Shark Out of Water (11 page)

“Of course.”

“Would you like me to pick you up?” Guy asked.

Charlotte hesitated. “No…I better just meet you there.”

He did not pry into her reasons. He felt reasonably sure he could guess them. If she was truly going to tell him about her illness as he expected, she was no doubt worried that Guy would show his true colors and
partir en courant
. He could not blame her for thinking he would cut and run at such news, but he fully intended to prove her wrong. Guy had walked away from many women for trivial reasons, but he felt confident that nothing Charlotte could tell him would change his mind.

Chapter 12

Un Prince de Français

Never before had Guy found himself so nervous. It was worse than sitting for his board exams. He had rushed through paperwork and changing his clothes after his shift ended in order to make it to the restaurant before Charlotte. Kit and Christine gave him strange looks as he rushed out, but he had been acting erratically lately and they chose not to comment.

Guy entered the foyer of
Dolcini
, much to Pierce’s surprise. Normally, Guy would have made a reservation, but Charlotte had called too late to do so the previous night, and every time Guy tried to make the call during work hours, he had been interrupted. He strode up to Pierce nervously. “Can you fit in myself and a guest tonight?”

“Another client?” Pierce asked. Shaking his head, Guy reassured him that there would be no strange and disruptive guests that night. “Oh, good. I would have made room either way, of course, but I’m glad to see you here for more social reasons. I’ll have Megan prepare a table immediately.”

“If possible,” Guy interrupted before he could walk away, “somewhere private.”

He tried to say it as plainly as possible, but Pierce was too perceptive to be fooled. “Is everything all right, Mr. Saint Laurent?”

“
Oui
, I would just prefer something out of the way tonight.”

Pierce nodded, though he seemed to suspect there was more to the request. That was why he was so good at his job. Guy turned away from the stand and began scanning the diners waiting for a table just to be sure he had not missed Charlotte somehow. She was not there, which was something of a relief. He needed a few minutes to compose himself after his harried rush from the hospital.

It was another ten minutes before Charlotte stepped into the foyer, her eyes darting around for Guy. He wanted to catch her attention, but she had captured his first. When she had asked the previous night what to wear, he had reassured her that anything she wore would be fine. He still didn’t know what she did for a living, but he always saw her in business clothes, so he had expected her to arrive in something similar. He was so glad she had ignored his advice.

Her long caramel-colored hair curled over her bare shoulders. The halter-style black dress she wore exposed her creamy skin in more places than he had previously seen, but still managed to keep her modest. The fitted waist belled out into a loose skirt than ended just short of her knees. The only thing that broke him out of his blatant staring was her obvious anxiety.

Stepping into her line of sight, Guy smiled when she saw him. He stepped forward, extending his hand and gently pulling her closer to him. He kissed each of her cheeks in greeting, lingering a moment too long once again. As he pulled back, she smiled with relief, and surprisingly, a hint of annoyance as well.

“You lied to me.”

“I did?”

“I would not have looked fine in anything here. Thank goodness I mentioned the name of the restaurant to a coworker and she warned me to dress up.”

Guy chuckled, apologizing for his
faux pas
. “I truly was not worried,” he defended. “You always look wonderful.”

“Don’t start using that French charm on me. I know your tricks.” She said that, but Guy could see the hint of a blush on her cheeks. She tried her best to distract him from it, however. “Do you think we’ll have to wait long?”

Spotting Pierce, he signaled to him that they were ready. The smile that spread across his friend’s lips was amusing. Pierce rushed over immediately. “Your table is ready, Mr. Saint Laurent. Allow me to show you the way.”

Charlotte was caught off guard by Pierce’s eagerness, but she took it in stride. Leaning in close to Guy, she whispered, “He said your name right. I see why you like coming here.”

He could not help laughing at her jest. He could not remember having complained about how his name was constantly mispronounced, but if she had taken the time to ask around about him at the hospital, he supposed someone would have mentioned it. They reached their table a moment later, and Guy pulled her chair out for her. As he did, he said, “The food is even better than Pierce’s accent. I hope you enjoy it.”

