The Paris Connection

by Cerella Sechrist

  “Careful there,” he murmured.

  As she collected herself, she looked up into the concerned depths of his hazel eyes. She stared for a moment, caught in his watchful gaze. She jerked to awareness seconds later as she realized how tightly she gripped his forearms and how his hands remained on her waist.

  “Oh, um, thanks,” she muttered and released him. His own hands dropped back to his sides.

  “No problem. I guess we all need a bit more practice.”

  “Not me.”

  Emma turned away from Cole to see Marc dusting off his pants. “I am done with these circus acts.”

  “Marc,” Cole said, his tone soft but warning. “Julien sent us here for a reason.”

  “Well, then, Julien can come out here himself and see what a waste of time this is. How is balancing on a tightrope going to improve how we work together? The rest of us have known each other for years. No offense, Cole,” he rushed to add, “but wouldn’t the company be better served if we each devoted ourselves to what we’re already good at?”

  René grumbled. “My program is of the highest caliber. It works, if you only give it a chance.”

  “I just did, and I can’t say I was impressed.”

  Emma watched as René’s mouth flattened to a straight line. “With such attitudes, it takes time to form the bond.”

  Emma caught Giselle’s eye and saw her own concern reflected in her friend’s gaze. Cole must have seen it, too.

  “René, would you be so kind a host as to give the rest of the group a quick tour of the other activities here while I have a word alone with Marc?”

  René’s expression remained peeved.

  “Please, René,” Emma spoke up, “I know we would all love to see what other opportunities there are in a course such as this.”

  Her plea seemed to soften their host slightly.

  “I thought the rope bridge looked fun,” Aurora added.

  “My kids would go crazy here,” Louis put in. “They’d love it.”

  Giselle sealed the deal by moving to René’s side and tugging at his stiff arm until she could weave her own through it. “Of course, you must show us!”

  He finally relaxed. “Very well, if that is what you wish. Please, follow me.”

  Aurora and Louis trailed after Giselle and René, but Emma lingered for a moment.

  “You, too, Emma,” Cole said. “Join the others. Marc and I will be along shortly.”

  Emma’s gaze shifted between the two men, from Marc’s sour expression to Cole’s neutral one. She gave a little shrug, decided it was Cole’s job to see to Marc and followed the others, refusing to allow herself a backward glance.

  * * *

  COLE WATCHED UNTIL he was certain the others were out of earshot, and then he turned his full attention to Marc.

  “Not a fan of the tightrope, huh?”

  “Children’s games,” Marc spat.

  Cole shrugged and then crouched down to test the tautness of the rope. He tugged on it and watched as it vibrated from the touch. He sensed Marc watching him so he turned his head and looked up.

  “You have to admit, though, it’s not a bad exercise. Trying to get us to work in rhythm? It’s a good icebreaker, a nice method to get you comfortable around your new boss.”

  Marc appeared slightly chastened. “My apologies. You are not the problem.”

  Cole stood and brushed his hands against the hem of his T-shirt, dusting off the dirt from the rope. “I’m glad to hear it. I’d hate to think that display just now was solely because of me.”

  Marc shook his head. “Sometimes I find myself short of patience where my coworkers are concerned.”

  “Oh? How so?”

  Cole watched as Marc shifted his eyes away.

  “It’s okay, Marc. You can be honest.”

  It seemed to be the invitation Marc was waiting for.

  “Aurora is a mouse. She’s not cut out for work as a recruiter. Giselle is more interested in finding dates than placing recruits. Louis isn’t so bad, so long as that wife of his isn’t calling him at his desk all day long. And Emma. Don’t even get me started.”

  Cole felt a stab of curiosity. “What about Emma?”

  Marc sneered. “Julien’s little lackey. She’s his favorite, and it shows. She doesn’t have half the talent I do, and yet, she’s the managing director and was slated for promotion before you came along.”

  Cole thought how appropriate it was that this conversation was taking place beside a tightrope, where each step had to be measured carefully. He felt as if he was still balancing on that thin line.

  “Her record speaks for itself,” he pointed out. “Her satisfaction rating with her clients is impeccable. Her recruitments love their placements at their new jobs, and the companies who hired them couldn’t be happier.”

  “Of course. But her talents are no better than my own. Why should she have the opportunities to advance when they are denied to the rest of us?”

  “The rest of us?” Cole repeated. “Or denied to you specifically?”

  Marc released a rush of breath in a quick huff. “The old man plays favorites. He gives to Emma with one hand and withholds from me with the other. And he thinks sending his supposed top recruiters on a little holiday is going to unite us?” Another scoff. “I had hoped, with your coming, that matters could be set right.”

  Balance, Cole reminded himself. He was an outsider here, new to this country and this office. Was this Marc’s attempt at a corporate coup? If so, he’d approached the wrong man. Cole had no intention of overthrowing Julien. He was still president and chairman of the board, even if Cole did now possess daily operational control.

  “I think you’re going to have to be a bit more specific in what you want me to do,” Cole said.

  He watched as Marc took a step back, turned and walked a few feet and then came back to stand before him. His agitation was evident in how he met Cole’s eyes and then quickly looked away.

