Since I have the evening off, I wanted to invite a few people.”
“Who else?” He hoped it would have been an intimate dinner.
“The usual crowd.”
“Only them?” He wondered if she’d invite her new flirtation. Did she have any idea about him? “If Colette is going to be there, I won’t be,” Marc told her. “That woman never ceases to be irritating.” Sera’s best friend had judged him lacking, and she never let him forget it.
“Jerome, Anna, Edouard, and Colette. But that’s too bad then. You’ll miss Sophie.”
“I will?” The likelihood of getting Sophie alone in such a gathering would be almost impossible, but he ought to be there. “I suppose I could tolerate Colette for the length of a meal.”
“Don’t get your hopes up about Sophie. I still don’t think you’ll manage.”
“You never know.”
“D’accord. Can you bring wine? If you can be there around seven, that will be perfect,” Sera said.
“Bien sûr, ma chère. I wouldn’t miss it.”
Chapter 7
At six-thirty sharp, Colette bustled in, all perfume and scarves, her gold bracelets tinkling. She embraced Sera heartily, her curly red hair brushing Sera’s cheek.
“Something in your bag is pricking me,” Sera said, moving away. Colette laughed.
“It’s the artichokes,” she replied, opening the tie to show Sera eight of the dark green vegetables. “They were on special at the market today and I couldn’t resist.”
“They’ll be a perfect appetizer.” Sera took the bag from Colette and went into her small kitchen. She upended the bag onto the counter. “I hope I have a pot big enough.” Already a large pot of savory stew sat simmering on the tiny stove.
Colette leaned on the door frame and took a deep breath. “It smells wonderful,” she said as Sera prepped the artichokes for the pot, cutting off stems and clipping the spiky tops from the leaves. “Is there wine?”
“On the table,” Sera replied. “And pour me one as well, s’il vous plaît.”
Colette returned with two tumblers of wine. “That bottle won’t last long.”
“Marc’s bringing more, don’t worry.” Sera didn’t need to look up to know that Colette wore a moue of distaste.
“For someone you broke up with years ago, he’s still around an awful lot.”
“We’re friends,” Sera said. More than friends, she amended silently, though she didn’t know how she would define their relationship.
“I can’t imagine being friends with my exes,” Colette replied.
“I can’t imagine it of you either. Once the thrill is gone…”
“I can’t stand a bore. But enough about me. You’re looking well,” Colette remarked. “So obviously he hasn’t been bothering you too much. When I saw you last, you looked exhausted.”
“I’ve been feeling better.” She didn’t have to worry about Royale’s demands for several weeks—that alone was enough to let her relax.
“Any particular reason?”
“I did meet someone,” Sera replied. Colette cackled.
“You’re so coy. Details, details.”
She couldn’t tell Colette everything. The less she knew, the better. They were friends, but this was different. Colette would be furious that she hadn’t come to her for help. “I met him at the club; he’s tall, rather handsome, well-dressed...”
“Sounds promising. Is he coming tonight?”
“I only just met him—it’s a little soon, don’t you think?”
“I suppose. I wanted to see Marc’s face when you were all lovey with a man that wasn’t him.” Colette’s amusement had no bounds.
“Maybe next time.” Sera pulled a large pot from the lower cupboard and set it in the sink, turning on the tap. What would Jeremy have done if she’d invited him? It would have been awkward at the very least. But she’d see him tomorrow after work, as he’d promised, and he’d give her the first payment. She set the pot of water on the stove to boil.
“Does Marc know?” Colette looked smug. “I’d love to be the one to tell
“Who else?” He hoped it would have been an intimate dinner.
“The usual crowd.”
“Only them?” He wondered if she’d invite her new flirtation. Did she have any idea about him? “If Colette is going to be there, I won’t be,” Marc told her. “That woman never ceases to be irritating.” Sera’s best friend had judged him lacking, and she never let him forget it.
“Jerome, Anna, Edouard, and Colette. But that’s too bad then. You’ll miss Sophie.”
“I will?” The likelihood of getting Sophie alone in such a gathering would be almost impossible, but he ought to be there. “I suppose I could tolerate Colette for the length of a meal.”
“Don’t get your hopes up about Sophie. I still don’t think you’ll manage.”
“You never know.”
“D’accord. Can you bring wine? If you can be there around seven, that will be perfect,” Sera said.
“Bien sûr, ma chère. I wouldn’t miss it.”
Chapter 7
At six-thirty sharp, Colette bustled in, all perfume and scarves, her gold bracelets tinkling. She embraced Sera heartily, her curly red hair brushing Sera’s cheek.
“Something in your bag is pricking me,” Sera said, moving away. Colette laughed.
“It’s the artichokes,” she replied, opening the tie to show Sera eight of the dark green vegetables. “They were on special at the market today and I couldn’t resist.”
“They’ll be a perfect appetizer.” Sera took the bag from Colette and went into her small kitchen. She upended the bag onto the counter. “I hope I have a pot big enough.” Already a large pot of savory stew sat simmering on the tiny stove.
Colette leaned on the door frame and took a deep breath. “It smells wonderful,” she said as Sera prepped the artichokes for the pot, cutting off stems and clipping the spiky tops from the leaves. “Is there wine?”
“On the table,” Sera replied. “And pour me one as well, s’il vous plaît.”
Colette returned with two tumblers of wine. “That bottle won’t last long.”
“Marc’s bringing more, don’t worry.” Sera didn’t need to look up to know that Colette wore a moue of distaste.
“For someone you broke up with years ago, he’s still around an awful lot.”
“We’re friends,” Sera said. More than friends, she amended silently, though she didn’t know how she would define their relationship.
“I can’t imagine being friends with my exes,” Colette replied.
“I can’t imagine it of you either. Once the thrill is gone…”
“I can’t stand a bore. But enough about me. You’re looking well,” Colette remarked. “So obviously he hasn’t been bothering you too much. When I saw you last, you looked exhausted.”
“I’ve been feeling better.” She didn’t have to worry about Royale’s demands for several weeks—that alone was enough to let her relax.
“Any particular reason?”
“I did meet someone,” Sera replied. Colette cackled.
“You’re so coy. Details, details.”
She couldn’t tell Colette everything. The less she knew, the better. They were friends, but this was different. Colette would be furious that she hadn’t come to her for help. “I met him at the club; he’s tall, rather handsome, well-dressed...”
“Sounds promising. Is he coming tonight?”
“I only just met him—it’s a little soon, don’t you think?”
“I suppose. I wanted to see Marc’s face when you were all lovey with a man that wasn’t him.” Colette’s amusement had no bounds.
“Maybe next time.” Sera pulled a large pot from the lower cupboard and set it in the sink, turning on the tap. What would Jeremy have done if she’d invited him? It would have been awkward at the very least. But she’d see him tomorrow after work, as he’d promised, and he’d give her the first payment. She set the pot of water on the stove to boil.
“Does Marc know?” Colette looked smug. “I’d love to be the one to tell
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