Page 22 of Be Less Panda

‘I’ll take that as a compliment. It’s a milder roast than you usually get in France, and I add warm milk. Have I converted you to being a coffee drinker?’ He settled back into the other armchair.

‘I wouldn’t say that, but it’s a lot better than the coffee Olivia makes.’

Nancy heard footsteps upstairs. ‘Talk of the devil. It sounds like she’s home.’

Hans frowned. ‘I thought you and Olivia were best friends?’

‘Oh, we are. “Talk of the devil” means you’ve been talking about someone, and then they coincidentally appear.’

Hans smiled. ‘I understand now. I will have to remember that.’

‘I better go. Thank you again,’ she said, finishing the coffee.

‘My pleasure. Thank you for improving my English.’

Nancy thought for a moment. She’d like another conversation with Hans. ‘Perhaps I can help you improve your English again?’

He smiled. ‘I would like that. I’ll consult my diary later and let you know when I’m free.’

‘Where have you been?’ Olivia asked as she opened the apartment door to Nancy.

‘I could say the same to you. You’re usually back well before now.’

‘You look like a forlorn panda.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘I think you need to check your face in the mirror,’ Olivia said with a chuckle.

Nancy walked into the bathroom. Good god! Olivia was right. Thanks to the rain, her mascara had made a bid for freedom and was now covering the skin under her eyes and her cheeks with gungy black streaks. It looked like she’d smeared it around in big circles while she was drying off her face at Hans’ earlier.And you sat talking to him looking like that!

‘I got caught in the storm,’ she said as she washed the mess off.

‘You don’t say. Did you finish work late today?’

‘No. But I couldn’t get in because I left my keys here.’ Nancy headed over to the dining table and checked her coat pocket. There they were. She put them back in her bag. ‘Were you working late today?’

‘No. I went for a stroll in the Bois de Boulogne with Pierre.’

‘Pierre?’ What was Olivia doing back with that waste of space? ‘I thought you’d dumped him.’

‘I had, but he persuaded me to give him a second chance.’

‘How did he manage that?’

‘He sent me a gorgeous bouquet of roses at work. He’s invited me to his family’s chateau as well for Easter Sunday and who can resist a chateau.’

That explained it. Olivia had always preferred men with means. ‘Where’s that?’

‘In the Loire Valley. He’ll inherit it eventually.’

‘So you can forgive him for being selfish in bed, provided you get to play Lady of the Manor in twenty years’ time?’

‘You make me sound so mercenary! Anyway, it’s not just a chateau. He’ll inherit the vineyard as well.’

12

‘There’s a note for you,’ Olivia said to Nancy when she got up on Tuesday morning. ‘Hand delivered.’ She raised her eyebrows.

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