Page 23 of Enemies to French Kisses
“I think you’ve got your fairytale mixed up there, sis,” Jessica says from somewhere below.
“It’s a hazard of the job. Those kids cannot have a nap without at least four fairytale stories read to them. And every story is different in French. It’s got my head messed around. They have several of the same nursery songs too, but the lyrics are a whole other thing. I’m going to be a confused momma when my time comes. An apple still keeps the doctor away, right?”
“InEnglish,” Jessica quips.
“Anyhow,” I roll sideways. “You’ll be pleased to hear that monster Marc finally listened to me, and that’s how we were able to submit in time.”
“Really?” Natalie’s nose suddenly appears two inches from my face.
“Geez, Nat. I told you not to do that, it scares two years off me every time.”
“Sorry, but that’s big news!”
“I don’t know if I wore him down, or if he actually saw the error of his ways.”
“Or something else…” Natalie wiggles her eyebrows at me.
“Stop it, I told you it’s not like that with him. We are grown adults now.”
“Whatever.” She shimmies away, giving me that I-know-what-I’m-talking-about look.
“So…” Chrissy sings her way over to the base of my bunk. “About Monsieur Tremblay…”
“Here it comes.” Annelise loudly turns the page of her magazine, stretched out on her sofa.
“Is everyone here?” I glance around our tiny apartment.
“Everyone but Gina,” Chrissy says quickly. “NowMonsieur Tremblay—”
“Where’s Gina?”
“Something about a celebrity sighting. Can we focus here? Monsieur Tremblay is going to call you to talk about getting together. He has a variety of engagements coming up that I think he wants to feel you out for.”
“Feel me out?!”
“Not like that. Sheesh, mind out of the gutter, please. You’ve been hanging out with crude Frenchmen in that biotech company for too long.”
“Excuse me, I’ll have you know that Innov’ Biotech is the picture of professionalism.Guimauvedoesn’t run a slapdash operation.”
Chrissy squints. “What aboutMonsterMarc?”
“Except for him.”
“Anyway.” She sighs. “It can be awfully hard to get a word in edgewise with you sometimes!”
My phone rings. “Unknown number.”
“That’s him!” Chrissy squeals. “That’s what I’ve been trying to say.”
“I’ll let it go to voicemail.” I turn the phone over.
“NO!” She screams so loud that everyone flinches and I madly grab at my phone, answering the call in the nick of time.
“Allo, allo?” I answer like a French woman though Chrissy sighs and shakes head. “Laura speaking.”
“Laura, this is Nicolas Tremblay.” Even though I don’t have him on speaker, I know they can all hear every word he says. Another side effect of a tiny apartment.
“Nicolas Tremblay, what a pleasure. I’m Laura Dowling.”
