Damien ordered a bottle of wine that probably cost more than her weekly grocery budget, but she decided not to think about that. Why nursing? Damien asked as they lingered over dessert, a delicate chocolate souffle that melted on Elena’s tongue. I like helping people, she said with a shrug, and I’m good at staying calm in emergencies.
That’s it? No dramatic story? About a childhood illness or a TV show that inspired you? Elena laughed. Sorry to disappoint you, not everything has to have a dramatic backstory. In my experience, the most important choices usually do, Damien replied.
Elena thought about it for a moment. Well, there was my grandmother, she got sick when I was in high school, cancer, the nurses who took care of her were amazing. They made a terrible situation bearable, not just for her but for our whole family.
She paused, remembering. One night, when grandma was in a lot of pain, this nurse named Sarah sat with us for hours after her shift ended. She didn’t have to do that, but she did.
I wanted to be that person for someone else. Damien was watching her with a warmth in his eyes that made Elena’s heart beat a little faster. What? she asked, suddenly self-conscious.
You’re remarkable, Elena Morris, he said softly. You know that, right? Elena felt her cheeks flush. I’m really not.
I’m just doing my best with what I’ve got. Which is exactly what makes you remarkable. Damien reached across the table and touched her hand lightly.
Most people in your position would be bitter or looking for an escape, but you just keep going, taking care of everyone around you. I don’t have a choice, Elena said, though she didn’t pull her hand away. We always have choices, Damien replied.
You’ve chosen to be strong when it would be easier not to be. The way he was looking at her made Elena feel both seen and exposed in a way that was both thrilling and terrifying. This man, this wealthy, complicated, grieving man, seemed to understand her better after one day than people she’d known for years.
As they walked back to the hotel under a sky full of stars, Elena found herself wishing that tomorrow would never come. That she could stay in this bubble of Paris with Damien Carter, where real life and all its problems seemed very far away. But reality was waiting, and tomorrow she would be back on a plane, heading home to her normal life of hospital shifts and bills and taking care of Tommy.
This magical day would become just a strange story to tell, a memory that would seem less real with each passing year. Back at the hotel, Damien walked her to her room door. Thank you for today, Elena said, suddenly, shy.
It was perfect. The pleasure was mine, Damien replied, his voice low. He hesitated, then added, Would you have dinner with me again tomorrow before your flight? There’s another place I’d like to show you.
Elena knew she should say no. Spending more time with Damien would only make it harder to leave. But the thought of one more evening in his company was too tempting to resist.
I’d like that, she said softly. For a moment they stood there, the air between them charged with unspoken possibilities. Then Damien leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to her cheek.
Good night, Elena, he whispered, his breath warm against her skin. Good night, Damien, she replied, her voice barely audible. As she closed the door behind her, Elena leaned against it, her heart pounding.
What was she doing? Getting involved with someone like Damien Carter could only lead to heartbreak. They lived in completely different worlds, and yet as she got ready for bed, Elena couldn’t stop smiling. For the first time in years, she felt truly alive, not just surviving, but living.
That night, she dreamed of Paris streets and Damien’s smile and possibilities she’d never dared to imagine before. Elena woke to sunlight streaming through her. Hotel room window and the distant sounds of Paris traffic.
For a moment she lay still, savoring the softness of the sheets and the lingering dream of walking along the Seine with Damien. Her phone buzzed on the nightstand. A text from Tommy.
How’s Paris with your billionaire? Send pics. Elena smiled and shook her head. Her brother had always had an active imagination.
She quickly typed back. He’s not my anything and I’ll be home tomorrow. Another buzz.
Looked him up online. Damien? Carter is worth like four billion dollars. His company makes security software.
There are pics of him with celebrities and everything. Elena frowned, sitting up in bed. Four billion, that couldn’t be right.
She grabbed her phone and typed Damien Carter Tech CEO into the search bar. Hundreds of results appeared instantly. Images of Damien at charity galas, tech conferences and business awards.
Articles about Danmark Technologies and its revolutionary security systems. Lists of 30 under 30 and most eligible tech bachelors. One headline caught her eye.
Tech billionaire Damien Carter retreats from public eye after partner’s death. Elena clicked on it, her heart racing. The article, dated eight months ago, described how Damien had become increasingly reclusive after the death of Mark Fitzgerald in a climbing accident.
The company’s stock had taken a hit as rumours swirled about Damien’s mental state and the future of Danmark Technologies. There was even speculation about Damien selling his shares and walking away from the empire he’d built with his late friend. Oh my God, Elena whispered, sinking back against the pillows.
She wasn’t just hanging out with some random rich guy. Damien Carter was apparently one of the wealthiest men in America. The kind of person who appeared on magazine covers and financial news shows and he’d let her think he was just an ordinary businessman.