Читать книгу The Paris Connection - Cerella Sechrist - Страница 11
ОглавлениеCHAPTER THREE
EMMA ENTERED THE Aquitaine offices on Monday morning with a new outlook. Spending a weekend with Avery had done much to restore her attitude. She had played games with her daughter, caught up on some errands and taken Melanie with them to the market. She’d even found time to read a couple of chapters in a new novel she’d purchased. She walked into Aquitaine with a lighter step and smiled pleasantly as she approached her office and found Henri, one of the janitorial staff, watering the plants nearby.
“Bonjour, Henri.”
The man’s eyes lit up at the sight of her. He had once told her that she was the only Aquitaine recruiter who bothered to speak to him. The rest worked around him as if he wasn’t even there.
“Bonjour, Emma.”
“Did you enjoy your weekend?”
He sighed. “I went to see my daughter’s ballet recital. I had hoped to take her and my son to dinner afterward, but my wife refused, saying they had other plans.”
Emma felt herself frowning with sympathy. “Oh, Henri. I’m so sorry. If it’s any consolation, things should get better. Those beginning stages of divorce are when both parties feel wounded and betrayed. Hopefully, she’ll ease up in time.”
Henri appeared skeptical, despite her reassurances, but she couldn’t blame him. She remembered how much hurt she’d experienced when she and Brice had been in the first phase of their divorce. Her situation was different from Henri’s, though, in that Brice had wanted nothing to do with Avery and had accepted whatever custody terms Emma chose to lay out. She’d been hopeful he’d eventually exhibit more enthusiasm, so she’d allowed for him to take Avery every other weekend and some holidays, but he rarely took advantage of the offer. Henri, on the other hand, seemed to be struggling in the opposite direction. It pained her to know how much he wished to be with his children and to witness how his wife continued to withhold them.
“How are the custody hearings coming along?” she asked. To her dismay, Henri’s mood seemed to sink even further.
“She is suggesting I only get one weekend a month, a week in the summer and no holidays. With my background, I am not sure I have a chance of more. There is a lawyer who feels he can help, but his fees are exorbitant.”
Emma knew that Henri had once had an issue with gambling. His habit had never become as damaging as some, but it had been enough to cast a black mark upon his character, one that his soon-to-be ex-wife seemed to be using to her full advantage.
“If you need money, I could loan you some,” Emma offered, but Henri was already shaking his head.
“No. I owed enough to friends after I recognized my gambling addiction. I vowed never to borrow a single euro again.”
Emma nodded with sympathy and then noticed that the conversation nearby, in one of the smaller conference rooms, was growing to a steady buzz. She ignored it for the moment.
“Enough about me. How was your weekend?” Henri asked.
“Very nice.” She hesitated, unwilling to mention Avery in light of Henri’s own plight.
“And how is Avery? You haven’t shown me any pictures lately.”
She relaxed since he broached the subject first.
“She’s grown at least three inches in the past few weeks. She’s going to be as tall as her father one day.”
Henri clucked his tongue, presumably at her mention of Brice. He slid a glance around. “And the new American boss? What do you think of him?”
She hesitated, choosing her words carefully. Henri might only be the janitor, but Julien’s warning on Cole’s first day had been clear. She would support the merger and CEO. “I think Cole is the perfect person to manage this company for the days ahead.”
“He has a very flashy smile,” Henri observed.
Emma smothered a laugh. “Yes, that’s true.” Cole’s smile was certainly something of note. It made his handsome features even more attractive.
“Everyone here just beams whenever he comes around. I hope you plan to challenge him, keep him sharp,” Henri remarked.
She grinned at this idea. “I should tell him you said so.”
Henri’s head jerked up in alarm. “I do not think—”
“It’s all right, Henri,” she assured him. “I won’t say a word to him. But I promise, I’ll do my best to keep him on his toes.”
The hum of chatter in the conference room was unmistakable now and growing by the second. Emma turned her head in that direction.
“What’s on everyone’s mind, that they’re talking so much?”
Henri gave another shrug. “I overheard a few things—that Julien is arranging some sort of company getaway.”
Emma furrowed her eyebrows. Julien had initiated plans without consulting her? It was unlike him.
“I better go see what they’re buzzing about.” She paused before leaving and reached out to give Henri’s arm an affectionate squeeze. “Good luck with everything. Let me know how things go.”
