Paris Summer (6 page)

Rena held up a large porcelain cat. It was black with
cream-colored ears and paws and shrewd green eyes,
seated with its tail curled around its feet.

“Well, can we go now?” Janine demanded. “I have a
headache.”

The long Metro ride back to St. Germain did
nothing to soothe Janine. The train was as crowded as
the market had been and much hotter. When she and
Rena reached the apartment building and found Sandy
waiting on the stairs, Janine was not happy to see him.
But Sandy was oblivious to her mood. “Timed it just right,” he said, grinning. “I figured you’d be tired out
by now. How was the market?”

Janine was too tired to reply, but Rena happily
chattered about her cat as she unlocked the door.
Setting her purchase on the telephone table, she turned
it to face the couch. “I bought it to keep an eye on Jenny
while I’m gone. I think I’ll call him Ralph!”

“Better not try anything while he’s around,” Sandy
said to Janine.

“No!” Rena protested. “I bought him to protect
Jenny. You’re the one who had better be careful,
Sandy.”

Janine was not amused by the assumption Sandy
would be a frequent visitor to the apartment. Aloud she
said, “Why are you here, Sandy?”

“Because you are,” he replied promptly. “I came to
take you out to dinner, Jenny. At Paul Chene.”

“It’s a little early for dinner,” Rena pointed out.

“I know,” he said cheerfully. “I’m on my way to an
art gallery to pick up something my father ordered. But
I thought I’d stop here first. I wanted to make sure I
caught you before you made plans for dinner. I’ll pick
you up at seven o’clock, Jenny. Okay?” He paused long
enough for Janine to nod then said, “See you then.
‘Bye.”

As Janine watched him run down the stairs, Rena
tapped her chin thoughtfully. “I think you’ve made a
conquest, Jenny. Or at least you will if you’re careful.
Paul Chene. I think you should wear your blue chiffon
tonight and…”

“Rena!”

“All right. It’s none of my business. Still, I do think
you ought to wear the chiffon. You haven’t anything
else appropriate. And can I help you fix your hair?”

Janine sighed. “Okay. But the makeup and jewelry I
do myself”

Thanks to Rena fussing over her, it took Janine
almost the entire three hours to get ready. Naturally
Rena was dissatisfied with her sister’s makeup, but
Janine was pleased with the effect. And she declined
Rena’s offer to let her use a little of her “sensuous”
perfume. She was slipping on a pair of dressy sandals
when the doorbell rang.

“I’ll get it!” Rena cried, and hurried out of the
bedroom.

Janine could hear Rena’s voice clearly. “Hi, Sandy!
Jenny’s almost ready.”

Feeling somewhat nervous, Janine paused in the
doorway to the living room. Sandy noticed her and
gave a low whistle, and Janine felt tempted to respond
in kind. Sandy was dressed in a dark brown corduroy
suit that emphasized an almost ideal build. Under the
jacket was a green turtleneck that matched the green of
his eyes. When Sandy smiled the effect was devastating. “Shall we go?” he asked politely.

Janine nodded. Rena immediately produced a lacy
blue shawl. “Don’t keep her out too late!” she called as
they started down the stairs.

Without turning, Sandy lifted a hand. “No later than
she wants,” he retorted. Bending toward Janine, he
said softly, “You smell wonderful. Incidentally, I
borrowed Alan’s car for this evening.”

Alan’s car looked very familiar, Janine thought as
they approached it. When Sandy held the door open on
the passenger side, Janine had to choke back an
exclamation. Yes, the car was very familiar indeed,
right down to the leopard-skin seat covers. So it hadn’t been Mark’s car. Well, it did seem to fit Alan’s taste
better than Mark’s.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Sandy asked as he got into the
car. “Especially these seat covers. I’ve already ordered
a car just like it. It’ll be ready in a couple of weeks, and I
can use it to travel around Europe. Then, when I go
back home, I save a bundle because it’s used. Bet my
father’ll be jealous. Of course, as a businessman, he has
to stick to something more sedate like a Cadillac or a
Lincoln Continental.”

“Aren’t you a businessman, too?” Janine asked.

He grinned. “Sure. But I’m a young businessman.
I’m expected to be just a little daring. Of course, once
I’m married, I’ll have to have a second car for my wife,
and that one will be more conservative. Just like I’ll
have to give up my apartment and get a house in the
suburbs. One with a big yard for barbecues and
things.”

