Chapter 1
A week ago, my business partner, Malcolm Armand, may—or may not—have proposed marriage. This is something I’m not quite sure about, because, in truth, he merely proposed a trip to Paris.
But he claimed it was the perfect spot for a honeymoon.
Now, Paris at dusk fills the screen of my laptop. Buildings glow. Lights twinkle and throw stars on the water. It’s enough to steal your breath. I’m not sure how much money you need to earn to own a view of the Seine. Apparently Malcolm’s mother and the man she refers to as her lover, Prem, make more than enough. Even through the webcam, I’m mesmerized.
Malcolm’s mother, Arianna, returns to her balcony and settles in the chair. “Yes, here it is.” She thumbs through a hardback journal, one worn with age and use. “My grandmother kept metic
