by Chloe Emile
Mia's knock startled him. She poked her head in before she entered.
"Am I disturbing you?"
"No, not at all." Luc sat up. "Come on in."
"I heard you wanted to see me. Is it about the Damour campaign?"
Her tone was brisk and businesslike. In response, he found himself tapping his fingers on the desk from the tension. Luc had been hoping for more of the easygoing friendliness they used to share. What had changed?
He had forgotten about the Damour campaign, but it was something they were supposed to start on.
"Right, the Damour campaign. Have you ever visited their patisseries?"
Mia sat down in her usual spot. She was looking everywhere but at him.
"No, not yet, but I heard they have the best macarons in the city."
"They do," Luc said. "Their green tea macarons are my favorite."
Mia only nodded. She seemed distant.
Luc cleared his throat. Mia's bright eyes fluttered and grazed over his before her lashes lowered. She looked down at her hands.
"They want to run a series of ads for the store's twentieth anniversary," Luc said. "They have patisseries around the world, and they want to run the ads in a lot of luxury publications, from fashion to travel to gourmet food magazines and websites. It'll be in French and English."
"Too bad they don't have a store in Seattle," Mia said.
Luc smiled. At least she was starting to look more comfortable in his presence.
"The ads need to be classy but not stuffy. You're good with tasteful humor. Think you can take a crack at it?"
He found the Damour file on his desk and passed it to her.
"Sure." Mia opened the file to Damour's company information. "Their desserts look beautiful. I'm sure they'll inspire me to come up with something halfway decent."
"Actually," Luc said slowly, “they have a great salon de thé in the 16th. We can eat lunch there together. That is, if you're free. It's on the company."
"Oh." Mia seemed to be considering it. "You mean, today?"
"Yes. We'll take the company car there, and actually, I wanted to speak to you about something."
"I would." She bit her lip. "But I promised Sarah, Amélie, and a couple of other girls that I'd go to lunch with them. Sarah really helped me out with something and I wanted to treat her."
Luc was impressed that the other employees had warmed up to Mia. He had known some of the French staff would like Mia as soon as they got to know her.
"Is it because of the website?" Luc asked. "The Facebook page? I heard the employees talking about it, and later Sarah sent me the link. Did anybody contact you so far?"
"Only messages of support." Mia's soft lips eased into a smile. "Nothing really to go on yet, but fingers crossed."
"About that. My brother came home from touring yesterday, finally. I went over to his place, and we had a long chat about the situation. As I've mentioned, he doesn't recognize the girl at all, but we're brainstorming about other ways we can get a hold of her."
"That's okay, Luc. You've done more than you needed to. It's really okay. I have a good feeling about this Facebook thing."
Luc nodded. "So maybe we can do lunch another time then. Tomorrow?"
"You really don't have to take time out of your busy schedule. I know you usually like to have a quick lunch at your desk. I think I'll just visit all their patisseries in the city during the weekend. That way, I'll be able to observe, eat, and write at the same time."
"Oh, sure. Whatever you feel would work best for you." Luc tried not to sound disappointed.
"You said you wanted to talk to me about something?"
"Yes." Luc had second thoughts about professing his feelings for her in the office.
However, he was supposed to seize the moment, right? Not let her slip between his fingers?
But what was he supposed to say? He couldn't just ask her out on a date given how uncomfortable she was when faced with the prospect of going to lunch with him.
Then the solution hit him, and he brightened up.
After his evening out with Beth, she'd invited him to Mademoiselle Montaigne's store-opening party. He was allowed to invite all the friends and employees of his choosing. If Mia came, it would be the perfect place and time to tell her how he felt. It wasn't exactly a social event, and it wasn't exactly work related.
"Mia, you know where the new Mademoiselle Montaigne store will be, right? Three doors down from the Madame Montaigne flagship store on at the Rue Saint-Honoré.”
Mia nodded. "I've visited Madame Montaigne once."