“You seem to have it all worked out, Sandy.
Suppose your wife has different ideas?”

“She won’t,” Sandy said confidently. “My wife
won’t have anything to worry about except me and the
kids.”

Janine was amused. “Kids? Have you decided how
many?”

Sandy nodded. “Yup. Two… a boy and a girl.”

This was too much for Janine. She burst out
laughing. “Mother Nature may have something to say
about that!”

Sandy frowned. “Don’t you like kids, Jenny?”

“Yes.”

“Good,” he said as though satisfied.

Suddenly uncomfortable, Janine stopped laughing.
And neither she nor Sandy broke the silence that followed. It was not until they were seated at Paul
Chene that Sandy said anything. “Aperitif?” he asked.

She shook her head. Sandy frowned. “But wine with
dinner, surely?”

“Of course.”

Sandy nodded approvingly. “Actually, I’m glad
you’re cautious. I find the sight of someone who is tipsy
rather vulgar. I hope you don’t mind if I order, Jenny.
Alan recommended several things I thought we might
try.

Janine thought the idea a good one. Looking
around, she noted that the small dining room was
tastefully furnished. It gave an effect of quiet but
stopped short of intimacy, which was ideal as far as
Janine was concerned.

After the wine steward had brought a wine he
approved of, Sandy turned his full attention to Janine.
“Now,” he commanded, “tell me about yourself.”

“What about me?” she asked.

“Everything. Your family, your childhood, your
interests. Men in your life. Past, present, and future.
What you think of me.”

“That’s asking quite a bit, isn’t it?” Janine asked.

“True. But I am interested.”

“What about your life?” Janine countered.

“Ladies first.” He smiled. “Take your time …we
have all evening.”

“All right. Let’s see. I was born in Columbus, Ohio,
and grew up there. I went to Ohio State and got a
Master’s Degree in math at the age of twenty-one and
have been teaching ever since at Westchester Community College.” She paused as the soup was served. “My
father is an engineer and my mother is a housewife. I
have only one sister, Rena. I like sewing, cooking, reading, camping, hiking, fishing, swimming, skiing,
dancing, horseback riding, art galleries, museums, old
churches, old houses, forests, amusement parks, old
books, old engravings, boats, planes, trains, restaurants, movies-”

“Enough, enough!” Sandy broke in, laughing. “I get
the idea. You like most things, I gather. So it should be
safe to ask if you like dinner.”

“Mmm, this trout is delicious,” she answered
truthfully. Perhaps it was because of the wine, but she
felt warm all over, and completely relaxed.

“Continue,” Sandy commanded. “What are your
ambitions? How do you see yourself?”

Strangely uninhibited, Janine talked freely. “I’d like
to keep teaching math. I enjoy it and get along with my
students. But I suppose I hope I’ll eventually marry and
probably have children. I won’t want to give up my
career, but I’m the sort of person who needs someone
to share things with, and I like children.”

“What sort of wife would you make?” Sandy asked.

“Warm, loving, and loyal. Intelligent enough for my
husband to talk to. Oh, I don’t know. And I feel very
strange talking about it.” Janine hesitated. “It’s odd.
Usually I am much more shy with men. I tend to be a
very shy sort of person.”

Sandy seemed pleased. “I take that as a good sign.
The fact that you can talk with me so easily, I mean.
You mentioned men. Have there been many men? Is
there one now?”

Janine looked at him sharply. “That’s none of your
business, you know.”

“I know. I am curious, though. Is there someone
now?”

She shook her head. “Not anymore. I found out he was married. About a month ago. In a way, that’s why
I’m here. I was rather upset. There hadn’t been many
men before Phil, you see. I was an easy target for him.
Rena invited me to visit her, and I packed up and came
the minute school was over.”

“Still upset?” Sandy asked.

“No.” With amazement, Janine realized it was true.
Phil no longer bothered her.

“Paris is having a good effect on you, then,” Sandy
said seriously.

“Your turn,” Janine said quickly, unaccountably
afraid of what might otherwise be said.

He laughed. “Okay. Well, I was born in Chicago and
from seven on grew up in the suburbs. I got a B. A. from
the University of Chicago and joined my father in
business. My mother died about five years ago, and I
am an only child.”

“I’m sorry about your mother,” Janine said, wishing
there were something less trite she could think of to say.

