"Daddy, where are we going?" Jacob and I both looked down to where Penny was stood between us, holding both our hands.
"It's a surprise. You'll have to wait and see." He told her. She pouted and pulled my hand.
"Papa, do you know where we're going?" I had to laugh and bent down to look her in the eye.
"I don't know either. Daddy won't tell me. But he said it's a special surprise for our last night in Paris."
"Okay." She sighed and I stood back up, leaning over to kiss Jacob lightly. He'd told me that we were going to have a special dinner on our last night but he'd refused to tell me where despite all my begging.
"Don't worry, you two. You'll love it. I promise." Jacob assured us as the elevator doors slid open. We stepped out into the lobby of our hotel and made our way to the entrance where Jacob hailed a cab. "Pour le restaurant cinquante-huit, s'il vous plaît." He spoke to the cab driver in the French that he'd picked up while working with his colleagues. I had no idea what he'd said.
"Don't you go turning all French on me now." I teased, leaning into his side as the cab took off towards our destination.
"You don't like it, mon amour?"
"I do like it. As long as it's only sometimes. I love you as you are."
"Et je t'aime ma douce." I laughed and shook my head.
"Papa, what is daddy saying?" Penny asked.
"He's saying that he loves us."
"No, he's not. He's saying funny words."
"He's talking in French, sweetie. It's the language that the people who live here talk with." She nodded but I could practically see the wheels turning in her head as she tried to figure something out. Beside me, Jacob suppressed a laugh and gave my hand a knowing squeeze.
"Papa?"
"Hm?" I looked over at her when she tugged on my sleeve again.
"What's language?" She stumbled a bit over the big word but I smiled kindly at her.
"It's what words people use to talk. Like we talk with some words while other people use different ones."
"Oh. So daddy knows how to use two different words?"
"Only a little bit," Jacob spoke up, leaning forward to see her. "I only know a few words from here."
"Can you teach me, daddy?"
"Maybe a little bit. We'll see. But not now. We're here." While we'd been talking, I hadn't really noticed where we'd been going but I looked out now to find we were at the base of the Eiffel Tower.
"What are we doing here? I thought we were going to dinner." I was confused. Jacob just grinned and opened the door.
"We are. Up there." He climbed out and turned back to offer me his hand. I took it as I climbed out, bringing Penny with me.
"I completely forgot there are restaurants up there." I looked up in awe as Jacob paid the driver.
"Merci, monsieur."
"Papa, are we going up there again?" Penny pointed up the tower and I nodded.
"We are. Daddy's taking us to a fancy restaurant up there." Jacob stepped closer to hug both of us then, pressing his lips to Penny's forehead before kissing me gently.
"Anything for my two most favourite people in the world." He promised. I grinned at him as he took my hand, leading me towards the entrance. Penny was staring upwards from her spot on my hip, her arms around my neck. It was going to be the perfect way to end our trip.
--------------------
We woke up ridiculously early the next day to catch our nine-thirty flight back home, much to Penny's disappointment.
"But I wanna stay here, daddy." I heard her whining to Jacob as I finished packing my bag. He was out in the main room of our hotel suite with her, making sure we'd collected all our belongings.
"I know, princess. And maybe one day we'll come back. But now we have to go home to see all our friends and family there."
"They could come to see us here," Penny suggested hopefully and I heard Jacob's quiet laugh.
"I don't think so. It costs a lot of money to come here."
"Oh."
"It's okay, baby girl. We'll have plenty more chances to come back here in the future." I assured her, going out into the room. Both she and Jacob looked up at the sound of my voice with a smile.
"You done yet?" Jacob asked me.
"Yep. Finally. I didn't realise just how much space all those souvenirs would take up."
"Mm. You wanted them all."
"I know. But think of the memories they'll bring." He nodded and came over to me, wrapping his arms around my waist and leaning down to kiss me.
"So many beautiful memories." He murmured against my lips. I could have lost myself in the moment if it wasn't for the fact that Penny chose that moment to be a typical six-year-old and tip her entire suitcase out onto the floor in protest to us leaving.
"Penny, why'd you do that?" I scolded. She folded her arms across her chest and shrugged.
"I don't wanna go home."
"You have to. Nana and granddad are picking us up from the airport."
"Don't care."
"Do you want a time-out, young lady?" Jacob asked her, already crossing the room to start re-packing her suitcase.
"No."
"Then stop arguing and help put your things back away, please."
"No."
"Penny, you don't say 'no' to daddy and me," I said. She just pouted at me. "Wipe the frown off your face please."
"Don't wanna go home." She insisted, stamping her foot on the floor. Jacob and I shared a glance before I crossed the room in a few strides to take her arm.
"Right, you're having a time-out, missy. You don't get to stamp your foot and throw a tantrum just 'cause you don't want to do something. Come sit in the corner." I guided her over to the corner, making her sit facing the wall. There were tears in her eyes but I knew they were just crocodile tears and she wasn't really hurt or upset. I watched her for a moment to make sure she was doing as she was told before joining Jacob to help him pack Penny's suitcase.
"She's tired." He whispered to me.
"I know," I whispered back, passing him one of Penny's books. "We all are."
"We can sleep properly when we get home."
"Mm. As much as I've loved it here, I'm looking forward to sleeping in our bed again." I sat back on my heels and yawned. Jacob grinned and leaned closer to kiss me.
"I'm thinking we won't do too much sleeping when we first get home."
"Ooh. I like the sound of that." I grinned and squeezed his hand. "Je t'aime, Jacob."
"Je t'aime, Connor."
A/N: There will be more details about their trip in the coming chapters and a new plot twist is on its way soon too...any ideas what it could be?
