Okay, Alex thought. Maybe this convention wasn't such a bad idea after all. Maybe it isn't as hellish as I expected it to be.
He walked side by side with Debbie, shuffling through the crowd after their final seminar came to a close. Despite the debacle with the sleeping arrangement, their first day at the convention had been a success. Debbie was in great spirits. Her long hair bounced up and down as she walked with a joyous smile on her face. It almost made Alex weak in the knees.
Alex would gladly spend every night sleeping on the floor if it resulted in seeing Debbie so lighthearted and carefree.
This whole trip was worth it, just to see her smile like that, he thought as his heart hammered in his chest.
Alex gently nudged Debbie's arm. "Now that day one is over, what did you think?"
She pulled out her notebook.
"It was incredible, way better than I expected it to be," she gushed. "I feel as if I learned so much."
Inspired, Debbie flipped through pages of notes she took throughout the course of the day. "Wow, it never occurred to me that I can hand out croissants at the end of an open house! I bet potential buyers are going to love that. It could really give us a leg up."
Although business was the last thing on Alex's mind, he went along with the conversation. "That was a great tip. And what about the floor-to-ceiling windows?"
Debbie threw her head back. "Oh! That's such a fantastic idea for staging. I couldn't believe how much it opened up the rooms." She threw her arms up. "It's official. Paris is truly magical. I never expected a real estate convention to be so much fun."
The groggy feeling Alex had at the beginning of the day was long gone. Debbie brought him back to life.
Maybe all of the mishaps they experienced were for the best. Maybe Debbie was meant to sit next to him on the plane, and maybe they were meant to share a room. And, maybe, just maybe, this trip was exactly what they needed to mend their broken relationship.
I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel, he thought. I think we may work out after all.
The sound of Alex's stomach grumbling interrupted his train of thought. "Gosh, I'm hungry. I'm probably going to stop for something to eat." He motioned over his shoulder. "You're welcome to join if you want to."
Alex could tell Debbie was hesitant to accept his invitation. She bit her bottom lip. "Oh, uh, I'm not sure."
In an attempt to play it cool, Alex darted his gaze away from Debbie. "I'm just going to pick up something down the street. It isn't a big deal if you don't want to go."
She tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "Um, well. I did say I wanted to keep things professional."
Alex shrugged. "It could be a professional dinner."
Debbie touched her stomach. Then, she sighed. "Yeah, I'm pretty hungry, and I don't really feel like eating alone. Sure, I would love to go grab some dinner."
Her answer brought a smile to Alex's face although he tried to conceal his excitement. "Great, I know the perfect place."
Alex extended his arm out to Debbie. She hesitated but eventually wrapped her arm around his.
He swiftly guided the beautiful woman out of the hotel and into the busy Parisian street. The sun was setting. The street lamps had just flickered on. It was as romantic and as beautiful as an impressionist painting.
Debbie's eyes flitted around the street. "I've never seen anything so beautiful."
A smile tugged at Alex's lips. It was almost as if he were experiencing Paris for the first time through Debbie's eyes.
Alex led Debbie up the steps of a luxurious hotel.
Perplexed, Debbie stood still as Alex opened the door for her. "Why are we going on in here?"
Alex beamed from ear to ear. "The restaurant's inside."
Debbie pointed. "The place you wanted to go to down the street is in this fancy hotel?"
Alex nodded. "Yes, this is where I was planning on eating."
His head titled to the side, encouraging Debbie to venture in.
Debbie paused before stepping into the lobby. When she did, her eyes widened in awe. The hotel's interior was as opulent and ornate as any work of art found in Paris's well-known museums.
Debbie gawked at the sight. "Wow, maybe we should have stayed here."
Captivated by the awestruck expression on Debbie's face, Alex chuckled. "Yeah, maybe."
He watched Debbie with anticipation as she looked up at the restaurant.
Her jaw dropped. "Alex, Pierre Gagnaire?"
Restaurant Pierre Gagnaire was one of the most popular three-star Michelin restaurants in France. When Alex said he wanted to grab a bite to eat, this certainly wasn't what Debbie expected.
Debbie glanced at Alex out of the corner of her eye. "Don't you need to have a reservation to get in?"
Alex shrugged nonchalantly. "I know the owner. We'll be fine."
Surprised by Alex's offhanded comment, Debbie's head jerked back. "You know the Pierre Gagnaire? Are you serious?"
Alex offered her a knowing grin. "He's an old family friend." He motioned toward the restaurant. "Do you want to go inside?"
Goosebumps formed all over Debbie's arms. Her eyes took it all in as if she were experiencing a dream come true. "Yeah, I would love to go inside."
