Escape to Paris With Love (15 page)

Without hesitation EJ confessed, “I’m in love with you too Prince Armani.”

The revelation was overwhelming. Gathering her in his strong, muscular arms he kissed her tenderly, right after thanking God for sending him this incredible woman.

Armani’s private limo awaited Armani and EJ when they returned from their romantic cruise. EJ waited patiently in the backseat while Armani concluded some business with the captain and the crew. As fate would have it the back of EJ’s earring popped off and fell to the floor. While searching for it she came across a large envelope stuffed beneath the seat.

Now, normally EJ would have just ignored it, but this this envelope had her name written in large strokes across the front of it. The handwriting wasn’t Armani’s, which further peaked her interest. EJ could tell the envelope contained photos and she strongly suspected that it contained photos of her. She was right.

Some way, somehow Armani had mistakenly left an envelope full of surveillance photos in the limo. EJ jaw shattered to the ground as she quickly shuffled through the stack of approximately twenty to thirty pictures of her. There were picture so f her at
home, at her office, at the gym, at the hair salon and even at the gynecologist’s office.

“Oh my God!” She screamed. “This man has been spying on me! What the hell!”

To say that EJ was pissed would be a gross underestimation of the degree to which she was pissed. In the infamous words of Buzz Lightyears, EJ was pissed to
infinity and beyond!

“
Who the fuck does he think he is? How could he invade my privacy like this?”

All types of crazy thoughts flooded her brain as she reshuffled t
hrough the pictures and tried to make sense of the purpose for the pictures. “Oh my God! Why would he do this?”

Coming up with nothing that made logical sense she summoned the driver and ordered the driver to remove her bags from the drunk.
“James will you please remove my bags from the back and set them on the curve. I think I’m going to take a cab.”

“Miss Jones. Prince Armani will be right out. Please be patient five more minutes.”

“Please just do as I asked. Mr. Armani and I have a disagreement and I’d prefer to take a cab. So cold you please call me a cab and remove my bags from the car?”

“Yes Miss Jones, right away. I’m sorry to hear that.”

EJ got out of the car with the envelope of picture in hand. As James removed the last of her bags Armani approached. Confused he ran to her to see what was going on.

“Where are you going? What’s wrong?” He asked puzzled
.

“You want to know what’s wrong Armani? This is what’s wrong!” She snapped as she threw the envelope for of pictures into his chest. “How fucking could you disrespect my privacy like that?”

“EJ I can explain!” Armani responded as he tried to pull her in his arms.

EJ quickly wrestled her way free. “Get the fuck off of me? Who the fuck do you think you are? You think that because you have money you have the right to invades people’s privacy?”

“EJ please just let me explain!” Armani begged.

“Just save it Crown Prince
Hakeem of Zumunda! We’re finished! There’s not a damn thing that you can say to me to fix this.” EJ snorted. “By the way Armani… Just so you know… I don’t need your damn money. Well, I guess you already knew that though, didn’t you?”

Armani tried to approach EJ one last time. “EJ please just get in the limo and hear me out. I promise this is not what it seems.”

“Whatever! Just leave me alone! I don’t ever want to talk to you again! So, lose my number Prince Loser!”

EJ’s words were disrespectful and they cut Armani to his heart like a samurai blade. He didn’t have the heart to continue to try to win her over. He watched as a cab approached and EJ got in. He nodded for his driver to put her bags in the cab and to pay the driver. His heart ached and he wasn’t sure he’d ever recover.
  

Brokenhearted Armani called her daily, but EJ would not accept his calls. Afraid he’d lose her forever he backed off and gave her, her space.

EJ thought that she was rid of her haunting reoccurring dreams of Paul. She assumed she was finally rid of the nightmare of losing Paul forever and she could finally be happy. Unfortunately, since her breakup with Armani her dreams were back with vengeance. The dreams were now more graphic, more realistic and dare we say even more damaging. But the dreams were not about Paul anymore. The leading man
starring in EJ’s dreams was no longer Paul, but was now Prince Armani Fabre′ and the carnage of waking up without him in her life was more than EJ could bare.

Yes, the dreams were back and they were a stark reminder of what could have been if she had just allowed Armani to explain.  T
he dreams paralyzed EJ with grief and fear and caused her to crawl deeper and deeper into depression. They took away EJs ability to move on and love again and frankly they took away her hope of ever being happy.

The moment that Prissy realized that the dreams were back she knew what she had to do. EJ was too temperamental, stubborn and strong willed to admit to any man that she was wrong, not even the love of her life.
EJ would rather bathe in kerosene and set her on ass on fire before going to Armani to amend their differences and Prissy knew that. She knew it because EJ told her so.