“Oh, I’m sure I will. Thank you,” she said as she took her seat. Guy took his seat a few seconds later and they listened to Pierce’s customary announcements of who their waiter would be and when Megan would arrive, which was always reported as “shortly.” He said everything with an unusually chipper smile on his face.

Once the obligatory information was given, Pierce casually stepped closer to Guy, muttering, “
Elle est belle.
”

Charlotte’s eyes narrowed as Guy smiled and Pierce walked away. “I’m going to have to learn to speak French just so I can make sure you aren’t making fun of me with your friends,” she chided.

“Making fun?” Guy said. “Never! I would not dream of such a thing.”

“Yeah, sure.” Charlotte rolled her eyes at him.

Guy felt reasonably confident she knew he would not make fun of her, but he still felt he should explain Pierce’s comment. He did not want to go into the whole date shark business right then, but he had no trouble translating Pierce’s comment.

“I was here last night for a business meeting, and the woman I was dining with was quite… unusual. Pierce was merely commenting how lovely you are and how pleased he was to have you here tonight.”

Charlotte considered him carefully, as though she thought he was playing with her. Eventually, she could only shrug. “Well, I’ll have to take your word for it, I suppose. I do hear that French men can be a bit tricky, though.”

“Tricky?” Guy said, feigning insult. “I believe the word you meant to use was charming.”

She tried not to smile, but it proved impossible. Instead, she could only shake her head at him as she laughed. Her amused expression slowly faltered. Her fingers were trembling as she slid them from the table to rest in her lap. “Thank you, Guy, for coming to meet me tonight.”

“You had a long weekend, no?”

Charlotte nodded, blinking back tears. “Very long,” she said, her voice quivering.

They were interrupted from further discussion by Megan’s approach. Charlotte seemed relieved, and to be honest, so was Guy. He knew what was coming, but he wanted Charlotte to enjoy herself for a little while before she confronted what was happening.

Once Megan had retreated to place their orders, Guy said, “May I offer a suggestion?”

“Did I order something gross?” she asked. “If I did, you have to tell me.”

“
Non, non
,” Guy said with a laugh. “I was just going to suggest that we not talk about your weekend just yet. First, enjoy your meal. After, why don’t we take a walk and talk then?” He paused to gauge her reaction, and when she seemed likely to argue, he said, “You do know French men like to have their way, yes? It is better if you just agree with me.”

Charlotte laughed, letting go of her hesitation. “Where are we going to walk? I’m not too keen on wandering around the streets at night.”

“There is a small park just a few blocks away. It is safe, I promise. I will not let anything happen to you.”

His last sentence seemed to strike a chord with Charlotte. Her arguments fell away, yet her gaze lingered on Guy. She appeared to be trying to decide whether or not he meant what he said. Guy had no trouble standing up to her scrutiny. She relaxed after a moment, apparently satisfied, and changed the topic. She seemed to be rather good at that.

“So, tell me about the trip home you have planned. What will you do while you’re there?”

“I will undoubtedly be pressed into an unending string of pompous events I will detest.”

Charlotte’s nose wrinkled. “I thought it was an anniversary party? How long do parties last over there?”

Chuckling, Guy said, “Normal parties last as long as American parties.”

“This isn’t a normal party?”

Guy shook his head. He was looking forward to seeing his parents and relaxing in the countryside, but he truly did not anticipate being held fast in the prison of social niceties his mother would force him into. “Unfortunately, no. The celebration will begin on Monday with a cocktail party for all the invited guests. Then there will be a luncheon the next day where guests can mingle and get reacquainted, since most will be traveling from other parts of France. Wednesday night will be the highlight with the gala to finally celebrate my parents’ anniversary. Hopefully, the rest of the week will be free for myself and the other guests to enjoy the sights and city, but I am sure my mother will come up with something else for us all to do.”

The list of events made Guy shake his head, but Charlotte looked stunned. She took a drink of her water slowly before setting it back down and pinning him with a mockingly serious expression. “Be honest, Guy. Are you some sort of French prince? I won’t complain if you are, but I think it’s only fair for me to know if I’m getting mixed up in some sort of strange attempt at a fairytale. I don’t think I have nearly the right wardrobe for that sort of thing.”

