A free prequel novella to Beneath The Parisian Skies.

When Australian Lily Johansson earns the opportunity to dance for the prestigious Bohème Ballet in Paris, she fulfils a lifelong dream and continues a family legacy — but it comes at a cost.

While Lily falls in love with the City of Light and her professional life catapults her into fame, her personal life suffers as the relationship with her fiancé deteriorates. On a stormy night, an argument sends Lily racing across the road and a speeding car tragically changes her life forever. Lily’s heart, once full of love and hope, is smashed to pieces and her career crumbles into a hopeless mess. Stumbling into a solitary future she’d never planned, Lily must learn to live with the grief of losing the man she loved and find her way in an unfamiliar world.

Lily Johansson stood in the front yard of her Victorian terrace house in North Melbourne and took a deep breath. She stared at the phone in her hand, too afraid to open the email she’d received an hour prior. The words in that message would either fulfill the dream she’d worked years for, or smash it to pieces. Butterflies danced around the bougainvillea creeping over her picket fence and the neighbours’ kids squealed with delight as they squirted each other with water guns.

‘It’s arrived?’ Her sister Natalie flounced through the front gate, looking fresh and relaxed despite the roaring heat of the day.

Lily nodded, her sweaty fingers tightening around the phone.

‘And?’ Natalie’s light nudge in the ribs sent Lily off balance.

She shoved the phone at Natalie. ‘I can’t do it.’

‘Of course you can!’

Lily shook her head vehemently.

‘You are such a chicken!’ Natalie laughed and grabbed the phone, entering Lily’s passcode. She tapped on the email, her expression non-committal. Looking up, she asked, ‘Do you want to find out here, where every man and his dog can see you, or in the privacy of your house?’

Lily cocked her head towards the house she shared with Aiden. She climbed the steps, opened the door and stood in the cool, dark passageway, her skin welcoming the drop in temperature. Natalie brushed past Lily, who threw her handbag and keys on the side table and crossed the living room to collapse on the yellow embroidered couch.

Lily puffed out her cheeks. ‘Righto, give it to me straight. But …’

‘But?’

‘Maybe we should wait until Aiden gets home.’

‘He said to go ahead and open it, didn’t he?’ Natalie placed her hand on her hip. ‘Don’t use him as an excuse.’

‘This affects both of us. I think I should wait.’

‘You’re stalling.’

‘I’m not, really, I just—’

‘You’re in.’

‘What?’ Lily leant so far forward she nearly fell off the couch.

‘You’re in,’ Natalie repeated calmly, then her eyes widened and she let out a squeal. ‘Oh my God! The Bohème Ballet has accepted you! You’re going to Paris!’

‘Holy shit!’ Lily jumped up and started towards her sister but smashed her shin into the corner of the coffee table. Despite the pain rushing up her leg, she wrapped her arms around Natalie as they screamed and jumped in circles. ‘I’m going to Paris!’

‘I knew you could do it!’ Natalie said, squeezing Lily tight.

‘Paris! Paris! Paris!’ They chanted and danced around the living room.

A stitch formed in Lily’s side from laughing and she doubled over, catching her breath.

The laughter faded as the thought she’d been refusing to entertain forced its way to her consciousness. ‘What if Aiden doesn’t get in?’

Natalie went to the kitchen, grabbed a couple of glasses from the cabinet and turned on the tap. ‘He will. How could he not?’ she yelled above the running water. ‘You’re the perfect pair onstage. There’s no way they won’t accept both of you.’

The front door slammed and heavy footfalls echoed down the hallway. A moment later Aiden’s tall frame graced the doorway, the early evening light falling across his face, accentuating his strong jawline and brown eyes. The man she loved with every ounce of her being wore a frown, something she was unaccustomed to seeing. Lily held her breath.

‘Apparently they are happy not to accept us as a pair.’ He said, his deep voice barely audible.

Lily’s chest hollowed as she walked over and rested her hand on his arm. His whole body was tense. ‘They must have got it wrong. They must—’

‘I wish they’d got it wrong but I’ve spent the last hour reading the same words over and over. There is no part of that email that says I’ve been accepted into the Bohème Ballet.’

