“And you got it.”
She nodded. Cami’s modesty was another quality he admired about her. After their first meeting, she hadn’t come on to him at all, or try to impress him. Nothing flirtatious. Just the opposite in fact. That quality made him want her more and intrigued him.
“I told you my father was a taxi driver. He suffered from the fact that neither he nor my mother ever went to college. Both of them impressed upon me the need to get good grades and attend university since neither of their families had ever gone for higher education.”
“Your mother must be so proud, but I’m sorry your father still isn’t alive to see what you’ve accomplished.”
“Me too. Anyway, I matriculated and commuted by bus. I’d work with Maman for one semester to earn money, then attend the university for one semester. I told you our boss at NI was terrific. She let me work when I could. After seven years, I’ve taken my last exams and graduated mid-November.”
Raoul sat there in shock. The patience and determination she’d displayed to get to this point made her outstanding in his eyes. “You didn’t just get a job there. It means you must have graduated with highest honors.”
She brushed it off. “What matters now is to prove myself. I was an intern there for the last semester and will be working in the same accounting department as before.”
“Even those intern jobs are handpicked.” He shook his head. “The way I’ve seen you work around here has been a revelation. I have no doubts they’ll be thankful they hired you.”
“Thank you, Raoul. Give me ten years and we’ll see if all that schooling was worth it. Now I’m afraid I really have to go.” She got up from the table. “Thank you for everything.”
“I don’t want you to leave.” Raoul followed her out to the car. “You look so beautiful out here with the light shining from the window.” He kissed her hungrily and heard her moan of desire, igniting his passion. “I don’t know how I’m going to let you drive away, but I realize I have to.”
“The last thing I want to do is leave, Raoul.” They kissed again, both of them breathless before she got in the car.
“Your presence in the pool made a difference with Alain.”
“It was so much fun with him.”
“I know he enjoyed you. We’ll do it again soon. As for tomorrow evening, will you let me pick you up around five thirty or six? We’ll have dinner and drive around to see the sound and light show in Vence. The car will keep us warm.”
“That sounds fabulous.”
He kissed her once more and shut the door before waving her off.
Raoul was in a daze when he walked in the villa. She was a college graduate with honors and would be starting to work at Gaillard’s in January. She’d worked so hard for everything all her life. What an incredible woman. Tomorrow night he wanted to do something special to surprise and honor her. For that to happen, he needed to make a certain phone call.
* * *
On Thursday e
vening Cami and her mom returned to the apartment after work and she got ready to go out with Raoul. Her thoughts were focused on his life that had been so different than she had imagined.
Being with him made her long to be with him all the time, which was an impossibility if she didn’t have a clean bill of health. That’s what was troubling about daring to dream.
“Non, Maman,” she said before her mother could ask her if she’d told the truth to Raoul. “But I’ll tell him soon.” With that promise, she hurried to shower and get ready.
She knew her mom was right, especially after the scare she’d had last evening when Raoul had asked her about continuing with her cleaning career. For a moment she’d feared he’d somehow figured out something was wrong with her physically.
Cami couldn’t put it off any longer, but wondered if her parent was being too optimistic about the success of the operation. Cami might not have a good recovery and wouldn’t be able to take the position at Gaillard’s after all.
She might turn into an invalid with a shorter life span. How would Raoul feel about that? What if Cami was one of the small percentage that died during the procedure? Not everyone survived a heart operation, even if they’d been in excellent health otherwise.
She’d read stories on the internet that had frightened her. In the dark hours of the night she’d sometimes wake up in a cold sweat worrying that something could go wrong. The doctor had advised her not to dwell on the negative, but he wasn’t the one who’d been living with this threat for the last five years.
When Raoul came to the apartment to pick her up, he was wearing a dark brown suit and lighter brown shirt without a tie. She had to discipline herself not to stare at him. “Are you ready?”
“Yes.” Beneath her coat she wore a silky soft orange blouse and navy skirt. Before they reached the car he started kissing her. They must have been out there five minutes trying to become one before someone pulled in to the parking lot and he let her go.
“We’re eating at Le Petit Auberge. Have you been there before?”
“No.” She’d heard of it, but her budget couldn’t have afforded to dine there.