"Well, Mademoiselle Montaigne is having a store opening next Saturday night. I was wondering if you'd like to go."
Mia blinked at him. Luc was afraid she was about to say no.
"Some of the other employees will be going too," he added quickly. "Didier, of course."
"Really?" Mia was still thinking. "Sarah and Amélie as well?"
"Yes. You can even bring a few friends if you'd like."
“Really? I have a couple of friends from French class who would enjoy coming to something like this. Amanda especially. She loves the Montaigne line."
Luc beamed at her. Having her say yes to the party meant a lot to him.
"Then it's settled. It begins at eight p.m., and I'll tell Beth to put you plus two guests on the list. The dress code is formal.” He cleared his throat. “Would you like a ride?"
"Oh, that's not necessary," Mia said. "Who knows when the girls and I will be ready. We'll find our own way, don't worry."
Luc had meant that he wanted to pick up Mia only. They were speaking the same language, English, but their communication was cross-wired. Somehow he'd imagined picking Mia up on his Vespa, like he had on the first night they met. But he couldn't blame Mia. He hadn't exactly made it clear that he wanted to take her to the party as his date.
"How are French classes going anyway?" Luc asked.
"Bien. I still have a long way to go.” She paused. “See? I don't even know how to say that in French yet."
Chapter 21
"I don't want to go to work every day knowing that Luc is pining for Beth," Mia blurted out. "I think I'm going to quit."
Amanda and Kiko were at her apartment, already in elegant dresses for the Montaigne party.
Kiko, who had always been the more sensible one, shook her head. "Don't quit. I thought you liked your job."
"I do," Mia said. "I'm liking my coworkers more and more, and the work is fun. Different from journalism, but it's been a fantastic experience."
"Not to mention all the benefits and the free French classes," Kiko said. "You can't throw it all away."
Amanda took a sip of her wine. "I understand how you feel, Mia. I used to work in corporate before I decided that lifestyle wasn't for me. Then I trained to be a yoga teacher and ran away to Paris. Anyway, back then, I was in a serious relationship with a guy in my office named Michael. We went out for almost a year. He looked just like Clint Eastwood, back when he was young and hot. I was hopelessly, head-over-heels in love with the guy. Michael dumped me and started seeing one of my coworkers. Can you imagine? I tried to be strong at first, but I couldn't help feeling bitter and angry whenever I saw them together. In the end, I quit. I didn't like working in an office anyway, but even if I did, I think I would've tried to find another job. It wasn't worth it."
Mia sat down on the couch beside Amanda and put an arm around her. "I didn't know that. Heartbreaks suck." She shook her head. "It's silly because you went out with the guy for a year. Nothing even happened between Luc and me. I shouldn't be this devastated."
"You kissed," Kiko reminded her. "Remember?"
"It was a drunken kiss. It doesn't count. It's just been really awkward between us at the office lately ever since that happened. I don't even know how to act like myself around him anymore. It's like I turned into a robot."
"I have to say," Amanda said, "I still can't get over how you two met. He saves you from getting mugged in th
e middle of the night in Montmartre, and then you meet him again the next morning in his office? That's some cosmic stuff right there. It was as if the universe was conspiring to get you guys together."
Amanda sighed romantically. Mia wished she could believe it, too, dive headfirst into the highs of love, but she had to be a realist.
"Luc doesn't belong to me," she said. "He belongs to Beth."
"But Mia," Amanda protested. "Does Luc even know how you feel? Do you even know how he feels? He invited you to this party. That means something, doesn't it?"
"He invited me because I came up with the Montaigne campaign. Besides, you haven't met Beth. You will tonight. Then you'll see why she's perfect for Luc."
"Fine," Kiko said. "We'll see about that. I'm pretty good at sensing people's romantic chemistry. If I don't think Luc and Beth will make a good couple, you have to tell him how you feel."