  “Emma has made her dislike of you clear.”

  Cole eyed him but said nothing in response to this.

  “She left you waiting at the airport on your first day. Things were tense between you.”

  Marc had been paying far more attention to the situation between him and Emma than Cole had realized.

  “We simply had a few misunderstandings at first. She had a good reason for being late to pick me up on that first day.” Despite the initial tensions, they had formed an unspoken truce, and he felt compelled to defend her.

  Marc made a face. “Traffic? She has lived in Paris for ten years. She should know to allow the appropriate amount of time to reach the airport.”

  Cole felt a ripple of irritation run through him.

  “Marc—” Before he could get another word out, the other man began speaking again.

  “It’s curious, though, isn’t it?”

  Cole stopped. “Curious? What’s curious?”

  “Emma. And Julien.”

  Cole reared back in surprise. “What are you saying, Marc?”

  “Well.” Marc shifted from one foot to the other, ran a hand through his hair and then paused to rub the back of his neck. Cole felt his impatience growing.

  “Marc? Just say whatever it is that’s on your mind.”

  Marc dropped his hand. “It is no small matter, though, and I need to be certain I can trust your discretion.”

  Forcing himself to relax his posture, Cole nodded. “I understand your concerns, but that’s what this weekend is for—to build trust between us all.”

  He waited as Marc eyed him for several seconds. “I believe you are trustworthy, but it is a delicate consideration.”

  Cole gritted his teeth and tried to be patient as he waited. Marc obviously had something to say; Co
le needn’t push him to say it.

  Marc drew a breath and then slowly exhaled it. “All right. Have you considered that perhaps there is more between Julien and Emma than they would have you believe?”

  Cole blinked. “Are you suggesting...?”

  “I think they are in a secret relationship.”

  Cole couldn’t stop himself. He burst out laughing at this idea but soon cut it off when he saw how Marc stiffened. He couldn’t help wondering if this conversation was staged in some way. He looked away from Marc, his gaze sweeping the forest around him. The activities course contained several different areas where other groups and instructors were engaged in various exercises, but this particular corner of the ropes course remained isolated from the rest. There were a handful of people gathered around an instructor many yards away, but here, he and Marc were alone. No one was listening in, at least that’s how it appeared. He shifted his focus back to the man before him.

  “Sorry, Marc, but no. I don’t believe that’s the case.” He thought about Emma, her classic beauty, and then Julien’s round form, a product of too many years of a gourmand’s indulgence. He could not imagine Emma and Julien together. The idea was preposterous. He had to give Marc credit, though; the man possessed far more imagination than he would have thought.

  “You are thinking of superficial considerations, I can see,” Marc stated as he crossed his arms over his chest. “But imagine Emma’s advancement—he was prepared to name her CEO before your company took over. How does someone as young as Emma move up so quickly?”

  Cole shook his head. “She’s not much younger than you or me. Why shouldn’t she advance quickly? Is it because she’s a woman?”

  “Do not be ridiculous. Only consider the signs. Julien favors Emma, more than the rest of us. It would make sense she has seduced him.”

  Emma? A temptress? Cole was hard-pressed not to break into laughter once more. And yet, Marc’s words had done what he supposed was their original intent—planted the smallest seed of doubt. It was obvious to him how fond Julien was of Emma, but he hadn’t thought it was rooted in anything more than affection.

  “After her divorce, Julien was very solicitous of her situation. He played a very personal role in her affairs, if you understand my meaning.”

  Oh, Cole understood all right. There were no cultural barriers to what the man implied. But couldn’t Julien have simply cared for Emma as a friend and mentor? The thought of the two of them together, in that way, made Cole feel faintly sick, though he wasn’t entirely sure why. It was just that the two seemed so mismatched physically. Then again, he studied Marc, wondering if any of these accusations stemmed from the man’s own jealousy for a woman as lovely as Emma. He discovered that the idea of her with Marc, who was much better matched to her in both age and appearance, still left a twisting knot of disgust in his abdomen.

  This entire conversation had become ridiculous.

  “What Emma and Julien do in their free time is none of our business. I suggest we focus on our purpose for being here.”

  Marc seemed to finally sense Cole’s annoyance and backed off. But only slightly.

  “Of course, of course. She is your managing director, and you will be required to work closely with her. You wish for things to run smoothly. I understand.”

  “I’m so glad,” Cole said, wondering if Marc would pick up on his sarcasm.

  “Only, what if...” Marc trailed off, and Cole sensed he was making an attempt to lure him in.

  “What if...?” he prompted Marc to continue.

  “What if you didn’t?”

  “Didn’t what?” Cole asked in growing exasperation.

  “What if you didn’t have to work with Emma?”

  Cole said nothing.

  “It is no secret that she was not in favor of this merger. She argued with Julien several times over it. If she continues with that opinion, it will affect her ability to perform her job. And her dislike of you is obvious.”

  This point caused Cole to cringe slightly. Her dislike of him was obvious? Sure, they’d gotten off to a rough start, but he thought they had moved forward since then. She’d been pleasant enough during their travels that morning as well as in the hours since their arrival at the château. Was Emma really still that averse to his presence?

