Free The Paris Time Capsule by Ella Carey

kissed that too.
    “ Bring it on!”
    “ They all love you, you know.”
    Cat wound her arms around his neck. “It’s important to me.”
    He picked up his carry on luggage. “I know it is. I love that about you.” He hugged her one more time, and then he was gone.
    Cat had half an hour to check out of the hotel, move her luggage back to her old hotel near the Opera, and get to the apartment to let Anouk in by nine.
    But it was not Anouk who stood outside the apartment door when Cat bustled up the staircase. It was Loic.
    He was wearing a black overcoat and scarf, and he held two cups of takeaway coffee in his hands. He held one of these out to Cat.
    “Peace offering?” she asked.
    “ I heard you Americans like this sort of thing.”
    Cat took a sip of the coffee. “French cardboard coffee makes all the difference,” she laughed. Cat unlocked the apartment door with her free hand.
    To her surprise, Loic took her arm and turned her to face him. “Sorry I stormed out.”
    “ Have you … rethought things?”
    “ I can’t take what isn’t mine.”
    “ We both know it’s yours.”
    “ There is one thing.”
    “ Yes?”
    He was silent for a moment. “It’s my mother.”
    “ She wants to claim her inheritance?”
    “ She won’t do that.”
    Cat felt an annoyed chuckle rising in her throat. “Look, Loic, wouldn’t that be her decision?”
    Loic shook his head. “I know her.”
    “ Are you sure?” Cat regretted the words as soon as they had come out. “Oh, I’m sorry.”
    Loic chuckled. “Have you ever been to the south of France, Cat?”
    “ I’ve only been out of the US once before!”
    Loic raised a brow.
    “ What are you saying?”
    There was the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs. Anouk.
    Loic took a step closer. “Come to Provence and meet Sylvie. My mother.” He looked at her. “It’ll be important for her to meet you. It’ll make her feel far better.”
    “ Yes, but -”
    Anouk was on the landing. Cat glanced at the closed door.
    Something tightened in Loic’s cheek. “At least, meet her, Cat.”
    “ Loic …”
    A knock sounded on the door, efficient.
    “Wait.” Loic took Cat’s hand as she reached for the door. “Maman needs to see that you’re not, to be frank, a gold digger. I don’t want any of it, not if she didn’t leave it to us, but I want to make things as easy as possible under the circumstances, for Maman.”
    “ I want to give your family their inheritance.”
    “ Please.”
    “ Hopefully, your mother will just take what’s hers.” Cat walked towards the door to let Anouk in. But then, she turned again. “I find it incredible that she left all of this. I am … stunned, to be honest. But, you should just take it all back. And … I need to get home.”
    Loic held her gaze. “It’s my mother who’ll you have to convince.”
     
    Two hours later, they were in a steady routine. Anouk appeared to have recovered from the shock of finding the apartment on Friday, and was in professional mode. She worked quickly, and seemed immersed in making detailed lists on her laptop while simultaneously cross-checking every last piece, using her knowledge and online resources.
    Cat and Loic had been in the bedroom reading love letters from Marthe de Florian’s admirers for the entire morning. Loic read them aloud, translating effortlessly in his clear, confident English. So far all they had found were the most exquisite letters Cat had ever heard.
    “ Oh, Mon Dieu,” Loic said, pulling a letter out of an envelope. “I am seeing things, I think.”
    “ What is it?” Cat leaned in closer to him. They sat at a little side table by the window. Shafts of clear sun warmed the room, and Cat had made a neat pile of letters already read. “A famous actor? Aristocracy?”
    “ She must have been incredibly beautiful,” Cat went on. “And smart. And talented.”
    “ So it seems. But look at this, Cat.” He held out a letter.
    Cat read the signature on the bottom.