Page 14 of It Happened In Paris

Vivian sighed, chewing her cheek. “That was really kind of you.”

“Happy to help.” Her sweet scent—vanilla, sugar, with a hint of roses—familiar and enchanting, wafted over me, despite the bleached hospital smell. “Are you okay?”

“Fine,” she clipped, with a weak smile she probably hoped covered the truth.

A giggle from Paris diverted my attention to where she pointed at a humorous photo of a camel with lips curled, as if laughing.

She bombarded me with questions: “What is he laughing about? What do camels eat? How do they sleep with humps on their backs?” Her bright, inquisitive eyes made it hard to believe she was ill, but her pale skin and hollowed cheeks hinted at it.

“Paris,ma chère petite fille,that’s too many questions,” Vivian admonished, casting a sheepish grin my way.

“No. Not at all. I’m happy to answer them.” I did, every question as best I could until her thirst for knowledge was satisfied for the moment. Vivian’s face beamed with pride as she moved to the other side of the bed, draping an arm around her little girl as they continued exploring the book.

I eventually sat in the chair nearby, lingering my gaze upon them—which couldn’t be dragged away if my life depended on it—as if I admired a priceless painting in the Louvre Museum of the Mona Lisa with her child. If Leonardo da Vinci had ever painted one. If he had, it would far and away eclipse the single Mona Lisa that drew millions of visitors each year.

Eventually, Paris quieted as exhaustion must have overcome her, and she drifted off to sleep. It seemed to be a good time to pull Vivian aside to talk about her daughter’s condition, but then someone knocked at the door.

“Vivian, can I have a word?” A man said. I presumed the doctor, but couldn’t tell at first what with the curtains drawn around the space.

“Yes.” She stepped behind the curtain to confer, and I peered through a gap, eyeing the man carefully while catching snippets of their conversation.

“We want to run more tests on her—especially on her kidneys—but first we must address her anemia. Unfortunately, her blood type is rare, so only certain compatible donors will work. We’re aiming for a direct transfusion of fresh blood, which is ideal for her situation,” he explained professionally, though I couldn’t miss his unprofessional gaze lingering on her chest.

I didn’t entirely blame him—if the dictionary had to illustrate the epitome of beauty, the image of Vivian would be there, in my opinion. Still, she struck me as someone who neither noticed nor cared about the number of men ogling her as she walked through a room.

“What if you can’t find anyone?” Vivian’s tone betrayed her anxiety.

“Don’t worry. Our staff is already calling known, compatible donors. In the meantime, how about I bring you a cup of coffee and keep you company? Worst case, if we don’t have a donor by morning, we’ll use stored blood.” He ended with a wink, and that was too much for me. Was he the type of doctor to prey on single mothers?

“What blood type does Paris need?” I interjected, parting the curtain and stepping behind Vivian. Startled, the doctor lookedup. I rested my hand on her shoulder as if protecting something that belonged to me.

“Oh, you must be the father. Adrien Bardeaux?” he asked, brow creased while consulting the papers in his hand.

I seethed. “I’m Richard Buchanan, a family friend. And you’re… Dr. Handle,” I replied, reading his name tag and making a mental note to look up his background later. He seemed too young to be here. Definitely too flirty.

Albany might be a decent regional hospital, but I knew exactly how to leverage my influence and money to ensure Paris received the finest care. “I’m AB negative; will that work?”

His eyebrows nearly met his hairline. “Actually, that’s a match—and it’s perfect. We can screen you and get started in a little while.”

“The sooner, the better, wouldn’t you agree?” I nodded firmly with a stern look that wasn’t meant to be friendly. Once he left the room, Vivian turned toward me, and I softened my expression to one of genuine concern for her.

“I can’t believe you’re a match,” she whispered, shaking her head.

“My timing has always been impeccable,” I replied with a wry smile. Oh, the irony—I’d started the day scheduled to meet a match my mother had arranged, and instead, I became the match for a little girl in dire need. I didn’t mind the switch one bit.

“You seem to have a knack for heroism—from that night in Paris, to the van fiasco with the cakes, and now,” she remarked.

“I assure you,onlythe two of you receive my heroic efforts. Now, can you fill me in on the situation.”

She told me everything she knew, which wasn’t much, unfortunately, until the doctors ran more tests. It took everything in me to refrain from cupping her face and kissing her worries away.

“It’s awfully nice of you to be here, and I’ll be sure to thank Chelsea when she’s back for sending you. Seriously, though, you don’t have to stay after donating the blood. I don’t know how long this will take. And I’m sure you’re a very busy man,” she finished and took in a deep breath.

“Hey. I’ll have none of that. I’m here as long as you need me. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll check on the transfusion arrangements,” I assured her, and left the room.

I wandered the hall until I found an empty waiting area. There, I called an old friend in New York—Dr. Noah White, CEO of the prestigious Presbyterian Hospital, one of the top medical institutions in the country. We had a long history, considering my family’s generous donations over the years, including our support for their recent cancer research center expansion, named in my father’s honor. Rex and I had posed for photos alongside Dr. White at the groundbreaking ceremony earlier this year.

Thanks to that conversation, he quickly connected me with Robert Acoste, the CEO of the Albany hospital. I rode the elevator to his top-floor administrative office, and after a brief exchange, we reached an understanding: only the VIP treatment for Paris. My donation to fully fund a new medical research project they’d been eager to launch in the region helped seal the deal.

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