The Paris Connection. Cerella Sechrist

for conversation, especially with this woman who had kept him waiting, even if it wasn’t completely her fault. His mind was on other matters—how he was going to adjust to life in a foreign country, even a cultural metropolis such as Paris. He would miss the familiarity of New York and the life he’d left behind there.

      But things had changed in recent months with Ophelia’s departure. Their breakup had put him on this course, and he was resigned to his fate.

      Like it or not, Paris was his home now. He might as well learn to make the best of it.

      * * *

      WHEN EMMA ARRIVED at the Aquitaine offices with Cole in tow, she found she could not quite meet Julien’s eyes. She was afraid of what her mentor would say to her if he knew how she had spoken to their new CEO. Her assignment, after all, was to welcome Cole Dorset to France and their office, and things had certainly gotten off to a rocky start.

      “Cole, it is a pleasure to see you again.” Julien extended a hand to the younger man and smiled warmly.

      Cole placed his hand in Julien’s and apologized for his tardiness, but Julien waved away the apology. “The board was understanding. We’ve been looking forward to your arrival.”

      The two exchanged further pleasantries as Emma looked away and in the direction of the conference room, where the board of directors and the staff had presumably already assembled.

      “Emma?”

      She turned her attention back to the two of them as Julien spoke her name.

      “Have you filled Cole in on the details of the meeting?”

      She swallowed, ashamed to admit that after their rough start that morning, she hadn’t bothered to bring her new boss up to speed.

      “Um...well, we didn’t really get the chance....” She trailed off.

      “Emma, I tasked you with giving him the details—”

      Cole raised a hand to stall Julien’s reprimand. “It’s not her fault, Julien. I’m sure Emma will be happy to handle my introduction and explain my lateness while you fill me in.” He gave her a smile that was more smug than friendly.

      With Julien present, Emma tried very hard not to glare. Despite her best efforts, she knew her frustration must have shown because Julien studied her severely, his lowered eyebrows revealing his displeasure.

      “I suppose she will have to since she has done you a disservice in failing to update you as to the board’s feelings. Most are in agreement with the merger, but a few are waiting to see what you have to say concerning the benefits of Aquitaine joining Reid Recruiting.”

      Cole frowned at this, and though she shouldn’t have, Emma felt a tiny bit triumphant. If Cole Dorset thought this job would be easy, he was mistaken. It would have been better if Julien had given the promotion to her, as he had promised.

      As if he guessed her feelings on the matter, Cole turned toward her, his hazel eyes cold, as though blaming her for some of the board members’ doubts.

      “I am sensing an undercurrent of hostility between you two,” Julien noted.

      But rather than say anything more about her, the infuriating new boss grinned and clapped Julien on the back.

      “Nonsense,” he insisted before smiling at Emma. She had a feeling Cole could be quite charming when he wanted to be, but at the moment, all she felt was irritated. “I’m sure Emma and I will be the very best of friends.”

      * * *

      COLE HAD TO admit that the morning’s aggravation was nearly worth it to witness Emma’s glare as Julien turned his back on the two of them. She clearly chafed at the position she found herself in, and he couldn’t help feeling a certain satisfaction at her misery.

      After all, he certainly didn’t want to be here. He thought again of Ophelia and how her departure had forced this promotion into his hands. He wondered if she was still happy in paradise with her new husband. Though he wished her no ill will, the idea of her experiencing wedded bliss still left the faint taste of bitterness in his mouth.

      But witnessing Emma’s frustration helped lift some of his own. At least he wasn’t the only one suffering in the wake of this merger. Still, he couldn’t help feeling just a touch guilty for how he’d reacted that morning. He hadn’t known how bad the traffic could be. Perhaps he should have scheduled his introduction for later in the afternoon, giving himself more time to reach the office after his arrival.

      Too late now, though. The damage had already been done. Besides, he doubted Emma would have warmed to him even if he’d been holding a bouquet of roses when she’d first appeared.

      “You’re translating for me during this meeting, right, Aquitaine?”

      She slid a glance his way. “Yes. Is that a problem?”

      “As long as you translate my exact words instead of making up your own, we should be fine.”

      He couldn’t help smiling at the offended little gasp that escaped her lips just before they entered the conference room.

      * * *

      DESPITE THE TEMPTATION to do exactly what he had warned against, Emma translated Cole’s words from English to French exactly as he spoke them. Most of the Aquitaine board and employees spoke both languages fluently, but for the few who only knew French, Julien insisted on a translator.

      Emma wondered if Julien had known ahead of time how compelling a speaker Cole Dorset was. He stood before the Aquitaine staff with seemingly unshakable confidence, charming them with his greeting and then managing to seem both humble and self-assured as he related a story about his travel experience and a cultural faux pas he’d blundered into on the flight from JFK airport in New York to Charles de Gaulle in Paris. If she had met him in this meeting, as the others were doing, perhaps she could have liked him—or at the least, found him tolerable despite the fact that he’d stolen her promotion. But if first impressions were everything, then she and Cole had absolutely no foundation upon which to build their working relationship. She wondered if Julien would consider assigning someone else to be Cole Dorset’s babysitter. After all, she already had a child to care for.

      One glance at Julien’s face provided the answer, however. He was watching her carefully, his gaze intent, and she knew he suspected that she and Cole’s first meeting had not gone as well as planned.

      Well, she’d done her best to explain why she’d been late, and if he hadn’t been so intent on faulting her punctuality then maybe things would have progressed more positively. Her thoughts scattered as everyone in the room laughed, and she suddenly realized she had broken off translating several moments before. Cole waited for her to catch up, and the belated laughter of the French-speaking personnel served to highlight her distraction.

      She glanced at Cole to indicate he should continue and found him frowning at her. He hesitated for only a moment before he began speaking once again.

      For the rest of the presentation, she forced herself to pay attention, and each time her mind started to wander, she refocused it on Cole. By the end of his explanation of his new role and the benefits of this merger, she felt uncomfortably aware of the man’s presence, from his easy gestures to the smile that was quite alluring when it wasn’t marked by smugness.

      She found herself depressed as Cole finished, and her coworkers erupted in enthusiastic applause. Traitors. Couldn’t they see how he was working them over? Were they so easily swayed by his handsome face and charming banter? She stood as employees rushed to the front of the room to converge on their new boss; but she remained in her corner, wondering if she could safely escape or whether Julien would chastise her if she bailed right now.

      Her curiosity was quickly answered when Julien approached.

      “What happened between you and Cole this morning?”

      Julien knew her far too well to believe any sort of lie she might concoct. “I was late. He was rude.”

      Julien