Chapter 53: The Hunt for a Wedding Gift

Ariana POV

Ariana ducked into the shop, deliberately leaving behind Dimitri, her aunt, and her uncle. 

The tiny Parisian store down the street from a major by-appointment-only Paris wedding shop drew her attention. There was something she'd been wanting to do, and she couldn't do it with Dimitri hovering over her.

Stepping through the door, she wandered into a wonderland of secondhand and vintage Parisian jewelry and clothing. The display cases glittered, and a deliberately bohemian-looking salesgirl looked up. "Can I help you?" she said in accented English.

"I'm looking for something specific, s'il vous plait," Ariana said with her best smile. "Some sort of pin or necklace or something with a koala on it."

The perfectly made up woman raised eyebrows. "A koala? That's certainly an unusual request. Is it a gift for someone special?"

Ariana grinned, using her charm. "My fiancé. He calls me his little koala."