Page 25 of All the Gossip from Paris (Royal Fashion #2)

“I like how you think,” he replied. He slipped an arm about her waist and brushed a soft kiss on her cheek. Sophie’s heart went pitter patter at Liam’s touch.

The kiss had taken her by surprise. But it was a good surprise.

They hadn’t talked about the heat which had been building between them the night of Camille and Ryan’s wedding. She’d sensed something might happen with her and Liam. But then Patrice had stepped in and totally messed with her head.

Liam shifted his arm, and turned away. When he looked back at her, the expression on his face was one of guarded curiosity.

Sophie read her own thoughts into it. He’d made a small move. Now he was waiting to see how she reacted.

Reaching out, Sophie took a hold of Liam’s hand, and gave it a gentle squeeze. A silent gesture of thanks. Of understanding.

* * *

Sophie was a clever shopper, she had a clear idea about what sort of gifts she would be looking to buy.

Every so often she would pull a handwritten list out of her coat pocket, whisper a name, and then announce which department they were next headed to within the store.

She seemed to have a mental map of where things were in her head.

Liam wasn’t a big one for shopping, so he trailed along hoping to pick up gift ideas as he went. At the stationery department Sophie chose a special planner for Camille. Liam picked out a leather bound notebook for Ryan. His brother was always jotting down notes on scrap pieces of paper.

“I might get Ryan a Montblanc pen to go with that book,” said Sophie.

“What should I get Camille?” asked Liam. He didn’t know his sister in law all that well, and didn’t want to buy her something she wouldn’t like.

“Cami has very particular taste, which means she’s never been easy to buy for.

But I do know she misses France. So anything she can take back to the US which reminds her of home would be a welcome gift.

The café we are going to for lunch is in the home and food annex of Galeries Lafayette.

It’s across the road. You could look in there for something for Camille. ”

“Thank you.”

“Speaking of lunch, I wonder what the time is now. We are booked for half past twelve,” said Sophie.

Liam checked his watch. “It’s almost midday.”

And I still haven’t got Sophie’s gift.

“How about we each head off on our own for half an hour. Then we can meet back here and go to lunch,” he suggested. That would give him thirty minutes of panic buying. Hopefully he would come up with something during that time.

“Perfect. I shall see you soon,” said Sophie. She turned and disappeared. One moment she was standing in front of him, the next she was gone.

“What do I buy her?”

He was tempted to go back to the stationery department and get Sophie the same planner she’d bought Camille, but decided that would be too lame.

If he was going to try and impress the girl, he had to come up with something which caught her imagination.

That had her thinking about him whenever she saw his gift.

Making his way to the nearest escalator, Liam rode it down through the various floors of the store.

Women’s fashion. Jewelry. Fragrances. By the time he reached the street level he was ready to grab the nearest perfume Christmas pack and beg the staff to wrap it.

When he next checked his watch, it was twenty minutes past twelve. And he’d not bought a thing.

* * *

Sophie settled into her chair at the café, carefully tucking her packages under the table. She was proud of herself. Every name on her gift buying list had been ticked off.

Now she could relax.

Seated across from her Liam looked anything but relaxed. He was frazzled, but she didn’t want to say anything. Last minute Christmas shopping wasn’t for the weak.

“While you look at the menu, I’ll order us a bottle of wine,” said Sophie.

“I could do with a drink. I can’t believe anyone can brave the stores at this time of the year while completely sober,” sighed Liam.

She waved to a nearby waiter who hurried over. He took one look at Liam and addressed them in English. “Bon jour. How may I help you?”

Sophie replied. “We would like two Pornstar Martini’s to begin with, then a bottle of the Royal Toscana white. Thank you.” She glanced at Liam who was still struggling with the menu. “And I will have the smoked salmon on scrambled eggs.”

Liam looked up from the menu, and nodded to the waiter. “That sounds great. I’ll have eggs as well, please.”

While the waiter went to place their orders, Sophie sat back in her chair. She had to ask. “How did your shopping go?”

Her lunch companion gave her a one word answer. “Fine.”

She was just thinking that was all she was going to get from him, when Liam leaned forward, and rested his hands on the table. “Can I ask you something Sophie?”

The hairs on the back of her neck stood up. The way he spoke, she guessed his question wasn’t going to be about what she’d bought.

“Yes.”

“You are super organized. More than capable of managing time and to-do lists. Yet you seem relegated to a role barely above that of a grunt in your father’s business. What I want to know is… why?

She didn’t need him to explain what a grunt was, Sophie got the meaning from the rest of Liam’s question. He wanted to know why she was still doing the same job she’d been doing for the past twelve years.

The waiter reappeared and set their cocktails on the table. Sophie gave him a nod of thanks. She was too afraid to speak.

Liam had gotten right to the heart of the matter. His question challenged her entire existence. Highlighted her failings.

“I understand about taking risks. I had fifty bucks to my name and few contacts when I started out in the world of photography. There were nights when I slept on the street because I didn’t have the cash to afford a train ticket to go back to my parents place.”

But you’ve had all the opportunities.

He didn’t need to put that last thought into words. It hung over her head every damn day. She had a life of privilege and wealth. Never once had she tried to break free.

Sophie blinked back a tear. “You make me sound like a poor little rich girl. Which I suppose I am. But it’s not so easy to break free when you’ve spent your entire life in a gilded cage.”

He held out his hand to her, but Sophie refused to take it. She didn’t need or want his sympathy. “I’ve been thinking about my role in the atelier. I want to ask Papa for greater responsibilities.”

“But you find yourself continually putting it off. I’m not judging you Sophie far from it. Breaking the mold is tough. Taking chances is hard. The fact that you know change needs to happen means you’ve already won half the battle.”

Picking up her glass, Sophie took a sip. The vodka and passionfruit went down smoothly. A few more of these and she might find the courage to do something about her life.

Or not.

“It’s securing the final victory where I seem to continually fail,” replied Sophie.

Liam shifted in his chair, and sat back. He picked up his own cocktail. After touching his lips to the rim of the glass, he set it down again.

“Do you know what that final victory looks like?”

It was painful listening to his words, but Liam wasn’t wrong. She could rattle the chains all she liked, but no one would take her seriously. Not until she had decided what she wanted for herself, and then went after it.

“I don’t really know what I want. But I do know it’s well past time I stopped being a grunt.”