old college chums can do when they put their minds together.”
“I know. Hard to believe one lunch conversation six months ago could make us change our wholelives.” When Jamie had turned thirty just before the end of the year, Ree and Marta had insisted she come and visit them for the holidays and a long-overdue celebration. She'd been somewhere else, racing around the globe, on their landmark birthdays. It had been a long time—too long—since she'd made the time to come back and visit. Marta had still been buried at Aaron Associates, and Ree had just buried her longtime companion, Edgar Santini, and come into possession of the piece of real estate in which they currently sat.
“I've said it before. We were all at a crossroads, Jamie. Each of us was ready to make a drastic change. Maybe it was destiny that brought us together at that same point in each of our lives.”
Destiny. Jamie breathed a low sigh. She'd been putting off bringing up the subject of Sebastien all morning. But she had decided after his Napoleon speech that she had to tell Ree what was up. “Speaking of destiny, I need to talk to you about Sebastien.”
Ree's bright blue eyes twinkled. “Oh, goody. I knew you wouldn't be able to keep all the delicious details to yourself.”
“You're the one mooning all over him.”
“Sugar, he's moon material if God ever created it.” When Jamie rolled her eyes, Ree prodded. “Come on, come on. You have to kiss and tell. He's too good not to dish a little over.”
“How soon we forget our pledge. No happily ever afters for us. We've learned that the hard way, remember?”
Ree cast her an outraged look. “Oh, sugar, I may be perfectly happy to grow old and stay single with you two to keep me company, but none of us said a word about bein'celibate during that time. I mean, maybe when we're seventy—or eighty—we'll start taking in stray cats and be the crazy, bookselling cat ladies ofthe Quarter.” She leaned forward. “But right now we're young and vital. We have needs. And if I know men, and you know I do, Sebastien looks like a man with a few needs of his own.”
Jamie smiled wryly at that. “The funny thing is, I thought he'd sought me out yesterday to ask for more details about
your
needs.”
“Me?” Ree seemed honestly surprised. “Honey, anyone with two eyes can see the man is clearly interested in you. You two have some sort of, I don't know, almost cosmic connection or something.”
Jamie froze for a second. “What makes you say that?” Had Sebastien told her about his … mission during their walk along the river? He couldn't have. No way Ree would have held that secret.
Ree scooted forward and leaned her elbows on the table, clearly in her element. “I don't know. He just looks at you with this air of … connection. I can't place it. I just see it. You can't tell me you don't feel it too. It's downright palpable.”
“A danger sign right there, don't you think? Given my track record?”
Ree simply shrugged. “Honey, you can't run away every time your hormones get in a twist. And I didn't say you were his soulmate or anything. I know you're over that.” She paused and stared at Jamie. “What? What did I say?” She reached over and covered Jamie's hand with her own. “Oh, sugar. It's not too late, is it? You didn't do something reckless. I mean, you just met the man, you certainly haven't fallen that quickly, much less agreed—”
“No, no, of course not!” Jamie said quickly. “I mean, yes, he's immensely attractive and very charming, but—”
“You can say that again. That accent, sugar. Whew. The way his T's sound like Z's. And those soft J's.” Ree fanned her neck
Jamie knew all about the effect of those soft J's. “Yes, well, under other circumstances I'd be interested in him. I mean, any woman with a pulse would be interested in him. But we're not involved. We can't be.”
“Because you thought he was interested in me? Well, rest your mind there. I
“I know. Hard to believe one lunch conversation six months ago could make us change our wholelives.” When Jamie had turned thirty just before the end of the year, Ree and Marta had insisted she come and visit them for the holidays and a long-overdue celebration. She'd been somewhere else, racing around the globe, on their landmark birthdays. It had been a long time—too long—since she'd made the time to come back and visit. Marta had still been buried at Aaron Associates, and Ree had just buried her longtime companion, Edgar Santini, and come into possession of the piece of real estate in which they currently sat.
“I've said it before. We were all at a crossroads, Jamie. Each of us was ready to make a drastic change. Maybe it was destiny that brought us together at that same point in each of our lives.”
Destiny. Jamie breathed a low sigh. She'd been putting off bringing up the subject of Sebastien all morning. But she had decided after his Napoleon speech that she had to tell Ree what was up. “Speaking of destiny, I need to talk to you about Sebastien.”
Ree's bright blue eyes twinkled. “Oh, goody. I knew you wouldn't be able to keep all the delicious details to yourself.”
“You're the one mooning all over him.”
“Sugar, he's moon material if God ever created it.” When Jamie rolled her eyes, Ree prodded. “Come on, come on. You have to kiss and tell. He's too good not to dish a little over.”
“How soon we forget our pledge. No happily ever afters for us. We've learned that the hard way, remember?”
Ree cast her an outraged look. “Oh, sugar, I may be perfectly happy to grow old and stay single with you two to keep me company, but none of us said a word about bein'celibate during that time. I mean, maybe when we're seventy—or eighty—we'll start taking in stray cats and be the crazy, bookselling cat ladies ofthe Quarter.” She leaned forward. “But right now we're young and vital. We have needs. And if I know men, and you know I do, Sebastien looks like a man with a few needs of his own.”
Jamie smiled wryly at that. “The funny thing is, I thought he'd sought me out yesterday to ask for more details about
your
needs.”
“Me?” Ree seemed honestly surprised. “Honey, anyone with two eyes can see the man is clearly interested in you. You two have some sort of, I don't know, almost cosmic connection or something.”
Jamie froze for a second. “What makes you say that?” Had Sebastien told her about his … mission during their walk along the river? He couldn't have. No way Ree would have held that secret.
Ree scooted forward and leaned her elbows on the table, clearly in her element. “I don't know. He just looks at you with this air of … connection. I can't place it. I just see it. You can't tell me you don't feel it too. It's downright palpable.”
“A danger sign right there, don't you think? Given my track record?”
Ree simply shrugged. “Honey, you can't run away every time your hormones get in a twist. And I didn't say you were his soulmate or anything. I know you're over that.” She paused and stared at Jamie. “What? What did I say?” She reached over and covered Jamie's hand with her own. “Oh, sugar. It's not too late, is it? You didn't do something reckless. I mean, you just met the man, you certainly haven't fallen that quickly, much less agreed—”
“No, no, of course not!” Jamie said quickly. “I mean, yes, he's immensely attractive and very charming, but—”
“You can say that again. That accent, sugar. Whew. The way his T's sound like Z's. And those soft J's.” Ree fanned her neck
Jamie knew all about the effect of those soft J's. “Yes, well, under other circumstances I'd be interested in him. I mean, any woman with a pulse would be interested in him. But we're not involved. We can't be.”
“Because you thought he was interested in me? Well, rest your mind there. I
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