Panic ripped through her. ‘That can’t be right! We should call them tonight to double check. Maybe they translated the French incorrectly.’

Natalie entered the room, holding two glasses. She broke into a wide smile. ‘Oh hey, Aiden, so you also …’ Her grin faded as her gaze rested on Aiden’s pained expression. ‘They’ve said no?’

‘Nat, can Aiden and I have a moment, please?’

Natalie slowly placed the glasses on the coffee table, reached for her bag and keys then rested her hand gently on Aiden’s arm. She gave it a squeeze and quietly said, ‘We’ll talk later but just so you know, you are the best danseur I have ever seen.’

Aiden continued staring at the floor. ‘Thanks.’

Natalie raised her eyebrows at Lily and mouthed, ‘Call me later.’

A second later the front door opened then closed. Silence enveloped the room.

Aiden’s shoulders slumped. He mumbled, ‘Shot to pieces.’

Lily wrapped her arms around his waist and his body trembled. Resting her head on his shoulder, she asked quietly, ‘What’s shot to pieces?’

‘My career. Us.’ He gently removed her arms from around him and he stepped away, turning towards the window. Reds and oranges fell softly through the glass and highlighted the misery on his face.

‘It’s not the end of your career, Aiden. There are plenty more—’

‘Stop it.’ Aiden faced her. ‘Lil, just stop it. Getting knocked back from Bohème is a blow, but it’s doubly hard when you’ll be there, forging your career while I’m here, resigned to playing second fiddle to Toby Whitcombe.’ He reached for her hands and squeezed them. ‘Please don’t get me wrong—I’m ecstatic you made it into Bohème. You’ve worked damned hard and I’m thrilled you’ll finally get to live out your dream.’

‘But …’

He shrugged, his mouth downturned.

‘But it was our dream.’ Her fingers gently skimmed the stubble on his face. ‘I could always apply next year.’

Aiden shook his head. ‘It was your dream first. Besides, I would never forgive myself if you stayed here because of me. What did we say when we first got together?’

‘That if we’re given an opportunity we’ve dreamt about, we won’t let the other person stand in the way.’ At the time the pact had made sense but now, with her future determined, she wished she could take it back. But Aiden was a man of his word and there was no way he would let her go back on a promise.

‘Lil, you’ve worked so long for this opportunity, you have to take it.’ He drew her towards him and she nestled against his chest. Hope, excitement, and sorrow swirled within her. Quietly, Aiden said, ‘We’ll make this work somehow.’

Fighting back hot tears, she said, ‘We will. I’m sure we will.’

She desperately wanted to believe the words but a cloud of doubt descended upon her.

With shaky hands, Lily worked the airline check-in machine to get her boarding pass and label her bags. She went through the process slowly. Lily was about to step into a whole new world and no matter how many times she told herself she was ready, fear of the unknown reared its ugly head.

She took her time going over to the baggage drop, refusing to look over at Aiden, Natalie and her mother, Caroline, who sat at the nearby café.

The past few weeks had flown by in a flurry of activity, from arranging accommodation on her arrival and getting her visa application approved, to signing her contract with Bohème. Aiden had been by her side supporting her every minute, and when she had the odd moment of panic, he’d calmly reminded her why it was so important for her to pursue her dream. She admired his ability to hold it together when inside, his heart had probably shattered into thousands of pieces. Through it all, Lily’s love for Aiden grew. Not once did she doubt his well wishes for her, but knowing they would be apart for an indefinite period of time made her heart ache.

Done with checking in, she couldn’t postpone saying goodbye any longer. She slowly made her way to the café. Her mother and Aiden had untouched coffees in front of them and Natalie fiddled with an unopened bottle of water.

Lily looked down at her passport and boarding pass.

There was no turning back now.

‘Hey.’ Lily tried to keep her tone light as she sat next to Aiden and put her hand in his. She’d done this simple gesture many times over the years. And now, as she looked at their fingers so innocently entwined, she couldn’t help but wonder what would transpire between now and when they finally saw each other again.

Don’t borrow problems from the future, her great-grandmother used to say with her heavy accent. Although it had been ten years since she’d passed, Lily’s great-grandmother—once a Russian ballet legend—had inspired Lily and Natalie to forge their own careers in ballet. And dancing in Paris, where her great-grandmother first made her name, meant Lily could pay homage to the woman who had encouraged Lily to follow her dreams, no matter how grand.

