Happy Tuesday everyone! Here is this week’s teaser of Love and Betrayal in the City of Lights, out July 12th. Enjoy!

Though everyone at the table said hello, Claude and Bella only seemed interested in the argument they had brought along with them.

For such a young couple, they fought like one that had been married for years. While Jean and Jacques found humor in their spats, it could also put a damper on the mood.

“Your problem is you never admit when you are wrong.” Bella was nearly shaking her fists at Claude as they plopped down in the seats between Jean and Annette. He watched as Annette scooted her seat closer to Jacques, who smiled with satisfaction.

Jacques leaned toward the couple. “What’s the trouble now?”

Claude snapped his head in the direction of his friends. “Nothing at all, if you excuse the fact that Bella believes our current political climate is good and fair.”

Jean raised an eyebrow in surprise but Bella was already explaining herself. “You are misquoting me. All I said was that given what is going on in Britain and the Soviet Union, we are far better off than most. Is it ideal? Of course not. I hate the boches as much as any other patriotic Frenchman, but you cannot deny the fact that things here have been easy on us.”

“Because the Germans have us in a death grip!” Claude hissed, attempting to control his rage. “If we act out, we die. Just look at those students who attempted to protect Armistice Day. They were arrested and hauled off to God knows where. You believe that makes us better off?”

As the couple continued to argue, Jean felt Yannick tap his arm and he turned to her. Leaning in and whispering, she asked, “Do they always fight like this?”

Jean nodded. “Unfortunately.”

Yannick frowned at Claude and Bella. “Then what’s the point of being together?”

“Don’t know.” Jean wanted to laugh. “Still trying to figure that out.”

Yannick shrugged indifferently and the waiter brought over four cups of coffee. While Yannick focused on her coffee and Jacques attempted to play peacemaker between Claude and Bella, Jean once more focused on Annette. Instead of finding her making a face or mouthing a comment about Claude and Bella’s behavior, she appeared to be sinking into despair. What on earth was going on with her?

“Neither of you are listening to me!” Jacques was practically shouting.

“Maybe they can’t hear you,” Yannick said, finally removing her interest from her coffee.

Jacques twisted his mouth. “Probably not.” He looked at Jean. “Can I switch seats with you, old man?”

Jean was grateful, already rising to his feet. “Be my guest. I don’t want to lose all my hearing before I’m thirty.”

Switching seats, Jean plopped down next to Annette, who remained in a melancholy mood. Seeing her sad state, Jean felt the urge to say something.

As he leaned over to Annette, Jean could smell her rich perfume. He detected the overwhelming scent of rose with a hint of vanilla.

“Don’t fret about Bella. She’s not a collaborateur, just a bit misguided.”

Annette seemed to finally register Jean was talking to her and looked at him. Her composure had changed, a large smile gracing her face with soft and appreciative eyes. Still, there was an unhappiness there that Jean could not place. Did she know of someone who was a collaborateur, or someone else who was arrested by the Germans for no reason? Many French people did, so it wouldn’t have been out of the realm of possibility.

Trying to distract her, Jean cleared his throat and nervously inquired, “So why did you come to Paris? I mean, I know it was for school, but not many people want to come to Paris these days.”

Of the five million who had called Paris home before the Nazis came goose stepping under the Arche de Triumphe, only some roughly three million had returned, with many choosing to remain away from the epicenter of the occupation.

Annette admitted with a slight shrug, “It does sound mad when spoken out loud.”

“I’m not here to judge,” Jean encouraged.

She seemed amused. “You might be the first.” Facing forward, she said with more strength in her voice, “My family thought I had lost my mind when I made the decision. My mother was nearly on her knees at the train station as I climbed aboard. I couldn’t even wave goodbye to them from the window. I thought I might back out.”

Despite his turbulent relationship with our father, Jean couldn’t imagine leaving his family and neither could I, for that matter. Annette was brave for that.

“But I want to live my life.” She sighed heavily. She looked at Jean, who met her eyes. “Why should I let others control what I can and cannot do?”

Love and Betrayal in the City of Lights ©Rachel R. Heil 2024

Link: https://mybook.to/CityofLights