Chapter 19
Kate
Kate looked at Grant with worry. He seemed upset in the watch showroom.
She hadn’t looked that deep into his family background, only enough to find where he was so she could make contact with him. She could see how it was a lot of money to spend on a watch, but it was about as much as a nice car. He was adopted, after all, so his family must have been somewhat well off to adopt a child. She wondered maybe if it was his PTSD. He hadn’t gotten enough sleep on the flight, she decided.
“We’ll check in, go for a walk, then rest before dinner,” she told him. “I have reservations at six. It’s a bit early, but with the flight, it will probably be best. It usually takes three hours to sit through the dinner.”
“Three hours?” Grant said. He looked at her, wide-eyed. “Why is it three hours?”
She laughed and said, “It’s part of the experience. You’ll see. It’s fun!”
They arrived in front of the hotel. It was in a beautiful old historic building. The bellhop came out to take their bags.
“Merci beaucoup,” Kate said with a smile.
Grant tagged along after her as she walked through the sumptuous lobby. Kate luxuriated in the interior design. The marble floors, the hand-painted wallpaper in a subtle pattern, and the custom crystal chandeliers all gave the impression of elegance and comfortable luxury. She breathed in the faintly perfumed air and pointed to the grand staircase that led up to a mezzanine.
“The bar is up there, and the restaurant is through that door,” she told Grant. “There’s a second, more casual bar that also serves food on the other side of the lobby, in case you can’t secure a reservation.”
They walked up to the front desk. Kate smoothed her skirt, hoping her hair still looked okay. Charles Brassard, the hotel manager, came out to greet them. He looked Kate up and down surreptitiously and gave her an approving look. She had passed! She felt elated. Then Brassard looked at Grant. She could see him wanting to raise an eyebrow, but he was too professional.
“Mademoiselle Thurlow and Monsieur Holbrook, I presume,” he said in French.
“Jones,” Grant replied. “Your hotel is very lovely,” he continued in French. “We just came from Patek. I’ve never been to Geneva, but it is an impeccable city.”
The manager gave him a pleased smile. “Your French is quite good,” he said. “You didn’t learn it in Europe, though?”
“From the West African immigrants in the military.”
“I see. An officer?”
“I’m just enlisted as a sergeant.”
“That’s very impressive for the common soldier, and an American, no less. Someone in my line of work is not often surprised; however, you have surprised me today. If I may personally show you to your rooms?”
“Kate says that this is one of her favorite hotels,” Grant said, continuing their conversation in French as they followed the hotelier to the elevators.
Kate was very impressed. Grant’s French was much more than conversational.
“Yes, we see her and your father here often. Here we are.” They were on the eighth floor. Charles Brassard opened a set of double doors revealing a suite with a sitting room, two bedrooms, and a shared bathroom.
“This particular suite was designed by Karl Lagerfeld when we did our most recent renovation. It is an award-winning design.”
“It’s beautiful!” Kate said. “I haven’t stayed in this room yet. What a treat!”
“We had a cancellation. I thought you might prefer it to the two rooms you booked.”
“Oh yes,” Kate said. She took in the room. The walls were a rich gray Venetian plaster with ornate trim and large floor-to-ceiling windows framed by a silvery brocaded fabric. She crossed over the plush area rugs covering the hardwood floor and into the bathroom. It was covered from floor to ceiling in a white, dark-gray-veined marble. The mirror, the counter, and the tub, it was all out of this striking marble and punctuated by brass accents.
“Isn’t this amazing?” Kate gushed.
“It is… impressive,” Grant replied.
“I will leave you to enjoy the suite,” Brassard told them. “Would you also care to have refreshments sent up?”
“Yes, please. Something light, though. We’re going to go for a walk in a bit.”
“Of course. Right away.”
“Isn’t this perfect?” Kate said, twirling around the room. “It’s like a fairy tale, and this bathroom.” She kicked off her shoes and sprang into the empty tub. “I could live in here.”
