Page 138 of My French Love Affair

Right?

Before I can dwell on it, the front door opens, and Leah saunters in,ladenwith shopping bags.

Emma sits up so fast that her sunglasses nearly fall off her face.

"Oh my God," she breathes. "What the hell is all that?"

Leah grins, unbothered by the fact that she looks like she’s just come from a high-end shopping spree in Paris.

"This," she announces, setting the bags down dramatically, "is how you apologise."

"How badly did this man fuck up?" Jas raises an eyebrow.

"Let’s just say that Jacques feltterriblefor being preoccupied on the yacht the other day." She plucks a delicate Dior box from one of the bags and opens it, revealing a stunning silk scarf. "And you know what? I’m not even mad anymore."

Emma practically drools as Leah pulls out more gifts - jewelry, shoes and aninsanehandbag.

"I guess that men apologising with gifts is a Monaco theme now," Jas smirks.

My stomach clenches as Leah turns to me.

"What’s this?” she asks, her eyes narrowing slightly as her lips curve upwards in amusement. “Did you hear back from that F1 driver of yours?*"

"Of course she did,” Emma perks up again. “Did you cave andtext him, Pops?"

I shove a bite of fruit into my mouth to stall, then shake my head.

"Nope."

Leah lifts an impressed brow. "Good. You need to make him work for it. If he really wants to make it up to you, he should take notes from Jacques." She gestures to her ridiculous pile of gifts. "Tell him thatthisis how you apologise."

I force a laugh, nodding. "Right. Exactly."

I don’t look at my phone again.

* * *

By early afternoon, we’re stretched out on sun loungers at one of Monaco’s most exclusive beach clubs, a bottle of rosé chilling in an ice bucket beside us.

The music is soft, the waves are gentle, and the sun is warm against my skin as I flip open my sketchbook, letting my pencil glide over the page.

Emma watches me from behind her oversized sunglasses, twirling a straw between her fingers.

“I still can’t believe you didn’t wear the bikini he bought you.”

I glance down at my swimsuit - a sleek khaki coloured one-piece from my own designs.

"I already told you, I need content for my social media. My followers have gone up loads since I got here. People are loving the Monaco backdrop."

"Oh,please," Emma scoffs. "Any of us could have modelled it for you. You just don’t want to give him the satisfaction."

"That too,” I smirk.

She huffs but drops it, sipping her drink as she returns toscrolling through her phone.

Jas is half-asleep beside us, her straw hat shielding her face, and Leah is relaxing back on a lounger, her headphones in and her eyes closed.

I continue to work away at my designs, the creativity flowing thanks to all of the recent inspiration, when my phone buzzes from beside me.

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