The Paris Connection

by Cerella Sechrist

  Though she was loath to admit it, Cole’s people skills were undeniable, and Emma could see why Lillian Reid must have found him valuable, both as a recruiter and now as a leader. Seeing his talents up close, however, only served to remind her of what she had lost—the promotion and the opportunity to be standing in Cole’s place at this very moment. Fortunately, after a morning filled with introductions and a catered lunch for the whole floor, he’d asked to spend the afternoon alone in his office to review some files pertaining to the merger. She suspected he also had to update Lillian Reid on how things were progressing, but she was more than happy to leave him to it. She spent the rest of the day in her own office, catching up on her work. When the day was over, she wanted nothing more than to erase her memories of the past twelve hours, eat some dinner, take a hot bath and curl up on the couch with Avery for the evening.

  She arrived home to her apartment and hung her bag on the coatrack as she announced her presence. “I’m home!”

  Entering the living area, she sighed at the sight of toys scattered across the floor and cushions pulled off the couch. A makeshift fort of pillows and blankets—and was that her favorite shawl?—blocked her entrance to the hallway. She tore down the obstruction and continued toward the bedrooms, calling for her daughter and Melanie, the au pair who had come to live with them two months before.

  Though Emma had chosen to remain in France after her divorce from Brice, she didn’t want Avery to forget the American side of her heritage. The au pair system was the perfect way to balance Avery’s cultural experiences. After all, it was how Emma herself had first come to Paris and fallen in love, by signing up as an au pair straight out of college. She had merely been young and looking to see some of the world before settling into a career, but her time in the city had stolen her heart, as had Brice, and by her twenty-third birthday, she had found herself married and living as an expat in this country.

  Emma wanted her daughter to be bilingual, so she insisted Avery speak only English when at home. Having an American nanny only reinforced this. Plus, Emma got to share her enthusiasm for her adopted city with a new au pair each year. The au pair system set a maximum amount of hours caregivers could work each week, leaving them free to explore the city and make friends in their free time. During the summer, Melanie watched over Avery through the day, and Emma got to spend time with her daughter in the evening and on weekends. Once nursery school started in another couple of weeks, Melanie’s duties would shift to getting Avery ready for school and then watching her in the afternoons until Emma got home from work; the au pair would also watch Avery all day on Wednesdays, since schools had off that day in France. Melanie would still have most evenings and weekends free to spend the time as she wished.

  “Avery? Melanie?” Emma called as she picked a pillow up off the floor.

  “We’re in here!” Melanie called from down the hall.

  Emma entered her daughter’s bedroom to more chaos—scarves looped around the bedposts, their ends trailing down to the mattress, where the sheets had been stripped from the bed and a picnic blanket spread out instead, along with Avery’s tea party set.

  To her credit, Melanie looked up with an apologetic smile. “Sorry about the mess. Avery said she’d never made a pillow fort before.”

  Emma waved this apology away. Avery was five years old and extremely well-mannered—at times, frighteningly so—but children were children, and playtime should be a happy mix of wonder and chaos.

  “We’ll get it cleaned up before dinner,” Emma said. “Now...where is my daughter?”

  A tiny, dark head could be glimpsed from the other side of the bed.

  “Have you given her to Madame Bernadette in the apartment downstairs?” Emma asked Melanie with a wink. “Madame likes her, but Avery talks so much, Bernadette may not want her and might try to give her back.”

  A muffled giggle could be heard across the room, and Melanie grinned at Emma’s acting.

  She sighed dramatically. “Well, I hope Bernadette is nice to her. It is a shame you gave her away because I was going to make cheese omelets for dinner, and they’re her favorite.”

  The tiny figure suddenly popped up from the side of the bed, her hair fluttering in strands across her face and her lips wide in a smile. “Melanie wouldn’t do that, Maman!”

  “Ah.” Emma raised a finger, and Avery quickly corrected herself.

  “I meant, Mom.”

