Paris (Entangle Me Book 4) Read Free Page A

heavily to take a sip of the hot fragrant jasmine tea. Even Hansley’s munchies cravings are satisfied and he reclines on the wooden chair with a goofy grin on his baby face.
    “So what else is new?” Dad asks, looking at me and Hansley.
    Hansley gestures for me to go first.
    “Well I’m going to Paris in a week,” I declare. It has been almost six weeks since Tristan came by to tell me about this excitement and I have been busy planning it all from home. I can’t wait to see it all unfold and plan this special day for the clients.
    Mom’s eyes light up, while Hansley and Dad nod silently. “That sounds fun!”
    “With Tristan,” I blurt out and Hansley looks up curiously. Mom and Dad continue eating.
    “Oh yes he mentioned he was going to Paris when he was here for lunch the other day,” Mom says. Tristan has come back for lunch? The notion of Tristan still being close to my parents makes me all warm inside.
    “I’ll bet you two will have some fun, huh?” Hansley blurts out.
    I almost choke on the hot liquid, clamping a hand over my mouth. “What do you mean?”
    “Good bars, good food. What’s not to like?”
    Oh right. “Yeah, I’m sure we will find the time to check it out.”
    “I think it’s awesome you two are working together. He thinks so too.”
    I smile. “Really?”
    “I’m glad he can look out for you; makes me feel more reassured.”
    Dad nods assertively and I suppress the urge to roll my eyes at how protective the men in my family are.
    “Awesome, well it’s been fun. I’m glad he’s back,” I conclude.
    “Man he is stoked for Paris, because it was all he could talk about at the poker night last week.”
    I am too, I can’t wait to see the City of Lights!
    “Ahh Paris. I can’t wait to check it out, except for the Eiffel Tower,” I joke. At least I won’t go to the top.
    “Dude, you have to check out the tower from the top. The best views,” Hansley insists.
    “It’s just a tower, plenty of towers in the world ,” I say, failing to suppress my rising panic. “I’m sure it will look great from the bottom.”
    Dad looks at me with concern and reaches out to tap my arm gently. “Sweetie, don’t push yourself…”
    Suddenly, Mom swats his hand away and looks at me. “Are you still avoiding elevators?”
    I nod weakly and she sighs loudly.
    “I don’t want this affecting you the rest of your life, it’s gotten in the way of you doing so much,” she says, showing her concern in her own critical way. “Is there anything you can do to cure it?”
    I frown, annoyed at this sudden intervention. My family had stopped pestering me about it ages ago, they came to accept it as the norm. Why bring it up now?
    “It’s just if this is going to be your new job, won’t it limit you greatly to avoid high places?” Mom continues asking, reminding me where I get my nosiness from.
    “I can deal with it if it absolutely must happen. If somebody put a gun to my head and made me catch a lift up the Empire State Building, I would do it.” Very nervously though.
    “I’m sure there was something that helped calm you down last time you were faced with heights…” Mom suggests and my eyes widen. Tristan. That day I was in his apartment, I started having a panic attack when I saw how high up I was, and then he kissed me…and then I suddenly lost all my nerves.
    “Yeah, there’s got to be something,” Hansley chimes in.
    I push my chair backwards, scraping it loudly on the tiled floor.
    “I have to excuse myself,” I mutter as I rush out of the kitchen and up the stairs, desperate for some privacy. It’s too embarrassing for me to continue reminiscing about the past.
    Tristan does make me feel safe. But it’s not like I can depend on him to rescue me time and time again.
    I mean, aside from the flight, it’s not like I’m going to be forced to confront my fear of heights head on in Paris. Right?

CHAPTER THREE
    I’m excited to do this thing!
    The wedding is for Marie