A Christmas Chance by Louisa Masters

Author:Louisa Masters [Masters, Louisa]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Four

AT ELEVEN, HE sent a text to Jacob confirming he’d be able to meet him for lunch at one. A thumbs-up emoji was the only response, but at twelve thirty his phone dinged again.

Jacob: Found this café with the most AMAZING pastries. Having coffee while I wait for you. Can we have lunch here?

A Google Maps link followed, and Paul grinned. It was a place he often went to for lunch and where he ordered from if Lucien needed a meeting catered for.

Paul: See you there soon.

Their taste in food seemed to be just one more thing they had in common, and for one shining, stupid moment, Paul wondered what it would be like to live in Australia. Oh, he wouldn’t make a permanent move—not yet, anyway—but he could consider a six-month “secondment.” It could be a trial of the virtual workspace model Edouard Morel was interested in. There was already a program in place for employees to work from home several days per week should they prefer to, but it was dependent on them being able to come into the office on the other days, and more, being available to come into the office on at-home days should something warrant it. Working from across the world with no access to a Morel office would be something entirely different.

Was he really trying to use work to justify the fact that he was making a big deal about a holiday fling? He’d known Jacob for barely thirty hours.

Thirty hours. Was that all? It felt like so much longer—in a good way. The best way. He’d never been so comfortable before with anyone on such short acquaintance.

Sighing, Paul forced his brain to focus on the task at hand. He needed to finish it and then he’d go have lunch with Jacob and enjoy the time they had together.

Two minutes later, he admitted defeat. This could wait until after lunch, when hopefully he’d be able to give it his full attention. Right now, the chances were high that he’d make an error.

He switched the office line to the receptionist and Lucien’s “personal” line—which really wasn’t that personal, since all calls came through Paul—to his cell phone, and then left the office. The café was just down the street, a block and a half away. He covered the distance quickly, weaving among the usual office workers in search of lunch and the seasonal tourists who were in the area for the market.

Jacob had snagged them a tiny table tucked into a corner, which meant they’d be out of the way of the lunchtime chaos and have at least a semblance of privacy. Paul felt some initial concern that he wouldn’t be able to fold himself into the small area, but Jacob had cheekily pulled the table away from both walls, giving them a pocket of space they could be comfortable in.

Them, and the plethora of bags Jacob had accumulated.

Paul leaned over to steal a kiss. “Been shopping, I see,” he said drily, and Jacob laughed.

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