One Summer in Paris

Even as the thought entered her head, she could imagine Audrey’s jaw dropping.

You said yes? What, are you a doormat or something?

No, she wasn’t a doormat. And she was so mad at herself for even considering saying yes that her anger levels trebled and she hurled the whole burning coal of emotion that had built up inside her in his direction.

“I don’t want to eat lunch with you, David. I don’t want to get back together. This wasn’t some adolescent row. You ended our relationship on our twenty-fifth wedding anniversary, and you did it in public! You left me. You left Sophie. Our daughter.” She dug out all the reasons she had to be angry with him and stuck them right in front of her where she could see them. She almost heard Audrey cheering. “Right now I don’t want you in my life in any shape or form. Go home.” Before she could change her mind and do something she regretted, she walked away from him and back into Mimi’s room.

She’d spent the past six months trying to learn to live a life that didn’t have David in it, and now he was muscling his way in again?

She was furious and also a little afraid because part of her missed him, too, and that made her vulnerable to making bad decisions. They’d been friends for most of her life. You didn’t just turn that off.

Maybe, one day, they’d be friends again but right now she couldn’t even entertain it. She didn’t dare.

She closed the interconnecting door and kept her back to it.

Mimi looked anxious and maybe also a little guilty. “Well?”

Grace felt torn. She adored her grandmother, but why hadn’t she warned her that David was coming or that he’d broken up with Lissa? Still, this wasn’t the place to have that conversation with David standing just the other side of the door.

“How would you like to go to a concert tonight? Mozart.”

“The three of us?”

“Two of us.” Grace let go of the door handle. “You and me. I have two tickets. All you need is a dress.”

“I have a dress. What I don’t have is the energy.” Mimi reached out her hand, and Grace crossed the room in a flash, her anger with David spilling over.

“He shouldn’t have dragged you here, and you shouldn’t have let him.”

“You know me better than that. You know him better, too. I wanted to see you. I wanted to see Paris. And I will enjoy Paris all the more if I rest tonight. I’ll have a little dinner in my room, an early night and then perhaps tomorrow you can show me your apartment. You go to the concert. If you have a spare ticket you could invite David.”

Grace tried to imagine Philippe’s face if she turned up with David. Awkward wouldn’t begin to describe it.

“I’m not inviting David.”

Mimi held her hand tightly. “He was desperate to see you and talk to you.”

“Why didn’t you warn me?”

“Because he asked me not to. He thought if he arrived in Paris, it would be harder for you to say no. You’re upset.” Mimi stroked her hand. “And you’re angry. I’ve never seen you this angry.”

“I don’t like being manipulated. He used you, Mimi. He knew I’d come if you were here.”

“I was the one who insisted on coming. He still loves you, Grace.”

“Are you defending him?”

“No.” Mimi sounded tired. “But I want to make sure you know what you’re doing. Would it hurt to talk to him?”

“I just did. That’s it.” She came here expecting him to end their marriage. The last thing she’d expected was that he’d be trying to save it.

She kissed Mimi. “Do you want to come back and stay in my apartment? I’d love you to meet Audrey. She’s so much fun.”

“Do you have air-conditioning?”

Grace smiled. “No.”

“In that case I’ll stay here. But I’d like to see your apartment tomorrow. And the bookstore. And I’d like to meet Audrey. Perhaps she could do my hair, too.”