She smiled when Guy broke out in laughter. “
Non
, I am not
un prince de français
of any kind. The French no longer have a monarchy or aristocracy to speak of.”

“But your family is wealthy, I’m guessing.”

“Quite.”

Charlotte nodded, “Good to know. If I ever happen to find myself in France and need help, I’ll have a name to drop.”

“If you ever find yourself in France, I sincerely hope it is because you are with me,” Guy said, surprising himself with his boldness. Charlotte seemed equally surprised.

She was saved from having to respond to that by the arrival of their food. The topic of conversation then turned to the taste and quality of the food and the prospect of an equally delicious dessert. Guy was saddened as the last of the plates were cleared away, but he stood anyway.

Charlotte started to stand as well, but paused a moment later. “Wait, what about the check?”

“I am here often enough that they don’t bother bringing a check anymore. Conrad has my credit card on file.”

“But, I invited you to dinner,” Charlotte argued.

“Please, it is my thanks for helping me get through these last few weeks.”

Charlotte’s mouth thinned as she pressed her lips together in annoyance, but it only lasted a few seconds before she sighed. “Well, thank you, Guy, but you’re going to return the favor again by listening to me as we walk.”

“I am happy to do so.”

Guy gestured for Charlotte to go ahead of him. She stepped away from the table, at last relinquishing her claim on dinner. Guy followed her, his nerves growing with every step. He was not alone in that. By the time they exited the restaurant and Guy indicated the direction of the park, Charlotte’s hands were shaking. He could have pretended it was due to the cold weather, but they both knew it was a lie. When Guy reached for Charlotte’s hand, she did not hesitate to take it.

Chapter 13

Pas Bon

The park Guy had mentioned was only two blocks from the restaurant. By the time they reached it, Charlotte’s fingers were cinched around his. “You already know, don’t you?” she said quietly.

Seeing no point in lying to her, Guy said, “I know you are Dr. Myles’ patient, but that is all.”

“Have you known since the day we met?”

Guy shook his head. “I thought you worked at the hospital when we met. It was on Thursday that I ran into Myles after we spoke. He only divulged that you were a patient because he was concerned.”

“Concerned about what?”

Hesitating, Guy was not eager to share that Myles was worried Guy’s presence in her life would do more harm than good. He had been concerned, as well, that Guy would try to begin a relationship without knowing the truth, but Charlotte was his patient, and he was more concerned for her than for Guy.

“You have already admitted to knowing about my reputation.”

“Yes.”

Guy felt nothing more needed to be said. Charlotte was intelligent enough to see the implications. It would be difficult for him to argue with any objections his past behavior merited.

“Is that why you came to dinner with me tonight? To tell me you already knew and that you weren’t looking to hook up with a cancer patient?” Charlotte looked up at him, a million questions shining in her eyes.

“That is what you expected me to say? That is why you would not let me pick you up, no?” Guy pulled her to a stop and waited for an answer.

His question seemed to put her off balance. He could see that she was thinking very carefully about his questions. “You already knew, but you offered to pick me up.” Her brows scrunched together. She seemed to realize he would not have offered to drive her if he intended to abandon her after hearing her news confirmed. Still, she did not seem convinced. “Maybe you were just too polite not to offer.”

Guy shook his head.

Slipping her hand out of his, Charlotte wandered over to a small bench and sat down. “You said yourself you don’t know what I’m facing. How can you say you aren’t bailing on whatever this is between us without knowing?”

Guy sat down next to her on the bench and placed his arm around her shoulders. “Tell me then.”

His voice was calm as he spoke despite the fear he struggled to contain. She watched his every expression. It seemed forever before she finally spoke. “Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia.”

Breathing out slowly, Guy sat back against the bench. He had suspected leukemia since Myles was a hematologist who dealt with blood disorders, but he had been hoping for chronic rather than acute. Acute meant it could progress quickly. Treatment was effective, providing survival rates that came close to seventy percent, but only if caught early enough.

“What stage?” Guy asked. The tremor in his voice belied his fear of what she would say.

“L1.”

