Chapter Ten
1135 Words
He turned to look at me and kept his gaze on me a little too long before he realised and turned his attention back to the road. I couldn't discern anything from his face. He looked more confused than anything else. "Where did that come from?"
"I don't know. Just sort of came to me in the shower this morning." I shrugged my shoulders, not that he saw me. Him not answering me put me on edge, but logically I couldn't work out why. I waited and waited but he didn't say a word. Then, out of nowhere, he pulled up at a service station. As he climbed out of the car and walked out of view, I was sure I had blown it. Maybe I shouldn't have just blurted it out the way I did.
He made me jump as he opened my door and held his hand out to me. I unfastened my seat belt on the second attempt. It was like my fingers didn't want to work. As soon as I was standing, he grabbed hold of me and spun me around like a complete lunatic. "I didn't think it was possible for you to make me any happier this week than I already was."
"Is that a yes, then?"
"It's a what are we waiting for? Are you sure you are ready? Isabella put you through a lot."
"I'm sure. I want her to have a sibling who is close in age. For her to have what you and Aurora have."
"Arguments and bitching?"
"Loyalty and support. We both know you love Aurora and would do anything for her, so don't pretend that's not the case."
"Yes, I love her even though she's a pain in the arse." He planted the most loving sweet kiss on my lips and finally put me back on the roadside.
"I just don't want her growing up like me."
"Well, that won't happen anyway, baby or no baby. You're not your mother. She has more family than she will ever know what to do with." I knew he was right, but those memories would take a long time to forget. It was like I had been conditioned into believing that families were all like mine in the long run.
I got back in the car feeling much more relaxed, knowing not only that I had gotten it off my chest, but also that we were on the same page. "We probably need to think about getting a nanny or something though."
"Is that really necessary?"
"You are going to be running two businesses. Is juggling two babies an option?"
"I don't think Mamma would be very happy about it. Let's see how we manage with Isabella when the businesses get up and going. In the short term, I will only be overseeing other people. I'm sure I can juggle Isabella and everything else for the moment at least. Once everything is up and running, I will only be working out and about once or twice a week. Especially if Em manages the restaurant. Most of my work is bookings and advertising, all of which I can do from home and when Isabella's in bed if necessary."
"At least think about it."
"I will. It feels like all I ever do is think." We chatted about completely random stuff all the way to Paris. Just general conversation about politics or a few times the history of France came up. Which I had to admit I knew nothing about. It wasted the hours away and made the dual carriageway seem less boring.
We pulled up outside a set of double green doors that looked more like a garage than a hotel. "Where are we?"
"We're staying right here."
"Where?"
"It's an apartment, right there." He pointed at the green doors and I was ready to kill him. If he had booked us a complete dive just because it had a kitchen, then the marriage would be over before the honeymoon was. For the time being, I tried to hold my judgement. It wasn't like I demanded the best of everything, but I at least expected it not to look like some sort of hostel.
I was pleasantly surprised as Luca opened the front door. It really proved that I shouldn't judge a book by it's cover. It was quite an old building and had retained a lot of its original features. All the walls were painted white and it had hard wood floors throughout. The furniture was all a little bit mixed, but it gave it a charming feeling. I walked through and counted three bedrooms. "Are so many bedrooms really necessary?"
"Well, actually, we will be having an overnight guest tonight."
"Who?"
"Julia. I will explain later on, but it all makes sense, I promise." Given that I had been wrong about the apartment, I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. I was over the moon to find a washer dryer in the kitchen. Suddenly realising how pathetic I had become to be excited about seeing a washing machine. As soon as Luca brought the suitcases out I grabbed Isabella's dirty clothes and chucked them straight in the washing machine. I had packed plenty, but she went through clothes at such a fast rate, I wasn't convinced we had enough.
It was great to have some more space than you got in a simple hotel room. I was in the middle of washing baby bottles when Luca appeared in the doorway. "When you finish that, can we head off?"
"Yeah, sorry. Thought it was a good time to take advantage of having actual amenities." It was only a short walk to the metro station and I loved that it had an escalator. I wondered if all metros had one or if most of them were all steps, like most underground stations in London. Luca seemed to know his way around quite well and I had to put zero effort in to get us on the right train. Luca hadn't mentioned where we were going, but I already knew we were heading to see Timothée. Luca wouldn't be able to resist seeing them straight away and, after everything that had happened since we last saw them, they would be just as desperate to see him.
I had rung Julia when Luca had been stabbed and I knew he had checked in with them when he had come around from the coma. Needless to say, they had been beside themselves. Timothée had been adamant he would make the journey to see him, but Luca had promised it wasn't necessary. I still felt a little bit like I was on the outside looking in though. They were a unit and I didn't quite fit into it.
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