Page 21 of Be Less Panda

‘No. He went to Ingrid’s.’

‘You’re not visiting Christa?’Stop fishing, Nancy!

‘No, she didn’t want to see me today. I don’t think she wants to see me most days.’ He laughed awkwardly

‘So why do you keep asking her out?’

‘I don’t know, ‘ he hesitated. ‘Perhaps I am an optimist.’ He went quiet, concentrating on putting the coffee filter in the percolator.

It was obviously a sensitive subject, which was understandable as his feelings weren’t being reciprocated. Time to talk about something else. ‘How long have you lived in Paris?

‘Just over a year.’

‘And what do you do here?’

‘I’m in import-export.’

‘Olivia thought you were a biologist.’

‘Dieter is the biologist. What did you do before you came to Paris?’

‘I worked for my father’s business as a secretary.’ That seemed a lifetime away now.

‘Did you enjoy it?’

She could easily spend a full half an hour explaining why she didn’t enjoy it, but she decided not to bore him with the details. ‘No. I’m not cut out for office work. It was far too monotonous. I prefer something more adventurous.’

‘Like working in a bookshop?’ He gave her that attractive grin again.

‘Cheeky,’ she said. ‘It’s a means to an end. I get to see a little more of the world while I save to go travelling a lot further away.’

‘Where are you going to next?’

‘On a round-the-world sailing trip, then possibly Australia.’

‘That’s a long way to go. Do you know anyone in Australia?’

It was Nancy’s turn to hesitate now. ‘No. How about you? How long will you stay in Paris?’

‘For a few more months at least.’

‘And where’s home?’

‘Berlin.’

‘It must be peculiar living in a city that’s split in two.’

‘Yes, it is. Though I haven’t spent a lot of time there since the wall was built. Where’s home for you?’

‘Coventry. That’s where I grew up, but Devon is the place I feel most at home.’ She went on to tell him about Dashford-on-Sea and spending her childhood summer holidays at her grandmother’s grand house.

‘That explains why you want to go sailing.’

‘Yes, I love being out at sea. The wilder the weather, the better.’

He returned with her coffee. ’Try this.’

Nancy tentatively took a sip. It was quite pleasant. ‘Actually, it’s not bad. Thank you.’

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