Provence, France. Quinn's birthplaces and one of my most desired destinations.
~~~~~
They landed in Normandy, France from Paris and were thankfully shooting outside rather than in a building.
"So you two left early that day in Paris. What was that all about?" Penny brushed on a bit of foundation.
Quinn smiled softly. "I'm going to tell you something, Penny and you can't share this with anyone else."
Penny beamed and raised her right hand solemnly. "I swear it." She leaned down. "Now do tell!" She listened eagerly, a wide smile on her face. She gasped. "And you agreed?"
Quinn shrugged. "Yeah."
"Oh this ship has sailed," Penny gushed.
Stepping outside, Quinn strolled up to the balcony and was taken aback by the wondrous beauty of the lavender fields.
On the drive to the mansion, Quinn observed the scene, but this view, she thought was amazing.
"Okay, let's get these photos taken!" Someone shouted. "Miss Black!"
Quinn snapped out of her reverie. She turned to see a tall aging woman. "Maria Prentice- an honor to be working with you today."
Quinn smiled. "You as well, Miss Prentice."
Soon Quinn was positioned along the balcony in front of the cameras.
Funny as it seems, Quinn's eyes had already adjusted to the flashes and her ears to the loud directions of the director of the shoot.
"Oh, that's a really good one- Stay right there!" Maria demanded. The camera flashed a few more time until the director stopped them. "We can end right there." Quinn relaxed. "The interview can start now!"
"Give her ten minutes!" Someone shouted.
Peering around, Quinn found Alexander's eyes. They exchanged small smiles before Quinn motioned for him to join her up at the balcony.
Quinn turned back to the stunning sea of purple. It was the most mesmerizing view she had ever seen.
"Isn't it magnificent?" Quinn asked when Alexander was beside her.
He waited a moment. "Yes, you are."
"Alexander,"
"Quinn." They stared at each other. He smiled. "Look to your right."
As soon as she did a flash went off and Penny ran off, a victorious laugh echoing behind her.
Quinn and Alexander chuckled. "She's a great person, believe it or not." Quinn admitted.
"I wouldn't doubt it." He shrugged.
"Let's begin this interview!" Quinn winced. There was alot of shouting going on here.
"Let's see how this goes." She breathed.
Alexander threw an arm over her shoulder. "You'll do fine, gorgeous."
"Quinn Black?" A woman appeared in front of the two. Her jet black hair was cut short around her chin and her striking green eyes were wide with anticipation.
Quinn nodded politely. "Yes,"
"We can have a seat over here. I'll be interviewing you today."
"Great."
Alexander now gone, the two ladies took their places across from each other. The recorder started and they were off.
"Being a female CEO has it's advantages and disadvantages, correct?"
"Oh most definitely." Quinn said.
"What are they?"
"Advantages would bragging rights." The set laughed and Quinn shook her head. "It's a blessing to be in this position because I can reach out to younger aspiring girls; I can encourage and help them in ways that I couldn't, had I chosen a different path."
The woman nodded. "And the disadvantages?"
"Oh," Quinn had forgotten. "There's the sexists and racists- obviously. And the company can be pretty time consuming."
"How do you think you were able to achieve such greatness in so little time- I mean you're only twenty four and you're the number one private technology enterprise name in the world."
Quinn smiled. "I'm twenty six, but thank you." Jennifer laughed. "It helped that I was ahead in school. I graduated from college earlier than most so I got a small jump. My parents are also huge factors in my success." Quinn took a deep breath. "When there's one who believes in all that you do, you want to make them proud. The other one doesn't want to see you succeed; you tend to want to prove them wrong."
Jennifer leaned forward. "Who's who?"
"Well I'm definitely no daddy's girl." Quinn laughed lightly. The woman nodded once again.
"It doesn't come easy, y'know?" Quinn stared off into the fields. "I didn't inherit anything- I had to start from scratch. The likelihood that I was going to succeed was slim to none. You won't believe how many times I had to hear people degrade and try to tear me down. When you have GOD and a dream though, I mean, you're practically unstoppable."
