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“Don’t worry about your Gram,” Anne said. “She obviously adores you. She would never do anything to hurt you. Trust me.”
“I trust her like I trust you… about as far as I could throw both of you with one hand tied behind my back.”
“Ha! That’s a pretty fair distance. I’ve seen your muscles.”
With a growl he turned his back to her, but not before she saw a telltale grin. He retreated to his office and Anne returned to the work that was stacking up on her desk.
At two o’clock, Henri called Anne. She pulled out her personal laptop and opened up FaceTime to see his smiling face. Henri had shaved his beard. “I like your new look, sans hair,” said Anne. She looked toward Gherring’s office. His door was shut. She should have a few moments alone.
Henri gave her a devilish smile. “How much do you like it? Am I totally irresistible now? Maybe I should fly back tonight—”
“You’ve always been irresistible. But now I can see that cute dimple on your chin.”
“If only I had known, I would have shaved off the beard so you would not be able to say ‘no’ to me.”
“It may be too dangerous for me to come to Paris now. Now I’ll have to work even harder to resist you.”
“But I have promised to be good and not to tempt you. Do you not trust me?”
“Frankly, I couldn’t possibly trust a man with a cleft chin.”
“Je suis désolé! I will grow back the beard at once.”
“Ah, but now I know the cleft is there. I still won’t be able to trust you.”
Henri sighed. “I cannot wait until you come. I feel like I have been dead for years, and I have come back to life. I want you to meet my family. I have told them about you.”
“I’d love to meet your family. Do they live in Paris?”
“Oui. They live here, in my house. I told you, the house is very big. My sister is here, and my niece and nephew. They will love you.”
“I can’t wait to meet them. How old are they?”
“My niece, Anna-Laure, is six and my nephew, Jean-Pierre, is eight. You do not mind that my family lives with me?”
“Of course not—they’re family. I’d love for you to meet my girls too.”
“Thi
s is good. I cannot wait to see you, mon bel ange. And I have one more question.”
“What’s that?”
“Do you think you could ever trust me? Even a little?”
She hesitated, but smiled. “Maybe. At least a little.”
“Then perhaps, if you think you can trust me a little… one more kiss? Maybe two?”
“I think that’s a strong possibility.” She signed off and closed her laptop, still smiling.
“Personally, I don’t think you should trust him as far as you can throw him,” said a scowling Gherring from his office doorway. Anne gaped at him as he disappeared back into his office. How did he always manage to sneak out of his office at the worst possible time?
When Anne got home, she checked her email and found a note from Johanna.
Dear Anne,
I am anxiously awaiting a report on your night with Henri. I saw the two of you leaving together. I must know what happened! I need details. Were there sparks?