He nodded and turned back to his work as she moved down the hall and toward the conference room. She entered to find a small group of the top four recruiters chattering excitedly and passing around what looked like colorful brochures. Julien was nowhere to be seen, but as she prepared to move farther into the room, she felt an arm brush hers; she looked up to see Cole Dorset, tall and striking as ever, studying the room at large.
“What’s going on in here?” he questioned without looking at her.
She forced her gaze away and back to the group before them. “I don’t know. Henri said something about a company getaway.”
“Henri?”
“The janitor,” she replied with distraction.
Cole fell silent so she dared to look at him once more. He was staring at her.
“You’re friends with the janitor?”
She stiffened. “It’s not like we go to lunch every day, but we’re friendly, yes. Why?”
“No reason. I just...never thought about being friends with the janitor.”
She looked away from him. “Well, maybe you should. Henri’s really nice.”
His voice sounded amused as he replied, “Maybe you’re right.” He waited a beat before speaking again. “By the way, we heard from Delacroix this morning. He’s decided to take the job with Arrow Tech after all. I guess he really was unhappy enough with his current company to make a switch.”
She felt a jolt of surprise at this news.
“What the heart wants, remember, Aquitaine?”
She didn’t reply. After another pause, she felt his touch, warm and solid, beneath her elbow as he began to steer her farther into the room. “Let’s see what Julien has gotten us into now, shall we?”
She didn’t protest how he moved her along, and when his hand finally dropped away, she found that she missed the gentle touch.
“Good morning,” Cole greeted everyone.
The room suddenly fell silent as they turned to face their new boss. “Um...bonjour?” he tried again, and Emma nearly rolled her eyes at how the group broke into smiles and returned Cole’s attempt at the French greeting.
“Everyone seems particularly cheerful for a Monday morning,” he remarked. “Does it have something to do with that?” He pointed a finger at one of the leaflets.
Giselle handed it over, and Emma was forced to ease closer to Cole in order to see what sort of information the literature contained.
Scenic pictures of woodlands, a dining hall and rustically chic suites were splashed across the glossy paper beneath words advertising the “Château Bonnaire: an idyllic, team-oriented retreat center for professionals.”
She felt Cole shift uncomfortably beside her and clear his throat. Ah. She realized the brochure was entirely in French, and Cole had no idea what it said.
“A team-oriented retreat center for professionals?” she prompted. “Where did you get these?”
“Julien,” Louis informed her. “He said to look it over, and that he’d be back shortly.”
“Is Julien sending us on a retreat?” Aurora questioned.
Emma looked at Cole and found his frown mirroring her own. If Julien had chosen to send them on a retreat, he hadn’t informed her...nor Cole, it seemed.
“I’m sure Julien will be back soon to enlighten us,” Cole offered.
“You mean, you don’t know?” Marc asked.
Emma felt Cole stiffen beside her at the implication he was clueless as to the goings-on at the very company he was meant to be heading.
“You know Julien enjoys his little surprises,” she jumped in to spare Cole having to reply.
“Emma is correct.”
They all turned at the sound of Julien’s voice. “I decided to surprise you. I thought it would be good for you all to get away for a weekend, as a team. To get to know your new leadership.” He dipped his head in Cole’s direction.
Excited murmurs rippled through the group, but Emma watched Cole carefully. He frowned in dismay, obviously not quite as pleased as the rest of the group. Little wonder, given that Julien hadn’t clued them in to his plans beforehand. She slid her gaze in the older man’s direction, but he did not seem to recognize that he had possibly caused offense.
“Julien,” she murmured, but he was too busy beaming in reaction to his other employees’ responses to the news.
“Julien,” she repeated more forcefully. His eyes found hers, and she frowned. “Could we speak for a moment in your office? Please?”
His pleased expression faltered, and she noticed his eyes shift from her face to Cole’s.
“Oui. Certainly.”
The others didn’t seem to pick up on the unease clouding around their American counterparts as Julien led Cole and Emma from the room. As they arrived at Julien’s door, Emma reached out and laid a hand on Cole’s arm, leaning in to whisper softly enough that Julien would not hear.
“Give him a chance to explain.”
Cole glanced at her briefly and then nodded before stepping into Julien’s office. Emma closed the door behind them.
“Julien, why wasn’t I consulted about this decision?”
Julien frowned at Cole’s question. “I’m afraid I don’t understand.”
Emma stepped forward before Cole could speak again. “Julien, I think you should have informed Cole of your idea before announcing it to the others. He— We both,” she corrected, “were at a loss in there.”
