Chapter 29
IMOGEN
That was unexpected.
I was only trying to get him to relax and have fun when I got that ridiculous idea to jump in the fountain. I’d never done anything like that in my life, but I was feeling free, freer than I’d felt in years. I was out of the reach of Brice, my parents were being watched over, and I was meeting this wonderful family. I didn’t care that they were wealthy. It didn’t hurt, but it wasn’t important to me. My grandpa was my favorite person in the world and when he passed away, I was lost, which is probably why I got caught up in someone like Brice. He was the first person to show me a nurturing affection. I had been missing it.
Now I have my very own James Bond, who feels more like having my grandpa back than a bodyguard.
Asher sneezed once, then twice, next to me. I put my hand to my lips to hide the smile trying to break out. His grouchy posture left me to believe he wasn’t used to that kind of thing. Also, I had a feeling the kiss he gave me wasn’t one he was expecting. I was a little afraid to say anything because Asher was pouting like a little boy about being wet and cold.
“Asher look, it’s the Eiffel Tower,” I bounced in my seat. “I never, ever thought I would see it in person and now here I am, and it’s so beautiful.”
“Yes, it’s very nice.” Asher leaned his head back against the seat without looking at it. “You should go see it while were here.
I should go see it? Alone? Oops, maybe I made him mad at me.
I leaned forward to poke my head thought the divider class. Hey Bond? Are we almost to… “Asher, where are we going?”I spun in the seat to ask, but there wouldn’t be an answer from Asher. He was sound asleep.
“Bond, I hope you know where we’re going, because Sleeping Beauty won’t be telling us.”
“The Hawthornes have suites in every one of their hotels worldwide.” Gunner turned the radio he had been listening to down to answer me.
“I like that song. Wasn’t that Frank Sinatra?” I asked, still poking through the open space.
“It was, indeed. How do you know Frank Sinatra?” Gunner asked in surprise.
“My grandpa, he would have me play it for him from my phone when I would visit him in the living facility.” My thoughts drifted “You would have liked him, Bond.”
“Solitaire, if he helped raise you to like Frank Sinatra, then I already like him,” Gunner said, turning the radio back up. “Do you want it on back there?”
I looked over to Asher who was, ever so faintly, snoring. “Yeah, but keep it low, I don’t want to wake him up.”
The rest of the drive I spent admiring the sights. I got my new cellphone out to take pictures of the things I wanted to go back and visit. Poppy had named a few places that I just had to see while I was here. I didn’t want to sightsee alone, but at least I had Gunner. I moved back to the divider.
“Have you ever been to Paris?” I asked, testing to see if he would sound agreeable to sightseeing. “I’m looking forward to visiting this list I have.”
“I’ll go with you anywhere you want to go, but don’t you want to go with your fiancé?” Gunner looked at me in the rearview mirror.
“I don’t think he wants to sightsee. He’s probably seen all these places on my list a million times,” I frowned, then winced when my dry split lip cracked open a bit.
“How will you know for sure if you don’t at least ask,” Gunner smiled at me in the mirror.
“Maybe, I’ll wait to see how busy he is. I know this isn’t a vacation for him like it is for me,” I said, smiling back.
I wonder if Bond knows I’m a fake fiancée?
Chapter 30
AUGUST
Iknew I was being grouchy, and acting like a brat, but I couldn’t stop myself. The kiss kept running across my mind like a movie stuck on repeat. I leaned back against the headrest and closed my eyes, trying to keep her from seeing my frustration. When she asked me about the Eiffel Tower, I’d wanted nothing more than to tell her how much I’d love to take her there, especially at night when it’s lit up. But when I answered, I heard myself being a jerk.
What was I thinking, kissing her like that? She’s not my bride-to-be, or my girlfriend.
By the time I felt in control of my thoughts enough to show her things out the window, without a grimace on my face, I heard her telling Gunner about her grandpa and how she didn’t think I wanted to hang out with her.
Now what do I do?