cuff link with a tiny diamond in the center.
He folded his fingers around it. “I’ll kill a hundred boches to avenge his death.”
Her heart seemed to collapse within her. As much as she wanted revenge, she couldn’t lose two of the men she loved. “It won’t bring him back,” she said. “We should both go to Lyon.”
His eyes seemed to blaze. “I won’t cower, Gigi.”
She didn’t want him to cower, but she had to protect her younger brother. If he went into Saint-Lô now, the Germans would surely kill him.
“You must wait,” she begged.
“You can go with Philippe,” he said, his voice broken. “But I have to stay here. I have to fight them.”
Her anger collided with her fear as she walked back up the trail beside him, her body numb.
“I will help you,” she said before he slipped back into the shadows.
She wouldn’t leave her brother here alone.
— CHAPTER 16 —
A fter the rain stopped, I reemerged onto Fifty-ninth Street, a chai latte in hand. Ahead of me was Central Park, along with the elegant façade of the Plaza, overlooking the trees. Storm clouds still threatened the shoppers who paraded along the sidewalk, but at least I could walk to the hotel without getting drenched.
On my cab ride from the airport, I’d secured a hotel room for the night, along with an appointment at their salon. After checking in, I had four hours to find the right dress and shoes before the artisans began working their magic on my makeup and hair. It was almost impossible to surprise Austin—I couldn’t wait to see his face when I walked into the ballroom.
As I crossed Fifth Avenue, a black limousine rolled up to the curb next to the hotel and a bellman rushed forward to open the door. Austin emerged from the car, and my heart leapt. Perhaps it would be just as fun to surprise Austin now, away from the spotlight. In the timing of providence, perhaps, instead of my own.
I pulled my phone out of my bag and quickly typed.
Turn around.
Smiling, I lifted my finger to send my message, but before I sent it, I glanced back up. Instead of walking into the Plaza, Austinextended his arm back into the limousine. Another figure emerged on the sidewalk beside him. A woman.
And she was stunning.
I watched with a mixture of awe and horror as she reached for Austin’s hand.
Dropping my phone back into my purse, I watched them laugh together as they strolled up the front steps. What if someone recognized him?
I supposed it didn’t matter. Surely she was only a colleague from the party headquarters in New York.
The woman’s ebony curls bounced with her laughter, and her white summer dress glided behind her like that of a Greek goddess. I glanced down at my navy capris, wrinkled from the plane ride, and tan-colored blouse. There was no comparison between me and a goddess.
But it was Austin who had kissed me this morning, three hours ago. It was Austin who told me how beautiful I was and how much he loved me. As I watched him with this other woman, my head felt like it was about to explode.
There had to be an explanation—but why didn’t he let go of that woman’s hand?
The bellman opened the door to the lobby, and Austin and his escort disappeared under the golden lights.
Hiking my handbag over my shoulder, I rushed toward the hotel, and the same bellman who’d opened the door for Austin opened it for me. The lobby radiated elegance, with its marble columns and oriental rugs. To the right of the registration desk was a giant fern. I didn’t exactly hide behind it—I merely paused beside it and no one seemed to notice, perhaps because they were all staring at the eye candy dangling on Austin’s arm.
And how could they not stare? She was more striking than the gold encrusted around the lobby’s windows and doors.
I clutched my handbag to my chest. My dad would tell me not to be impulsive, to wait and make a decision after I had all the facts. The woman was probably a campaign manager for a candidate in
He folded his fingers around it. “I’ll kill a hundred boches to avenge his death.”
Her heart seemed to collapse within her. As much as she wanted revenge, she couldn’t lose two of the men she loved. “It won’t bring him back,” she said. “We should both go to Lyon.”
His eyes seemed to blaze. “I won’t cower, Gigi.”
She didn’t want him to cower, but she had to protect her younger brother. If he went into Saint-Lô now, the Germans would surely kill him.
“You must wait,” she begged.
“You can go with Philippe,” he said, his voice broken. “But I have to stay here. I have to fight them.”
Her anger collided with her fear as she walked back up the trail beside him, her body numb.
“I will help you,” she said before he slipped back into the shadows.
She wouldn’t leave her brother here alone.
— CHAPTER 16 —
A fter the rain stopped, I reemerged onto Fifty-ninth Street, a chai latte in hand. Ahead of me was Central Park, along with the elegant façade of the Plaza, overlooking the trees. Storm clouds still threatened the shoppers who paraded along the sidewalk, but at least I could walk to the hotel without getting drenched.
On my cab ride from the airport, I’d secured a hotel room for the night, along with an appointment at their salon. After checking in, I had four hours to find the right dress and shoes before the artisans began working their magic on my makeup and hair. It was almost impossible to surprise Austin—I couldn’t wait to see his face when I walked into the ballroom.
As I crossed Fifth Avenue, a black limousine rolled up to the curb next to the hotel and a bellman rushed forward to open the door. Austin emerged from the car, and my heart leapt. Perhaps it would be just as fun to surprise Austin now, away from the spotlight. In the timing of providence, perhaps, instead of my own.
I pulled my phone out of my bag and quickly typed.
Turn around.
Smiling, I lifted my finger to send my message, but before I sent it, I glanced back up. Instead of walking into the Plaza, Austinextended his arm back into the limousine. Another figure emerged on the sidewalk beside him. A woman.
And she was stunning.
I watched with a mixture of awe and horror as she reached for Austin’s hand.
Dropping my phone back into my purse, I watched them laugh together as they strolled up the front steps. What if someone recognized him?
I supposed it didn’t matter. Surely she was only a colleague from the party headquarters in New York.
The woman’s ebony curls bounced with her laughter, and her white summer dress glided behind her like that of a Greek goddess. I glanced down at my navy capris, wrinkled from the plane ride, and tan-colored blouse. There was no comparison between me and a goddess.
But it was Austin who had kissed me this morning, three hours ago. It was Austin who told me how beautiful I was and how much he loved me. As I watched him with this other woman, my head felt like it was about to explode.
There had to be an explanation—but why didn’t he let go of that woman’s hand?
The bellman opened the door to the lobby, and Austin and his escort disappeared under the golden lights.
Hiking my handbag over my shoulder, I rushed toward the hotel, and the same bellman who’d opened the door for Austin opened it for me. The lobby radiated elegance, with its marble columns and oriental rugs. To the right of the registration desk was a giant fern. I didn’t exactly hide behind it—I merely paused beside it and no one seemed to notice, perhaps because they were all staring at the eye candy dangling on Austin’s arm.
And how could they not stare? She was more striking than the gold encrusted around the lobby’s windows and doors.
I clutched my handbag to my chest. My dad would tell me not to be impulsive, to wait and make a decision after I had all the facts. The woman was probably a campaign manager for a candidate in
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