“EJ this isn’t healthy for you or the girls. You need to get your ass out of bed. While you at it
… Wash your stinky ass and then take your pitiful little ass to that man and apologize!” Prissy advised as she opened the blinds to allow the afternoon sun to shine into EJ’s dark bedroom. “Got me over here cooking and cleaning for your kids while you wallow in self- pity! Fuck that! Get your ass out of that damn bed now before I drag your fucking ass out! I’m fucking done!”

“They’re your girls too! Just take them to your house for the weekend and leave me alone. I don’t feel good.” EJ mumbled as she rolled over and pulled the covers over her head.

“Do what? Have you complete gone Coo- Coo for CoCo Puffs? It’s two days before Christmas! You haven’t even decorated the house or put up a damn tree!”

What did you say? “What day is it?” EJ spring up in horror.

“It’s December twenty third! Two days before Christmas!”

“Oh my God! I haven’t even been shopping! I didn’t get the girls anything for Christmas!”  EJ screamed in frustration as she threw the mound of covers off and quickly got out of bed. “Why didn’t you stage your little damn intervention a week ago?” She huffed as she struggled to put her bedroom shoes on.

“Why the fuck did I even have to stage a damn intervention in the first place? Huh EJ?” Prissy snapped as she followed EJ into the bathroom. “I swear to God!  You take dick way to seriously! You get a few inches of it and completely lose your damn mine!”

“You know what? Fuck you Priss! Everybody can’t just hop from dick to dick to dick like you! Okay?”

“Oh! Okay? You want to go then let’s go!” Prissy taunted as EJ got in the shower and quickly began to suds up. “For your information Miss Pure Pussy, I have had only two men in the last five years! Okay! One of which I gave my virginity to and the other who I’m about to marry. And yes! I hopped back and forth between those two dicks until I grew up and decided to move on! That’s what I thought you had finally done with Prince Fabre′… But no! He did something… Which you can’t even discuss because you are just so upset about it… And you pushed him away and went right back to square one!”

“You want to know why you don’t know what happened between Armani and me? Huh Prissy? Beca
use it is none of your damn business! Okay, Prissy!”

“Hold the fuck up a second! Let’s get one fucking thing straight! Everything that concerns you and my nieces is my damn business! EJ you have been my best friend since elementary school! We tell each other every damn thing! So, any and everything you do is my business! So don’t even think about playing the mind your own business damn card with me
, because I will take it and shove it up your little ass!”

“Oh my God, Prissy! Just leave it alone! I don’t have time for this bullshit! I have to get to
Toys R Us and get the girls’ things while it still has toys left. At this late date I’ll be lucky if I can find a damn doll… Let alone two black versions of the Baby So Real. I fucking can’t believe I let a piece of dick make me forget about Christmas!” She vented before becoming emotional. “I’ll probably have to paint a Christmas tree on the wall, because it’ll be impossible to find one at this late date. Oh… And don’t even get me started on the decorations. Charlie Brown Christmas… Here we come. They’re never going to forgive me for this Prissy! I’m such a bad mother! What am I going to do!”

Prissy softened. “Calm down… Calm down and don’t even think about crying. Austin took the girls to the country to a Christmas tree farm to pick out and cut down a tree. I took care of their shopping list online
on Black Friday. Everything’s here and safely stored at my house. Besides, Bear sent a tractor trailer full of shit. We decorated the house and baked cookies last night while you were sleep. Austin and I are hosting Christmas dinner… So, basically you are all set.”

“Oh thank God! I’d never forgive myself if they had a shitty Christmas because of me! Thank you so much Priss! You are a God Send from the clouds of Heaven!” EJ exclaimed.

“You know that you don’t have to thank me. You’re my sister and I’ll always have your back, no matter what.”

“Question…” EJ asked as she exited the shower and dried off. “So, why did you come over here being all melodramatic and shit… Acting like I slept through Christmas… Scaring me half to death?”

Prissy giggled. “Hey… I just wanted to get your ass out of bed and into the damn shower! You were looking a hot ass mess and frankly you were beginning to stink up the place!

EJ laughed. “Yeah, well that sure did it!”

“EJ it’s Christmas… Just make up with him. You know you love him. And I’m sure the girls will adore him when they finally get a chance to meet him. Besides…”

“Don’t even think it, let alone say it, because it’s not going to happen.” EJ warned.

“Oh come on EJ! You know this is the perfect solution. I can’t break their hearts five years from now and tell them that their father is dead. I just can’t do it and in retrospect I wish we’d never even concocted this stupid ass lie. Least if you marry Prince Fabre′ they’ll have a dad and it won’t hurt so damn bad. You trust him with them don’t you?”

