I chuckle, dropping my head foolishly. “More like it. Tell me, how did you make this all happen?”
“Pulled some strings. I know a few important people.”
“I’m impressed.” My smile wavers while my head does the math of how long we have together. “So, you’re only here for one night?”
Noah places both his hands on mine, easing the nerves of what we’re doing. “We have a long road ahead of us. Let’s enjoy the journey. Someone once told me to be present, in the moment.”
With a knowing grin, he pops open the champagne and pours some into my flute, then into his own. As the champagne graces my lips, even the taste is different. For once, it’s purpose is to celebrate rather than drown out my sorrows over a failed love life.
A waiter serves us a meal, placing it in front of us. The aromas of traditional French cuisine engulf my senses as Noah encourages me to eat. My first bite is like heaven, and given my lack of appetite earlier on, I’m absolutely starving right now.
“Tell me about work, Haden, and Presley. I read an article saying that e-Books are profiting and publishers are inundated.”
“Books will always be in demand. It’s going well. No surprises, the romance sector is very profitable.”
“Wait a minute…” I place my fork down. “Does Noah Mason read romance?”
He purses his lips behind a smirk. “I’ve read maybe one or two. Just to understand the market.”
“You’re quite the perfect man right now. Minus the ex-wife and all,” I tease, picking up my fork to finish my meal. “I haven’t spoken to Presley for a while without Haden in the room annoying her.” I answer his question, then continue with, “So, everything’s going well then with work?”
“Hmm, it’s okay.”
I hear the hesitation in his voice. “But? You can talk to me.”
“There’s something in the pipeline. I don’t want to speak too prematurely until it’s finalized.”
I understand his hesitation. The business world is cutthroat. One minute you’re about to make the best deal of your life, and the next, it’s pulled out from underneath you.
“And what about you?” He changes the subject. “How did it go with Mr. Auvray?”
“We’re making headway. A few improvements to try and draw some attention to the winery.”
“It’s beautiful and an easy sell. People are looking for experiences, the type they can splash all over their social media and brag about. This is the market you want.”
“You’re the expert in that area, so I wholeheartedly agree. I know when we stayed there, I’ve never experienced such exquisite food. Did Lex tell you he offered the chef his own chain of restaurants?”
“He certainly did.” Noah chuckles. “That man is unstoppable.”
“Yeah, some cousin-in-law you have.”
“Some boss you have.”
We both laugh at the same time, any tension I have built up in my mind easing as the night goes on. We’ve been the best of friends, and that’s what makes this all the easier. He knows me inside and out, just as I know him.
“How are things with Olivia and baby Nash?”
“He’s doing well. Eating like a machine, or shall I say drinking like a machine. Olivia is okay, I guess.”
“What do you mean she’s okay? Have you asked her how she’s doing?”
“Yes, she has a lot on her mind. They want her back at work, but her job is in the air, meaning long hours.”
“Noah, she’s all alone trying to raise a baby for the first time. I can only imagine how difficult that must be. I remember when Presley had her baby, and she and Haden weren’t a couple yet, she struggled, especially when she went back to work. Olivia needs all the support she can get. What’s that saying? It takes a village to raise a family or something like that.”
His eyes linger, the soft hazel mesmerizing as he falls deep into thought. “So, you really don’t want kids of your own?”
I’m taken aback by the topic of kids being raised, specifically about me. I’ve always been honest with my opinions on this matter, and nothing has changed that. Noah has his hands full with two young kids, a career, and now a girlfriend in Paris.