She studied Aiden while he talked with Natalie and Caroline. He smiled broadly, but he didn’t fool her. No doubt Aiden’s emotions were swirling in a tormented mess, just like hers, but he was always so good at hiding his feelings when he chose to. Last night, when they’d held each other in the darkness, they’d poured out their hopes and dreams, fondly recalling memories of their relationship and career together. The uncertainties of their separate futures had been brushed to the side. But now, as the moment to say goodbye drew close, uncertainty wrapped around Lily. Had they been naïve to think her position at Bohème wouldn’t adversely affect their relationship?

‘So,’ her mother said brightly. ‘How long until boarding?’

‘Soon,’ replied Lily.

‘I’ll get you a coffee.’ Aiden stood and walked over to the counter.

‘God, he’s doing it hard.’ Natalie cracked the lid of the water bottle.

‘I know that,’ Lily snapped. Instantly feeling terrible, she said, ‘Sorry. So you see it as well?’

‘I think we all know him enough to know when he’s faking it. And he’s faking it big time, Lil. It’s hard for all us. Lots of changes in the wind and all that.’ Natalie gave their mother a look.

‘What?’ asked Lily.

‘Tell her,’ said her mother, smiling proudly.

Natalie rolled her eyes. ‘Mum’s just going to nag until I do. Besides, you’ll hear about it soon enough.’

‘Hear what?’

‘I’m understudy.’

‘What?’

‘They’ve made me understudy for Juliet.’ Natalie’s eyes lit up and a surge of happiness rushed through Lily. Natalie was working her way through the ranks of the Australian Ballet and her future was looking just as rosy as Lily’s.

Lily jumped up and squeezed her little sister as hard as she could. Natalie laughed and wriggled out of her grasp.

‘Don’t injure me before I do my first rehearsal!’ Natalie took a big swig of water. ‘So it looks like the Johansson clan are kicking goals at the moment.’

Lily glanced at Aiden, who leant against the counter, staring intently at his phone. ‘I wish we could make it a hat-trick.’

‘Now, now.’ Caroline patted Lily’s hand. ‘He’s a grown man and he will make his own way in the world. This has been your dream since you were tiny and Aiden only joined the Bohème train because it’s what you wanted.’

‘But—’

‘Listen to me.’ Her mother’s stern voice caused patrons on a nearby table to look over. ‘Love is something that should be treasured, and what you and Aiden have is very special, but I didn’t work my fingers to the bone and drive thousands upon thousands of kilometres every year to take you to lessons for you to ditch this because you’ll miss him.’

‘Jeez, Mum, let up already!’ Natalie slammed the drink bottle onto the table. A couple of droplets landed on her hand but she ignored them. ‘Lil has enough going on and she doesn’t need any lectures from you.’

Lily sensed Natalie was about to let fly with one of her tirades and, as usual, Lily would be forced to jump in and defuse the situation. ‘Look, Mum—’

‘Almond milk latte, no sugar.’ Aiden sidled up to her and placed the coffee on the table. She prayed he hadn’t overheard her mother.

Wrapping her fingers around the mug, she ran her other hand through his thick, wavy hair. ‘Thank you.’

‘For?’

She hoped her smile and one-shoulder shrug said it all. The way his eyes connected with hers, she knew he understood.

He leant in close and whispered, ‘I need you alone for a moment.’

She inhaled his spicy cologne and closed her eyes. How long would it be before she would enjoy Aiden’s scent again? ‘Perhaps we should—’

‘Shit!’ Natalie jumped up and started gathering Lily’s things, pointing to the departure screen. ‘Your flight is already boarding.’

‘Shit,’ echoed Lily as she grabbed her handbag and roll-on bag. At the immigration gate, scores of families and friends surrounded other travellers as they hugged and kissed and cried and expressed their thoughts in myriad languages. All Lily could do was remain silent in an effort to hold back her tears.

