The Finer Things (A Vincent De Gramont Story)

Too Many Questions - Part 3

He looked at her strangely while he chewed his steak slowly. Ines had expected him to eat something more classy than steak fries but he ate pleased.

"I guess I like it?" He answered a bit dismissively and looked out at rainy Paris. It wasn't the best side of Paris Ines got to see. She had just asked him about his habit of being barefoot and smirked a little. Vincent was dressed in a gray three piece suit but had taken off his jacket and let a servant hold it while he was eating. The servant didn't look so pleased that he was forced to be a human clothes hanger.

"You look embarrassed by the question," she said teasingly and leaned forward on her elbows.

"No elbows on the table," he said bluntly without looking at her. Ines leaned back so Vincent could see the dusty purple midi dress she wore. The chiffon was light and floated around her legs.

"Come on, why?" She said when the embarrassment from her bad manners had been forgotten.

Vincent sighed and took a sip of his wine. He looked uncomfortable but gave her a long look.

"My uncle had this... Big castle with soft rugs in every room. I was there a lot as a kid and I guess I just liked feeling the soft materials against my feet..." he said while wiping the corner of his mouth with the napkin he had laid out in his lap. Ines had laid hers the same way, it felt like it was expected. She smiled at his story. Little Vincent must have been cute with his big eyes. A little dolly.

"But a castle? That's insane! Did you also live in a castle?"

He still didn't look at her, just cut the steak elegantly.

"No, not a castle."

Ines giggled a little, she could just imagine him living in a mansion that for her would be a castle.

"Your home outside of Paris, is it pretty?"

Now Vincent finally looked up at her but then sighed.

"I like Shangri-La better."

He was silent again while Ines tried to come up with more questions while eating.

"Your parents are dead. Mine too," he suddenly said. It wasn't at all what Ines expected him to say. Even if she had asked him so many questions she wasn't really comfortable with that subject so she didn't say anything. Vincent just continued to eat unbothered and Ines got the feeling he had just said it to make her shut up.

They went home to the hotel with a limo after having eaten up. They still were quiet even if Ines wanted to gush over the luxurious limousine. They went to their respective bedrooms without a word. She felt uncomfortable even if it was her own fault. She could have just continued the conversation, especially when Vincent seemed so comfortable dropping that his parents were dead too. She wondered how he knew but could guess, such a rich man probably looked up every person he was around.

There was a knock on the door when she stood in her underwear hanging up the pretty dress. She covered herself with her hands as a reflex.

"I'm not dressed!" She said in panic.

"I will not open if you don't give me permission," Vincent said calmly. "I ordered dessert for us... And a bottle of champagne. I wonder if you want to join me to talk about the plan? About the painting?"

Ines felt her heart beat in her chest. It sounded kinda romantic, even if she knew it wasn't his purpose.

"Yeah... Okay? I will... Put something on."

"Do that," he said with an uninterested voice. Ines sighed while she pulled on a pair of old sweats and a hoodie. He wasn't charming, he wasn't interested in her and he didn't want intimacy. She had no reason to dress up for him.