________

BRYAN

 

The mall where I was designing one of the stores was beyond anything I had ever seen in my life. I was not prepared for the level of opulence that stood in front of me when we arrived on site. The definition of a mall in Paris and the definition of a mall in Eden Pines were two entirely different things. The Paris mall felt like a house of elegance. The mall was 10 stories high and was shaped in a gorgeous octagon, with all glass windows reflecting light from every angle from the outside of the building.  It looked like a huge diamond in the sky; it was breathtaking. I looked at Eva, my mouth nearly on the ground.

 

“Are you kidding me with this? Eva, this is beautiful!”

 

“Isn’t it divine? I have been dying to get here to see what it looks like in person because I have heard so much about it as it was being built. Come on honey, let’s go get started.”

 

We walked into our store, which was about 4000 sq. ft., and as I stood at the front of the store and surveyed the space ideas began to flood my mind. Eva and I brainstormed for about an hour and it was so amazing how we were on the same page. I found her so easy to work with and I was really happy that she was there with me because she was also a lot of fun to be around.

 

Jean-Luc showed up about an hour and a half after we had been there and with what Sebastian told me about him I really expected him to kind of walk in and just take over everything. I heard all kinds of rumors that the French were rude but in the short time I had been in Paris I had not found that to be the case. It had been quite the opposite. Everyone I had met was really kind to me.  Jean-Luc greeted us and I was reminded that I liked him the second I met him the previous day. He and Eva already knew each other, so between the three of us we had a really nice comfortable energy.

 

“So, what have you two been thinking about doing for this incredible space?”  His accent was amazing. It was thick but not so thick that I could not understand what he was saying.

 

Eva patted him on the shoulder.  “Don’t worry, we have a lot of ideas.”  We all spent the rest of the day planning, ordering, and working together to make sure that the project would be completed on time.

 

At the end of the day Jean-Luc pulled me aside and gave me a bit of advice.

 

“Bryan, you know, this position that you have is highly coveted and rare. Doris Blocke does not allow just anyone to work for her, and from what I’ve seen of you today I can tell that you have an extraordinary talent and she knew what she was doing when she chose you. Of course, she always knows what she’s doing, she’s Doris Blocke.”

 

“I haven’t actually met Mrs. Blocke yet but I hope to one day soon.”

 

“She is a very private person but you will probably meet her at the gala. Doris Blocke never misses an extravagant event,” Jean-Luc quipped.

 

My eyes grew wide as saucers. Sebastian had not told me that I was actually going to have a chance to meet his mother in person.

 

“Do you really think she will be here in Paris?”

 

“Chéri, Paris is her favorite city in the world and this mall is rumored to be her favorite project ever.  She would not miss this gala for anything in the world.  In fact, the whole family is scheduled to be here.”

 

“So this gala is going to be a much bigger deal than I realized.”

 

I began to worry about the suits that I had brought with me and it was growing painfully obvious that I did not bring the right type of suit. I would probably have to take Eva up on her offer to buy my suit but I was definitely going to pay her back.

 

Jean-Luc glanced at his watch and then smiled.  “Okay, it is 8:00 and time to call it a night. I will see you back here tomorrow bright and early.  Oh, I didn’t ask you, Bryan, have you ever been to Paris?”

 

“No, this is my first time.”

 

“Then you must take some time to walk around the city tonight. Paris is beautiful.”

 

“I am planning to do just that,” I smiled.

 

Eva was talking to a couple of people in the back of the store and I walked over to her after I grabbed my bag.

 

“Hi, sorry to interrupt, but Jean-Luc said I could call it a night so I am going to go back to the hotel.”

 

Eva said goodbye to the people she was talking to and then turned to me.

 

“Okay, sounds like a plan. Let’s go find a lovely little restaurant and have dinner. Sound good?”

 

I smiled at her.  ”Sounds great.”

 

We wandered around a bit and I know I looked like a complete tourist because I was looking around at every single thing that was happening around me. There was so much to take in.  We stumbled upon a small café which was exactly the type of place I wanted to find in Paris. I had plenty of time left to dine at a fancy restaurant in Paris, but I really wanted to experience what the locals experienced and that café looked exactly like that kind of place.

 

We sat at a table near the window, ordered our food and nibbled on gougères while we waited for our main dish.  Eva looked at me and smiled.

 

“So, how was your first day?”

 

“I loved everything about it.   I cannot believe that I am actually here and I am going to be a part of that gorgeous building.  I feel so fortunate.”

 

“Yes, I have to agree.  It is pretty amazing.”

