Page 35 of Never Too Late
‘No, you don’t.’
I rolled my eyes. ‘No. You’re right. I don’t. But I should.’
‘Nah.’ He laughed this time. ‘Plans for tomorrow?’
‘Food shopping in the morning at the local market.’
‘Your eyes lit up when you said that.’
‘I’m excited! Then I’m thinking back here to cook something fresh and amazing for lunch. Well, fresh at least.’
Ashok wagged his finger. ‘Ah ah! Sasha told me what a great cook you are, so no false modesty there. And then what?’
‘I don’t know, to be honest. I’m sure Sash has a whole itinerary but I’m a little less organised.’
‘That’s OK. Are you free in the evening?’
‘Tomorrow? I expect so. I’ve not quite got around to making our apartment the “salon” to come to just yet.’
‘Would you be available to meet me for dinner, with Sasha, of course?’
‘Dinner? Tomorrow?’
‘Yes.’
‘Where?’
‘Hotel Vert? Do you know it?’
‘No, but we can find it.’
‘I will send a car.’
‘Ashok, you don’t need to do that.’ I could see him about to object and I knew from previous occasions that I would not win this battle. Ashok was like a stick of rock with the wordchivalrousstamped through the middle. But I had a more important question. ‘Are you in Paris?’
‘Not yet. But,’ he glanced at his watch, ‘if my flight is on time, I will be in about eleven hours.’
‘How come?’
‘Is it not enough to say I wanted to see you?’
I pulled a face. ‘Smooth but untrue.’
‘Fine,’ he grinned. ‘I want to do some surreptitious snooping of the hotel in Paris I just bought and I’m in talks for another. I have a meeting the day after tomorrow with the current owners and many,manylawyers.’
‘That sounds fun.’
‘Indeed.’
‘So you want to eat there tomorrow to check it out before they know who you are?’
‘Exactement!’ he replied with a chuckle.
‘And let me guess. You’re staying there too to see how things are being done?’
‘Correct again.’
‘Won’t they recognise your name when you check in?’
