by Mandy Baggot
Rhoda had been to stay and their relationship was in a good place right now. They had taken the train to the South of France and ridden horses on the beach. Quality, unpressured time was starting to plaster over the cracks. And, likewise, if her dad could drag himself away from his Tottenham season ticket she was hoping him and Myleene were going to visit her soon.
‘So, where are we going to eat tonight?’ Ava asked them.
Didier rolled his eyes. ‘Always about the food, Ava? Seriously?’
‘I thought we might go back to that very first little bistro we all ate in together,’ Debs suggested.
‘Ah, Brasserie Du Bec, the little bistro where these two did nothing but argue,’ Didier stated.
‘And we balanced wine corks on our noses,’ Debs said, smiling at him.
‘All you did was hiccup and talk about coq,’ Ava reminded.
‘And nothing has changed, n’est ce pas?’ Didier said, nudging Debs.
‘They are coming,’ Julien stated, moving from the stairway to the fence where the others were gathered.
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‘Link arms,’ Didier said, hooking himself up to Debs and Julien.
Ava slipped her arm through Julien’s and put her other hand through the railing, fingers holding onto the fence, bracing herself.
‘Step away!’ Didier shouted to the two men in council overalls who had appeared from the stairs down.
‘We are protesting!’ Debs added.
‘We will not be moved!’ Ava yelled.
The men approached them, looking as much intrigued as angered.
‘We are standing up for our rights as citizens of France...’ Julien began.
‘And holidaymakers having relations with citizens of France,’ Debs added.
‘And we are fighting for our right—’
‘I really want to say “to party” right now,’ Ava responded.
‘This is serious, Madonna,’ Julien reminded her. ‘These men want to cut off our love locks.’
‘I know but... we could just let them and then buy some more,’ Ava suggested. ‘No? Not the protest spirit?’
‘If you do not leave us now and leave our love locks forever in this place then we will—’ Didier started.
‘Charge,’ Debs said. She bared her teeth at the council workers.
‘Charge? Like a bull?’ Ava asked. ‘We didn’t mention charging.’
‘We will stay here all day,’ Didier continued. ‘All day long. And tomorrow too. We will sleep here and we will dance.’ He began to move his legs, his arms still linked to Julien and Debs, kicking a can-can like a Moulin Rouge performer.
‘How are they not laughing?’ Ava asked. ‘I want to laugh.’
‘All day long,’ Didier called. ‘Give up your cutting instruments! Go home! Let us hum the national anthem.’
The tallest council worker threw up his hands and together with his comrade they retreated to the steps that led down to the next level.
Didier raised his fist in the air. ‘A victory for the people!’
Ava unlinked her arms and bent down, her fingers lifting the three locks intertwined together with their names.
‘I am not sure we can come up here every time Didier’s friend at the council warns us they are coming,’ Julien told her.
‘I know,’ she answered, smiling at him. ‘But, like I said, if something breaks, we can fix it.’
‘And that is a life lesson, Madonna,’ Julien said, putting his arms around her. ‘A life lesson.’
‘We need to get a love lock,’ Debs said, taking Didier’s arm.
‘I was thinking more of handcuffs for the bedroom,’ Didier answered.
Debs giggled. ‘You are totes naughty.’
Ava reached up, the flat of her palm against Julien’s cheek, eyes matching his. ‘Je t’aime Monsieur Fitoussi.’
He kissed her then, his fingers moving over the hair she had kept super short. ‘Je t’aime, Madonna.’
A Letter from Mandy
A HUGE THANK YOU for buying One Christmas in Paris!
Has Ava and Julien’s story made you feel all Christmassy and warm inside? I really hope so! I also hope I’ve put you in a feel-good mood whatever the time of year you’re reading this! It’s always a good time to curl up with something cosy and Christmas!
With this story I really wanted to show the beauty of the city of Paris – I need to go back soon! – and create these characters I hope you can all relate to in some way. I know when I’m on a diet I feel like Ava craving everything that’s full of sticky, sweet gorgeousness! Get me some Camembert and pain au chocolat!
If you enjoyed the book I would LOVE you to leave me a review – wherever you purchased it from! Reviews really do mean so much! Did you have a favourite character? Perhaps a favourite scene? Did it make you want to visit Paris... or find a sexy photographer? Let me and the rest of the world know! I love connecting with readers on Twitter, Facebook and Goodreads!
To keep right up to date with the latest news on my new releases, just sign up using the link below:
Email Sign up Link!
Here’s to more feel-good romantic comedies and hot heroes!
Mandy xx
@mandybaggot
mandybaggotauthor
www.mandybaggot.com
Acknowledgments
A huge THANK YOU to my SUPERSTAR agent, Kate Nash. I keep her up late at night and don’t let her sleep too long in the mornings either! You are my 24/7 sounding board and biggest supporter! Put up with me some more?
High fives to my gorgeous, supportive writing buddies – please check out their books – Rachel Lyndhurst, Zara Stoneley, Linn B Halton and Sue Fortin.
Thank you also to my Bagg Ladies – my beautiful bookworms who help support me on social media and beyond! Here’s to 2017!
A special thank you to my lovely friend, Kate Hopkins, who will entertain my children for me if she knows I’m going to get another book out for her to read!
To all my readers, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter followers – without your fantastic support I wouldn’t be on this journey. Every purchase, every review, every share and supportive comment means so much! Thank you!
Last, but by no means least, thank you to my rock, my anchor, the man who keeps me in wine and Greek treats while we pray for the next royalty payment – Mr Big. It’s a crazy ride but the good kind of crazy most of the time! And much love too to my girls, Amber and Ruby, who are experts at finding fun when Mummy is head down at the computer. You are both super-awesome!
Also by Mandy Baggot
Those Summer Nights
Truly, Madly, Greekly
One Wish in Manhattan
Excess All Areas
Public Property
Strings Attached
Breaking the Ice
Taking Charge
Knowing Me Knowing You
Security
Made in Nashville
Do You Remember?
Published by Bookouture
An imprint of StoryFire Ltd.
23 Sussex Road, Ickenham, UB10 8PN
United Kingdom
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www.bookouture.com
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Copyright © Mandy Baggot 2016
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Mandy Baggot has asserted her right to be identified as the author of this work.
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All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publishers.
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ISBN: 978-1-78681-081-6
eBook ISBN: 978-1-78681-080-9
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This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places and events other than those clearly in the public domain, are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living
or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
ISBN: 978-1-78681-080-9
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