‘You’ll do great, sis.’ Natalie hugged Lily so hard she worried a rib would crack. Nat finally let go and said, ‘Now, my birthday is coming up in a couple of months so I fully expect a fancy box containing an even fancier piece of jewellery. I suppose I’d be okay if it was from Cartier or the like. You know my taste.’ Natalie pecked her on the cheek. ‘Have a great flight, chickadee.’

Caroline’s shaking hands took Lily’s. Her mother’s lips trembled. ‘Darling, I am so very proud of you. You are a beautiful soul and a wonderful dancer and Bohème are so very lucky to have you.’

‘Thank you, Mum.’ Lily embraced her mother, trying to commit this hug to memory. ‘Thank you for everything you’ve done for me. And I’ll send you a text as soon as I land in Paris.’

‘I don’t care if it’s in the middle of the night, I just need to know my girl is safe in her new apartment.’

Lily gave her mother one last hug then turned to face Aiden.

Holding her hands in his, Aiden said, ‘You know I love you, right?’

She nodded and swallowed hard.

‘And that no matter how many kilometres separate us, you will always be in my heart. We can’t deny that things are about to change dramatically for us. And we certainly don’t know what the future holds.’

Goosebumps sprouted on her skin. Lily rasped, ‘You’re doing the break-up speech now? Couldn’t you have waited until I was settled in Paris?’

‘Lil—’

‘Seriously, Aiden—’

‘Lily!’ Aiden looked to the heavens as if begging for patience. ‘Please, just stop talking and let me say what I have to say.’

She drew her lips in a tight line, trying to prepare herself for the inevitable. For the past couple of days Aiden had retreated into himself, something he did whenever he had a big decision to make, but last night he’d been back to his usual, loving self. Why had he chosen now to talk to her about something so important—in public?

‘Lil.’ Aiden’s hands felt hot and clammy as he grasped her fingers. ‘I am very proud of you and I know this is a big adventure that will do so much for your career. I wish we were sharing this together, but fate has decided something different. There is one thing, however, that is meant to be.’ Aiden got down on one knee and Lily’s heart crashed against her chest.

‘Aiden …’

‘Lily Mae Johansson, will you do me the honour of being my wife?’

Around them people stopped and stared, some with wide smiles, others with looks of anticipation or concern for what her answer would be. All eyes were on her and Aiden and, as much as she loved the attention when onstage, she cherished her anonymity when back in the real world.

‘Aiden …’ She pulled him up and towards her. Leaning in closely, she whispered, ‘Why now?’

‘How many times have you told me to ease up and express myself, no matter where I am? Well, that’s what I’m doing. Besides, it’s not like we haven’t talked about marriage before.’

‘That was before I found out I was going to Paris.’

Aiden stepped backwards. ‘You don’t want to get married?’

‘Of course I do, Aiden! But we have no idea how this is going to work out.’ She took in his worried expression. ‘I think it would be wise to see how things develop. Then, when you get into Bohème next year’—she hoped her words would turn out to be self-fulfilling—‘we can talk marriage.’

‘You’re fence-sitting,’ Aiden said evenly.

‘I promise you, I’m not.’ She glanced up at the board, aware that every minute counted. ‘Please, Aiden, let me call you when I get to London. I’ve got a few hours there and we can talk about this some more. This is not a conversation that can be rushed.’

He gave a half-hearted shrug and she felt like the meanest, cruellest person on earth. Stepping forward, she placed her finger under his chin and lifted his head until their eyes were level. ‘I love you more than any other person that has walked this earth. I do want to marry you, Aiden. My heart knows this. My head knows this. We just need to talk about logistics. This needs time to figure out.’ Lily placed her lips on Aiden’s and her body melded against his, like it had done for so many years. She closed her eyes and the noise and busyness of the airport disappeared as she revelled in his warmth.

Lily finally broke the embrace. ‘My body may be in Paris, but my heart will always be here—with you.’

Lily sat in a sidewalk café, sipping coffee and eating a croissant. Feeling like the biggest tourist cliché on earth, she enjoyed the flaky buttery sensation dancing across her tastebuds. Though guilt followed her every bite—she shouldn’t be having a dalliance with calorie-laden food and she shouldn’t be enjoying said forbidden food without Aiden by her side. Lily put the rest of the croissant down and pushed the plate aside. Man, she missed him.

