And So It Goes (Stevens Book 10)

Chapter 10

Their trip into the city only took an hour, and they were at the apartment before noon. Claude, who had been security for the building for as long as Agatha could remember, greeted them warmly.

"Miss Aggie, how are you?" Claude was a cheerful-looking man with a thick belly, receding hair, and sparkling green eyes. Agatha had always thought that he must have been very handsome in his prime.

"I'm well, Claude. This is my friend Roark Merrick. He'll be staying with me for a few weeks." Agatha watched the two men shake hands. "How is your family? How is Bette?" Bette, Claude's daughter, was about five years younger than Agatha.

"She's wonderful. Her first baby is due in two months!" Claude was one proud soon-to-be grandfather.

"That is wonderful, Claude. Text one of us her registry list, and we'll get her a few things before the baby comes." If Agatha knew her family, they would get her everything on the list.

"That's so generous of you, Miss Agatha. I'll do that." He nodded with a grin.

His phone rang, so Agatha took the chance to lead Roark to the elevators. The apartment was larger than the average house and took up the top floor of what was an 18th-century private house. The elevator required a code to access the floor, and she made sure that Roark knew it if they decided to do their own thing.

Agatha watched Roark as he walked around the room, admiring the historic parquet floors, wide thick doors, and deep fireplaces. Then she led the way to the balcony that looked down over the city's heart and had a premier view of the Eiffel Tower in the distance.

"This is stunning. How did your family land a place like this?" Roark rested his arms on the railing of the balcony and looked down at the traffic below.

"It's been in my father's family for over one hundred years. Would you like to stay in tonight and cook or go out to eat somewhere?" Agatha asked as she quickly changed the subject. 

"Can we have dinner out here?" he asked, looking at her over his shoulder with a grin.

"Sure, I'll go see what's in the kitchen and ask Claude to get us what we need. Unless you want to go to the market?"

Agatha watched Roark turn and rest his back against the railing and study her for a minute. His look told her all she needed to know about her idea of going to the market.

"No, I don't want to go to the market." He shook his head.

Agatha smiled, feeling a little teasing was in order. She approached him and wrapped her arms around his waist as she looked up at him. "Would you like to play cards?"

"No." He shook his head, watching her as he pushed her thick hair off her shoulders

"Would you like to watch Television? It'll be in French, but we can make up our own dialogue. That's always fun."

"No." He shook his head.

"Read a book?" She bit her lip as she squinted up at him.

"No." His gaze was drawn to her lips.

"Well then, I can't imagine what you would like to do, Roark," Agatha pursed her lips as she pretended to think hard. "We could play Charades!"

"Fine, we'll play charades," he agreed, and he grinned when he saw Agatha's eyes widen in surprise at his answer. She had been hoisted in her own petard.

"I'll go first." Roark set her away from him.

"Fine!" Agatha said, crossing her arms. She couldn't believe they were going to play Charades.