The Paris Connection Read online

  He barely glanced over his shoulder when he spoke. “Is that how your company has been run up to this point? Standing people up and offering flimsy excuses? No wonder your boss agreed to this merger.”

  These words were like a slap in the face. She halted briefly and then propelled herself forward and ahead of him so that he was forced to follow her in the direction of the car park.

  “It was unavoidable,” she said, loud enough for him to hear without her turning around. “You don’t understand what driving in Paris can be like.”

  She stopped short of pointing out that, had she driven any more recklessly to get here, she might not have lived to pick him up at all. His attitude was intolerable.

  “It can’t be any worse than New York City,” he countered, “and I’ve always managed that just fine.”

  She halted at these words; because of his clipped pace, he was unable to stop in time and stumbled into her. She found her feet and took a step away from him. “This is not New York,” she announced. “The sooner you realize that, the better.”

  “Believe me,” he ground out, “I am all too aware of the distinction.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “It means that I would never expect this sort of thing to happen at Reid Recruiting, back in America.”

  “Oh, for the love of— So, I was a little late. The first thing you need to learn about the French is that they’re not as tied to schedules as Americans are.”

  “A little late?” He consulted his watch. “I waited for forty-five minutes while you took your time getting here.”

  “I told you, there was a lot of traffic.” Rather than continue arguing, she turned and started in the direction of the car park once more.

  She didn’t wait to see if Cole Dorset followed. He called after her, but she didn’t stop, not until he finally used the company’s title.

  “Aquitaine!”

  She halted and turned, waiting for an apology regarding his rudeness.

  “Here.”

  He passed her the smaller of his two bags and kept walking.

  * * *

  DURING THE CAR ride to the Aquitaine offices, Cole grudgingly noted that perhaps his liaison’s excuse was valid. Parisian drivers took to the road like race car stars. They wove in and out with little regard for the vehicles around them, sliding so close that, a time or two, Cole found himself cringing in anticipation of a collision. He never said a word about this to Emma, who drove in steely silence, focused on the streets before them. The traffic was abominable, and at times, they proceeded at little more than a crawl.

  As the time for his presentation to the board came and went, he pulled out his cell phone to call the office and let them know he was on his way. Emma said nothing, and he didn’t bother to speak to her.

  He kept his gaze out the window, trying not to focus on the cars around them but rather taking in the sights of his new home. He noted the Arc de Triomphe, a monument more impressive in person than any of the pictures he had seen could convey. Not that he would admit that aloud, of course. He had no desire to be in this city and was determined it would not stir his curiosity in any way. It was his own small rebellion. But Emma must have noticed his absorption in the structure because she suddenly spoke.

  “The Arc de Triomphe’s eternal flame is rekindled every night, to honor the soldiers who died in both world wars. There’s a museum inside, and the price of admission includes access to the top. The views aren’t quite as spectacular as the Eiffel Tower, but they’re still pretty amazing.”

  In the distance, he caught a brief glimpse of the Eiffel Tower, that well-known symbol for romantics everywhere. He scoffed aloud. After Ophelia’s rejection and finding himself here in her place, the iconic monument didn’t exactly inspire feelings of happiness.

  Emma must have noted his grunt of annoyance because he sensed her turn toward him.

  “Look, I really am sorry I was late.”

  He didn’t respond.

  “I’ll explain to everyone that it was my fault.”

  He felt a bit of his frustration ease but not by much. “Don’t bother,” he replied. “The receptionist at the office said it’s no problem, and Julien has already told them there’s been a delay.”

  She seemed to be considering saying something more, but a particularly rabid driver on the left caused her to inhale sharply and keep her attention fixed on the road.

  It was just as well. He wasn’t in the mood 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.”

  * * *
r />   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 sighed. “I know this is difficult for you, Emma, but for the sake of your job and for this company, you must try to embrace this merger.”

  “Accept,” she corrected. “I will try to accept it, but I refuse to embrace it.” She folded her arms around her midsection and restarted the conversation she and Julien had been having for weeks. “We didn’t need them. We were doing fine on our own.”