 

“Hey, Jean-Luc told me that Mrs. Blocke will be here for the gala.  I can’t believe that I am going to actually meet her.  Wait, do you think I’ll get to meet her?”  Panic set in as I realized I had just assumed I would meet the elusive Doris Blocke.  She was a big deal and I don’t know why I thought she would want to take the time to meet little ol’ me.  She was a very busy woman and I was sure there was going to be a line of people waiting to spend time with her.

 

“It really depends on how busy she is.  She likes to socialize with friends she hasn’t seen in a while, but I bet you’ll get to meet her.  She’s human just like you and me so don’t go getting all star struck.”

 

I laughed and playfully swatted her with my napkin.

 

“That’s easy for you to say, you’re related to her.”

 

“I know, but despite her notoriety, Aunt Doris is a really nice, down to earth woman.”

 

“So what is the family connection exactly?”

 

“My mom, Ellen, was one of Aunt Doris’s sisters, so my brother Kipton and I are Sebastian and Tyler’s first cousins.”

 

“I didn’t know you have a brother.”

 

“Yes, well half-brother, and a half-sister Nicole, but that doesn’t matter to me, they are my brother and sister.”

 

“So you have different fathers?”

 

“Yes, and this is how crazy this family is.  Sebastian’s father’s brother, Timothy, is my brother and sister’s father.  He married Aunt Doris’s other sister, Linda.”

 

“No way, so their last name is Blocke also?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Why didn’t you go live with him after your parents died?  I hope I’m not being insensitive.”

 

“Not at all, sweetie.  He’s not so much into having kids around and I liked my aunt and uncle better.  You’ll meet everyone at the gala.  They will all be here.”

 

“Oh wow, a mini family reunion, cool.  Well, I can’t wait to meet Mrs. Blocke. It will definitely be one of the many highlights of this trip.”

 

“Oh, sweetie, we are going to have tons of highlights on this trip. This is the city of love so we definitely have to find someone for you while you’re here. If you’re single, that is. You have to have a Paris fling!”

 

I couldn’t tell her that the last thing I wanted to do was have a fling with someone because I was head over heels for my boss. No one could know that…at least not yet.  I decided to shift the attention over to Eva.

 

“What about you? We need to find someone for you, don’t we? Or are you even single? I guess I never asked you.”

 

“Oh, I’m spoken for sort of I guess.  It’s really new, I just met him last week but he seems pretty amazing so far.”

 

“Oooh, tell me about him.  How did you meet him?”

 

I really did want to know about Eva’s new guy and it also took the attention off of me.

 

“We met at a friend’s party.  He came with a friend of a friend and it was fireworks from the beginning.  He’s really cool and laid back.  I’m much more high strung than he is so he balances me out.”

 

“He’s sounds great, Eva.  What does he do?”

 

“He’s a reporter.”

 

I perked up.  “Oh?  Is it someone I’ve seen on TV?”

 

“Yes, but I don’t want to say who yet.  I don’t want to jinx anything because I hope it goes somewhere.  As much as I love to be here in Paris, I kind of wish this trip had come along months after we’d met.  But we’ll see what happens.”

 

“Well, I hope it all works out for you.  You deserve a good guy, Eva.  I can tell you’re one of the good ones.”

 

She looked at me with sincere appreciation.

 

“Thank you.  That’s the nicest thing anyone has said to me in a long time.”

 

I smiled at her.  “You’re welcome.  You’re pretty cool, Eva.  I’m glad you’re here on this trip.”

 

“Right back at ya, sweetie.  So, any guy have a hold on your heart?”

 

I couldn’t tell her that Sebastian had a vice grip on my heart and that I had no interest in even looking at another man.  No, I had to play coy.

 

“Nah, work is my mate right now.  I am completely focused on my career and I don’t want to screw this up.”

 

“But you are so fabulous, you have to at least have a fling while you’re here.  It is something you will remember for the rest of your life.”

 

“We’ll see.  Maybe after we finish the project.”

 

“By then it will be time to go home!   We have the weekends off, so you know what we’re going to do?”

 

I gave her a small smile.  “I’m almost afraid to ask.”

 

“We’re going clubbing this weekend and I won’t take no for an answer.  It is going to be amazing.  I’ll get some people from work to come with us and we’ll have a great time.”

 

“Okay, that actually sounds like fun.  I can’t wait to check out Paris night life!”

 

We took a car back to the hotel and I was so exhausted from the day I just collapsed into bed.  It had been a great day and I couldn’t wait to get back to work the next day.  We had a good group of people working together in our store and we were all on the same page.  I felt really fortunate that I was hooked up with the team I had especially for my first big project with the company.  Little did I know that the next day everything was about to change.