  Emma moved toward her daughter as Avery came around the bed and waited for her greeting. Emma leaned down, brushed her nose against her daughter’s and then kissed the top of her head—their standard homecoming exchange.

  “Did you two have a good day?”

  Avery nodded, but Emma looked to Melanie for confirmation.

  “We did,” Melanie agreed. “Except that Avery insisted we have a tea party before cleaning up our fort in the living area.”

  “Well, she’ll have to clean it up before dinner.”

  Avery looked up at her with pleading eyes, but Emma shook her head. “You should be full of tea and cakes, so surely you can’t be hungry,” she teased.

  Avery smiled and swayed back and forth. “They weren’t real tea and cakes,” she reminded. “It was make-believe.”

  Emma tapped her nose affectionately. “Oh, okay. In that case, I’ll begin the omelets right away while you put away your toys.” She turned to Melanie. “You’re joining us for dinner, right?”

  Melanie shook her head. “I’m meeting some other au pairs, if that’s all right. We’re taking the train to the Loire Valley next weekend, and we’re working on our itinerary.”

  “Of course. You’ll love the Loire Valley. It’s beautiful.”

  The two chatted about Melanie’s upcoming trip as Emma began to make dinner. Then Melanie helped Avery finish cleaning up the living room before she went to her room to get ready for her evening out. She let Avery watch her apply her makeup as Emma finished up dinner.

  Emma was just plating the omelets when the phone rang. Setting aside the skillet, she went to answer.

  “Hello,” she greeted the caller. “This is Emma speaking.”

  “Allô,” came the reply, and Emma felt herself tense as the familiar voice of her ex-husband sounded over the line.

  “Brice,” she said, making an effort to keep her tone reasonably pleasant.

  “How are you?”

  “I just finished making dinner for Avery. Would you like to speak with her?” She knew the answer before she even asked, but she was forever hoping Brice would take more notice of his daughter.

  “Ah, yes, well, that’s what I’m calling about, chérie.”

  She gritted her teeth against his persistent use of the endearment. They had been divorced for five years, and he still, out of either habit or more likely to irritate her, insisted on tossing the word into every other sentence.

  “I am not your amour,” she reminded him for the countless time and wished he would get on with it.

  He ignored her tone and forged ahead. “Yes, well, I just wanted to say that I will be unable to spend next weekend with Avery as I said I would. Other plans have come up.”

  Emma leaned against the wall and closed her eyes. Brice had begun seeing someone new in recent months—Christine—and it seemed his time with her always superseded any plans with his daughter.

  “And what if I should need to reach you?”

  He chuckled, the tone faintly bitter. “Why should you need to reach me, hmm? We never speak unless it concerns our daughter.”

  “And even then, the conversations are rare.”

  She could tell her goading had annoyed him because his voice was clipped when he replied.

  “You were the one who wanted to have the child, Emma. I told you we were too busy for such commitments.”

  The words pierced far more d
eeply than she would have admitted. “I don’t regret my choice,” she murmured in reply. “Avery is a greater blessing than I might have imagined.”

  “Oui,” Brice sneered, his disdain leaking through the phone line. “And it’s why you chose her over me.”

  Emma’s shoulders sagged with weariness. “It was never a competition, Brice. I could have loved you both.”

  “But you didn’t.”

  His resentment was clear, and she didn’t have the energy nor the desire to argue with him. Brice had chosen to believe her love for him should outweigh her love for their child. He wanted to be the center of her attention. She had fought with him to keep the baby once she learned of her pregnancy, but after Avery was born, things changed. Her entire world had homed in on that single, delicate life she held in her arms. Brice had seen motherhood dawn upon her...and he had never forgiven her for it.

  “Very well. I will tell her you send your love.”

  “If you wish.”

  In truth, she had not even said anything to Avery about spending a weekend with her father. She had long ago learned not to get her daughter’s hopes up where Brice was concerned.