Sandy laughed bitterly. “Don’t be. She married my
father when he was just starting and very poor. She
couldn’t adjust to his success… being somewhat of a
fool, you see. When we moved to Wilmette, she was
very unhappy and couldn’t fit in. To be honest, in her
last few years she was usually drunk. She hated me
because she knew I wanted to be like my father. I
quickly learned not to bring girls home because she’d
start telling them to stay away from me…that I’d only
make them unhappy. Then she’d start screaming about
my father and-”

Janine reached out and touched his arm. “You don’t
have to tell me, Sandy. I’m sorry I asked.”

As though suddenly aware of where he was, Sandy
relaxed visibly and forced himself to speak more calmly. “No, it’s all right. I wanted to tell you.” He
clenched a fist. “But when I marry, it’ll be to someone
very different from my mother. Someone more
intelligent, someone who can fit into my life-style.”

They were both quiet, waiting for dessert. At last
Janine broke the silence. “Well, tell me. What sorts of
things do you like?”

Sandy smiled and leaned back, less upset now.
“Hunting and fishing, skiing and swimming, cars and
women. I like to watch football and baseball, go to
restaurants and movies, and kiss lovely blondes.”

Janine laughed. “Do I count as `lovely’?”

Sandy pretended to study her carefully before
nodding. She is lovely, he thought, and definitely a
lady. “You should wear blue often,” he said aloud.
“Tonight your eyes almost look blue.”

“Have there been many lovely blondes in your life?”
Janine asked.

“Blondes, brunettes, and redheads,” he answered. “I
won’t kid you, Jenny. There have been lots of women in
my past. One or two I was serious about. But somehow
things never worked out…why, I don’t know. But
right now there’s no one else. Whether there is anyone
at all is up to you, Jenny.”

He spoke gently, and Janine felt herself blushing
deeply. He couldn’t mean what he seemed to mean?
Surely Sandy was just giving her a line? He was
obviously experienced enough to do so. As if aware of
Janine’s embarrassment, Sandy changed the subject
and began talking about the painting his father had
bought. Gradually Janine relaxed as they discussed
favorite artists.

It was Sandy who first realized the time-almost
midnight. They had long since finished their Cointreau and coffee. The waiters, however, were discreet, and no
one had come to remind them they should leave.
“Come, I’ll take you home,” Sandy said.

She nodded and inexplicably they both felt shy. The
silence stretched, not breaking even when Sandy
helped Janine out of the car on rue Bonaparte. At the
bottom of the staircase, Janine turned to Sandy. “I
won’t make you climb all those stairs. It was a
wonderful evening, Sandy.”

“It was, wasn’t it?” He smiled. “Just one thing left.”

He reached out and pulled her to him. Gently tilting
her chin up with one hand, he kissed her firmly and
carefully, and Janine found herself responding. “Good
night,” Sandy said as he released her at last.

“Good night,” Janine answered, hesitating only a
moment before she fled up the stairs.

The next morning, as she dressed to go out for
croissants, Rena asked Janine to fix coffee. “No time
for a leisurely breakfast at a cafe today,” she explained.
“I’ve got to pack. I finished the article last night, and
I’m leaving for Geneva tomorrow morning. As it is, I’ll
probably have to mail my article from Switzerland.”

Over breakfast Janine asked, “What time is your
plane? Shall I go out to the airport with you?”

“Eleven A.M.No, don’t bother. Mark will drive me
out there. I can’t wait to be in Switzerland!”

“What will you be writing about there?”

“Just the usual sort of travel thing: what to do and
see in Geneva. It’s sort of a trial thing. Mademoiselle
says that if they like this article I’ll have a monthly
column on travel in Europe. It would pay well enough
to cover the rent on this apartment, and of course
Mademoiselle would pay my travel expenses. As a matter of fact, they’re paying for this trip. Oh, Jenny,
the work would be a lot of fun because I wouldn’t just
cover lots of stuffy museums; I’d be reporting on places
people our age like to visit.”

“Sounds great!” Janine said enthusiastically.
“Sometimes I envy you, Rena. Living in Paris, having a
fiance and an exciting career. Seems perfect to me.”

“Oh, Jenny!” Rena said in dismay. “You’ve got a
good job, too, and isn’t New York City exciting? Didn’t
your date with Sandy go well? You came in kind of
late.”