Julien’s eyes suddenly widened in understanding. “Ah, I am so sorry.” He shifted his gaze from Emma to Cole. “I apologize, to both of you. I only thought a retreat might be a helpful way for you to get to know your team and give them the opportunity to embrace you as a leader.” Julien took a step forward and addressed Cole. “It was utterly thoughtless of me. I have been so used to making all the decisions as owner of the company, I forget that as my CEO, you should be allowed to take the lead.”
From the corner of her eye, she saw Cole relax. “It’s all right, Julien. No harm done.”
He didn’t say so, but she knew that if it hadn’t been for the rocky start between them, he might not be so on edge.
“But I’m not sure if this is a good idea. Won’t the board find a weekend at a château a bit extravagant?”
“As board chairman, I can make those kinds of decisions. You leave the board to me.”
“But shouldn’t our efforts be focused on the company and making sure our clients are still confident in our abilities after the merger?”
Julien waved a hand. “It is only one weekend. It will be the perfect opportunity to learn each other’s strengths. You will find it invaluable, I promise you.”
Emma was surprised when Cole turned to her.
“What about you? Do you think this is a good idea?”
She found her jaw sagging slightly in surprise that Cole had asked her opinion. Snapping her mouth closed, she looked from Cole’s hesitant expression to Julien’s hopeful one and then back to Cole.
“Yes, I think it’s a good idea.” She straightened her shoulders before speaking again. “It will solidify your position as our boss.”
He eyed her a moment more before nodding. “All right, then. When did you book this retreat for?”
Julien smiled proudly. “You leave on Friday.”
* * *
EMMA DEFTLY GRABBED a bottle of perfume out of Avery’s fingers as her daughter ran from her bedroom. She tossed the fragrance into her cosmetic bag as Jacqueline shook her head.
“She has so much energy. I grow tired just watching her.”
Emma reached for a blouse and folded it neatly before tucking it into her bag. “She’s really excited that you’ll be watching her this weekend. She’s been looking forward to it ever since I told her you’d be coming.” She moved toward her former mother-in-law and took her hand. “Thanks for agreeing to babysit while I’m away. I’d have hated to ask Melanie to change her plans for the weekend.”
Jacqueline squeezed her fingers in return. “It is my pleasure, dear. You know I am always eager for a chance to spend time with my granddaughter.”
“I know, but I’m sure it’s still a bit of an inconvenience, taking the train from Le Mans into the city on such short notice.”
Jacqueline waved this consideration away. “Only an hour’s ride.”
Just then, Avery sailed back into the room. She was dividing her time between watching Melanie pack for her own trip to the Loire Valley, and “helping” her mother prepare for the corporate retreat. Jacqueline reached out and managed to catch her granddaughter in her arms. Avery giggled and squirmed as her grandmother dropped kisses all over the crown of her head. She released Avery, who planted a kiss on her grandmother’s cheek before rummaging through Emma’s cosmetic bag. She pulled out a container of blush and ran toward the mirror to apply some.
“Besides,” Jacqueline went on after the interruption, “I would gladly take the train for twelve hours if it meant a weekend with my granddaughter.”
Avery turned with a grin, one cheek covered in a swath of pink.
“Avery, put that back,” Emma chastised and then reached for a pair of sturdy shoes.
Jacqueline eyed the contents going into the bag.
“This trip was unexpected, was it not?”
Emma shrugged. “I don’t know how long Julien’s had it in mind, but he didn’t consult me ahead of time. Nor the new CEO.”
Avery, with her cheeks so pink it looked as though she’d been sunburned, dropped the blush back into the cosmetic bag resting on the bed and then skipped out of the room once more.
“Did you ask Brice,” Jacqueline finally ventured, “if he would be willing to watch Avery this weekend?”
Emma couldn’t meet Jacqueline’s eye, so she kept her attention focused on the remainder of her packing. She knew it disappointed her that her son didn’t exhibit more care for his daughter.
“He had other plans, I believe.” She didn’t explain that this was to have been Brice’s weekend with Avery anyway, and that he had canceled, as he so often did.
Jacqueline expelled a long sigh. “One day he will recognize what it is he takes for granted. I am always telling him that at some point, he will have to grow up.” The sadness in Jacqueline’s tone caused Emma to reach out and squeeze her former mother-in-law’s shoulder. Jacqueline reached up and touched her hand.
“Don’t worry. As long as Avery has you, she has all the love she needs.”
