He shrugged as he began rifling through the dresses. “I asked Coco.”
“Coco?” She pursed her lips. “Jamie’s cousin?”
“She is a designer. She knows dresses,” he said matter-of-factly.
She turned and studied him. “Do you like Coco?”
He arched his brow at her. “Bien sûr. Otherwise, why would I talk to her?”
“No, I mean, do youlikeCoco?” She picked out a multicolored blouse.
Didier pointed at it. “Non.”
“Non?” She stared at it. He was right. Shrugging, she put it back. “So, Coco.”
“Coco is my friend.”
“Does Jamie know?” she asked as casually as she could, already suspecting the answer since this was the first time she’d heard about Coco in relation to Didier.
“There is nothing to know. Coco lives in Paris. I live in Chicago.” He handed her a blue skirt.
“If she didn’t live in Paris…?” she asked, accepting the skirt without looking at it.
Didier shrugged in his particularly pragmatic Gallic way. “That will not happen. And before you ask, I will not go back to Paris except to visit. I like it here.”
A salesperson came up to them with a hopeful smile. “Can I get a fitting room started for you?”
“Yes,” Didier said, handing the lady another dress with a flash of his charming smile.
The woman melted right before Lottie’s eyes. “I’ll get one started for you.”
Lottie leaned in toward Didier and elbowed him lightly. “You think you can teach me how to smile like that?”
Didier frowned at her. “What is wrong with your smile?”
“Men don’t go all aflutter when I smile at them.”
He shook his head. “You do not want men to go, how do you say it?”
“Aflutter,” she supplied him.
“You want one man to goaflutter,non?”
“Oui,” she said brightly. “You think you can help me?”
“You don’t need help,” he said with staunch belief. “It is the feeling of confidence you need, and today we will make sure that your new clothes inspire that.”
She reached up on her toes and kissed his cheek. “I knew I picked the right man for the job.”
* * *
Three hours later, they sat in a fancy cocktail bar, surrounded by bags, having chocolate martinis to celebrate her new look.
She bought a fortune in clothes. She’d never spent so much at one time. She bought three dresses, three blouses, two skirts, and a new red winter coat that she’d worn out of the store. The coat cinched at the waist, making her look like she had an hourglass shape instead of looking dumpy.
And the shoes! She’d bought two new pairs. One was a lovely Mary Jane style in burgundy, like shoes she’d had when she was just starting out as a secretary. The other pair was black, with a sexy curved heel.
Who’d have ever thought she’d have sexy shoes?