Three Weeks in Paris Read Online Free Page B

amazing.”
    “I’ll say she is, and what a lovely trip for you. When is the party?”
    “On June second, at Ledoyen. It’s a supper dance, actually.”
    “That’ll be fun, we must find you something pretty to wear. Is it black tie?”
    “Yes, it is, but look, Mom, I’m not sure that I’m going to go.”
    Diane was startled, and she frowned. “Why ever not? You’re close to Anya, and you’ve always been a special favorite of hers. Certainly more than the others—” Diane stopped abruptly and stared at her daughter. “But of course! That’s
it
. You don’t want to go because you don’t want to see the other three. I can’t say I blame you, they turned out to be rather treacherous, those women.”
    With a small jolt, Alexandra realized she hadn’t even thought about her former best girlfriends, who had ended up her enemies. She had been focused only on Tom Conners and her feelings for him. But now, all of a sudden, she realized she must throw them into the equation along with Tom. Her mother was quite right, they were indeed an excellent reason she should stay away from Paris. They were bound to be at the party … Anya would have invited them as well as her … together the four of them had been her greatest pride the year of their graduation … her star pupils. Of course they’d be there … with bells on.
    “You’re right, Mom, I have no desire to see them,” Alexa said. “But they’re not the reason I don’t want to go to Paris. It’s something else, as a matter of fact.”
    “And what’s that?”
    “His name’s Tom Conners.”
    Diane was momentarily perplexed. The name rang a bell, but she couldn’t pinpoint the man. She leaned forward slightly, her eyes narrowing. “
Tom Conners
. Do I know him? Oh, yes, now it’s coming back to me. Isn’t he the Frenchman you introduced to us a few years ago?”
    “That’s right, but Tom’s
half
French,
half
American. If you remember, I did tell you about his family. His father’s an American who went to live in Paris in the early fifties, married a French girl, and stayed. Tom was brought up and educated there, and he’s always lived in France.”
    “Yes, so I recall, darling. He’s a lawyer if I remember correctly, and very good-looking. But I didn’t realize there was anything serious between the two of you. I thought it was a brief encounter, a sort of fling if you like, and that it was over quickly.”
    “It lasted almost two years, actually.”
    “I see.” Diane sat back, wondering how she had missed this particular relationship. On the other hand, that was the period Alexa had lived in Paris, working with Anya’stwo nephews in films and the theater. However, she had certainly kept awfully quiet about Tom Conners, had confided nothing. Odd, really, now that Diane thought about it. She said slowly, “Somehow you’re still involved with Tom Conners, I think. Is that what you’re trying to say?”
    “No … yes … no … look, Mom, we don’t see each other anymore, and I never hear from him, he’s never in touch, but he’s sort of there … inside me, in my thoughts.… ” Her voice trailed off lamely, and she gave her mother a helpless look.
    “Why did you break off with him, Alexa?” Diane asked curiously.
    “I didn’t. He did. Three years ago now.”
    “But
why
?” her mother pressed.
    “Because I wanted to get married and he couldn’t marry me.”
    “Is he married already?”
    “No. Not now, not then.”
    “I’m not following this at all. It doesn’t make sense to me. I just don’t understand what the problem is,” Diane murmured, her bafflement only too apparent.
    Alexa hesitated, wondering if she could bear to tell her mother Tom’s story. It was so painful, so harrowing. But when she glanced at her mother’s face and saw the worry settling there, she decided she had no option. She wanted her to understand … everything.
    Very softly Alexa said, “Tom was married very young to his