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The response from the staff is weak, as I'm pretty sure only two of the forty of them said anything.
"Olivier," Natalie looks at me, "make it happen."
"You heard the American!" I call out. "Arms in. Let's do this! Today is going to be the greatest day of our lives.”
“That’s the spirit!” Natalie shouts, and the staff shuffle in closer. “GO BOUCHON—"
"NOIR!" everyone screams, and then burst into laughter, slapping their heads and playfully groaning.
"That's what I’m talking about!" she cries, and in spite of themselves, even our grumpiest of servers have remnants of a smile on their face.
Now to make tonight a reality.
It’s only at this moment, as I watch Natalie's profile moving around the deck of the Eiffel Tower with the city in relief behind her, that it hits me how much of my life is riding on tonight.
CHAPTER 36
Natalie
It's happening. It's all happening. And I’ll be darned it, it's going well.
The summit is full of people, and even though the air is crisp, the heat lamps are doing wonders. I think many of the women are just as pleased to sport their fake fur shawls and puffy scarves. Who would have guessed that would be the next fashion trend?
The glow of the customers' faces is undeniable. I feel a whole herd of Care Bears over us, staring a rainbow down onto the deck of the Eiffel Tower. The setting sun adds magic to an already electrified atmosphere. More than that, my phone pings nonstop as reviews across social media are coming in.
The hype is also growing for the light show. We put all of our trust in Julien, but he'll come through. His ideas were, quite literally, out of this world. The band playing in the background is the final touch on perfection as the first dishes are served.
And there's Olivier, standing at the entry like a shepherd looking over his flock. Even he is smiling. We've gotten this far with no drama.
"What is this?" an American accent reaches my ears from across the deck. Even though there's noise coming from every corner, the sound of English reaches me like a homing beacon.
"Did you see the server?" the voice says again, and it’s hauntingly familiar. "I wanted to know what this dish is, and he walked away like he didn't understand what I was saying. How rude. I guess what they say about the French is true."
Oh, my ever-loving word. It’s Manny Trinken again. Time to turn on that southern hospitality…
"Excuse me, sir," I say, approaching the table. "I couldn't help but notice that you were looking for some information on tonight's dish. I have to apologize. Not all of the servers of the Bouchon Noir are fully bilingual yet. But I'm working with them." I lean forward and wink.
"It’s you!” He claps his hands together. “Thank goodness you’re here. It seems that all of these servers' attention is on the French people attending this event."
He says it almost as an insult, but I swallow any comment I might have otherwise made. Manny Trinken is not the type to take feedback well.
"Was there something in particular that you needed to know, sir?" I ask. "Perhaps you have an allergen issue?"
"No!" he cries. "Not at all. After my last visit to the restaurant, I wanted to report that this meal looks amazing, and I wanted to know what's in it."
"I'll get right back to you, Mr. Trinken."I walk away purposefully but glance back over my shoulder."And sir?"
"Yes?" he replies, his eyes narrowing.
"Can't wait to hear your next radio show. I'm a huge fan."
That's right, nothing like playing up to their egos. Whether in France or America, it often has the same effect.
Once I've given Mr. Trouble-Maker-Trinken the list of ingredients, Olivier pulls me aside.
"You’ve done it again. I don’t know what I’d do without you."
"Oh, well, you know," I flutter, because there were a thousand other things I'd rather be talking to Olivier about right now, like that ominous text last night. Like the scene with Simone. Like the fact that his touch is making my tummy flip-flop. "I just do what I can do, even if I’m not—” I stop myself from saying a classy French lady. “A little bit of southern charm can go a long way. But I’d better let you get back to… uh… whatever you were doing."