"But—”
Amanda turned to Mia and looked her in the eye. "I get it, Mia, I do. Love is scary. But if you think about it, you have nothing to lose. You said it yourself. You're not going to be working in advertising forever anyway. What's a little humiliation? If there's even a chance that he'd feel the same, it's worth taking that chance."
Mia knew Amanda was right. Admitting her feelings to Luc would be the brave thing to do. Mia had always thought of herself as brave, but in this circumstance, she had turned into a coward.
She shook her head. "I can't."
"You're afraid of love, Mia. But I can't tell if you're afraid of being hurt or afraid of getting what you want."
"I want love," Mia said without much conviction. She sighed. "Maybe I'm not ready. Maybe I'm afraid to be disappointed. Look at the situation with my doppelgänger. I'm trying to be patient, but it's something I can't control. There's a chance I may never find her and that she may not even exist. I don't think I can take another major disappointment right now."
"Despite your fears, you're here in Paris," Amanda said. "You've packed up your life in Seattle and moved all the way here because you wanted to take a chance. You're braver than you think."
Kiko nodded. "She's right. You came to Paris by yourself, knowing no one at all. Everybody in the office hated you at first, but you maintained a positive attitude, won a major campaign, and now you have plenty of friends at work."
"You're functioning in a country where you barely speak the language," Amanda added.
"The French speak pretty good English," Mia said. "I was surprised."
"You've put yourself out there on the Internet to find your sister," Kiko continued. "What's one more thing? All you have to do is tell Luc the truth. A little rejection never killed anybody."
Mia laughed. "I'm not sure about that."
"You know what I mean. It's not a life-or-death situation. Even if he does reject you, it's his loss. You have so much to offer to a man."
"Also," Amanda chipped in, "you shouldn't be comparing yourself to this Beth woman. I don't care how gorgeous she is. Everyone has something different to offer."
"Thanks. You're right. I don't know why we women have to do that. It's not healthy. I see Beth, and I think she has it all, but really, I don't know anything about her."
"I don't think any woman really has it all together," Kiko said. "But we sure pretend. Someone else could be looking at you and thinking that you have everything."
"True," Amanda said. "You never know how you may seem to others. Appearances are just illusions.”
Mia stood up and looked appreciatively at her two strong and inspiring new friends. Amanda was in a bright-orange floor-length gown, with lipstick to match. She looked fun, fresh, and sophisticated at the same time. Kiko was in a classy plum strapless satin dress and wore a diamond necklace.
"If appearances are illusions, should I be telling you that you both look gorgeous?" Mia said. "Or did I tell you that already?"
"Numerous times." Amanda smiled.
"I'm going to go change. I think we're already late."
"Don't worry about it," Amanda said. "Being fashionably late is so common around here."
Mia went into the bathroom, where her own dress was hung behind the door. She’d better hurry, because she didn't want to be disrespectful and be too late. The party had already started. It was a work-related event, after all.
When Luc had first invited her to the party, she had been hesitant. She didn't want to see for herself whether Luc and Beth were an item. If she were to see them dancing and canoodling, she didn't know how she would bear it.
But the more she thought about it, going to the party would be a good idea. If she wanted to be fearless, she had to face the truth. If Luc and Beth were in love, it would be good to know before she declared her feelings to Luc.
Mia fixed her wild hair back with a faux diamond headband. Amanda helped her with the eye shadow, since she was a lot better at applying makeup than Mia was. After that, she slipped into her new dress.
She'd found the dress in the gorgeous Galeries Lafayette department store when she went shopping with Amélie and Sarah after work earlier that week. The dress cost almost as much as her rent, but her friends had convinced her to try it on. The emerald-green color brought out the green in her eyes and complemented her skin tone, and the silk fabric hung so well over her body that it felt like a second skin.
When she had looked at price tag, she'd gulped.
"It's not that expensive," Amélie had argued. "This is a party of a lifetime. Celebrities and the Parisian elite will be there."
“When you look good, you feel good," Sarah had added.
