at home. Massive bouquets of roses decorated the place today, creating the impression that people were dining in a forest whose canopy was red velvet roses.
Sylvain Marquis sat at the head of the table, with her sister Cade on his right hand and Jaime on his left. “Indulge me,” he had told Jaime. “This way, I get to be surrounded by beautiful women”—he winked—“and keep as far away from Philippe as possible. Also, it will annoy him no end to find me at the head of the table when he gets here.” But what it also accomplished, gorgeous, gracious poet that he was, was to place Jaime, the only one without a partner, squarely in the middle of the gathering and not at its outer edge.
Philippe Lyonnais, considered one of the world’s best pâtissiers, had clearly been dragged to this dinner by Magalie. Jaime supposed that if you were competitive enough to become one of the best chocolatiers-pâtissiers in the world, you were too competitive to form easy friendships with your rivals.
She had a flashing vision of adding Dominique Richard to the mix and grinned involuntarily. Sylvain was a nice guy, who already had to bear being engaged to a Corey of Corey Chocolate, a mésalliance if ever there was one.
He seemed to be dealing with it surprisingly well, though, as if in her annoyingly perfect sister he had caught a prize. Sylvain was the ultimate proof that Cade could land anything she set her mind to. Countries, even. Major world businesses as subsidiaries. Jaime had heard that landing Sylvain had involved breaking and entering. She had to admire that in her sister, that confidence, that ability to go after a dream. She had had it herself once, not so very long ago at all, but it was hard to sift through the ashes and remember what that confidence had felt like when it was alive and thriving.
Cade was the more attractive of the two sisters, with an even-featured elegance and no freckles, but she wasn’t drop-dead gorgeous or anything, and Sylvain really was, in an intense, passionate, poet’s way. He seemed to think Cade was drop-dead gorgeous, though. It made a girl feel sad and lonely just to watch that glow in his eyes when he looked at her sister.
Right now, Sylvain wasn’t looking at her. He was busy singing the praises of all the most fattening dishes on the menu, trying to get Jaime to order them. And when Sylvain went out of his way to convince a woman something was delicious, it was pretty hard to ignore.
She thought about ordering the salad for her first course just to be provoking, since that was how she reacted to pressure. But she was pretty full of Dominique Richard’s chocolate, which seemed to just snuggle up cozy and warm in her tummy. So she did something even more provoking. She refused to order a first course at all and opted for the lightest main dish.
Cade frowned anxiously, causing Sylvain to redouble his efforts with Jaime.
“I’m full,” Jaime said. “I’ve been wandering around the city trying pastries all day.” That and going to the gym near her new temporary apartment were her main occupations.
“Whose?” Sylvain and Philippe asked in the same indignant breath.
Oops. “I just like to walk around. Visit the Louvre. Explore the different quarters. There are tempting boulangeries everywhere.”
“Oh—boulangeries,” Sylvain said, partially mollified. He didn’t do bread. Jaime bit back a grin. Yep, if she could have her fantasy date here right now, Sylvain and he would be at each other’s throats all evening.
“Are you sure you’re all right on your own?” Cade asked, setting Jaime’s back teeth. Did she look so helpless? She might be the younger sister, but she was the one who had spent the past few years in all the wildest, most challenging corners of the cacao world, reforming working conditions and changing people’s lives. Okay, right at the end there, she had been helpless and had the scars to prove it, but it wasn’t as if anyone else could have
Sylvain Marquis sat at the head of the table, with her sister Cade on his right hand and Jaime on his left. “Indulge me,” he had told Jaime. “This way, I get to be surrounded by beautiful women”—he winked—“and keep as far away from Philippe as possible. Also, it will annoy him no end to find me at the head of the table when he gets here.” But what it also accomplished, gorgeous, gracious poet that he was, was to place Jaime, the only one without a partner, squarely in the middle of the gathering and not at its outer edge.
Philippe Lyonnais, considered one of the world’s best pâtissiers, had clearly been dragged to this dinner by Magalie. Jaime supposed that if you were competitive enough to become one of the best chocolatiers-pâtissiers in the world, you were too competitive to form easy friendships with your rivals.
She had a flashing vision of adding Dominique Richard to the mix and grinned involuntarily. Sylvain was a nice guy, who already had to bear being engaged to a Corey of Corey Chocolate, a mésalliance if ever there was one.
He seemed to be dealing with it surprisingly well, though, as if in her annoyingly perfect sister he had caught a prize. Sylvain was the ultimate proof that Cade could land anything she set her mind to. Countries, even. Major world businesses as subsidiaries. Jaime had heard that landing Sylvain had involved breaking and entering. She had to admire that in her sister, that confidence, that ability to go after a dream. She had had it herself once, not so very long ago at all, but it was hard to sift through the ashes and remember what that confidence had felt like when it was alive and thriving.
Cade was the more attractive of the two sisters, with an even-featured elegance and no freckles, but she wasn’t drop-dead gorgeous or anything, and Sylvain really was, in an intense, passionate, poet’s way. He seemed to think Cade was drop-dead gorgeous, though. It made a girl feel sad and lonely just to watch that glow in his eyes when he looked at her sister.
Right now, Sylvain wasn’t looking at her. He was busy singing the praises of all the most fattening dishes on the menu, trying to get Jaime to order them. And when Sylvain went out of his way to convince a woman something was delicious, it was pretty hard to ignore.
She thought about ordering the salad for her first course just to be provoking, since that was how she reacted to pressure. But she was pretty full of Dominique Richard’s chocolate, which seemed to just snuggle up cozy and warm in her tummy. So she did something even more provoking. She refused to order a first course at all and opted for the lightest main dish.
Cade frowned anxiously, causing Sylvain to redouble his efforts with Jaime.
“I’m full,” Jaime said. “I’ve been wandering around the city trying pastries all day.” That and going to the gym near her new temporary apartment were her main occupations.
“Whose?” Sylvain and Philippe asked in the same indignant breath.
Oops. “I just like to walk around. Visit the Louvre. Explore the different quarters. There are tempting boulangeries everywhere.”
“Oh—boulangeries,” Sylvain said, partially mollified. He didn’t do bread. Jaime bit back a grin. Yep, if she could have her fantasy date here right now, Sylvain and he would be at each other’s throats all evening.
“Are you sure you’re all right on your own?” Cade asked, setting Jaime’s back teeth. Did she look so helpless? She might be the younger sister, but she was the one who had spent the past few years in all the wildest, most challenging corners of the cacao world, reforming working conditions and changing people’s lives. Okay, right at the end there, she had been helpless and had the scars to prove it, but it wasn’t as if anyone else could have
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