Free Croissant Murder (A Patisserie Mystery with Recipes) by Harper Lin Page B

help, but I trust Mathieu.”  

    “What does his big break entail?”  

    “Another show, I suppose. He said his roommate Gilles is helping him with something. He has connections in the art world or something.”  

    Clémence still couldn’t believe it. Mathieu was a father? Why hadn’t he told her?

Chapter 12
    Clémence was still in shock when Arthur finally called her back.

    “Hey, Clémence. Are you okay? What exactly is going on?”  

    Sarah had returned to work at the perfume counter at Galeries Lafayette. After checking in with Clémence, Madeleine had a rendezvous to get to and she’d left as well.  

    “I’m fine,” she said. “I’m walking on Boulevard Haussman.”  

    “I’m sorry I didn’t call back until now. I was too mad at you to listen to your voicemail. I didn’t know that Mathieu’s girlfriend was killed.”  

    “When are you going home? Let’s talk in person.”  

    “I’m at the library, but I don’t think I can do any more work today. I’ll meet you at the apartment, then. What were you up to today?”

    “Checking up on a lead. She wasn’t the killer, but I found out something interesting. Tell you about it later.”  

    “Okay, I’ll meet you back at home in twenty minutes.”  

    As Clémence passed the serial shoppers on the Boulevard Haussman holding shopping bags from high end retailers, she tried to figure out why Mathieu hadn’t told her he had a daughter. Why was it a secret? Was it because he didn’t want to hurt her further? Maybe he knew she’d once had the desire to marry him and start a family together—back when she was young and naïve, and still loved Mathieu.

    She wanted answers from him. But first she had to be with Arthur. He was the man she loved and she wanted him back on her side again.  

    Clémence took the Métro back to Trocadéro Station. The paparazzi weren’t in front of 4 Place du Trocadéro this time. They probably got tired of waiting around for her and gave up. Maybe the best thing she could do was not show up for work. They’d get bored by the waiting and hopefully they’d just stop coming altogether.  

    As she turned onto Avenue Kléber, she spotted Arthur walking just twenty feet ahead. She instantly recognized the back of his head, the swirl of his hair.  

    She resisted the temptation to run up and announce her presence, and maintained her pace to continue watching him from afar. But as he punched in the code to unlock the iron door to the building, she couldn’t help but run up and hug him from behind.

    “Clémence,” he exclaimed in surprise. He slowly turned around in her arms.

    “Hey you.” She gave him a sheepish smile. They’d been together only the day before, when they’d had that awkward fight, but it felt like forever since she’d seen him. She wasn’t used to sleeping in an empty bed anymore.  

    He let go of the door and faced her. The sun was setting, and the Eiffel Tower was a dusty rose in the distance. He cupped her face and kissed her passionately. Pedestrians passed by, but they didn’t care. They didn’t even care if they were being photographed.

    Clémence melted in his arm. This was why she loved him. His unfailing support and his warmth. His trust in her. Not to mention that he smelled good and was sexy as hell.  

    “Come on,” he said. “Let’s go home.”  

    In the tiny elevator, which was barely big enough for two people, they entangled themselves, furiously making out. No words were needed. By the time the doors opened, they were out of breath and at a loss for words anyway.  

    Their relationship was new, but it felt like they’d known each other forever. They fought before their romance had even begun, so it was only natural to make up just as easily. It was also natural to get jealous once in a while. The complications came as part of a committed relationship. They’d make it work as long they both made the other feel special and loved on a regular basis.