Mia didn't like the fact that how she felt about herself was dependent on how she looked, but she remembered feeling out of place in Beth's office wearing her discount clothing. She was a woman, after all, and she did want to feel pretty. This dress was everything she wanted. Emerald green was her color, the cut was modest and flattering, and she felt comfortable in it. She had to have it.
"C'est belle.” Kiko's jaw dropped when Mia came out.
Amanda stood up. "Wow. I thought the dress looked just okay on the hanger, but on you—”
Mia smiled. In truth, she didn't think she looked half bad. It was a simple dress, but the best things in life were simple.
"I never knew you had such great curves," Amanda added. "I'm so jealous. Even if Luc is into this Beth chick, all the guys at the party will be lining up to talk to you. But I kind of doubt Luc will want to take his eyes off you."
"You don't even need any jewelry," Kiko said. "You're a natural beauty. The headband gives you enough sparkle."
"Luc will be lost in a sea of emerald," Amanda said coyly.
Mia looked at herself in the mirror. She did think she looked beautiful. And even though she tried not to feel that way, she couldn't help getting excited knowing that Luc would see her soon.
Chapter 22
Money. Luc could see it, taste it, and almost smell it as soon as he entered the Montaigne party. It reminded him of his time at university with Beth, when he was constantly surrounded by peers with inheritances, stocks, bonds, and vacation houses galore.
A gigantic silver chandelier hung over him like an all-seeing eye, reflecting gold and silver specks. Gentlemen in tuxedos held flutes of champagne as they chatted up ladies wearing four-figure gowns. Five figures wouldn't surprise him, either. And some of the jewels must've been in the six-figure range.
Luc had come in with Didier and Charlotte, Didier's wife. Nondescript men in white tuxedos took their coats. Fancy, tiny hors d'oeuvres on silver trays floated in and out of their periphery, as did the champagne. The champagne tasted good, and so did the grilled scallops wrapped in prosciutto, but Luc had gone to too many of these parties to be impressed anymore.
"The ads look great," Didier commented.
Gigi Tom's photograph in which she was in a black lace lingerie set, wearing a pink holster and a matching gun, was the framed centerpiece of the room. Other ads from the campaign featuring various models portraying fil
m noir femme fatales lined the walls.
"You've outdone yourselves this time, boys," Charlotte said. "It's quite cheeky."
"The commercial is coming along too," Luc said. "They're putting the final editing touches on it, and it should be on TV and on the Internet next week."
Didier and Charlotte were accosted by some friends, and they quickly engaged in conversation. Luc spent some time chatting with them then politely excused himself.
He looked around for the only person he was looking forward to seeing that night. Would she even come? He looked at his watch. It was almost nine thirty.
"Luc!" a cheerful voice called out to him.
He spun around and found himself inches away from Beth Montaigne.
"Bonsoir, Beth." He greeted her the usual way, with kisses on both cheeks.
Her last kiss lingered, and he could smell her perfume. She was in a shimmery gold dress, which gave her the illusion of being dipped in liquid gold. He thought she looked like a statue or a trophy.
As usual, a group of men was swarming around her, some discreetly and others not so discreetly.
"Have you met Marcus, Benjamin, and Renard?"
"No." Beth introduced him to what he assumed were her potential suitors, although it soon became clear that Marcus was gay.
"Marcus designed my dress," Beth said.
"It's beautiful," Luc said. "You look great, as usual."
"It's custom made just for her," said Marcus. "Her body's every designer's dream. It's perfect."
"Oh, stop." Beth laughed. "Nobody's perfect."
Luc smiled politely.
She glanced back at Luc and grabbed his arm. "Come on, let's dance."
Benjamin and Renard, as well as a few other men lingering around, looked disappointed as Beth dragged Luc off to the dance floor.
A jazz band was playing a slow number, and Beth wrapped her arms around his neck.
"It's a great party," Luc said.
It was strange to have Beth pressed so close to him. It was obvious that many men would want to be in his position right now, but he still found himself wanting to be in the arms of someone else.