The Paris Orphan by Natasha Lester

Author:Natasha Lester
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: None
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Published: 2019-09-16T16:00:00+00:00

Seventeen

Working and thinking consisted of not doing any actual work or any thinking at all. Instead, she studied the Children series once more until Josh walked outside and caught her. It was the first time she’d seen him since her meeting with Jess and she didn’t know what to say. So she prevaricated. “I suppose I should apologize for slacking off,” she said, “but I could honestly sit and look at these all day and continue to find something new. Aren’t you ever tempted to do that?”

He came to stand beside her, eyes resting on the photographs. “I guess I’ve made the mistake of taking this all for granted,” he said. “Of getting the business done because the emails and the phone calls always seem to be the most urgent. I can’t honestly remember the last time I stopped to look at any of the pictures for more than a minute.”

“You know that’s sacrilege and therefore punishable by having to spend the whole of tomorrow in a T-shirt and shorts instead of a business shirt and trousers,” she teased, trying to lighten the load she felt pressing on her heart from her conversation with Jess. “Or do you not own anything else?”

“I’m pretty sure that sawing wood while wearing a dress like yours isn’t exactly normal,” he said, his tone a statement rather than a jest. “So I’m not sure that my wardrobe choices should be the only ones coming under scrutiny.”

“Oh, this old thing?” she said, flipping the skirt a little to show off more of the amazing polka-dot petticoats underneath. “It’s at least fifty years old so if it hasn’t given up the ghost by now, I don’t think a little sawing is going to harm it.”

But it wasn’t Josh’s style to let her get away with flirty evasions. “So,” he said. And she knew he meant: So, you know that the photographer is Jessica May.

“So,” she repeated.

Then Célie appeared with a picnic basket. “Everything you need should be in here,” she said, smiling at Josh.

“Who are you picnicking with?” D’Arcy asked, voice light as if she didn’t care. Maybe he had a girlfriend? Someone coming to the chateau to picnic with him and spend the night. It would be the most romantic place to spend a dirty weekend. No wonder he hadn’t wanted to kiss her. D’Arcy felt her heart twist with what she was almost sure, even though she’d never felt it before, was jealousy.

“I’m picnicking with you, I hope,” he said. “Unless you’d prefer to saw. I’ll even get changed.” He actually smiled.

D’Arcy’s stomach contracted in response.

* * *

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