And then I saw it.
The cab rounded a bend and suddenly there it stood in front of me, in all its glory. The Eiffel Tower. I sucked in a breath, the beautiful pink hued sky behind it breathtaking.
By the time the cab pulled up in front, I was lucky I could walk, my stomach was wobbling so badly. I paid my fare with shaky hands and took a ticket, riding the elevator all the way up to the top of the tower. I awkwardly hobbled out on Wonder Boot, taking a spot in the center of the platform, just a little scared to stand too close to the edge this high up.
Though I had to admit, the view was amazing, the entire city of Paris spread out before me, the air clear and cool. I inhaled deeply, trying to steady my nerves.
And watched the elevators.
Group after group came up, families with cameras around their necks, students toting backpacks, all speaking a variety of languages. People snapped photos, laughing and pointing down below us. And I stood, twisting my hands together. Two words tumbling over and over in my mind. Ramirez. Felix. Ramirez. Felix. I had no idea who would come off those elevators next.
And then another carriage arrived. The doors slid open. Three teenagers and a family of four from Japan filed out.
And him.
I sucked in a breath, not realizing until that moment just how very badly I'd wanted it to be him. I felt tears well behind my eyes and let out a long breath as he approached.
"Maddie," he said.
I took a deep breath. "Jack."
His dark eyes looked down at me and even though they were rimmed in sleepless circles, they were the most beautiful sight I had ever seen. His stubble covered jaw flexed, some emotion flitting across his face that I couldn't read. But I didn't care. He was here. And that was all that mattered.
"Oh God, Jack, I'm so sorry. I'm so glad you're here, but I'm so sorry about everything. I don't know how I always seem to make such a mess of everything, but I promise, I'm going to be the best girlfriend ever from now on. I just-"
"I can't do this."
I paused mid-sentence. "What?"
His eyes took on a sad look. "Maddie, I asked you to meet me here because I needed to talk to you. I'm sorry, but I just can't do this anymore."
My heart froze. "W-what do you mean you can't…?"
Ramirez shook his head, his dark hair falling across his forehead in a way that made me itch to brush it with my fingertips. Instead, I clasped my hands tightly together around the flower stem, hoping the death grip on the rose would somehow help me get a grip on reality.
"All we do is fight, Maddie. We're butting heads. Me, I'm a straightforward kind of guy. What you see is what you get. And you…" He paused, running a hand through his hair. "I don't know if I'll ever figure you out. Hell, you drive me nuts."
I felt tears welling behind my eyes. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to drive you nuts."
"I know," he said, his voice soft. Almost if he didn't want to say the words any more than I wanted to hear them. "I know you don't. But I swear you've taken ten years off my life since I've known you. I don't know how trouble finds you, but it does. I don't want to do this anymore, stay up nights wondering where you are, not knowing if you're safe, if you're in danger, if you're…" He trailed off and I could mentally see the scene at Felix's playing out in his head.
"I'm sorry," I squeaked out again, at a loss for anything else to say.
He took a deep breath, staring out over the roofs of Paris. "I just can't do this anymore. I don't want you to be my girlfriend."
The tears stared blurring my vision and I fought to keep them back. If he was breaking up with me, the last thing I wanted to do was cry and beg for him to stay. I did a loud, unladylike sniff. The sweet scents of roses and the cool Paris air oddly incongruent with the hollow, gnawing feeling in my stomach.
"So, what are you saying, Jack?"
He took another deep breath, his nostrils flaring, his jaw set at a determined angle. Then he turned and looked me squarely in the eye. It wasn't his Bad Cop look. It wasn't his lustful Big Bad Wolf look. Just him and me. It was the most real I had ever seen him. Like suddenly he was letting me in to see the real guy behind everything else.
And then he bent down on one knee.
His hands reached into the pocket of his jacket, and out came a little blue, velvet covered box.
A ring box.
I blinked and I dropped the flower.
My heart stopped beating, my breath doing short little gasps, my eyes going big and round. The tears couldn't be held back any longer, wet lines streaming down my face even as I felt my lips curve up into a smile.
"You're shitting me!" I said. I know, not the most romantic thing in the world. But I seriously couldn't believe me eyes. A ring? It was like I'd stepped into the end of a Meg Ryan movie.
Ramirez's gaze didn't waiver, his eyes steady on mine. Though a small corner of his lips twitched. "Jesus, Maddie, don't cry." He reached one hand up and gently wiped my cheek with the pad of his thumb. "At least wait until you see the ring."
He opened the box and the most brilliant emerald cut, sparkling two carat diamond winked back at me. The tears gushed like Niagara Falls and I think I actually laughed out loud. Okay, so it wasn't Tiffany, and it wasn't the biggest thing I'd ever seen. But it was the most beautiful.
It was from Jack.
Ramirez' Adam's apple bobbed up and down, his eyes suddenly vulnerable, his breath coming fast and hard. One of his large hands covered mine in a warm embrace.
"Maddie, I don't want you to be my girlfriend. I want you to be my wife," he said, his voice shaky but his dark eyes steady on mine. "Maddison Louise Springer, will you marry me?"
About the author
Gemma Halliday is the author of the High Heels Mysteries, as well as the Hollywood Headlines Mysteries series. Gemma's books have received numerous awards, including a Golden Heart, a National Reader's Choice award and three RITA nominations. She currently lives in the San Francisco Bay Area where she is hard at work on several new projects, including a mystery series for teens debuting in 2011, and a new mystery series for adults, set to be published in 2012.
To learn more about Gemma, visit her online at www.GemmaHalliday.com
BONUS MATERIAL: Fabulous French recipes
While writing ALIBI IN HIGH HEELS, I tried my hardest to find a way to actually visit Paris. When that didn't work out (the Paris casino in Vegas was a close as I got), I got myself in a Paris state of mind by trying out some French cooking. At first I was leery – French food sounded hard to make. But I actually really enjoyed trying some of these, and they weren't nearly as scary as I had anticipated. I hope you enjoy this French feast as much as I did. Bon appetite!
Apricot Baked Brie
3/4 cup chopped fresh apricots
1/3 cup chopped apple
1/4 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons raspberry jam
1 8-ounce Brie round
2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed
Brown sugar
1/4 cup of maple syrup
Put the chopped apricots, apples, and nuts on a lightly greased baking sheet and bake at 425F for about 15 minutes. Then mix the roasted fruit and nuts with the raspberry jam.
Reduce the oven heat to 400F. Cut the Brie in half, and evenly spread the jam filling in the middle, like a Brie sandwich.
Place the Brie on one sheet of dough, tucking the ends up around the Brie, then cover the top with the second sheet, cutting to fit. Drizzle maple syrup and place a handful of brown sugar on top. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet and bake it for 35 to 40 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. Serve with crackers or baguettes.
Chicken Cordon Bleu
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves