Page 10 of The Sun Sister

As I gazed out of the window across the Place Vendôme, which was packed with people sightseeing or browsing the elegant shops, I thought about what Maxime had said. He was right, I could live anywhere; it hardly mattered because I spent so much of my life travelling anyway.

‘Where is home?’ I whispered, suddenly feeling deflated at the thought of returning to New York and my soulless, echoing apartment. On a whim, I reached for my cell and called Mariam.

‘Am I doing anything in New York tomorrow?’

‘You have a dinner at seven p.m. with Thomas Allebach, the head of marketing for your fragrance contract,’ Mariam responded immediately.

‘Right.’ Thomas and I had shared some pleasant downtime over the past few months since Mitch had left me, but I wasn’t enamoured. ‘And Sunday?’

‘There’s nothing in the diary.’

‘Great. Cancel the dinner – tell Thomas the shoot here has run over or something – then move the flight back to Sunday evening, and extend my hotel booking for another couple of nights. I want to stay in Paris a little longer.’

‘Perfect. It is a wonderful city. I will confirm everything as soon as it’s done.’

‘Thank you, Mariam.’

‘No problem.’

‘I’m staying on longer,’ I said to Maxime as he emerged from the shower.

‘That’s a shame, because I’m out of town for the weekend. If I’d have known...’

‘Oh.’ I tried not to let my disappointment show. ‘Well, I’ll be back again sometime soon.’

‘Let me know when, won’t you?’ he said as he dressed. ‘I’d cancel if I could, but it’s a friend’s wedding. Sorry, Electra.’

‘I’m staying for the city, not you,’ I said as I forced a smile.

‘And the city loves you, as do I.’ He dropped a kiss on my forehead. ‘Have a wonderful weekend and keep in touch.’

‘I will.’

Once he’d left, I did a line to cheer myself up, and thought about what it was I wanted to do in Paris. But just like in other big cities, the moment I stepped out of the front entrance of the Ritz, I would get recognised and then within a few minutes, someone would have alerted the press and I’d have an unwanted entourage following me.

My hand hovered over my cell to call Mariam and have her revert to plan A when, as if by magic, it rang.

‘Electra? It’s Mariam. Just to let you know that the flight back to New York is changed to Sunday night and your hotel suite booking extended.’

‘Thanks.’

‘Do you wish me to make you any restaurant reservations?’

‘No, I...’ For some reason, tears came to my eyes.

‘Are you okay, Electra?’

‘Yeah, I’m fine.’

‘Are you...busy right now?’

‘No, not at all.’

‘Then can I come and see you? There are a couple of contracts Susie’s sent through today that you need to sign.’

‘Sure, fine.’

A few minutes later, Mariam arrived, wafting her lovely scent into the room with her. I signed the contracts, then stared moodily out of the window at the approaching dusk of the Paris evening.