EJ sighed. “Yeah. I trust him. Armani would make a great dad.”

“Then go and get him back. If not for you then for your daughters.”

“Prissy I can’t and you know I c
an’t” EJ whined. “Please don’t make me grovel back to him. I’d rather take a bath in kerosene and set my own ass on fire than to face Armani after the things I said to him.”

“Look… I don’t need to know what was said and why… Hell, I don’t even care what happened. I just need to know this… Did he physically hurt you?”

“No of course no! Armani is a kind and gentle man.”

“Okay, did he cheat on you?”

“No… He never cheated on me.”

“Then I’m going to assume by default that he lied to you about something. Correct?” EJ eyes welled with tears as she simply nodded, yes. “Okay, it’s alright. Don’t start crying, because I have one more question that I need you to answer.” Prissy said as she wiped the tears from the corners of EJ eyes.
“EJ do you still love him.”

EJ burst into tears. Apparently that was the question that broke her resolve. “Yes, almost as much as I love you and my girls.” She sobbed. “Prissy I screwed up by ending things with him. I know that now, but I also know that it’s too late for apologies and regre
ts. That man is a billionaire. He can have any woman in the world. I’m sure he’s moved on.”

“Yes, Prince
Fabre′ is a billionaire that can date almost any woman he chooses, but you’re wrong. He hasn’t moved on, because he’s in love with you.” Prissy said as she comforted her sobbing friend. “Don’t worry EJ. God has a way of making everything work in your favor. I don’t think we’ve seen the last of Prince Fabre′.”

~*~*~

EJ’s stubborn pride would not allow her to make the first move to reconcile with Armani, but nothing was standing in Prissy’s way. While EJ went outside to get the mail Prissy used her house phone to call the prince. He answered on the very first ring.

“EJ, I’m so glad you called. I
’m sorry! Can we meet somewhere so I can explain?”

“Hi
, Prince Fabre′, I’m Parisa Crown EJs sister although you probably know me as Prissy. Can we meet instead?”

“I don’t understand
, Prissy… Where is EJ? Is she okay?”

“Yeah…
EJ’s a little heartbroken but she’s okay. Look I really don’t have much time. She doesn’t know that I’m calling. Meet me in front of EJ’s office in one hour.”

“Okay… I’ll be there.” He quickly conceded.

“I have a red Mercedes truck. We’ll talk then.”

 
One hour later a stretch limousine pull behind Prissy’s truck. The driver got out an escort Prissy to the limo to talk to Prince Fabre′. Prissy knew that Prince Armani looked almost exactly like Paul except for a few minor details. Still nothing prepared her for what she discovered when they finally met face to face.

EJ deliberately kept Armani from coming to her home, for obvious
reasons, so Prissy never once met the prince until now. As she climbed in the back of the limo to meet him she was completely stunned to find that Armani was an exact clone of her twin brother. So much so that Prissy couldn’t even speak. Emotions she had suppressed for so long bubbled up inside her and prompted her to burst into tears. Flinging herself in the Paul look alike arms Prissy sobbed like a baby for her deceased brother.

Armani was shocked at her display of emotions to say the least, but he held her close and comforted her in his arms. “It’s going to be okay, Prissy. Please stop crying. Just tell me what is wrong.”

Unfortunately, just the sound of his voice speaking those particular worlds made her cry even harder. Now Armani had a distinct French accent and his voice was much deeper than Paul’s, but in her spirit Prissy heard Paul’s voice speaking those words of comfort. She clanged to him tightly until her sobbing finally subsided. Armani was patient and allowed it.

When
Prissy finally recovered she explained to Armani the reason for her emotional outburst. Armani was shocked to find out that he was a mind bobbling replica of EJ’s ex-boyfriend. He found it a bit unsettling and confusing, but it all made sense. EJ mentioned Paul in passing, but she never once spoke of the girls. Armani instinctively knew that it was just too painful and private for her to share.

 
In retrospect he understood why she got so upset about the surveillance photos and video she found. Armani held back from her as well. He never told EJ about the sex dreams that he had about her. He was afraid that she’d think that he was crazy. Now, more than ever he was convinced that he could never tell her. It was just too damn weird. Still, he confided in Prissy everything including the dreams and the search for EJ.

Prissy was floored by what Armani revealed to her, but she was convinced that divine forces were in play. She knew in her hearts heart that Armani was the man for EJ. The two quickly formulated an elaborate plan to get them back together as soon as possible. All they needed was a little more divine magic to make it all come together
, so that everyone would have a merry Christmas.