Whatever the case, it was the one dark spot on an otherwise happy day, so she was going to set it aside and focus on the positive.
“Voilà,” Didier said, carrying a tray of coffee. “Mais il y a du champagne aussi.”
Sitting up, she clapped her hands. “Champagne!” she said, taking a cup of coffee in the meantime. You never turned down Didier’s coffee.
“Comme tu veux.” He set the coffee on the table and went to his small refrigerator, hidden behind a panel. He got out a chilled bottle and four glasses. Expertly, he popped the cork and carried it all over to the table.
Rachel and Jamie walked in, smiling. “Did I hear champagne?” Jamie asked.
“Today is a great day,” she said out loud. “Two of our clients found love.”
“Maybe we should market ourselves as a matchmaking firm,” Rachel said, teasing Jamie.
“Love is winning,” Lottie declared, setting down the empty little cup and accepting a glass of champagne from Didier.
“Excuse me,” a familiar voice said.
Lottie gasped, looking up to find Otto standing in the doorway of Didier’s office. He had on a leather bomber jacket and wool slacks, with a nice shirt underneath.
Why, he was dressed up. She blinked at him, shocked to see him.
“Otto,” Jamie said, going over to shake his hand. “This is a surprise.”
“I heard your voices back here,” Otto explained. “I hope I’m not intruding.”
“Not at all,” Rachel said with a smile. “You’re just in time to celebrate with us.”
Didier reached out to fist-bump Otto before handing him a glass. “I will get another,” the Frenchman said, throwing an amused glance at her.
Jamie clapped Otto on the shoulder. “Have a seat. How are you?”
“Good.” He sat down across from Lottie, watching her. “I just got back from New York.”
“New York?” she repeated with a frown. “What’s in New York?”
“My new agent. It seems that there’s a publisher who wants to put together a book of my articles and drawings.”
She gasped, her hand on her heart. “That’s so wonderful! Has this been in the works?”
He shook his head. “You inspired me.”
“Me?” She shook her head. “How did I inspire you?”
“The way you’ve grabbed life by the balls. The way you’re still living,” he said, leaning toward her in his seat. “You’re glowing with life. You aren’t the type of woman who’d want to be with a crotchety old man. And I realized I didn’t want to go quietly into the night. So I called up a couple people, and it seems they still esteem my writing. It all happened fast.”
She stretched her glass out. “Congratulations.”
“Thank you.” He touched his glass to hers. “Really,thank you. I feel more alive and important than I have in a long time. Like I’m not superfluous and that I still have something to contribute.”
She nodded. She understood exactly what that felt like.
“I would have called you, but I don’t have your number,” Otto said. “I didn’t feel it was appropriate to get a lady’s phone number from a bartender either, especially because I know Chris thinks of you as family. So I came here as soon as I got back today.”
If she didn’t know better, she’d say she was having heart palpitations. But she readCosmonow, so she knew the tingly feeling all over was just attraction.
Because, goodness, was he hot.
Blushing a little, she looked around the room. “They’re all gone,” she said, surprised that they were alone.