“After I checked us out of the hotel in Paris Margaux caught me leaving the lobby. She was insistent about talking with you again. I told her it wasn’t possible as we were leaving for the airport to drop Tina off and then we’d be heading south. I may have told her we’d be here. I did tell her she needed to follow your suggestions… and until she did she was dangerous to you.”
Ben scowled. He couldn’t really argue with Gabriella as she was likely right about Margaux but he felt a little indignant she’d kept this from him.
Gabriella looked at him nervously. “You know I was only trying to protect you, right? It wasn’t jealousy.”
“I know you look out for me Gabriella but I don’t like secrets. Especially when I’m being kept in the dark about something. That makes me feel… like I’m being manipulated.” He held up his hand to stop Gabriella’s protest. “I know that wasn’t the intent but it’s how I feel. Margaux needed to speak with me, obviously enough to track us all the way down here. I think I should at least hear what she has to say.”
Gabriella didn’t look happy but she nodded.
When the clerk returned Ben caught his attention. “How do I go about contacting my friend? There is nothing on the note to indicate which hotel she is staying in.”
“She is staying with us, monsieur. On your floor. Room 507,” he replied.
Ben smiled at the man. “Ah, excellent. Thank you.” The clerk nodded and moved on as Ben and Gabriella returned to their group and handed out the room keys.
“We have a surprise guest all the way from Paris. Margaux De la Cruz,” he said to them and several faces dropped. Catherine looked nervously at Gabriella. Ben scowled. “Were you all in on the fact that she was trying to contact me?” From their surprised expressions he saw that wasn’t the case. “Margaux tried to speak with me before we left the hotel in Paris and followed us down here so she could talk with me. I’m going to hear her out,” he gave the women a straight look and they nodded if somewhat reluctantly. “Let’s get to our rooms.”
Once more Ben had a beautiful palatial hotel room with a huge bed. He looked at it longingly but his stomach rumbled to tell him it was time for food not sleep. He picked up the phone and dialed room 507 but no one answered. He left a message with the front desk to let Margaux know he had arrived and had called.
There was a knock on the door and when he opened it Gabriella quickly stepped inside and hugged him tightly being careful not to squeeze his wounds.
“I’m so sorry Ben. I never meant to make you feel like you were being handled,” she gushed.
He put his arms around her and basked in the warmth of her embrace. “I know. And I know you were just trying to protect me and I appreciate that.”
Ben’s stomach chose that moment to growl loudly and they both chuckled.
“I think I better feed that monster!” she teased.
“What are our dinner plans?” he asked eagerly drawing a wide smile from the brunette.
“I made reservations for the entire group at a lovely restaurant that serves traditional Provencal cuisine. I think you’ll love it! We should get moving,” she replied.
They collected up the others and walked through the busy streets to the small restaurant in one of the smaller side streets. Gabriella was greeted with a big smile and kisses on both cheeks by an older plump woman who met them at the door. Introductions were made and they were led to their table.
“Do you know everyone in France?” Daniel asked his mother causing her to laugh.
“No, I met Giselle on a business trip to Milan. I came down to Nice to meet another distributor and they brought me to this restaurant. We had an amazing meal and I struck up a conversation with the owner. Giselle and I keep in touch as we are both very driven women.” She smiled at her son.
The meals were delicious and Giselle stayed close to ensure they were satisfied. She spoke with Gabriella for a time and Ben could see there was a shared respect and admiration there.
Once the meal was done everyone had the glow of deep satisfaction though some were also glowing from the good wine so it was time to walk back to the hotel. Ben paid for the meal with a generous tip and gathered his group out on the street. The McGovern ladies were trying to convince Ben to go dancing with them but Catherine saw Ben was too tired and her daughters were a little too tipsy to be on their own safely. She nixed the dancing idea completely insisting they had an early start the next day and maybe there could be dancing tomorrow night.
There was a little grumbling but Ben gave them some hugs and that seemed to lighten their mood. They made it back to the hotel and Ben was flagged down by the front desk clerk as they entered. He was informed that his ‘travelling companion was in the bar’. Gabriella and Catherine gave him worried looks but he held his hand up and said he would be fine and would see them at breakfast in the morning. He gave them kisses and turned to head to the bar when a slightly drunk Sophia stepped in front of him and gave him a wet kiss. He had to pry her from his chest and she giggled on the way to the elevator. Rachel was next and she was equally tipsy and amorous. The woman had quite the active tongue. Megan and Miriam got their kiss on the cheek and he was finally free to head into the bar.