"When you began this, did you foresee it to be this billion dollar empire that it is today?" Jennifer want even reading from her list of questions any more.
Quinn hummed. "I think I may have thought about it for a short bit. Being a normal girl, born here and raised in a small town in Texas though, I couldn't have even dreamed this."
"You had some kind of pattern going on; The women that are the heart of your company, what exactly was that about?"
"That was just something that I was trying to get across to the men who doubted me when I first began. The ones who doubted my intelligence or sense all because I was a woman."
"Now that you are number one , what do you have to say to those who doubted you?"
Quinn simply said, "Thank you."
Jennifer hesitated. "Just thank you?"
"Yes. They were pretty harsh, but very motivational. Someone once said, "The thing that women have yet to learn is nobody gives you power. You just take it." I believe that was Roseanne Barr- anyway, that quote is very true. Too many women stand around waiting for a man to sweep them off their feet when they could be taking the world by storm."
"Very true," She nodded. "Does your success ever intimidate men? As in-"
"Dating?" Quinn finished.
"Yes, dating."
"Well I sure hope not." Quinn guffawed. "A man who's intimidated by my success is exactly the type of man I do not want to spend my time with."
"Perhaps you'd rain on his parade," Jennifer giggled.
"It isn't my intention."
"So who is your ideal guy? This one's for all the single men out there,"
Quinn laughed. "I'm sorry to tell you, but I've got my heart set on someone right now." She smiled and saw Alexander grin and blush from the other side of the balcony. Penny squealed and clasped her hands together, gushing.
Jennifer too, noticed this and wore a sly smile. "Is it who I think it is?"
"It depends on who you think it is and whether this part of our talk will be published,"
Jennifer chuckled. "Not much is published at all!"
"Oh sure." Quinn rolled her eyes, smiling. "I think we will all find out together."
"But just for the readers, what do you look for in a man?"
"Strong, of course- mentally and I would prefer if he could do some heavy lifting." She shrugged. "My ideal man can cook- and knows just how to impress me. He should be pretty observative because I'm not just going to say everything out loud. He should have goals, a good taste in music, and a mind of his own." Quinn could have gone on forever, but she stopped there. She might as well have been reading out of Alexander's biography.
"Well, Miss. Black, until next time." Jennifer stood up and held out and extended hand.
"Yes of course-until next time." Quinn brushed the imaginary dirt off her dress and shook the woman's hand.
"It was great meeting and talking to you."
"You too."
Quinn met Alexander by the table set up with food displayed all over its surface.
She placed a hand on his forearm. "We can go out to eat,"
Alexander whipped around to see her. His mouth formed an 'O' as he took in his plate full of crackers and cheese. "Ah well,"
Quinn giggled. "Let's go eat, Caro."
They stopped at an elegant yet cozy restaurant and were able to get their seats in seconds.
They sat across from each other, saying nothing, just gazing.
Quinn studied him now.
His usually wavy hair, was combed and laid back displaying all of his upper face. His left eyebrow, unlike his right seemed to have been nicked leaving a small area of hair unable to grow. His eyelashes were a bit more curled than of the other men she's seen up close. Alexander's eyes- she always got lost in them- they were the bluest of blue and had the power to hold her captive at any moment. His nose was big. One of his imperfections that she had become accustomed to. It's bridge was curved to the left due to an incident that might've involved his brother. His face was clean shaven, making him look younger, but successfully taking away the rough sex appeal that Quinn often caught herself dreaming about. His lips were parted in the slightest and she could see that they were a little larger than most white men's, but not too full.
Alexander was a masterpiece. One that Quinn was infatuated with to the point where she might've slipped up a couple times and called it love.
He opened his mouth to say something, "Speak French to me."
Quinn frowned slightly, a smile still present on her face. "Can you understand it?"
He grinned cheekily. "No."
"I don't know what you want me to say, Alexander."
"Anything. Just speak to me."
