Bon Appetit Read Online Free

and heard a discreet knock on the door.
    “May I see?” the saleswoman asked.
    I opened the door.
“Voilà,”
she said. “It’s perfect. You must buy it”. She pinched the back zipper, which was the tiniest bit strained. She didn’t need to say anything.
    “Too many baguettes,” I admitted.
    “No baguettes this week, and it will be just so”. She closed the door behind her, perfectly confident in her professional assessment, and perfectly confident I would take her advice.
    And, of course, I did. I let her ring up the purchase, not daring to look at how many euros this ensemble would cost me until it was a done deal.
    I “licked the windows” for an hour, as the French call window shopping, and stopped at a chocolatier for a few lush goodies to nibble on as I walked around Paris. I wanted to beat the hours-long commuter rush I’d been warned about, so I hopped on the Métro, took the train back to the village, and strolled home. I hung my to-die-for polka dot dress in the small armoire in my bedroom and settled the shoes neatly under it to await their grand debut.
    When I went to work the next day, our customer flow was slow, as many of them had gone
en vacance
for the month of August. I was in the back shelving items when a little voice called out, “Lexi!”
    Céline ran into the back, ponytail bobbing. “I came to see you,” she said.
    “To get a
goûter
, a sweet treat, more likely,” I teased her. She grinned, and I saw that she’d lost a tooth. “Did the tooth fairy come?” I asked.
    She wrinkled her nose. “What’s the tooth fairy?”
    “She comes through your window on the night you lose your tooth. If you leave your tooth out where she can see it, she will leave you a euro in return”.
    “Oh, would you please ask the tooth fairy to come from America and visit me next time?” she asked. “I don’t think she knows how to get to France. We only have a little mouse who comes and takes the teeth away. A fairy would be much more beautiful”.
    I laughed. “I’ll see what I can do. Now, why did you come to see me?”
    “I’m leaving to visit my grandparents in London, and then we’ll go to Papi’s house in Provence till school starts. I wanted to say goodbye. And to have you meet my papa”. She tugged my hand and led me out to the shop front.
    When we got there, I saw Odette talking—
flirting
—with a man who looked about thirty. At a quick glance, he reminded me of Luc, his cousin. He had the same muscular baker’s build and the same medium-length hair, though his was not queued in the back. It ended at the bottom of his neck with a couple of light waves.
    What were different were his eyes. Luc’s eyes always had a “come-on” look in them, flirtatious, challenging, laughing. When Philippe looked at me, I noticed that while he was still very attractive, his gaze was more direct. Kinder.
    Odette pursed her orange lips, and Céline said, “Papa, this is Lexi. She’s the new Dominique”.
    I smiled and held out my hand. “I am certain I cannot take Dominique’s place, but I’m glad to be here, and thankful to Luc for sending me. It’s nice to meet you”.
    “Ah yes, Alexandra,” Philippe said.
    Blood rushed to my face. “How did you know my name?”
    He grinned. “Luc told me you were coming. You’ll work with me at the bakery in Rambouillet too, now and again?”
    I nodded. “I’m looking forward to seeing your sister again”.
    He laughed out loud. “Patricia? You’re the first person I’ve ever heard say that. Patricia is a bit … firm. Opinionated”. He lowered his voice. “But Lexi knows our secret, doesn’t she,
ma puce,”
he said to Céline. “That below Patricia’s hardened face lies a heart as soft as buttercream”.
    Céline giggled and looked at me. “I will see you when you’re at my bakery. Don’t forget to talk to the tooth fairy”.
    She ran off with Odette to get a cookie.
    “Thank you for agreeing to have me work in Rambouillet,” I