As he stepped into the intimate atmosphere of the cocktail lounge his eyes were immediately drawn to the back of Margaux as she sat at the bar. Even from behind he was struck with her poise and presence. Her thick wavy mahogany hair fell softly down her back and her legs were gracefully crossed. Ben headed in her direction. She was shaking her head at a man who was trying to speak to her. He looked frustrated and said something coarse then went to move away but stumbled to a stop when Ben was in his way. The man’s eyes looked up at Ben’s scowling face and blanched. He said something in a trembling voice and slipped around Ben to scurry away.
Ben moved to the chair next to Margaux and smiled.
“Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine,” he said with his best Bogart impression.
“Oh that was terrible!” Margaux smiled as she turned to him. Ben shrugged his shoulders and gestured to the chair.
“May I sit?” he asked and she nodded.
As he took his seat Ben could have sworn he heard a disappointed groan from behind him but he put that out of his mind.
“I was surprised to find you here. I didn’t know you wanted to speak with me again. Especially considering your state of mind at our last meeting,” he said gently.
Her beautiful lips turned up in a soft smile. “Yes, I shed a few tears at our last encounter. You spoke words of truth that shook me and made me examine my life in a harsh light. I spent the next two days evaluating what I truly considered important to me and what I could and should discard.” The bartender came by and Ben ordered a bottle of still spring water.
“You don’t want something stronger?” Margaux asked once Ben was served.
“I don’t drink anymore. I lost myself in a bottle for too many years after my wife left me,” he said with a frown.
“I know the danger in that as well but I’ve managed to stay in control.” She chuckled to herself. “That is one of my issues. Control. I must always have control. Of my business. Of my life. Of my relationships.” Her beautiful dark brown eyes sought and held his. “You asked me to take ownership of the things that led to the dissolution of my marriage. My need for control, fed by my jealousy, contributed greatly. I didn’t feel safe giving my heart to that man. Even on my wedding day he flirted with the women at the reception.”
Ben listened and heard the pain in her voice. He struggled to keep his hands where they were on the bar holding his glass.
“I believe I learned a great deal about myself in those initial days after we met and in the days that followed. I know my work is very important to me. I have put so much energy into my career and I am very proud of my accomplishments. I love my lifestyle. I have two beautiful homes in the most beautiful cities in the world. I have friends and colleagues to call upon to go out to dinner or see a play. Lovers are not difficult to find should I need to release a little sexual energy.” She smiled at Ben’s blush. “My life is very full. My free time is very limited with the demands of my career. I travel a lot. These things also contributed to the demise of my marriage. Honestly, I made more effort on my career than my marriage as that was safer for my heart. We were not honest with each other. I knew, from the beginning that he would betray me. Then I drove him to do it.”
A tear rolled down her cheek and stopped at Ben’s finger. Her lovely eyes found his again and her bottom lips trembled. “But you can’t betray a heart can you.”
Ben was trembling. She was so damaged and needy. His warning bells were ringing loudly yet he couldn’t move. She pressed her cheek to his fingers then pulled herself away with effort.
“Gabriella warned me that I was dangerous for you. I can see from your eyes that she was right. Your heart is too open and mine is too obsessive.” She dabbed her eyes and gave him a tremulous smile. “I know I have no right to ask this of you but I would like you to consider a proposal of mine. I have very little time to devote to a relationship and with my history I would not subject someone to a full time partnership. That said, my life needs this missing part. I need to love and be loved. I obviously have trust issues. If I could feel secure that my love was completely safe I could open my heart to that person. Someone who could share moments of my life when they could be arranged. They would not be frequent as my life is very full. I would like you to consider being that person. Please don’t say anything now. Just think about it. I must return to Paris in three days. When are you leaving?”
Ben had to clear his throat as his throat had seized with his tension. “In five days.”
“May I see you again before I leave?” she asked.
“Yes, of course.”
“We can have that dinner I promised?” she caught his eyes with hers.
“That sounds nice.” Ben smiled.
She leaned in to kiss his cheek but he turned and their lips met and lingered. She pulled back, her eyes looking deeply into his, and quickly left.
Ben remained at the bar as he needed to wait for certain parts of his anatomy to relax.
Eventually he made his way to his room and got ready for bed.