The couple strolled up to the maitre d', a tall slender young man who sported a tuxedo. He spoke in a tight, French accent. "Name?"
Alex cleared his throat. "Hello, sir. I'm afraid we don't have a reservation, but I'm a friend of Mr. Gagnaire."
The maitre d' wasn't impressed. He scoffed. "Name?"
Leaning closer to the maitre d', the corners of Alex's mouth twisted into a smug smirk. "My name is Alex Ambrose."
Immediately, the young man's disposition changed. "Oh! Mr. Ambrose! Of course. Mr. Gagnaire often speaks highly of you. Follow me."
Still in shock, Debbie wrapped her tiny, delicate hand around Alex's arm. The two followed the maitre d' through the restaurant.
The young man directed them to a table inside the main room. It was located in the corner, right next to a window. The spot afforded them a view of not only the entire restaurant but also the city of Paris. "Mr. Gagnaire often says this is the best room in the house. Is it to your liking, Mr. Ambrose?"
Alex glanced down at Debbie. A wave of nostalgia washed over him as he saw the woman clinging to his side again. "If it's good enough for Pierre, it's good enough for me. What do you think, DebDeb?"
Overwhelmed by the beauty of the place, Debbie brought her hand to her chest. "Oh, it's so lovely. Thank you."
The maitre d' smiled. "Excellent. Please enjoy your meal."
Alex pulled Debbie's seat out from the table. He gently pushed it back in as she sat down. Then, he sat across from her.
Debbie reached across the table and grasped Alex's hand. "This is incredible, just like the time you got us into The Globe in Baltimore."
Alex glanced around the room. "Well, it's a little different. I own that restaurant, and I'll be the first one to admit, The Globe doesn't hold a candle to this place."
A waiter strolled over, carrying a bottle of wine, courtesy of Mr. Gagnaire himself. Alex accepted. Then, much to Debbie's surprise, he ordered for both of them, speaking in perfect French.
Alex was full of surprises tonight. Debbie leaned across the table. "Since when did you speak French?"
Alex chuckled. He could have sworn Debbie knew he spoke fluent French. "Since the third grade."
Debbie snapped her fingers. "That's right. I totally forgot."
For a moment, the two fell silent. However, they didn't break eye contact. Alex noticed Debbie's face flush under his intense gaze.
She meekly tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "Uh, so anyway, what are we eating?"
Alex took a sip of his wine. "It's the black truffle menu. The most expensive menu the restaurant offers. They'll bring a few courses over. Pierre personalizes the dishes himself. It's always something different."
The waiter brought over a small plate of what looked like oysters. He didn't have time to explain the small dish before Debbie dug right in.
Alex enjoyed watching her have such a good time. "So, what do you want to see in Paris?"
Debbie put her hand over her mouth as she spoke. "I definitely want to see the Louvre and Montmartre. And, of course, I want to go to the Eiffel Tower. It has always been a dream of mine." She took another forkful of food. "Did you know the Eiffel Tower actually has an apartment at the top of it?"
Alex dabbed his face with his napkin before he spoke. "Really?"
Debbie nodded. "Yeah. Could you imagine staying all the way up there? That has to be the best view in all of Paris."
After Debbie and Alex finished their first course, the waiter promptly brought out more food. This dish was a gnocchi soup, beautifully presented as if it were a picture right out of a travel magazine.
Alex admired how gorgeous the food was. "Wow."
Debbie didn't wait to plunge her spoon into the dish. "I've never seen anything like this in Baltimore before."
Alex gestured toward the food. "Well, Paris is certainly different from Baltimore."
As she glanced out the window, Debbie's eyes sparkled. "Paris has so much more history. It feels really special."
Alex restrained himself from telling Debbie how beautiful she was. "Paris is a much more romantic city as well."
Debbie let out a wistful sigh. "True, it's the city of love. But, I wouldn't trade Baltimore for anything. It's the greatest city in the world."
Alex smirked at the woman. He loved that even when she was in one of the most beautiful cities in the world, she was still thinking about home.
"Don't say that much louder, Debbie," Alex joked. "We don't want to start a fight in one of the fanciest restaurants in Paris."
Debbie giggled. "I would fight for Baltimore anywhere, anytime."
As the two laughed together, Alex couldn't pull his eyes away from Debbie. She looked truly happy, much like she did before the super soldier attacks led to the demise of their relationship.
From Debbie's perspective, everything was going so wrong but so right at the same time. She knew she was in dangerous territory, but she couldn't help herself. Her heart was aflutter. She batted her eyelashes at Alex, consumed by thoughts of how much she had missed him.