Guy felt himself relax by the tiniest degree. They had caught it early, but there was more to it than that. “You have already had all of your blood work done,
oui
?” Charlotte nodded, bringing a dozen more questions to mind. “What was your white blood cell count? Bone marrow aspiration and your blast cell percentage? Philadelphia gene? Did Myles order a spinal tap?”

Taking in his questions patiently, Charlotte answered each one. “My white blood cell count was fifty thousand at the last check.”

Guy nodded. Compared to the normal five to ten thousand, that was high, but not astronomical when dealing with leukemia.

“I had a bone marrow aspiration done a week and a half ago. My blast percentage was twenty-two thousand.”

Again, it was higher than the normal range, but on the lower end for her condition. He nodded again, indicating he was ready for the next answer.

“I’m negative for the Philadelphia gene.”

She said it with a sense of relief, and Guy echoed that sentiment. The genetic abnormality known as the Philadelphia gene significantly reduced the chance of remission and survival. Guy reached over and took her hand again.

“So far, there’s no sign of central nervous system involvement, but of course, they’ll have to monitor me very closely and Dr. Myles plans to move forward with CNS prophylaxis treatment alongside the remission induction therapy.” She sighed. “He wants me to consider joining a clinical trial as an alternative to standard treatment, but I’m not sure.”

Clinical trial. Those two words had a strange effect on Guy. Those types of trials were important in cancer research. They were new, possibly better treatments, but there was a higher chance of side effects or poor results. Charlotte might still receive the standard treatment if she ended up being part of the control group, but if she was chosen to receive the experimental drug and it did not work, her treatment would be set back. That could mean the difference between achieving remission and seeing the disease spread.

“Is that why you went to visit your parents, to discuss your treatment options?” Guy asked. He was not sure how he managed to keep his voice so calm when his mind and heart were struggling to process everything.

“No,” Charlotte said, surprising him. “I went to tell them about the diagnosis and to ask their advice on whether or not to stay here.”

Guy looked over at her sharply. “What do you mean?” He shook his head in confusion. “Why would you leave? Your doctor is here. We have one of the top cancer treatment centers in the country at this hospital. You will receive the best care here.”

“I know,” Charlotte said. She rested her hand gently on Guy’s forearm after hearing the anxiety in his voice. “I understand all of that, but I don’t know if I can get through this without help. I’m worried that I’ll have to take a leave of absence from work. Any savings I do have are going to disappear quickly. Dr. Myles warned me that the treatment is pretty intense. I may not be able to take care of myself. If I can’t, I don’t have anyone else here to rely on.”

Shaking his head, Guy said, “That is not true, Charlotte. You will have more help than you can stand.”

“Guy, look,” Charlotte said, pulling away from him so she could face him head on, “I can’t make this decision based on your promise that you want to help. No offense, but I barely know you. You seem like a genuinely nice guy. If I wasn’t sick, I’d be thrilled to have a charming Frenchman sweep me off my feet. It’s not that simple, though.”

“I never said it was simple.”

She shook her head in irritation. “Guy, please. I didn’t ask you to dinner tonight to try and wrangle a promise out of you that you’ll help me through all of this. That would be crazy! I would never expect that from someone I’d known for years, let alone a few weeks.”

“Why did you ask me to accompany you tonight?” Guy asked. He was trying to understand her, but she was not making sense.

Folding her arms across her chest, Charlotte glared at him. “I wanted to tell you goodbye.”

Shocked, even though he supposed he should not have been, Guy struggled to find a response. “You have decided to leave?”

“No, well, maybe. I’m not sure yet. There’s so much to consider, but it doesn’t matter. I’m not dragging you into my problems just because I’m terrified of doing this alone!”

“Am I being dragged? No,” Guy argued. “I came here tonight already knowing you were sick. To be honest, I thought you were
mourant
!”

“
More
what?”

“
Mourant
, dying!” Guy snapped. “I thought that was your reason for going home to your parents, to discuss whether or not to accept treatment.”

Charlotte stared at him unblinking. “You thought I was going to die?”

“I knew it was a possibility. I have spent the last three days reading old textbooks, relearning everything I could about cancer so I could be prepared to have this conversation and help you.” Guy shook his head, frustrated because he had no idea what to do anymore.

