Turn Back Time (The Full Circle Series Book 1) Annette Anders (shoe dog free ebook TXT) 📖

“It doesn’t matter, I was ready for step two,” Naomi said.

“What’s step two?” Kai asked.

“It involves a lot of crying,” Stella explained.

Kai laughed and said, “Is there a step three?”

“Don’t ask,” Stella grinned. “So, what else is going on?”

“I just told Naomi about the interview with this Leo guy. Oh man, I didn’t want to be there, but he kept pushing his microphone in my face.”

“Oh, right! I guess you got more than you signed up for. Weren’t you scared?”

Kai answered, “I can tell you it wasn’t what we expected when we woke up Monday morning.” He sighed, then smiled and said, “But enough of that. What would you like to drink? My treat.”

“I’m going to make a quick trip to the room. But I’ll have a glass of pinot noir when I return. Thanks, Kai.” She turned to Naomi, “Is Julia back yet?”

“I haven’t seen her come in. Maybe catching up with Alexander is taking a little longer?” Naomi winked, then said to Kai, “Okay, so you were saying about Leo…”

Stella wasn’t interested in any Leo stories, and she needed a few moments to get her emotions sorted out. She already missed David and wondered where he was right now.

As she crossed the lobby, the music playing in the background couldn’t have been more fitting. “Time to Say Goodbye.” But she wasn’t ready to think about goodbyes, not when they just had their hello.

A glass of blood-red wine was waiting for her when she returned and found Naomi and Kai sitting on the outdoor patio.

“Those tall orange flowers look exotic. Our backyard at home is also sheltered and gets plenty of sun in the afternoon. I think I’ll try to recreate this setup. And I need to get one of those wrought-iron bistro sets with yellow or orange cushions.”

“As long as you don’t put candles everywhere, Revan won’t mind,” Naomi said.

Kai put down his beer. “Revan… Wait! The man in the catacombs is the same guy you told me about on Sunday! Who loves motorcycles?”

Naomi just nodded.

“Okay, it’s all coming back to me now. Weren’t you supposed to be on some tour?”

“We dropped out of the tour this morning and came back as soon as we heard,” Stella said.

“But you also had plans to go to Normandy, didn’t you?” Naomi asked Kai. “Why are you still here?”

“After my unexpected adventure, I decided to stay here for the week and see what’s happening next. Just didn’t feel like driving around anymore.”

“Then you can keep us company while we’re all waiting. There’s not much else we can do,” Naomi said, then jumped up and waved. “Julia, we’re out here! Grab a drink at the bar and join us.”

“Be right there!” Julia called back.

“Another friend?” Kai asked.

“Interesting story, but yes. We met Julia on the tour,” Naomi said.

“Julia, this is Kai,” Naomi said after Julia sat down.

“I saw you on TV. You’re the one who…”

“…almost came face-to-face with the kidnapper,” Kai laughed. “Yes. My two seconds of fame.”

“Well…you did. Almost,” Julia said.

Stella thought it was time to change the subject, and turned to Julia, “Alexander seems nice. Very nice. What’s up with you two?”

Naomi put a hand over her mouth, trying to stifle a giggle. “Since when do you ask such personal questions?”

She gave Stella a piercing look, then a knowing smile slid over her face. “I know! You just don’t want to talk about David!”

Stella studied the wine in her glass long and hard, took a sip, then focused on Julia and prompted her, “We’re all ears…”

“Wait, who’s David?” Kai asked.

“Stella’s ex-boyfriend,” Naomi explained, then added, “he’s in disgrace.”

She eyed Stella. “And since you, my friend, promised Julia earlier to fill her in about David, you might as well tell both Julia and Kai. I have a feeling we’ll be seeing more of the Troubadour over the next two days, so everybody might as well know what he did.”

Stella didn’t think Kai needed to know her personal business, and she would’ve preferred to tell Julia on her own terms, but too late now. If Naomi thought she could rush her, well…

She took a few deep breaths, pursed her lips, tilted her head to the side and, putting her chin on the knuckles of her right hand, said in her best Storytime voice, “Once upon a time, there was a young woman who fell head-over-heels in love with…”

“You can fast-forward a tad, thank you,” Naomi said.

“We dated for two years, but he was away more than with me…” Stella said.

Naomi explained to Kai, “Famous opera singer, Broadway star, on tour nine months out of the year or something like it.”

“Do you want to tell my story?” Stella asked, then returned her attention to Kai and Julia. “Anyhow, we were fine, but then out of the blue he broke up with me last year. We hadn’t been in touch since then, until we ran into each other last weekend. The End.”

“Okay, but why is he in disgrace?” Kai wanted to know and looked at all three women.

Julia gasped.

Stella’s shoulders slumped and she said, “Hmph.”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk…only a man would ask.” Even Naomi shook her head.

“Sorry, a dumb question, I guess. New topic. What do you think of this heat wave crippling Europe right now?” Kai leaned back in his chair and stretched out his long legs.

“Ah, the weather! Always saves an iffy situation,” Stella laughed.

“It wasn’t too bad near the beaches,” Naomi said. “And we cooled down with lots of ice cream.”

“I hear the city of Paris allows people to use the water basins to stay cool. A few days ago, there was a photograph in the local papers of hundreds of people standing in the basins at the Trocadéro Gardens,” Kai said before he yawned. “Ladies, I think it’s time for me to head back to my hotel. What’s your plan for tomorrow?”

“I’d like to go to the police and find out what they can tell us. But after my experience today, I don’t