Be My Wife!

The Other Girl from The Past

Leon wanted to know how Nora was doing.

“She must be angry,” he thought. Feeling lied to, framed and cheated. All because Diane had intervened and changed the plan.

He wanted to call Nora right then and there, but he decided to hold off on talking to Nora while he was still on a business trip.

Maybe he should fly back to New York City and talk to her directly.

Leon gulped down the contents of his glass and motioned for the bartender to refill it.

"You didn't mean to get drunk while accompanying your boss, did you?" The bartender was someone he knew well. Pierre's wife was his college friend at Yale.

"Who's my boss?" Leon smiled slightly, even though he knew the intentions. He did sneak away from the hotel where the delegation was staying.

Stopped a taxi at the curb and shouted his destination. "Harry's New York Bar, s'il vousplait."

The bar occupied a classic old building in the center of Paris.

Above the entrance was a large neon sign with the eye-catching words Harry's New York Bar.

The interior had a retro touch with wooden walls and old black and white photography.

There was an old piano in one corner, while around it people sat enjoying drinks on leather chairs.

Leon has heard that this bar was a favorite of famous writer Ernest Hemingway and actor Humphrey Bogart.

"What's going on?" Pierre was not serving guests, so he approached Leon who was sitting on a barstool looking down at the contents of his glass.

"That ruffled face of yours scared the girls away and they didn't invite you to their table."

Subtly, Leon glanced in the direction Pierre was hinting at with a cursory glance.

A few girls were sitting at a table by the window, chatting and laughing quietly.

They were all pretty, but none were as attractive as Nora. Leon's mind wandered gloomily.

"Thank goodness," Leon muttered. "I'm not in the mood."

"Women's issues, eh?" Pierre smiled broadly. "Great. I'll tellmy wife that the Leon Carusso she knows as a gray man isnow, in front of me, upset about a woman. Wow, she must be very excited."

"What do you mean I'm a gray man?"

"People are betting behind your back whether you like women or the same sex."

"Damn it." Leon grumbled.

Pierre grinned, leaving Leon to fill someone’s glass. The sound of clinking glasses and soft laughter filled the room, while in the background classical jazz music played softlyfrom the sound system.

“Pierre...” Leon called out to the bartender to refill his glass, but a woman’s hand painted with red nails and a gold ring gently slid his glass away.

“Looks like you’ve been drinking too much.”

Leon was startled and turned his head towards the owner of the hand. He was transfixed.

“Leon Carusso. How are you? Nice to see you again.”

In front of him stood a woman who smiled kindly at him. Surprised, Leon got up from his chair. “Sophie Lombardi, what a surprise to see you here.”

Sophie nodded. “I’m surprised to see you here too, Cousin. We haven’t seen each other since my family moved to Milan, haven’t we?”

“Yes, we have.” Leon looked at Sophie Lombardi, his cousin. Surprised not only by their unexpected meeting, but also by the change in Sophie.

They were 19 years old when they last met. “You’ve changed,” Leon said without realizing it. And That made Sophie chuckle.

Sophie who was standing in front of him was no longer the skinny blonde with the arrogant, quick-tempered smile.

The one standing in front of him was a girl who displayed elegant grace and confidence.

Her body was tall and slim and well-proportioned, the result of hard work in the gym.

Her hair was black and long, flowing gently over her shoulders.

Her brown eyes stared intently at Leon and the smile on her full lips seemed nonchalant.

All in all, Sophie gave off an impression of firmness, sharpness and power.

“You’ve changed too, Leon,” Sophie said.

“You’re much more handsome and no longer that awkward, shy guy. I hear you're working at the Department of State? Well, that’s good for you.”

A sense of unease began to grip Leon. Sophie was not someone he wanted to meet at this moment, when Diane had ruined Nora’s good impression of him.

Upsetting Nora, even though he had some plans for her.

Suddenly, he had a bad feeling. “What brings you to Paris, Sophie?”

Sophie sat on a bar stool next to Leon. She smiled. “The social life, of course. What about you? What brings you to Paris?”

“Work as usual,” he said simply.

“Oh, speaking of work. I have news for you,” he said cheerfully. “I’m going back to America next month, and living there like I used to.”

“Really?” Tension crept up Leon’s back. “What brings you back?”

“My father asked me to take care of one of the company’soffices in NYC.”

“I see.” Leon tried to be calm. “You’re that good now. But I’m not surprised, since you’re happy to work hard as the sole heir to all your father’s businesses.”

“Oh, Leon. I’m not even sure I can do it. Running a businessin America is very different from Italy. I need help. That's Why Nando is also coming back to America to help me. You remember Nando, don’t you?”

Leon froze. “Yeah. I still remember Nando Alberti, your father’s right-hand man.”

-

Back in his hotel room, Leon couldn’t wait to call Nora.

He didn’t care about the time difference between countries, because after his accidental encounter with Sophie, there was only one way he could prevent Diane from persuading Nora to go to South Africa.

He dialed Nora’s number and listened impatiently to the dial tone. Three minutes later she heard Nora’s voice.

“Nora, hey, it’s me.”

“Leon?”

Leon was flattered that Nora recognized his voice even though he called her on her personal phone number. “Yes. I’m sorry, I hope my call didn’t interrupt your time. But I have something to talk to you about. It’s important.”

“Of course,” Nora replied stiffly. “Like the offer to live in anapartment in South Africa?” Apparently the girl was still feeling upset.

“Nora....”

“What do you mean by the offer?” said Nora in a trembling voice. “I assumed you would offer me an apartment in this city, or at least still in the States. Why would Diane come and say I’d be an endorser for an apartment in Johannesburg.”

“Wait a minute, Nora,” Leon interrupted. “I had no idea about Diane’s plans. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to play you.”

“Sorry doesn’t change the fact that I feel cheated.”

Leon heard the disappointed tone in Nora’s voice. “Nora, listen. We need to talk. I’ll see you after my work in Paris isdone.”

“See me for what? I’ve already decided to reject Diane's Offer.”

“Listen, Nora. We have to meet anyway.”

“I have something important to tell you…be my wife…”