  “And?”

  “And if you argued that her views are threatening the success of the merger, surely the board would allow you to replace her.”

  “Replace her with...you?”

  Marc beamed, and Cole felt as though he were the dim-witted student in class who’d finally grasped the solution to the equation.

  “Oui. As your managing director, I would be your guiding hand. Aquitaine could continue to grow in its partnership with Reid Recruiting, and together, we could provide a level of success this company has never before seen.”

  “Ah. I see.”

  And he did. He could fully see Marc for what he was—calculating, ambitious and utterly untrustworthy.

  “So, you think you could manage things better than Emma?”

  Marc already had an athletic figure with broad shoulders and a lean waist, but now he puffed his upper body up in a display of confidence. “Absolutely. I will do whatever is required to ensure your, and the company’s, success.”

  “Mmm. Except for the teamwork thing.”

  Marc’s swollen posture deflated a bit. “Excusez-moi?”

  “The teamwork thing. You remember? This retreat? The entire reason we’re here?”

  Marc frowned, seeming every bit as dense as Cole must have appeared to him several minutes ago. Cole sighed.

  “I appreciate the offer, Marc, and I recognize that you are a valuable asset to this firm. As such, I’m sure you understand that this merger is a tricky thing, and I wouldn’t want to do anything to jeopardize it or this team.”

  He watched as Marc’s determination seemed to wilt.

  “I see.”

  “I knew you would.” He reached out to grip the other man’s shoulder and squeezed gently. “Just keep doing your job, Marc, and I’m sure the appropriate promotion will come in time.”

  Marc cleared his throat and straightened. “I assure you, Cole, I will not fail you. And if Emma should—”

  “Then I know where you stand,” Cole cut him off. “Now, I think it would be best if we returned to the others, don’t you? Make a real go at this teamwork building, since it’s something I want as much as Julien does. Okay?”

  Marc nodded, and Cole released his shoulder with a final squeeze.

  “I’m glad we understand each other,” Cole said.

  * * *

  EMMA HAD BEEN watching for several minutes, wondering what Cole could possibly be saying to Marc. When the two finally came into sight, she felt her shoulders relax with relief. At last, the retreat could continue. She wondered what had caused Marc to behave so poorly. At times, he could be arrogant and even a little rude, but rarely did he react with such lack of restraint. What had gotten into him?

  It seemed she wouldn’t find out from Cole, who approached them with a neutral expression.

  “Thanks for waiting, everyone. Did we determine what exercise we’re going to try next?”

  Emma’s gaze shifted to Marc, who seemed much less irritable than he had been when they’d left him. And yet, there was something in his demeanor—though she couldn’t determine what—that left a faint uneasiness in her stomach.

  “René has given us the full tour,” Giselle announced, and Emma turned her attention back in time to see her friend touch their host’s arm flirtatiously. She shook her head in amusement and decided to put Marc’s tantrum out of her mind.

  “Excellent,” Cole said. “Why don’t you lead the way, Giselle?”

  The group moved toward the bridge area where several dif
ferent types of rigging were strung out between the trees. A few were of typical board and rope construction but others looked a bit more challenging, such as one made with loops of cord running in U-shapes from one elevated platform to another.

  As they reached this area, René turned to face them. “As mentioned when we first arrived, this next exercise will require you to break into pairs so that one participant can serve as what we call a ‘spotter’ for another. Do you all remember the role of a spotter?”

  Giselle raised her hand, as eager as any schoolgirl. “A spotter is like a safety net for their partner on the ropes. If their partner falls from the rigging, the safety harness and pulleys will help their descent back to the ground, but the spotter should be prepared to assist in guiding their drop.”

  “Very good, Giselle.”

  Emma smothered a laugh as her friend batted her eyelashes in the face of René’s praise.

  “And how does a spotter help guide the drop?”

  Giselle’s hand shot up again, but René turned away from her.

  “Aurora?”

  “The spotter should not try to catch their partner but rather be present and take the brunt of the collision in the hip area.”

  “Yes, exactly. Does everyone understand?”

  “Perhaps you could demonstrate it for us?” Giselle suggested.

  René faltered. “Er...demonstrate?”

  “Yes, how the spotter should help catch their partner if they fall from the ropes.”

  “Well.” He cleared his throat. “We have already demonstrated the proper handling of a falling participant.”

  “Yes, but safety is of the utmost importance, is it not? Can we really have too many demonstrations to assure our security?”

  René sighed. “Very well.” He gestured toward Cole. “Monsieur, if you please.”

  Emma watched as Cole pressed his index finger against his chest. “Me?”

  “Oui, if you were her—” he gestured toward Emma “—spotter, demonstrate how you should catch her if she falls.”

  From the corner of her eye, Emma noticed Giselle frowning at how René had managed to avoid touching her yet again. Perhaps her friend had finally met a worthy adversary. She didn’t have time to dwell on the thought, however, as Cole approached. He reached out his arms toward her, and she felt herself tense.