Planning Bliss (Bliss Series Book 1)

The Bridal Party

The Bridal Party

I might have been a little too excited to go to Paris, readily ignoring all the screaming questions in the back of my head. How could I have ended up in bed with Levi? How could I have said yes to Sandrine? How could I continue to plan this wedding if I still had feelings for the groom? Well, I pled insanity. And Paris was my asylum.

After tying up some loose ends for events happening during the weekend I was away, I dragged myself home, packed for hours since I couldn't decide what to bring for Paris, then dropped onto my bed to sleep. Three hours later, I was fully awake, but extremely tired.

Unfortunately, it gave me more time to rethink my wardrobe choices and I had to go through my luggage again. By the end of it, the driver sent to pick me up had to rush me so that I would not miss the plane. I argued with myself that I might have packed too much, or too little. Were five pairs of shoes enough? Should I have brought another LBD?

When I arrived at the airfield, where a sleek private plane awaited, I saw the luggages being loaded, and confirmed that I indeed hadn't packed enough. Counting at least three luggages for Isobel alone, I panicked. I was going to look like a tourist.

Chase had printed out a 'what not to do' list for me, and a very long and detailed 'what not to wear'. Through the hustle, three of the five shoes I brought were sneakers, a telltale of the great American tourist, and according to Chase's list, looking like a tourist was a big no-no.

Almost everyone was present, including Levi. I groaned at the sight of him. It was my first time seeing him since that dreadful morning. I tried not to dwell on it, and had busied myself with work. I'd chalked it up to intoxication, a slight bout of loneliness, and misdirection. Misdirection? Yeah, that sounded right.

Good thing he was too busy on the phone to notice my arrival.

Isobel hugged me like we hadn't seen each other in years, instead of just a few days. She insisted that we sat together once we stepped on the plane, and I was more than happy to oblige. She couldn't stand to be around Levi, and I didn't think he'd ever warmed up to her. Classic avoidance tactic.

We were promptly handed champagne as we took our seats, although I refused to drink mine since the last drinking debacle (cue Levi passing us and winking). I asked for some sparkling water instead. As our plane was preparing its take off, I noticed that we were short two people. Sandrine left last night and Olivier, the mysterious guest was also MIA. I turned to Isobel to ask about him.

"Aren't we waiting for someone else?" I querried.

Isobel looked around us. "Who? Everyone's here. Sandrine left yesterday to prepare for our grand arrival." She winced when she said her name, and snorted when she finished.

"How about Olivier?"

She quirked her eyebrow. She seemed confused. "Olivier?"

"Yeah. Sandrine said he's coming too. She mentioned he was going to be here. Who is he anyway?"

Isobel laughed out loud. I felt a blush color my face. Was I missing some important tidbit or was I the butt of a joke? Perhaps both.

"But he's here. Olivier." Her fingers waved in the air.

She pointed across the aisle where Jake was engrossed in a book, and Levi was animatedly talking in French to our very beautiful flight attendant. I quickly averted my eyes before he noticed me looking. I turned back to Isobel with a look that said that I had no idea what she was saying. She laughed again, brushing a tear off her eye, and slapping her hands to her thighs.

When she finally quieted, she explained. "Veronica, Olivier is Levi." Pause for effect. "Olivier Laurent. He's like French old money." She flicked her fingers in the air again, lowered her voice as she continued, "Apparently he's a descendant of Napoleon Bonaparte. He's almost royalty but you wouldn't guess it by the way he acts around people, women in particular. This plane is his, or his family's. Can you believe it? I mean, I've been in private planes before but nothing like this. This is beyond posh. He's that rich." A smug look appeared on her face.