Leaving New York

Chapter 39

Chloe chastised me for not telling she and Gar I'd be out all night. Then I went to bed. When I woke, I pondered my Phillipe feelings. I pulled words up on my phone:

Infatuation-an intense but short-lived passion or admiration for someone or something.

Love-an intense feeling of deep affection. Feelings of a deep romantic or sexual attachment

Romantic- conducive to or characterized by the expression of love.

It was two-thirty p.m.; nobody had bothered me.

I turned my head, looking at the crack of light glaring through the luxurious chocolate brown drapes. I got up, looking at the garden. I'd become used to great luxury, however faded. My room was twenty by twenty-five feet; my bathroom had a tub, a shower, a bidet, a colossal marble pedestal sink with an elaborately carved toilet. I loved my adopted family, even with doing some of the servant stuff. What if I had an opportunity to leave? I know I would never leave Paris.

I dressed then hopped downstairs, finding Gar in the library.

"Hey."

"What's going on, Jack?" He paid bills at the massive secretary. "Did you have a good time at Phillipe's?"

"Yeah."

"So, is he . . . you know?"

"What?"

"A . . ."

"Ask Phillipe."

"We just want you to be happy. Deidre's throwing a benefit at 'Chez Castel' for Yemen refugees tonight—you should come."

"Phillipe and I are supposed to do something."

"Where does he live?"

"Belleville."

"Nice. Belleville is getting hot."

"Yeah, he's a little upset it's changing. Do I have to wear a tux?"

"No, but Chloe's making me. She's wearing her mom's old Chanel party dress—she's been yacking about it all week."

"I haven't been 'yacking' about it." His wife stood in the doorway.

Gar said, "I'm sorry, honey—I should have said, "exclaiming her excitement about it."

"It's divine—I look like a blonde Audrey Hepburn, don't I, hon? You and Phillipe must come."

"I'd love to, but Phillipe seems like he'd be uncomfortable." I was looking forward to hanging out with him alone.

"Phillipe'd fit in anywhere."

"Where is it?"

"Chez Castel."

My phone rang. It was Phillipe.

"Hey Jack, how are you?"

"Good. Did you get some sleep?"

"Yeah. Then I took a long walk to the Botanical Garden."

Chloe whispered, "Ask him if he wants to go to the benefit."

"So, are you going to bring the truck?"

"Yeah. Chloe wants to know if you want to go to a benefit."

"Benefits cost a lot of money."

"Yeah. Hang on." I covered the mouthpiece, "How much are tickets?"