terrible had happened. In fact, it had turned into a perfect evening, and she knew she had made a new friend. “We will see each other again, in the South of France, or before. You’ll hear from me,” he promised, and then gave her a warm hug after she opened her door. He was a big bear of a man. “Take care of yourself, Véronique,” he said, and then strode back to the elevator with a smile as she waved and closed the door. She felt as though she had been living someone else’s life for the past several hours. She didn’t know whose, but definitely not hers. She got a text message from him, telling her to sleep well and have sweet dreams. She was already half asleep when she read it and followed his advice. And by then, he was in the arms of the girl who had been waiting in his bedroom for hours, and she knew better than to complain. And he had had a delightful evening with Véronique.
Chapter 6
N ikolai had already checked out of the hotel when Véronique woke up the next day. And she groaned when she saw herself in the mirror. Her knees looked like hamburger, and there were bruises up and down her legs. Her hands still hurt, and she had a hangover from the champagne.
“You are a mess,” she said to her reflection, and then got into the bathtub, to soak her bruises and relax. She felt better by the time she dressed and smiled when she thought of the remarkable evening she’d had on the terrace of the presidential suite. Nikolai was an extraordinary man, and she wondered if she’d ever hear from him again. It seemed unlikely, but it would be fun to introduce him to her daughters if he actually did show up in the South of France. They would be astounded that she’d met him, and she was still surprised herself. He wasn’t the sort of person she normally ran into in her quiet life, and on the surface they had nothing in common, but he had been interesting to talk to, and he was wise about life. He was a person who obviously lived each day to the fullest, and had advised her to do the same. It had amounted to nothing more than a mild flirtation, but there was no denying he was a very intriguing and attractive man. She couldn’t imagine becoming romantically involved with him, they were too different, and given his reputation, she was much too old, but he would be fun to know, and she hoped she’d hear from him again.
She was in good spirits when she checked out of the hotel. The concierge had rented a car for her, and she drove to Venice on her own. She could have flown, but she preferred to drive and enjoy the Tuscan scenery along the way. She left at noon and arrived in Venice in the late afternoon. The trip had been easy, mostly on highways, as she circled Florence and Bologna on the way. The Hotel Cipriani, where she had a reservation, had a boat waiting for her at the parking stand where she returned her rental car, and they took her to the hotel, where she was given a suite with a view of the lagoon. It was a beautiful warm night, and after she unpacked, she had one of the hotel’s boats take her to the Piazza San Marco so she could walk around. She couldn’t wait to explore Venice again. It had been years since she’d been there.
The city was even more beautiful than she remembered, with the enormous church, the Doge’s Palace, and outdoor cafés where people were eating and drinking wine. There were tourists everywhere, but she didn’t mind. She felt safe and at ease as she walked around for two hours, bought a gelato from a street vendor, looked at the cathedral all lit up at night, and watched people getting into gondolas to glide under the Bridge of Sighs. She thought it was the most romantic city in the world. It brought back memories of her honeymoon with Paul, and she tried not to think about it. As Nikolai had said the night before, the past was gone, and it was time to look ahead to the future and enjoy today. It was good advice. And she was pleasantly tired when she got into the boat to
Chapter 6
N ikolai had already checked out of the hotel when Véronique woke up the next day. And she groaned when she saw herself in the mirror. Her knees looked like hamburger, and there were bruises up and down her legs. Her hands still hurt, and she had a hangover from the champagne.
“You are a mess,” she said to her reflection, and then got into the bathtub, to soak her bruises and relax. She felt better by the time she dressed and smiled when she thought of the remarkable evening she’d had on the terrace of the presidential suite. Nikolai was an extraordinary man, and she wondered if she’d ever hear from him again. It seemed unlikely, but it would be fun to introduce him to her daughters if he actually did show up in the South of France. They would be astounded that she’d met him, and she was still surprised herself. He wasn’t the sort of person she normally ran into in her quiet life, and on the surface they had nothing in common, but he had been interesting to talk to, and he was wise about life. He was a person who obviously lived each day to the fullest, and had advised her to do the same. It had amounted to nothing more than a mild flirtation, but there was no denying he was a very intriguing and attractive man. She couldn’t imagine becoming romantically involved with him, they were too different, and given his reputation, she was much too old, but he would be fun to know, and she hoped she’d hear from him again.
She was in good spirits when she checked out of the hotel. The concierge had rented a car for her, and she drove to Venice on her own. She could have flown, but she preferred to drive and enjoy the Tuscan scenery along the way. She left at noon and arrived in Venice in the late afternoon. The trip had been easy, mostly on highways, as she circled Florence and Bologna on the way. The Hotel Cipriani, where she had a reservation, had a boat waiting for her at the parking stand where she returned her rental car, and they took her to the hotel, where she was given a suite with a view of the lagoon. It was a beautiful warm night, and after she unpacked, she had one of the hotel’s boats take her to the Piazza San Marco so she could walk around. She couldn’t wait to explore Venice again. It had been years since she’d been there.
The city was even more beautiful than she remembered, with the enormous church, the Doge’s Palace, and outdoor cafés where people were eating and drinking wine. There were tourists everywhere, but she didn’t mind. She felt safe and at ease as she walked around for two hours, bought a gelato from a street vendor, looked at the cathedral all lit up at night, and watched people getting into gondolas to glide under the Bridge of Sighs. She thought it was the most romantic city in the world. It brought back memories of her honeymoon with Paul, and she tried not to think about it. As Nikolai had said the night before, the past was gone, and it was time to look ahead to the future and enjoy today. It was good advice. And she was pleasantly tired when she got into the boat to
Similar Books