  She had been about to ask if Brice wished to reschedule when she realized his end of the line had gone dead. Releasing a sigh, she returned the phone to its cradle and went to tell Avery it was time for dinner.

  * * *

  COLE DORSET SAT across from Julien Arnaud and watched in awe as the man attacked his dinner with a Frenchman’s gusto. Steamed mussels dredged in a butter, garlic and lemon sauce; sautéed sweetbreads with a spicy tomato ragout; a salad of crisp apples, fennel and walnuts; and pommes frites.

  Cole found dinner with Julien as much entertainment as sustenance. After several moments of being watched, the other man finally seemed to realize he was an object of attention. He raised his head and dabbed at a drop of butter on his chin.

  “Is something the matter with your meal?” He gestured toward Cole’s partially eaten entrée of stuffed ravioli with broad beans and white asparagus. It was the only vegetarian dish on the restaurant’s menu.

  “Not at all. It’s delicious.” And it was, but Cole found his appetite lacking after his first day at the Aquitaine offices. He was tired and a tad homesick, as well, but he would not admit it to Julien.

  “Are you sure you would not prefer the foie gras? As I said, it is excellent here.”

  Cole shook his head. “I’m a vegetarian.”

  Julien only shook his head and smiled. “You cannot live in Paris and not eat meat.”

  Cole didn’t argue with the man. Truthfully, he didn’t have anything against meat. It was only that years ago, when he had first been interviewing for a job with Reid Recruiting, he had somehow inadvertently claimed to be a vegetarian. The statement had impressed Lillian Reid, and so he had stuck with the deception all these years. He had never even revealed the lie to his longtime girlfriend, Ophelia, since she was Lillian’s daughter. But occasionally, when he thought he could get away with it, he would find a restaurant where he was sure not to run into anyone he knew and order the thickest, juiciest steak he could find. But meat was the last thing on his mind at the moment.

  “Perhaps I ate too much earlier. Emma was very thorough in making sure I sampled as much of the food as possible at today’s luncheon.”

  “Ah. Or perhaps she took away your appetite, mmm?” The question was rhetorical, of course, but Cole jumped on the opportunity to discuss the woman further.

  “I’m afraid she doesn’t like me very much.”

  Julien waved this statement away with a twirl of his fork. “Non. Emma is only wary of you as she is of most men since her divorce. Not to mention that your job was meant to be hers before the merger went through...and Lillian demanded otherwise.”

  Cole felt a stab of curiosity. “Emma was supposed to have the CEO position?” No wonder she was a little touchy where he was concerned. Lillian hadn’t told him she was slated for his promotion. “Is she still your preferred choice for the job?”

  For the first time since their food had arrived, Julien put down his utensils. “She has proven herself extremely capable as managing director. And she is an excellent recruiter,” he admitted. “I think, however, that you are, as well.”

  Cole reached for his wineglass and sniffed the rich Burgundy appreciatively before taking a sip. “You said she’s divorced. Then she’s single?”

  Julien leaned back and eyed him with speculation, a smile tugging at his lips. “Why do you ask? Do you find her attractive?”

  Cole chafed uncomfortably and looked away. “I’ve only recently moved on from a long-term relationship myself, so I can assure you, Julien, that I have no interest in romance at the moment. I am fully committed to the merger of our two companies. Anything else would merely be a distraction. I trust that Ms. Brooks is likewise committed to her job.”

  “Hmm.” The sound Julien emitted caused Cole to suspect the older man did not believe him. “Emma is very talented. She balances her career along with being a single mother.”

  “She has a child?”

  Julien nodded. “Yes, a daughter, and the father is little involved in their lives, so she takes on all the burdens of being a solo parent. Emma is a very special sort of woman.” Julien’s expression hinted that Cole would do well to take an interest in her.

  But he shook his head, wanting to avoid any extracurricular entanglements. “I’m sure she’s lovely, but I can’t imagine getting past your Emma’s thorns to find any sort of petals beneath. She’s prickly, that one.”