“I need my sunglasses,” Grant said, slipping his aviators out of his pocket. “All the brilliant-white marble and the wavy gray lines are making my eyes hurt.”
He handed Kate her sunglasses, and she put them on, the large frames obscuring most of her face as she leaned back in the empty tub. Grant sat on the edge of the stone basin. Kate felt like a little kid and beamed when Grant grinned down at her.
“This is the life.” She sighed. She wiggled her toes for a few moments. Then she sent Grant to open the door when the bellhop brought a tray of food and tea to their suite.
“Serve me in my tub, Sergeant,” Kate said to Grant playfully. He cut up bits of bread and cheese and meats and fed her. She nibbled his fingertips and kissed his hands.
“They have the best food here.” She sighed and sipped her tea. “You were remarkable, by the way. I didn’t know you were fluent in French.”
“I’m not. I know just enough to get in trouble,” he replied.
“Charles Brassard is making a name for himself in the boutique hotel industry,” Kate told Grant. “He knows absolutely everyone. He will tell everybody how impressed he was with Mr. Holbrook’s son. People will talk—in a good way.”
“Help me up,” she said to Grant after they had sat there a few moments more. He easily pulled her out of the enormous tub. “We’re going for a walk. The weather’s nice. It’s not too chilly. Aren’t you going to put on your watch?” she asked him as Grant put his shoes back on.
Grant grimaced. “I can’t.”
“It’s only a watch,” she told him. “If it breaks, we’ll send it back for service.”
He did not look convinced.
“Come on,” she cajoled. “You can’t be in Geneva and not wear your Patek.” She grabbed his wrist and put the watch on him. “Much better,” she told him and grabbed her trench coat and pulled it around her shoulders.
They headed down to the shore line. Even the medians in the road were well designed, Kate marveled. She was always so impressed with Geneva. She pointed out the giant floral clock.
“They’re all about timepieces here,” she said to Grant, “and banking.” There were office workers out on the streets, coming back from late lunches. Kate put her arm in the crook of Grant’s, and they strolled down a street lined with large historic homes.
What are you doing? her thoughts intruded. He’s not your boyfriend, you stupid girl. Stop acting like he is. She ignored the voice. She knew she couldn’t have Grant. She was just playing pretend. Walter had plans for his son, and she was sure that didn’t include him having an affair with his assistant. People would talk. But those people weren’t there in Geneva. Kate sighed and leaned into Grant.
“What are you thinking?” he asked, smiling down at her.
“This is so perfect.” She sighed. “I love this.”
“What?”
“Everything.”
The finished their walk in the midafternoon.
“Rest up, then dinner,” Kate said to Grant. She was so excited for this restaurant. She hadn’t been since before the terrible thing that she wouldn’t talk about happened. She only wanted to feel normal again. She also wasn’t dining alone or with her boss or grandmother. Instead, she was with an attractive man. One who mostly knew how to conduct himself.
She lay down and sank into the soft bed next to Grant. They lay on the bed in silence, listening to the murmur of traffic and street noise rising up to their window. She settled in the crook of his arm, her head on his chest, their breathing synced. Kate felt as if she could stay that way forever. But unfortunately, she couldn’t.
She looked at the clock. They needed to start getting ready. They washed up, and Kate put on a simple short black dress with long sleeves and a minimalist silver necklace. Grant pulled out whatever Stefan had sent with him. Kate inwardly cringed, hoping it would at least somewhat fit.
“Oh,” she said when Grant came out of the bedroom.
He was wearing gray slacks, a dark-blue button-down shirt, and a wool sweater.
“You look nice,” she said. The pants fit him well, she was pleased to see, and the sweater didn’t look too tight. It was slightly casual, but you could tell the items of clothing were well-made and very expensive. The new watch glistened on his wrist.
“Shall we?” He took her arm and escorted her down to the restaurant.