  Julien shook his head. “I’ve told you, the market has become too competitive. To ally with the Americans is to open up doors of opportunity for both of our companies. I should think you’d be glad to be joining with your countrymen. Lillian Reid is refreshingly frank about business. She is a remarkable woman, having built her firm from the ground up after her husband died. And all while raising a young daughter, too. You should appreciate that, given how hard you’ve worked to establish yourself while also being a mother to Avery.”

  Emma suppressed a sigh. Yes, she should appreciate the similarities in her own life to Lillian Reid’s history. It was not the first time Julien had tried to sway her with this argument.

  “I doubt Lillian Reid was ever promised a promotion and then had it taken away from her and given to another.” She glared in Cole’s direction as she said these words. She felt gratified when her rival seemed to sense her stare, raised his head and met her eyes, frowning at the dislike she hoped she was conveying.

  Julien cleared his throat. “You go too far, Emma,” he warned, his voice harder than she had ever heard it. “You lost the promotion, yes, but be grateful you still have a job at all. Lillian and I negotiated fiercely to retain most of my staff rather than bring in her own people from New York. Cole Dorset’s placement as CEO was the only demand she would not release. She insists he is the best and brightest of her firm.”

  She opened her mouth to argue, but Julien’s nearly imperceptible headshake forced her to swallow the words.

  “You will learn to embrace this, or you will become a consummate actress and pretend that you do. You are liked and admired here, Emma—by everyone. You have risen in the company, and I treat you well—nearly like the daughter I never had, oui?”

  She dipped her head in agreement, feeling ashamed for her ingratitude.

  “The others will look to you for their cues on how to behave. And if you do not treat Cole as your superior, then neither will they. It is why I insisted you be his liaison within the branch. The two of you working together will strengthen this merger and cause Aquitaine to remain in the forefront of the executive recruiting field. Do I make myself clear?”

  Emma’s gaze shifted to Cole, watching as he laughed with one of the more prickly members of the board. How had he managed to charm everyone in his few short hours here?

  “Emma.”

  Her attention jerked back to Julien.

  “Do we have an understanding?”

  She swallowed. “Of course, Julien,” she replied. “I’ll support the merger in any way I can.”

  Julien relaxed. “Merci. Now, I would like you to show Cole to his new office as well as give him a tour of the building.”

  “Certainly,” she managed to choke out. Julien turned to go.

  “Julien.” She called him back. “I’m sorry.”

  “It is forgiven. But do not do anything that will make you have to utter those words again.”

  CHAPTER TWO

  EMMA SPENT THE rest of the morning showing Cole around the Aquitaine offices. By unspoken agreement,
they said as little as possible to one another outside of topics related to work. The questions he asked were good ones—about the day-to-day operations, their strongest recruiters, their largest clients and competitive markets. Despite her dislike of him, she had to admit that Cole Dorset seemed well versed in the area of executive recruiting. She supposed she could see why Lillian Reid had called him her “best and brightest,” but she still harbored serious reservations on whether Cole could do the job as effectively as she would have.

  During the latter part of the morning, Cole asked for a few minutes with each of the top-level recruiters, so Emma began the rounds of the senior offices with him. Before they approached each one, she gave him a brief summary of that particular recruiter’s special skills, fields of expertise and any personal interests.

  Once again, she was forced to grudgingly admit how Cole used her words to his benefit. He was a sponge when it came to the information she fed him, retaining facts and using them to establish camaraderie with his team.

  At Marc Benoit’s door, he commented on the skiing hobby Emma had mentioned before they entered the room and then spent nearly twenty minutes listening to Marc enthusiastically describe his winter vacation to the Swiss Alps.

  He greeted Aurora Fontenot with a grin and handshake, noting the framed canvas hanging on her wall and acting shocked when she blushingly confessed she had painted it herself.

  Standing outside Louis Terrell’s office, he congratulated the senior recruiter on his placement record and remembered all three names of the man’s children along with his wife’s charity efforts.

  She hesitated on the threshold at Giselle Bisset’s office. Giselle was her friend, but the woman was an unbelievable flirt. She wasn’t sure how to warn Cole about Giselle’s never-ending quest for dates. She opted instead to share Giselle’s passion for French fashion and her specialty of media relations, and was duly impressed when Cole easily deflected Giselle’s attempts at flirtation by repeatedly steering the conversation back to her niche.