Page 54 of It Happened In Paris

I knocked. “Time’s up. That’s enough work for today,” I said gently from the doorway of his penthouse home office, holding a stack of fresh clothes in one hand.

“Ah, my beautiful nurse. I’m getting better every day because of you,” he replied with his ever-confident smile. With a playful twitch of his eyebrows, he added, “I even have something for you. It just arrived in today’s mail.”

“For me?” I asked. He slid a black envelope my way. Curious, I entered and set the clothes down. The well-designed room screamed “wealthy CEO,” from the pinstriped wallpaper to the gold accents on his glass desk to the floor-to-ceiling windows showcasing Manhattan. Richard had it all. It was easy in the hospital to think of him as just a regular guy with a lot of money. Here in his penthouse, my idea of “wealthy” had to be redefined.

“What is it?” I traced my name in gold foiled lettering on the front.

“Open it.”

When I did, I gasped at the black card inside. “No. I can’t take this.”

“I have one for Paris, too.”

“She’s six, Richard.”

“Going on seven. I had my first card at eight.”

“I’m drawing a firm line on this one—no.” I tossed the card back on his desk and crossed my arms.

“Okay, maybe we’ll wait until she’s sixteen?—”

“Try twenty-one with proof that she’s responsible with money.” I insisted.

“Fine. But you need to take yours, Vivian.” He slid the envelope back to me. “If anything were to happen to me?—”

“Wait. Why are you always worried something is going to happen to you?”

“I’m worth a fortune. Adrien or someone drugged me back in Paris, God knows why. I had my ex plotting my demise. Who knows what life brings. Sweetheart, most people don’t have the luxury I have to take care of the people around them. I do. And that means you can keep this card in case you ever need it.”

I didn’t budge.

“No limit on the spending. In fact, use it every day. Go wild. Buy whatever you need—or want—to your heart’s desire. I wouldn’t mind if, for once, you buy yourself something,” he grumbled.

“How can I possibly splurge when you’re buying me things all the time? I need nothing else. Well, except maybe the door fixed at my shop that is warped and squeaks and can only lock if held tightly in place.”

“Door? Consider it done.”

“Richard, stop testing me.”

“This isn’t a test Vivian, this is serious. Please, take the card. Hide it away in your purse for a rainy day or emergency, or use it daily. You’re stuck with that card.” He crossed his arms too, trying to hide the wince until his eyes watered.

“Stop. I can tell you’re in pain.”

He exhaled sharply and let his arms drop. “Thanks.”

“And fine. I’ll keep the card for emergencies.”

“That makes me happy. And you know what else makes me happy? We’ve reached week 4. I’m cleared for light duty.” He wiggled his eyebrows.

I chuckled. “You are too much.”

Back at the hospital, after his surgeries, he had begged me to let Paris recover at his place. He couldn’t bear the thought of being away during her four- to six-week recovery if we were miles apart. We talked it over and agreed that his one-level penthouse was better suited for their recuperation than my two-story apartment. Naturally, he hired top-tier nurses, nannies, and tutors for round-the-clock care—worried I might wear myself out trying to care for both of them.

Though I missed my shop, I knew this was the best option for now. Paris absolutely adored the breathtaking views of the New York skyline from every angle of the penthouse, especially from her room, which she lovingly dubbed the treehouse. On our first day, she discovered that Richard had prepared an oasis of a room for her, complete with adorable touches that made me have to give props to his designer.

There were genuine first-class airplane seats turned into a cozy reading nook bordered by faux palm fronds, wallpaper made of maps, and several globes scattered about. Add to that binoculars, stuffed animals, and a small tent in the corner with a duvet depicting the Globegans—she had everything her heart desired. A neon sign reading “Little Explorer” hung above her bed. More gifts soon followed from Miriam, from toys toclothes, though her new riding hat was the item she loved most. She couldn’t stop wearing it all day, chattering about finally taking riding lessons that summer.

As for me, I could have chosen any room, but I stayed with Richard in his so I could watch over him—I simply wanted to be there with him.

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