For a long while, Charlotte did not speak. She turned away from him and stared out into the trees, silent as she thought. It was torture for Guy not to say anything. He knew she needed to consider his words and her own feelings, but he was silently begging her not to brush him off.

“Why are you doing this, Guy?” Charlotte finally asked. “Is it because of your patient who killed herself?”

“What do you mean?” Guy pulled back.

Staring down at her hands, Charlotte would not look at him as she spoke. “I know you feel guilty about her death, but trying to save me won’t make you feel any better about what she did.”

Guy was struck by her comment. Was that why he had latched onto Charlotte so quickly, why he felt a connection with her? Perhaps, on the surface, it might appear to be true, but Guy had met Charlotte before Patricia’s death. He had felt a sense of kinship with her from that first, chance encounter. It was not a desire to save her, either. He knew there was a chance she would not survive this illness. He was more optimistic now than he had been before, but he knew the chance remained. If she declined, even with treatment, there was nothing he would be able to do to stop that from happening.

The conversation with Vance late Thursday night came back into his mind. Everything he had said that night was still true. Slowly, Guy put his arm around Charlotte’s shoulder and pulled her closer to him. Instead of arguing that his desire to befriend her had nothing to do with Patricia, Guy took a different approach.

“My friend Carmody and her husband Michael are traveling to France in a few months for their fifth wedding anniversary. While they are gone, their three-year-old, Lily, will stay with her grandparents. I had wanted to offer to watch her myself, but because of my work schedule, it would have been difficult for me to keep her the entire time. So, we have dates planned, instead, for when I am not working.”

“Dates?” Charlotte asked.

“
Oui
, for Lily and me. She is
ma petite amie
. She has requested to visit the butterfly zoo, which is really the botanic gardens, the regular zoo, the children’s museum, and to have a sleepover in her Dora tent.”

“A sleepover?” Charlotte questioned.

Guy nodded with a smile. “But it has to be in the Dora tent. I’m not sure how she expects me to fit inside the tent, though. It is very small.”

As he spoke, the tension holding Charlotte’s body away from him softened. She leaned into his embrace, lightly, but with less hesitation than before. “You have all of this planned… with a three-year old? That’s a difficult age to manage.”

“
Oui
, but if she does not behave, she knows I will not read her a bedtime story, and that is her favorite activity for us. Sometimes I think it is the only reason Carmody and Michael invite me for dinner, so they can have a night off from bedtime duty,” Guy said with a chuckle.

There was a small smile on Charlotte’s lips, but she did not respond right away. She seemed to be considering everything very carefully. “Guy, are you telling me all of this to convince me you’re not a player like everyone at the hospital jokes you are? Because…”

“No,” he interrupted, “that is not why. I have no excuses for my dating track record. I have never wanted a serious relationship with anyone, and I ended it as soon as I saw it going in that direction.” He shook his head, knowing it sounded like he was trying to tell Charlotte he expected some kind of commitment from her. “I’m not even suggesting that is what our relationship might become. I only know that I have come to care about you and I do not plan on abandoning our friendship because of your illness. I may not be very good at romantic relationships, but I do know how to be a friend. There would not be a whole group of people willing to help you in any way you need, simply because you are important to me, if I did not.”

“What do you mean?” Charlotte looked up at him, clearly upset. “You told all your friends about me? About my cancer?”

Guy shook his head. “I spoke to Vance because I needed advice…and because he is my psychiatrist. I mentioned you to Carmody after I first met you, and all I told her this weekend was that you may need some help in the future. My other friends, I know all I need to do is ask and they will do what they can.”

Charlotte’s anger diffused, but she remained reluctant. Guy thought he understood why. It had to be a frightening thing to think about staying in Chicago for her treatment with only the promised help of a man she had only known for a few weeks. When Charlotte, spoke, he realized that was not the whole reason.

“Guy, if you’re serious about wanting to stay friends despite me being sick…well, there’s something else you need to know.”

The expression she wore spoke more than words alone. Whatever she was still hiding, it was
pas bon
. It was not good at all. She was suddenly more nervous about her new secret than she was about revealing her illness.