The Beast And His Belle

Chapter 21

They stepped off the elevator into the elaborate restaurant. With the night sky directly out their window and the twinkling city glistening below their feet.
"Wow!" She gasped looking around until she realized that the restaurant was completely empty.
"Did you close down the entire restaurant for tonight?" she questioned and he just silently smirked.
"Jack!" Before he could answer her, a tall grayish-white-haired man approached wearing the white chef's jacket and a tall toque chef's hat.
"Bonsoir, Monsieur Mason." He addressed Jack properly.
"Bonsoir et merci beaucoup. C'est ma belle femme," Jack replied shaking his hand firmly.
"Belle, I'd like you to meet Alain Passard. Known as the greatest vegetarian chef in the world and also the head chef for the critically acclaimed restaurant L'Arpège. He will be cooking anything you'd like tonight."
"Jack! This is all too much," Belle whispered blushing being the center point of tonight.
"No it's really not," he shook his head smiling, and took her hand in his and kissed it. "In the land of duck confit, beef ragout and coq au vin, being a vegetarian can be daunting and I want you to be able to have the best experience in Paris; on all levels including food."

Jackson gestured her to follow the chef to the buffet table where millions of options overwhelmed her eyes. Endless varieties of tarts and quiches filled the table. From a tomato tart, spinach and mushroom tart, blue cheese and caramelized onion tart to a zucchini and parmesan quiche, gruyère cheese and leak quiche. There was a savory crepe station, tapenade with freshly baked baguettes, french onion soup, cheese soufflé, potato gratin, and of course, her favorite ratatouille.
They sat down at a candlelit cloth table with their plates towering with options of food and both dove into the deliciousness.
"Mmmm, I have died and gone to heaven!" Belle moaned savoring every bite.
"You're going to have to pinch me when it's time to go back home to reality because I think I've been dreaming this whole time!" she giggled at her own exclaim.
Before long their plates were empty and taken away by the wait staff before another two-tiered rolling cart came towards the table filled with an array of desserts.
"Holy moly! I don't think I could eat another bite!"
Once the cart stopped in front of them and she took a look, instantly her mind changed. Every classic French dessert known to man was displayed for their taking; mille-feuille pastry, eclairs, apple tarte tatin, cherry clafoutis, macarons, babas au rhum cakes, crème au caramel custard, opera cake, crème brûlée, and chocolate mousse.
"Ok, now I've surely died and gone to heaven!" Jackson laughed at her remarks and watched her indulge and moan in delight at every spoonful of sweetness. She glanced around at the emptiness of the room and remembered Jackson mentioned they were staying here tonight. She couldn't understand how that was possible being it the greatest French tourist attraction. Was he planning on taking out blankets and pillows and camping out on the floor? Was that even allowed, she questioned and realized practically anything was allowed for Jackson Mason who just landed a private helicopter on the garden grounds of The Jardins du Trocadéro.
"How is it possible we are staying here tonight, Jack?" she asked completely perplexed and he just smirked.
"No more secrets, please tell me!" she begged.
"Alright, Miss bookworm. Let's play a game. Since it seems you know a lot about Paris already and not having been here until now; let's test your knowledge, shall we?"
"Alright, Mr. Mason. Give it your best shot," she replied wickedly with a grin.
"Tell me everything you know about this beauty right here, the Eiffel Tower."
"Hmm," she pondered what she knew from her books. "Well, let's see...it's one of the world's most recognizable landmarks, also known as La dame de fer; French for Iron Lady."
Belle thought some more about the history of the famous monument. "It was designed for the 1889 World's Fair in Paris to celebrate the centennial of the French Revolution. And, since it was only built for show, it was planned to be torn down after twenty years but eventually, the government decided not to."
"Very good," Jackson applauded but his tone of voice made her think there was something else she missed and he wanted her to keep going.
"OH!" she remembered another fact that many people may not know, including Jackson.
"Even though Gustave Eiffel grew famous earning the credit for the Tower, it was actually two men who worked for his company, Maurice Koechlin and Emile Nouguier who drew the original design and entered it into the contest for the fair!"
"I'm impressed, Mrs. Mason, you're right about everything, except you forgot a little hidden detail."
"What's that?" she questioned.
"When Gustave Eiffel designed his La dame de fer, he included a private apartment for himself at the top."
"Really?" she said surprised having not known that secret detail.
"I guess there's one book in this world you haven't read yet; La Tour Eiffel de Trois Cent Métres by Henri Girard that explains Parisians would offer up a fortune to rent his private space for a single night, but Eiffel always refused. He would only occasionally entertain guests of the highest importance, Thomas Edison being one."
"Wow! That's fascinating! Wait," it dawned on her why he had played this little game of facts and kept his plans so secretive. "Are-are we staying in that apartment!" she gasped in question and his face beamed with a laughing smile.
"My surprise wouldn't be very good if we were to sleep on the restaurant floor, now would it?"
"Jack! Oh my god! Seriously, all this must've cost a fortune!"
"Are you done?" He asked addressing the desserts in front of them and she nodded. "Come with me," he reached across the table and took her hand.
"Where to now? There can't be even more!"
"Just one more thing," he said smiling leading them to the elevators. "You haven't been to the very top yet."