Quinn sighed. "Je vais me contenter d'espérer vous ne n'oubliez pas de tout cela et plus tard le traduire." She laughed and Alexander smiled lightly. "Wow. Je suis sur le point d'avouer mes sentiments pour toi dans la langue de mon grand-père" (Quinn sighed, "I'm just going to hope you don't remember any of this and translate it later"She laughed and Alexander smiled lightly. "Wow. I'm about to confess my feelings for you in my grandfather's language")
"I think I got wow." Alexander cut in. He frowned. "Unless that means something else in French."
Quinn chuckled. "Se taire." She put her finger to her lips so he knew what she said. "Alexandre, je suis persuadé que je suis tomber pour vous." Quinn admitted. "Je ne sais pas comment vous avez changé. Ou pourquoi. Ou si vous même changé du tout." She smiled. "Je commence à croire que ce que vous dites sont vraie. Vous connaissez, vous papa et autres choses. Honnêtement, vous êtes tous je pouvais vraiment demander." Quinn breathed out a laugh.
"Alexander, I am convinced (positive) that I am falling for you." Quinn admitted. "I don't know how you changed. Or why. Or if you even changed at all."She smiled. "I'm beginning to believe that what you said was true. You know, about your dad and stuff.Honestly though, you're all I could really ask for." Quinn breathed out a laugh.
"Keep going." Alexander urged. His smile was wide and infectious. "Please."
Quinn smiled too.
"Dieu, Alexander. Quand vous souriez, il se sent comme si mon monde devient plus clair. Tu me fais que - Saviez-vous que ? Ce que vous faites. Les choses que vous dites. Il me fait sentir spécial ; comme peut-être vous êtes tombent pour moi aussi." Quinn couldn't believe she was just pouring herself out like this. Yet and still, she continued. ("God, Alexander. When you smile, it feels as though my world gets brighter. You do that to me- did you know that? The things you do. The stuff you say. It makes me feel special; like perhaps you're falling for me too.")
"Parfois, je veux vous embrasser Vur votre esprit et je peux dire que le sentiment est mutuel. Nous ne pouvons cependant. Pas encore." ("At times I want to kiss you out of your mind and I can tell the feeling is mutual. We can't though. Not yet.")
Quinn groaned. "Plus je m'adresse à vous, plus j'ai déborder. Certaines de ces choses que je n'ai pas encore admis à moi-même. Je suppose que je suis maintenant..." ("The more I speak to you, the more I spill out. Some of these things I haven't even admitted to myself. I guess I am now...")
Biting her lip, Quinn leaned forward over the table that separated the two of them. "Je peux vous dire une dernière chose ?" He didn't answer but leaned forward as well. They were two inches away. "J'ai peur de t'aimer, Alexander Irons Je veux - si désespérément - je faire. Mais j'ai peur. Vous pourriez très bien mon cœur." Quinn was pouring out her feelings now. She might as well have said everything in English. The raw emotion was audible in her words and could be seen in her eyes. "Je voulais quelqu'un qui ne pouvait pas faire ces choses et j'ai peur parce que vous pouvez. Pourquoi donc sacrément compliquée est l'amour ?" ("Can I tell you one last thing?" He didn't answer but leaned forward as well. They were two inches away. "I am scared to love you, Alexander Irons. I want to -so desperately- I do. But I'm afraid. You could break my heart." Quinn was pouring out her feelings now. She might as well have said everything in English. The raw emotion was audible in her words and could be seen in her eyes. "I wanted someone who couldn't do those things and I'm afraid because you can. Why is love so complicated?")
The man across from her smiled sadly. "God, I wish I knew French." She couldn't blame him; He had no idea what she said. "You know, Quinn, you're quite amazing."
She blushed, rolling her eyes. "You have got to stop doing that."
Alexander tilted his head innocently. "Doing what?"
Quinn shook her head, a grin at her lips. It was a shame how fast he could change her demeanor with his words. "Let's order."
~~~~~