Tempting Fate

Chapter 5 - More Than Willing?

Lucy remembered Christian's parting words, "Safe journey, Luce, and hurry back to me!" And she recalled how, at the same moment, they had both declared, "I love you." He had sworn to wait for her, she had promised to return to him, and both had vowed to reunite. When her plane arrived in Paris, Lucy proceeded to the suburb of Neuilly and visited with Marie and Franc Lafite, her late Grandpa Edward's war buddies.

Back in London and then at Oxford Lucy and Christian loved being together until the day Lucy entered their dorm room and he reported, "I took the liberty of picking up your mail for you. This one, forwarded from your mother to my grandparents and then to here, is from some 'Jean-Louis Broc' in Rouen. Who is he?"

Lucy attempted to smooth things over, "He was a foreign exchange student at my high school. I haven't seen him since graduation. You can open his letter if you like. I have nothing to hide." 

He scanned it! "Apparently you do, Lucy! It reads, 'Dear Lucy, please accompany me on an archaeological dig in Pompeii to get college credits! My school term ends in late May. I await your reply so I can make arrangements. Please forgive me if I sound presumptuous, but I am desperate to see you again!' That is the end. I do not know what to say, Lucy, and neither do you, because there is nothing you can say!"

Christian vacated the premises for a while. Among Lucy's mail was a black ring box in which he had placed her mailbox key. How ironic! Disappointed and through blinding tears, she threw the velvet cube and some clothes into a duffle and managed to scribble a message that she had gone to spend some time with a friend. But some friend! She only added fuel to Lucy's fire! 

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"Lucy, now that you have broken up with Christian, you will have college men crawling out of the woodwork! Look at your cell phone! An 'Ian Montague' seems to know what happened with Christian, and he left two phone numbers. You really should phone him, Lucy, while you are foot loose and fancy free. What could be the harm? It would help you forget Christian."

"No! I'd never do that to Christian! I don't want to forget him! We just need our own space for a while." Lucy burst out in waterworks, babbling almost incomprehensibly. "I can't hurt him, Candace! He could very well be the one for me in the long run. It's too early to tell."

Lucy calmed down, did some serious thinking, and phoned Christian's grandmother, "Lucy? All settled in? How is school?"

"Marie, Jean-Louis Broc from high school wants to take me to Italy in the summer, for college credits, on an archaeological dig in Pompeii. But Christian read my mail and is upset about it. I have not seen Jean-Louis since graduation. What should I do? I don't want to hurt your grandson even more!" " 

"Of course you will go to Italy! Broaden your horizons, dear. If Christian genuinely cares for you, he will encourage you to go and do what is best for you. He will wait for you and not complain about it."   

But things became so awkward on campus! Lucy was able to avoid Christian, but only until Ian showed up uninvited as she was walking to one of her classes. Christian ran into them on the quad. Perfect timing! Or had Ian planned it that way? Even worse, the two guys both roomed in the same dorm!

What Lucy didn't miss was the precursor of jealousy she had witnessed in Christian regarding Jean-Louis Broc, if her premonitions were accurate. She would give Christian the time and space she thought he needed. She hoped the green-eyed monster would just go away. She was barely surviving without Christian when she crossed paths with him in the hallway of the language building and dropped her bomb.

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"Christian, I'm going to Neuilly to stay with your grandparents. I'm transferring out of Oxford."

"I am sorry to hear that, Luce. I guess you have to get away from Ian somehow." Lucy looked at him with bewilderment. Had he just said away from Ian? What about himself? Christian was so far off the mark! Or was he in denial? It nearly blew her away when he suggested, "Luce, maybe we can do something special together before you leave. I am sorry this hasn't worked out for you. It seemed such a great idea. Maybe our timing is all wrong."

He was calling her Luce again! Seemingly on good terms, he accompanied her to the airport and they kissed farewell at the security check point. Seated near her gate, awaiting her flight, Lucy was engrossed in her writing when a young man sat down beside her, bowing his head to peek at her face. He knelt in front of her and kissed her hand. Ian Montague pulled her to him, enfolding her in his strong arms, and kissing her a long hello. She did not notice an unexpected approach.

The scene definitely did not appear to be perfectly innocent to Christian! He approached Lucy, concerned about her long overdue flight. But it appeared as though the young man on bended knee was proposing marriage to Lucy. Self-conscious and his spirit visibly crushed, realization hit. Christian looked unbelievingly from Lucy to Ian before he turned on his heel and retreated.

Lucy went after him, dragging him by the hand back to Ian, making small talk, "I met Ian on my original flight from New York to London."

"I do not require an explanation, Lucy. I do not own you."

Ian making the first gesture, the two guys politely shook hands and Ian explained, "I gave Lucy my father's Paris modeling agency business card. Small world, isn't it?"

When Christian didn't respond, Lucy answered, "Yes it is, Ian! And, Christian, what are the chances that Ian would be here at the same time and on the same flight to Paris right now?" 

"Yes, a real coincidence!" She had not heard Christian use sarcasm with her before. "And modeling, Lucy? And you, Ian, are you a model?"  

"I was, but it was impossible to work for my father! I am only on my way to see him now because he just had a heart attack."

"I am sorry, Ian, about your dad. Lucy, James and I repeatedly circled the airport waiting for your plane to depart. When it never did, I came to check on you. But I see you are already in capable hands!" Christian disappeared as quickly as he had materialized.

Lucy was in tears and Ian was more than willing to comfort her. He helped her to her feet and held her body tightly to him, kissing her lips endlessly. When her chest stopped heaving, he helped her sit down. He sat beside her, with his arm around her shoulders. Pulling her close, he whispered sweet nothings in her ear and continued his hold upon her, even after she became perfectly calm. He offered to put Lucy up at his father's Paris apartment while Monsieur Montague was away.