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He tilts his head and narrows his eyes. “You’ve been talking to Sebastien.”
“I’ve been listening to Sebastien.” And Sebastien told me I shouldn’t in a million years talk to Olivier about this, but this family hoo-ha has gone too far. “Because he’s right. He’s got great instincts, Olivier. And he lives for the family business. Why have you cut him out?”
He sucks on his bottom lip then starts speaking, stops, and tries again. “Because that was the easier thing to do.” He sighs and takes his head in his hands. “Everywhere I turn I see the mistakes I’ve made. Is this the malediction de la connaissance?” He sees my blank face. “The curse of knowledge. Because, of course, you’re right. And Sebastien is right.”
My heart does a cartwheel at the sound of his words. “This will lower costs significantly, it could be what you need to be more sustainable.”
“It’s good, but our image needs more than a change of menu. We can make that change within forty-eight hours. But to launch the new menu? That will take a massive publicity stunt for us not to fall into obscurity.”
I look deep into his desperate, emerald eyes, and it hits me. The answer isn't in his eyes, it’s what’s behind him.
"You want to make the biggest splash in Paris?” I point my finger over his shoulder. "That's where you'll do it."
He turns to follow the direction of my finger, and even he can't miss it. He swings back to face me.
"Natalie, you're brilliant. Absolutely brilliant!" He takes my cheeks in his hands and kisses me, soft but deep on the lips. A kiss that lasts longer than a thank you and just shy of making babies. Before I figure out what's happening, he's stepping away from me.
"Of course, the Eiffel Tower!” he cries as he runs in the other direction.
CHAPTER 30
Natalie
I'm standing here with my lips puckered and my arms out like I'm standing on the Titanic, but all I see is Olivier running away from me.
It's not exactly what you expect to see after a great big kiss on the lips, and certainly not after a kiss on the lips from the very man you've been falling for. I know the running away bit isn’t personal—it's not that he's running away fromme, he is running to work on my brilliant idea of an event on top of the Eiffel Tower. For me the Eiffel Tower is the most obvious choice, but Olivier made it sound like it was the best thing since crusty baguettes. Maybe even the Eiffel Tower suffers from being too close to the French. A prophet in his own land and whatnot.
It’s easier to think about my brilliance with the Eiffel Tower idea than that out-of-nowhere kiss. What did it mean? Or did it mean anything? Maybe it was just a thank you kiss for having a great idea, and nothing more than that… But come on. It had to be more than that.
A kiss between Olivier and I, after all this time, can’t mean nothing. Worse, now I have to get to the restaurant for my first day since all the drama in the countryside, as images of him and his soft, silky lips pressing on mine steal every ounce of my mental energy.
"Natalie!"Marie calls out. "You're back!" She stops as she sees my face. "Oh. Did it go badly at the Estates?"
"Um… no, it went fine. I mean…"
"Oh no,"Marie says, shaking her head. "The Dubois family has cast a spell on you. You've lost your ability to string together a meaningful sentence."
If only she knew just what kind of spell the Dubois have cast on me. But the Bouchon Noir is no place to let rumors set alight. The good thing about working at the restaurant today is that it gives me a million other things to focus on.
A million other things that aren't Olivier Dubois and his lips. His lips on mine, in public, for all the world to see… And I'm sure he lingered longer than he would have if it had been just a simple thank you kiss.
Seems the restaurant isn’t distracting me whatsoever.
"Natalie," Camille calls me over with a very mysterious movement of her finger."It hasn't been announced yet," she says, putting her arm around me as we face the corner. "But I have to tell someone, otherwise I will burst!"
“What's going on?”
"Olivier just called,” she whispers, “and we're going to hold a soirée… on top of the Eiffel Tower."
Word gets around quick. I better act surprised.
"The Eiffel Tower? Wow. Camille, that's amazing. Can you imagine the publicity?"
"Precisely. It's magnificent. And I couldn't help thinking that it's the exact kind of thing that an American girl might suggest…" She raises an eyebrow and then struts across the restaurant, keeping her eyes on me.
* * *
The lunch rush keeps me busy, but not busy enough. In between serving glasses of icy water and extra baskets ofMarie’s bread, those emerald eyes sneak into my memory. Never mind that kiss…
