Page 88 of Love Like This

“Here’s your mama.”

“My car doesn’t smell like flowers,” she said forcefully. “That’sa baked cookie air freshener, and he knows it. He’s just trying to make troublebecause he’s old and bored.”

“Doesn’t smell like any cookies you’ve ever made before,” sheheard him say in the background.

“Would you be quiet? I’m talking to our daughter. Hush now.”

“Fine. I’ll just work my puzzle and let you two gab away.”

“Praise Jesus at last.”

Spencer sat there and let the two of them bicker as they alwaysdid, no longer freaked out by their reunion, but rather, enjoying it very much.So much of life was about perception. Simply in changing hers, Spencer saw somuch of the world differently, including her parents and their relationship.They reallyweremeant to be together. She was lighter with this new outlook, happier, and readyto explore the world with new eyes.

Waiting in line to board her flight, she stared across theconcourse at a similar line of people at the gate diagonal from hers. They wereheaded to Paris, just like she had been, weeks prior, when everything in herhad been so focused on the wrong things. She smiled at them, mentally wishedthem well on their journey ahead, and handed her boarding pass to the gateagent. She was LA bound and couldn’t be more excited.

* * *

As Hadley waited patiently in line for a cab, she took a deepinhale. That was Paris air in her lungs. Did she mention she was in Paris?Because she was. This was Paris. With her in it. Hadley Cooper in Paris! Notcaring who noticed, she twirled a few times as she stood in line because shefelt like it. “I’m in Paris,” she said, by way of explanation, to the man infront of her. The best part of all of this was not Paris, however. It was thatshe was on her way to see Spencer, who she missed more than she could wrap hermind around, and who she hoped would be happy to see her. That trumpedeverything, even the monumental day when she met her favorite city in person.

She got to try out her rudimentary French in the cab as she askedto be taken to the address she had for Spencer. Luckily, the driver also spokeEnglish, which helped their navigation and small talk. She was small talkingwith French people! This was big!

“I am Victor,” he said, as they drove.

“Oh, nice to meet you. Hadley Cooper. I’m from the United States.Los Angeles.”

“Hollywood!”

“Yes,” she said. “Lots of movies made there.”

“You like my city?” he asked.

“I love it! It’s every bit as beautiful and as busy as I wasexpecting. Fast paced.”

“Yes, very, very busy. You need a bicycle.”

“I can see that!” She marveled at how many people chose biking astheir method of transportation. Definitely energy efficient. She’d be lookinginto that.

“You like bread?” he asked.

A little random, but Hadley went with it. “Yes, I love bread!”

“Right there,” he said, pointing out a quaint little bakery asthey drove past. “Best bread in Paris. Warm croissants with chocolate.”

Hadley’s mouth watered because croissants were her weakness inlife. She started to thank him for the spot-on recommendation, but stopped. Asthey turned the corner, there it was. The symbol of the city she’d dreamt aboutsince she was a child, the Eiffel Tower itself! She couldn’t quite believe thiswas real. She glanced down at her lap to the Eiffel Tower journal Taylor hadgiven her, then back up at the real thing right in front of her, looming largeand beautiful. The best welcome she could imagine.

“Come back for a photo with your love, yes?”

Her heart grew. “I will definitely be getting a photo,” she toldhim. “At least, I hope.”

“And here we go,” Victor said. “That one. There.”

She stared up at the tall structure. Spencer’s apartment building,it turned out, was right in the heart of everything, which had to be soexciting for her. She could walk to the outdoor market, the florist, and evento the tower itself. Bertrand was treating Spencer right.

“Au revoir,Victor.” Hadley handed him the fare with a smile. “Thank you for therecommendations.”

“Anytime, my sweet. Enjoy my city.Au revoir.”

Hadley watched the cab drive away, then turned to the building infront of her. Her nerves flew into overdrive at what these next few minutesmight bring. Nope. No time to entertain her worst fear, that Spencer would tellher that they were probably best as they were and to go home. Maybe she’d evenmet someone in Paris, which was entirely possible. Someone exotic and sexy andway more sophisticated than Hadley could ever be. Sigh. Why did she have to gothere? Hadley gave her head a shake to rid it of the awful idea, though itwasn’t the first time it had occurred to her. It was possible she’d waited too long,but there was no turning back now. She’d come here for one reason, and onereason only, and she planned to follow through. All she could do was speak fromher heart and hope that Spencer’s offer still stood. She made her way into thebuilding and located the door on the second floor that belonged to Spencer.Here goes nothing. Sheknocked. And waited. And knocked again. It seemed no one was home. She’dconsidered calling first, but somehow the idea of just showing up felt likepart of the grand gesture she’d imagined.

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