Jacqueline shook her head but wisely chose to let the matter drop.
“Tell me more about this retreat and everything you will be doing. It sounds delightful.”
Emma filled her in on the activities listed in the estate literature, as well as Julien’s attempts to unify Cole with his senior recruiting team.
“Are you looking forward to it?” Jacqueline often asked her the most pointed of questions.
“A little bit. It will be fun to get away. I only wish I could bring Avery along.”
“Don’t even think of depriving me of a weekend with my granddaughter.”
Avery padded into the room right on cue, wearing what Emma recognized as one of Melanie’s hats. Emma went to her daughter and scooped her up for a kiss before turning back to Jacqueline.
“You may wish you could have switched places with me by Sunday. I have a feeling this little one is going to keep you quite busy.”
Jacqueline opened her arms, and Avery wiggled free of her mother to vault herself into them.
Emma watched them and wondered if her words would be truer for herself. What if this weekend didn’t go well, and she found herself wishing she had stayed home with Avery instead?
* * *
THE NEXT DAY, Emma stood before the eighteenth-century château and simply stared. The others were unloading from the van they had rented to bring them from the train station, their voices overlapping in a melody of excitement, but she was transfixed by the elegant stone facade with diamond-grid windows in front of the circular drive. The exterior of their weekend home displayed an air of old-world charm coupled with new-world adornment in the form of a contemporary white entry door and topiary shrubs in classic stone pots. She relaxed a bit, seeing this inviting atmosphere. She may have been uncertain about the trip to the countryside—feeling guilty for leaving Avery in her grandmother’s care and uncertain about spending so much time in Cole’s company. But now, seeing the welcoming sight of the château, she thought perhaps the next few days might not be so bad.
As the others came up behind her, they began to offer compliments on the grounds, equally as enamored with their surroundings as she was. They dropped their luggage on the lawn as Marc approached the front door and Cole came up behind her.
“Not too bad,” he remarked from beside her, “but I thought it would be bigger. Like a castle.”
Emma resisted the urge to laugh. “A château served as a manor house for the landed gentry. Though some were large enough to be castles, many were simply large country homes, such as this one.”
Just then, their host opened the front door in response to Marc’s knocking.
“Bonjour! I am René Denis,” the man said in French. “I assume you are the party from the city, Aquitaine Enterprises?”
Emma quickly translated this for Cole as Marc politely requested the gentleman switch to English, if possible, in deference to their American boss.
“Oui, but of course. Come, bring your bags and place them in the front hall so I can give you the tour.”
They each hefted their luggage and followed Marc into the cool interior of the house. Leaving their bags in the entry area, they were given a quick overview of the château’s first floor. There was a lounge area with quaint furniture and wooden beams adjacent to a game and TV room, a Provençal-style kitchen with a cozy table for intimate meals, as well as a larger dining hall and laundry facilities in the back of the house.
René explained the schedule of meals and then suggested they retrieve their luggage and follow him up to the first floor. There were a total of six bedrooms, each with a private bath, meaning everyone would have their own room. They quickly claimed their quarters and René announced he would give them a half hour to unpack and settle in before they should join him in the kitchen for lunch and then further orientation.
Left to their own devices, they retreated to their respective rooms. Emma was glad to have grabbed one of the middle-size bedrooms near the top of the stairs. Rather than unpack, Giselle joined her. They commented on the beauty of their surroundings.
The view from Emma’s bedroom window revealed a spacious stone-paved patio as well as a glimpse of a sparkling lake. Emma had also read there were hiking and bicycle trails, a nearby outdoor activities course, a forest chapel and, of course, the lake for swimming and fishing.
“We must tell Julien this should be an annual event,” Giselle announced as she stretched out on Emma’s bed.
Despite the charming setting, Emma remained skeptical on that score. “Let’s wait and see what’s in store for us before we sign up for anything regular,” she said.
“Don’t be so worried, Emma. It’s going to be a perfect weekend.”
Emma hurriedly hung her clothes in the wardrobe and placed her cosmetic bag in the bath. She checked her watch. “I’m going to call Avery before lunch and the orientation. I’ll meet you downstairs in a bit.”
“Suit yourself,” Giselle replied with another stretch and peered out the window once more as Emma grabbed her cell phone and headed for the door.