Checking her email once more, she found a message from Aiden. Excitement buzzed inside her as she opened it:

Lil,

You sounded so far away when we spoke last night. I know you have a lot on your mind and everything is new and exciting but you might as well be on the moon, there’s so much distance between us. Nothing’s the same here anymore. I don’t know how many times I’ve walked into the bedroom to offer you a cup of coffee, only to find you’re not there. I hate waking up and seeing your side of the bed not slept in. I miss not having the toothpaste squeezed from the middle of the tube and your bobby pins turning up in odd places around the house. I miss not being able to talk to you about rehearsal because when I get home you’re just starting your work day.

I know we need time to settle into our new lives, but it’s harder than I expected.

I miss you, Lil.

Love always,

Aiden

Dejection pushed away her initial excitement. She closed the message and stared at the image on the home-screen of her phone. It was a photo of her and Aiden performing Giselle at the Sydney Opera House. Although it had only been three years ago, that role had cemented them as a couple to watch and they’d received a lot of interest from foreign ballets, but none had tempted them to leave Australia until Bohème. When they’d applied for positions at Bohème they’d thought it would be a shoo-in. How wrong they’d been.

Shoving her phone back in her bag, Lily leant forward and rested her head in her hands. After calling Aiden from London, they’d had a long talk and decided to put the engagement on hold but not their relationship. It had surprised Lily how easily Aiden had agreed, but perhaps her getting on the plane had driven home the reality of their situation. It didn’t make things any easier, though.

The waiter collected her empty coffee cup and half-eaten croissant. No wonder she’d turned to empty calories—she was using them to fill the emptiness in her heart. She didn’t want the guilt of leaving Aiden in Australia to haunt her when she wandered the streets of Paris. She was about to start an amazing journey with a world-renowned ballet company and she wanted to enjoy her precious spare time visiting famous sites such as the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe. She wanted to revel in exploring art galleries and jewellery shops, to lose herself in other worlds, open herself to new experiences. The last thing she wanted, or needed, was guilt to muscle in on her dream and wrap its tentacles around her. She had to find a way around this horrendous feeling because if she didn’t, the dream she’d spent most of her life working towards would be over and then where would she be?

After gathering her bag, Lily paid the bill and left the café, ready for her first walk to her new professional life. Excitement fuelled her steps, despite her heavy heart, and she walked down the narrow streets, taking in the divine Baroque architecture. From the moment she left Charles de Gaulle Airport, Lily felt like she was returning home—a strange sensation given she’d never set foot in France before. But the tree-lined avenues, delicious aromas of coffee and freshly baked bread, lush parks and ancient buildings combined to bring a sense of familiarity. She’d put this down to her great-grandmother’s vivid descriptions of when she’d lived in Paris, as well as Lily’s own desires about living in this beautiful city. But surely these imaginings wouldn’t have the kind of impact that made her truly believe she’d found her home.

Lily concentrated on the beautiful shops, apartment blocks and cafés along Boulevard Saint-Michel. She reached Le Seine and as she crossed the Pont au Change she stared up at the grey turrets of La Conciergerie, once a prison for victims of the French Revolution before they were met with gruesome deaths by the guillotine. Every street in Paris had centuries-old history and many buildings were living time capsules, that have housed people as they battled famine, war, invasions … No matter where Lily turned, she sensed the challenges the French had experienced over the centuries—the loves, the losses, the celebrations, the destitution—and as her feet travelled the cobblestones, Lily told herself that if the French could find a way through all their suffering, surely she could get over being homesick and missing Aiden.

Lily eventually made it to Théâtre du Châtelet, once the home of the Ballets Russes. Composers like Tchaikovsky and Strauss, visual artists Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse, designer Coco Chanel and dancers Vaslav Nijinksy, Anna Pavlova, Viktoriya Budian and even Lily’s great-grandmother once worked within the walls of this theatre. It seemed surreal that after hearing stories about these artists since she was a tiny girl, Lily was about to enter the world she’d always dreamt about. She made her way to the stage door, knocked, and was met by a tall, grey-haired, beefy man. His eyes were surrounded by smile lines as he nodded and asked, ‘Qui venez-vous voir?’

