowed her to rent a cheap apartment for a few months until she got everything sorted out. She dropped out from the private institute she’d attended with her sisters, and traded it with night school so she could work full-time during the day. Usually, right after class, she stopped at Jimmy’s to eat her dinner, breakfast, and sometimes lunch combined. She saved a great deal of money that way.

Hervé ate his hotdog without being finicky. Belle was surprised he would actually eat such peasant food. A guy like him must be accustomed to eating only the best of the best from gold-trimmed china and drinking a bottle of wine that cost a week’s wage for ordinary people. Belle hoped the hotdog wouldn’t give him a stomach upset afterwards.

“How was it?” she asked Hervé.

“Interesting.” Hervé chewed his food with a serious face. “I’ve never thought the saltiness of the meat complimented the sourness of the fermented cabbage nicely.”

At least he didn’t try to lie. Belle appreciated his honesty. “Have you eaten this before?”

“I can’t recall. I might have, but I can’t be sure. Is this your favourite food?”

“You can say that.”

“What else do you like?”

“What I like? Food? Oh, I’m easy. I eat everything—well, except spicy stuff that burns my mouth.”

“I see that. What do you do in your spare time?”

“Work or studying. I’m boring, aren’t I?”

Hervé set down his half-eaten dog and regarded her thoughtfully. “You just don’t find time to indulge yourself. You’ve been working very hard since you were young.”

“Starvation is a great motivator,” Belle joked, but Hervé didn’t laugh with her. Instead, he stared at her with great concern.

“You didn’t deserve such hardship,” Hervé muttered, wiping his hands with his napkins. “I feel like I didn’t treat you well tonight. How about dinner, tomorrow? Same time?”

“You mean, like another date?”

“Yes.”

“Oh.”

“I’m taken with you, Belle. I’d be honoured if you allow me a chance to get to know you better…”

Belle pondered. “Wouldn’t it better if I paid you your price and left it at that? A night of pleasure, just like I paid Armand?”

“I didn’t volunteer as my cousin’s replacement because I wanted to sleep with you.”