Read Online Love Far Away (A Spicy Contemporary Romance) by Leslie Cooper - Free Book Online Page A

once we’re there, we just follow our noses and
find a great spot.”
    It was four o’clock by that time, and I knew the French
wouldn’t eat dinner until late, so when Becca asked if we could walk across the
bridge down the street from our hotel to visit the Eiffel Tower, we all agreed.
We stopped in at our hotel to stash our shopping bags in our rooms, and then
walked across the bridge spanning the Seine.
    The Eiffel Tower stood in the middle of a huge garden, and
the lawns were covered in tourists. Some were big groups- school groups in
matching t-shirts, or a busload of Japanese tourists crowding in for a group
photo- and others were smaller...families, couples, young college age kids. For
a minute I felt jealous of the college kids, getting out and travelling the
world before a husband and family came along. I’d married Bradley right out of
college and we’d had Henry right away. At the time it had felt so right, and
we’d been so happy to start a family. I didn’t regret having my son, but I
couldn’t help but wonder for the first time what my life might have been like
if I hadn’t stayed with Bradley.
    The lineup to buy tickets to the top was long, but it passed
quickly as we people-watched and chatted about tonight. Ashley kept bringing up
revenge sex, but I brushed her off. We inched forward in line until it was
finally our turn to be crammed into an elevator with about fifty other people.
We rode a series of three elevators all the way to the top, where we squeezed
our way through the crowd until we managed to get a spot at the railing to look
out over Paris.
    “Look! That’s where we were,” said Megan, pointing to the
wide Champs-Elysees and Arc de Triomphe in the distance.
    Becca shaded her eyes. “There’s the Louvre,” she pointed.
“Can we go there tomorrow? And Notre-Dame?”
    “I’ll probably be sleeping off my hangover until noon,” said
Ashley.
    “I’ll go with you, Becca,” I offered, since it seemed a sin
to visit Paris and not see the Mona Lisa.
    “I’ll go too,” said Megan. “As long as we’re not leaving too
early.”
    “Is nobody else going to have a crazy good time with me
tonight?” Ashley asked, disappointed.
    “Of course we are,” I told her. “That’s what we’re here for,
isn’t it? Let loose, relax, have a little fun.”
    “A lot of fun,” Ashley corrected me.
    “Museums can be fun too,” Becca protested. Ashley laughed.
    I tuned out my friends’ silly argument and looked back out
at the city of Paris. I’d dreamed of visiting here so often when I was younger-
what little girl doesn’t dream of Paris? I’d imagined standing at the top of
the Eiffel Tower a hundred times before. It was just that in my dreams, it had
always been Bradley standing up here next to me. I pictured his face the night
of Olivia’s birthday party, when he’d told me he didn’t love me anymore, and
tightened my grip on the railing. How could he have done this to me?
    ***
    Back at the hotel, we took turns
showering and doing our makeup and hair in the huge gilded mirrors in the
bathroom. I zipped up my new body-hugging dress and took out my trusty black
heels from my suitcase. I chose a necklace and some earrings to go with my
dress, and went over to the mirror to see how I looked.
    “You look great,” Megan told me. “Only-“
    “What?” I asked. “Did I leave a tag on my dress?”
    “No, it’s not that,” said Megan. “It’s just...do you think
you’re going to leave your wedding ring on?”
    My hand flew to my ring automatically. It was a small,
simple ring that had been all we could afford when we’d been fresh out of
college. We’d discussed upgrading and getting me a new wedding set for our
tenth anniversary, but I was sentimental about my little ring.
    “I don’t know,” I said. “I’m not sure I can bring myself to
take it off just yet.”
    “That’s okay,” said Megan gently. “Do you know if Bradley’s
taken his off yet?”
    “Bradley