Page 11 of Enemies to French Kisses
Everyone is loud tonight. “Yes?”
“What on earth are you playing at?” Guillaume’s question echoes down the phone.
“Does no one speak at normal volume anymore?”
“Answer the question.”
I’d rather not. I know exactly what Guillaume is insinuating, and I don’t want to go there.
“I’m giving you the chance you always wanted in the business,” his voice softens. “So why are you acting like a schoolboy with the American?”
“I’m doing no such thing. You’ve seen how she is, that girl is stronger than Dijon mustard and colder than ice wine. It’s just entertainment.”
I can hear Guillaume shaking his head. “You might be able to convince the others of it, but I’m not buying. Remember when we were sixteen and went on the alpine expedition?”
“What’s your point?”
“The way you smacked Josephine Panier with wet sponges after the game was supposed to have ended?”
Josephine Panier. She was my dream girl. Ended up married with four children in Austria, but in those school days, I imagined us taking an around-the-world cruise. So, naturally, I covered her in wet sponges.
“I really don’t see why you’re bringing up Josephine now.”
“S’il te plait, Marc. You’re doing the same thing now.”
“I’ll have you know that I have never whipped a soaked sponge at Laura in my life. Not only would that be counter to workplace regulations, but there are a lot of laptops around the place.”
“You know what I’m saying.”
My phone beeps.
“Have to go, I forgot Alain on the other line.”
He gasps. “Why didn’t you say you were on a call with Alain?” Guillaume panics easily. “I can berate you for your childish crush another time, but Alain holds critical purse strings.”
“Something he never lets me forget.Got to go, Yom,” I sing his nickname, just the way he hates, and click over to the other line.
“I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU!”
I wonder if there’s a way I can regulate the volume on my phone.
“It’s fine, Alain. I’ll sign. Now please just give me some peace and quiet. I have something big in the works at Innov’ and I need to concentrate.”
Alain chuckles. “You. Something big at Innov’. You mean that Guillaume threw you a bone since you investedourfamily money in his scheme.”
I chose Guillaume over him. Alain hasn’t missed a chance to take a dig at my oldest friend ever since, but he does support Innov’ with a healthy investment.
“I’m not getting into this with you.” Except that I am. Alain lures me in, and I take the bait, every time. “But Guillaume is onto something big with the Dutch.”
“If it’s big, then he’d have known better than to let you lead it.”
“For your information, it’s an American who’s leading.”
“That makes more sense.”
Why does his acceptance of thatnotmake me feel better?
“But I’m heading up the market review, so if you’ll excuse me, dear brother—”