  “Not prickly. Only cautious. She has a good heart, but she keeps defenses in place to guard it.”

  Cole didn’t wish to discuss the pretty but thorny lady’s heart. “Defenses aren’t a problem as long as she recognizes that I’m her boss now.”

  Julien frowned but didn’t argue. He took a long sip from his wine and then reached for his fork once more. “Speaking of bosses...have you spoken to yours? Is Lillian pleased with everything you saw today?”

  “As long as I’m satisfied, then Lillian should be.”

  “And are you?”

  Cole considered this for a moment. The day had gone better than expected, given how his morning had started off. He could offer up no specific complaints, and yet, he found that satisfied wasn’t really a word that applied at the moment. He hadn’t wanted to come to Paris, and though he knew he was there to stay, he still wasn’t happy about it.

  “I think we’re off to a pretty good start,” he said instead.

  Julien frowned at him, seeming to sense his reluctance on the topic. “I have spoken to Emma, if that is the issue, and she was most sorry for her tardiness this morning.”

  Cole felt his lips twitch. “I’m sure she was.”

  Julien blotted his lips with his napkin and then laid it aside. “I am eager for this merger to succeed, Cole. I wouldn’t want to disappoint Lillian. Please, let me know if there is something more I can do to assist in this transition.”

  “Of course.” Cole was too tired by the events of the day to say anything else on the subject, so he raised his glass instead.

  “Here’s to...new beginnings.”

  Julien reached for his wine. “Oui. And to your future in the City of Light.”

  Despite his misgivings on that score, Cole clinked his glass to Julien’s and drank.

  * * *

  THOUGH COLE SETTLED into his position with relative ease, and Emma assisted him as required, the occasional argument still arose during his first week with the Paris branch. There were a multitude of minor wrinkles to be ironed out with the transition and decisions to be made as they overhauled the firm’s operating model. Emma spent most of her mornings providing information for Cole, from company background to files. She also relayed any cultural differences she thought might be pe
rtinent. Inevitably, at some point during their day, they’d find themselves in the thick of a heated discussion.

  Friday was no exception. Cole and Emma were in his office, reviewing some of the company’s long-standing accounts, when Giselle tapped on the door. Looking up, Cole gestured for her to enter.

  Giselle looked at Emma. “Emma, we have an issue with Arrow Tech Media’s CCO position.”

  Emma suppressed a sigh. The negotiations to secure Arrow Tech’s top choice for the chief content officer role had been fierce, but Giselle had assured her everything was all wrapped up, and the candidate was ready to sign the contract.

  “If you’ll excuse us, Cole,” she said to her boss, “we’ll just discuss this in my office.”

  To her annoyance, Cole pushed back from his desk and looked up at where she stood over him.

  “There’s no need for that. I’d love to sit in on your conversation, if you don’t mind. It will give me an even better feel for the day-to-day here.”

  Emma forced a smile to her lips. “I’m sure that’s not necessary. You have so much on your plate already that—”

  “Emma.” He stopped her with his own forceful smile. “Why don’t you take a seat?” He gestured to the chairs in front of his desk and then looked to Giselle. “You, too, Giselle.”

  Giselle caught Emma’s eye as they each settled into a seat.

  “Now, what seems to be the problem?” Cole asked.

  Giselle filled Cole in on Arrow Tech’s search for a new CCO. The candidate they’d chosen, Andre Delacroix, was highly qualified with an exceptional track record. Several attempts had been made by other recruiters to entice him away from his current position, but thus far, none of the offers had been tempting enough. Giselle had been tenacious in her efforts to secure him, and two weeks previously, he had finally agreed to sign with Arrow Tech.

  “And now?” Cole asked when she finished giving him the background story.

  Giselle fidgeted, an action Emma rarely witnessed where her friend was concerned.

  “I just received word that his current company has counteroffered, matching the salary offered by Arrow Tech. Delacroix no longer wants to sign with them.”