Page 45 of The Heart You Kept

“Bonjour.” Louis smiles to the receptionist. “We have a meeting with Pascal Deschanel. I’m Louis Richards and this is Edward Prescott.”

“Yes, sir.” She smiles. “Nice to meet you both, this way to the conference room.” She leads us up a long corridor and into an office with a large round table.

Merrick and I fall in to stand beside the door. “Please, take a seat.” She pours two glasses of iced water from a carafe that sits on the table. “Mr. Deschanel is just finishing up his last meeting; he won’t be long.”

“He has five minutes.” Edward looks at his watch.

“Will you relax,” Louis replies softly.

“This is me relaxing,” he snaps. He glances at his watch again. “Four minutes.”

“My apologies, Mr. Prescott,” she stammers as she closes the door behind her and scurries up the corridor.

“My god.” Louis pinches the bridge of his nose. “Remind me why you’re here again.”

“Because Deschanel wouldn’t have this meeting without me being present.” Edward rolls his lips. “He wants me to suck up to him.”

“Which you are going to oblige.”

“I wouldn’t count on it.” He glances at his watch. “Three minutes.”

Deschanel and Edward have a long history filled with heated arguments. He’s a do-gooder who hates everything about the casino in Monte Carlo. Edward’s a businessman who is sick and tired of him standing in his way.

“Two minutes.”

“Listen,” Louis whispers. “You will sit there and you will play nice. The entire board of directors are counting on you to behave today.”

Edward clenches his jaw. “This fuckwit has me over a barrel.”

“Exactly. It’s fifteen minutes, suck it up.”

Merrick and I stand quietly as we disappear into the walls.

The door opens and the familiar face comes into view. “Gentlemen.” He smiles as he looks between them. “Sorry to keep you waiting.”

“No bother at all.” Louis smiles as he shakes his hand. “Thank you for seeing us.”

He turns to Edward and outstretches his hand. “Hello, Edward.”

“Hello, Pascal.” They shake hands and sit down.

“Beautiful day,” Pascal continues.

“Yes.” Edward forces a smile and then drops it immediately. “Get to the point.”

I roll my lips as I stare at the ground, he’s such an ass at times that it’s hard not to react.

“Your office has been renovated since I was here last time,” Louis says as he looks around.

“Yes it has,” Pascal replies. “It’s lovely isn’t it, they did such a good job.”

“It is,” Louis agrees.

“Such a joy to come to work.”

Edward drags his hand down his face and Louis widens his eyes in silent warning.

“So…we’re here to have the preliminary meeting regarding the request for an operating hours extension for Casino De Monte Carlo.” Louis tries to move things along.