Lily stared at his kind face and willed her brain to connect with her mouth. Although she’d been practising her French phrases for weeks, she’d got away without using them as most people she spoke with took pity on her bumbling and switched to English. It looked like today was the day her high-school French needed to be taken out for an airing.

‘Comment vous appelez-vous?’ he asked, his voice friendly.

‘Je suis un nouveau danseur,’ Lily finally said, wishing she had a better ear for languages. Oh well, back to the audio lessons when she returned to the apartment.

‘Anglais?’

‘Australien.’

‘Ah! Kangourou!’ The doorman held up his hands like paws and jumped with agility.

Lily laughed. If everyone in the ballet company were as friendly as this fellow, then her time here should be enjoyable. Well, once she got past the long hours and arduous classes …

‘Je m’appelle Bernard.’

‘Je m’appelle Lily Johansson.’ The words rolled off her tongue seamlessly. Perhaps she didn’t suck too badly at French, after all.

‘Entrez.’ Bernard held open the door and Lily stepped across the threshold, leaving behind her old life.

Lily sat on the floor of the empty rehearsal room where she’d stayed behind after the class. Her pointe shoes lay next to her aching feet as she applied ointment and bandages to the blisters and bunions that felt like they had tripled in size since the morning. Although used to being pushed to her limits, adjusting to a new ballet company added an extra mental and physical strain.

Two weeks had passed since she’d started with Bohème, and even though the other dancers were friendly, it wasn’t the same as the dancers she’d known for years back in Australia. But this decision to come to Paris was Lily’s alone, and she just had to brace herself when she questioned her sanity or when loneliness stole the sleep she so desperately needed.

She went over to her bag and pulled out her phone.

No messages.

Damn.

It had been three days since she’d last heard from Aiden. Why the radio silence? Their last video conversation had felt so positive—they’d laughed, had a glass of wine each as they talked about when they would next see each other … Despite all her worries about their relationship being strained by the distance, she had been grateful there had not been any hints about things falling apart. So why hadn’t Aiden returned her texts since?

Puffing out her cheeks, she pulled her tracksuit pants and T-shirt over her leotard and tights, then slipped comfy shoes over her aching feet. Lily slung her bag over her shoulder then froze as a sharp, stabbing pain pierced her shoulder blade—a brutal reminder that although she was here to push herself, she also had to be mindful of exactly how far she could go. In her head that made sense, though her heart wanted to go to the extreme because she was here to prove herself worthy of this opportunity. And if dancing with Bohème meant a few more aches and strains, then so be it. It wasn’t like she hadn’t put her body through the mill before.

Turning off the light in the rehearsal room, Lily made her way down the dimly lit hallway towards the exit. Bernard gave her a salute and a smile and she did the same. Seeing his friendly face every morning and evening helped bring a sense of routine to her days.

The sky had turned an inky blue and the buildings and streetlights showed her the way to her apartment. The cool air wrapped around Lily’s body, and she made a mental note to invest in a warmer jacket. She’d thought her Melbourne winter coat would have been enough but the Parisian cold bit through the material, causing her entire body to shiver. Pulling up the collar, Lily quickened her pace, her stomach growling as she tried to remember what was in the refrigerator back at the apartment. She really did need to do a decent shop …

Rounding the corner of her street, Lily spotted a tall man standing on the steps of her building. He didn’t look like he was going inside and he was just … lurking. Wishing her brain hadn’t started playing her mother’s warnings about muggers roaming the streets, Lily pulled out her keys and pushed the pointy end of one between her fingers, ready to use as a weapon if need be.

Slowing her pace, Lily tried to appear casual. The man had his back to her, his long black coat falling elegantly off broad shoulders. When he lifted his head, a rush of happiness surged through her.

‘Aiden?’ Her voice was barely a whisper.

The man turned around, his large, beautiful brown eyes locking on hers.

‘Oh my God!’ She dropped her bag and ran forward, jumping up and wrapping her arms around him. Aiden held her in a tight embrace, his lips meeting hers and all the worry, the homesickness, the doubt, melted away, cocooning Lily in a warm bubble. Pulling away, she playfully punched him in the arm. ‘Is that why you didn’t text me? Because you were on your way here?’