* * *
EMMA ENDED THE phone call and allowed her shoulders to sag with relief. Now that she had spoken to both Avery and Jacqueline, she felt as if she could enjoy the rest of the day. She wasn’t accustomed to leaving Avery for a whole weekend at a time, and she’d grown a little uneasy during the train ride as she imagined everything that could happen in her absence.
Now that she had heard Avery’s voice and received Jacqueline’s reassurances, she determined to lay her worries to rest and focus on the retreat. She was just pocketing her phone as she turned and caught sight of Cole coming around the side of the house.
“Checking in with your daughter?”
“Yes,” she admitted and then noticed he was holding his cell phone. “You?” She gestured.
“Just letting Julien know we arrived.”
They came to a stop at the château’s front door. “It’s a lovely estate, and René seems like a competent host. Julien must have done his research,” he observed.
“He always does. Julien is decidedly thorough.”
Cole eyed her after this statement. “I never meant to imply he isn’t.”
Belatedly, she realized how defensive her words had sounded.
“I admire Julien,” Cole went on, “and despite any misgivings I might have about being in France, I’m honored to be working with him thanks to this merger.”
“I’m...glad to hear it since I’m pretty fond of Julien myself.”
The conversation stalled, and Emma folded her arms awkwardly.
“So, you ready for this?” Cole asked.
“I guess so. How about you?”
Cole shrugged. “After lunch and the orientation, René said our first activity will be at a nearby ropes activity course. He said the purpose of the exercise is to give us ‘the opportunity to bond as a team and find our spirit of camaraderie.’”
Emma couldn’t help grinning at how Cole repeated René’s words, imitating the man’s French accent.
“Sounds like René is determined to unite us.” She didn’t add that he might have his work cut out for him. While she got along with her coworkers well enough, none of them had ever participated in an event like this and certainly not with the intention of bonding with a new boss.
She cleared her throat. “Did Lillian ever send you on a corporate retreat before?”
He shook his head. “This is a first for me. I have to admit, I’m curious to see how it goes.”
“Me, too.”
Just then, René opened the front door and called them in for lunch. Cole gestured for her to go ahead of him into the house, and she followed René into the château’s dining room.
Lunch was served on a table laid with chipped, antique plates and elegant silverware wrapped in linen napkins. The dishes were simple but delicious: quiche Lorraine with salty bacon and creamy egg custard nestled in a puff pastry; salad with crisp, fresh vegetables in a tangy red wine vinaigrette; and several varieties of cheese along with still-warm, round loaves of peasant bread and a jar of local honey.
Famished after their train ride to the countryside and further transportation in the rental van, the Aquitaine recruiters descended on the luncheon with ferocity. When they had finished, René clapped his hands and asked that they follow him outside for their orientation.
Emma shuffled toward the door along with the others and emerged into the early afternoon sunshine bathing the stone patio in the back of the house.
René began by reiterating his welcome from their arrival and proceeding with a grandiose speech about the importance of teamwork and their united purpose in the next couple of days together. Emma yawned, feeling full after lunch and warmed by the sunshine, and wishing she could just return to her room for a nap. But as Cole had already told her, René had other plans for them.
“We will begin this afternoon by driving to a nearby activity course where you will establish the foundation of your teamwork exercises by utilizing the ropes. Following this afternoon’s activity, there will be some time for personal reflection and then dinner, followed by various team-building games.”
There were a few murmurs of interest as they all wondered what sort of games might be in store.
“Tomorrow morning, we will have breakfast on the patio, after which we will move to the lawn for the archery portion of our exercises.”
“Archery?” Emma bit her lip. She wasn’t sure she liked the idea of her coworkers wielding weaponry.
To her right, Marc snorted. “What is this, medieval mayhem? How is using a bow and arrow going to bond us?”
René frowned at the interruption. “I would ask that you please take this weekend and its activities seriously. Your employer has arranged for you to be here and expects results. You can only achieve the harmony of teamwork if you are open to the exercises.”
Giselle, in her typical flirtatious style, winked at their host. “I am fully prepared to embrace the possibilities, René.”
This declaration appeared to startle the man, and he rushed to continue highlighting the activities for their stay. Though she continued to keep one ear tuned to the orientation, Emma couldn’t help observing Cole and thinking about their brief conversation earlier. She had meant it when she’d said Julien was very thorough. She was sure he had weighed the options and done the appropriate research before sending them all on this retreat. But given how she had questioned his recent decision to merge his company with Reid Recruiting, she couldn’t help wondering if Julien was losing his edge.
And what if trying to force them all to bond with their new boss was a mistake?