Aiden’s cheeky grin took her back to the first time they’d met. She’d just started with the ballet and it was his job to show the new dancers around the facilities. Lily hadn’t heard a word that afternoon; she’d been so taken by this beautiful, down-to-earth man.

‘Lil?’ Aiden squeezed her hand.

‘Huh?’ She shook her head and laughed.

‘Can we go inside? I’m freezing.’

‘Oh! Sure!’ Lily unlocked the door to the foyer and motioned for Aiden to come in. He picked up his suitcase at the bottom of the stairs, and Lily wondered how on earth she’d missed it when she’d first arrived. So much for being aware of her surroundings while walking around at night … But she didn’t dwell on it as she climbed the stairs to the first floor and opened up her apartment door. Turning on the light, she was thankful she’d barely been home long enough to create too much mess.

Aiden put his suitcase in the hallway then took off his jacket and hung it on the hatstand. She loved the way he moved so gracefully, that he had complete control over every muscle, every sinew. And his hands, those beautiful hands …

‘So …’ Aiden turned and shoved his hands in his pockets.

‘You must be tired after the trip. Do you want a shower?’ she asked, already imagining herself jumping in there with him.

‘Not right now, thanks.’ His gaze travelled around her tiny room. The semi-furnished apartment boasted one sofa that folded out into a bed, a kitchenette that was smaller than a walk-in wardrobe, and a bathroom she could barely turn around in. It was her home in Paris, though, and she loved the low-maintenance space.

A strange unease settled around them and she had no idea why. She’d spent weeks fantasising about Aiden being by her side, yet now, when he was only a few feet from her, she was acting like it was their first date. What had come over her?

Motioning for him to sit on her couch, she said, ‘I’m sorry, I’m a little in shock at seeing you.’

Aiden sat beside her and took her hands in his. Her mind flashed back to when they were in the airport and she was trying to predict the next time they’d be doing this exact thing. She’d thought it would be months, even a year; she certainly hadn’t expected it to only be weeks. As she concentrated on the familiar scene of their hands entwined, Lily relaxed and the awkwardness dissipated just as quickly as it had appeared.

‘Lil, there’s a few things that have been going on that I haven’t told you about.’

She swallowed but a lump had lodged in her throat.

Aiden laughed. ‘Oh, if only you could see the look on your face!’

Indignation washed over her. ‘Well, what do you expect when you start off a conversation like that?’

Aiden let go of her hands. ‘All right, I deserved that. I was going for the dramatic.’

‘I think turning up on my doorstep unannounced is dramatic enough.’

‘Sure, sure. Right then.’ He paused. ‘So remember how the Bohème said no to my application?’

‘It’s not something I would forget too easily.’ Back to the unease again. What was with her? Why the emotional distance? Although her heart knew exactly why. Aiden arriving meant Aiden would leave and already her heart couldn’t bear the thought of saying goodbye one more time.

‘So I got a call only a week ago. Apparently the guy who won the position has injured himself so badly that his recovery is indefinite.’

‘Oh,’ she said, her mind whirring. ‘I’d heard someone was delayed in joining the company but I didn’t realise it was the guy who ... So are you telling me …’

‘I hope the bed is comfy because I’m going to be sleeping on it for a very long time.’

Incredulity raced through her as she lurched forward and wrapped her arms tightly around Aiden. ‘Oh my God! Seriously? Oh my God! Oh my God!’

Aiden laughed and gently moved her back. ‘See? We just had to put our faith in the universe that everything would figure itself out.’

She could hardly breathe from the excitement. ‘I never expected this.’

‘Nor did I.’

‘What about—’

‘The house? Natalie has moved in and is happy to housesit for as long as we need. And as for my contract in Australia, it’s all sorted. They’re doing some sort of exchange. I don’t know how they’ve done it so quickly, but I suspect one company owed the other a massive favour.’

‘Who cares!’ she shouted, jumping up and spinning around. ‘You’re here!’

She leaped and landed on his lap. Holding his face in her hands, she smothered him in kisses. Aiden slowly lowered her onto the couch, his large frame dwarfing hers.

In a deep voice that signified exactly what was on his mind, Aiden said, ‘And now, it’s time to celebrate.’