She grunts as if I’m too dense to understand the complexities of such a thing. ‘I’m not the one making millions of dollars here.’
Millions of dollars! It’s nothing of the sort. Sure, there is a cost involved, but my time is worth it. ‘Oh be real, Coraline, you just enjoy the drama.’
‘Maybe. My theory is it’s got to be someone with a connection to love letters, so if it’s not you then it has to be Benoit, who writes those calligraphy letters, or Pascale maybe. Although Pascale doesn’t seem like the romantic sort but he could be hiding in plain sight. Then there’s Felix with all those hand-pressed greeting cards?’
Mon Dieu!This has escalated fast. I’d been of the opinion speculation had died down, when it’s actually been building up in the background. ‘It’s a shame you can’t be happy to be matched and leave it at that.’
She makes a show of rolling her eyes with dramatic flair. ‘If you don’t get your daffodils in water soon, they’ll droop.’ With a flick of her hair, she flounces behind her display of flowers.
There’s nothing else I can do except stomp into the Marché Dauphine, muttering and mumbling under my breath. I manage to catch Pascale’s attention. He frowns as we exchange a glance but I don’t have the energy to worry about him. I open my stall and deposit the daffodils in a crystal vase. Their beauty has been marred by Coraline, but I try not to hold it against the yellow flowers.
I move my display tables out front with a loud grunt – did they get heavier? I’m so mad I’m sure steam is coming out of my ears. It’s not only that Coraline is hell-bent on digging into the face behind Paris Cupid, it’s that she has no compunction about doing such a thing even after finding a successful match herself because ofourhelp! Geneviève spent hours upon hours trying to figure out what made Coraline tick so she would find her the perfect correspondent in the hopes she could build a real relationship with a person who wouldn’t take advantage of her like so many men have in the past.
I don’t bother putting my pot plants out; instead, I launch myself on the chaise and replay the conversation with Coraline. Will it all go away if I ignore it? Hard to tell with Coraline, who embellishes the truth for sport. When I consider it, she doesn’t have any concrete details.
I close my eyes and take a deep breath and then exhale all the angst.
‘Rough morning?’
Can this day get any worse? I open my eyes to find Pascale leaning against the door jamb, smiling like a loon. What’s that all about?
I grimace. The morning has been a nightmare but I’m sure he doesn’t really care. ‘You could say that.’
He lifts a brow. ‘What’s up? You’re usually so happy in the mornings. This is the first time I’ve seen you banging and crashing around the place like you’ve got something big on your mind.’
‘Well, if you’ve come to complain, now is not the time.’
He grins. Why is he grinning! Can’t he see I’m absolutely furious?
‘I’ve come to see if I can help. Who should I hunt down? Point to them and it will be done.’
My eyes widen. ‘You thinkviolenceis the answer?’
‘Depends on the question.’ That provokes a slight smile that I try my best to extinguish. Pascale might not be so laissez-faire when he finds out he’s part of the plot.
‘Coraline is in an online sleuth group who are set on exposing the person behind Paris Cupid and is suspicious of me, but then she discounted it because of my woeful dating history. It upset me. She always manages to annoy me, so I don’t know why I keep trying with her.’ Why do I? Time and again she shows me her true colours.
His eyebrows shoot up. ‘Why did she thinkyouwere Cupid?’ He says it with so much disdain, like I couldn’t possibly be that person. I’m almost tempted to tell him the truth just to throw it back in his face.
‘Why couldn’t I be Cupid? Are you saying I’m not capable?’ Why does this man bring out the worst in me?
‘What? No, you’re misunderstanding me. I’m on your side. It’s just this Paris Cupid avalanche of speculation is taking its toll. It’s all anyone around here ever talks about.’
Thanks to Coraline, I bet. I should have trusted my first instinct and kept my mouth shut, but no, stupid me had to help her.
‘Why are they invested in such a silly thing anyway? Who cares who Paris Cupid is? What does it matter to any of us?’
‘I’ve only heard small bits of gossip about Paris Cupid here and there. I didn’t know it had gathered so much momentum.’
With a sigh, he lifts his palms in the air. ‘Who knows, but if the rumours are anything to go by, it’s someone who works in the market.’
My heart beats hard against my ribs. ‘You’ve heard that too?’
‘Yeah, apparently it’s Geneviève because she’s been encouraging people to join for months.’ I rub my temples as a headache takes hold. ‘Are you OK?’ Pascale asks, his eyebrows pulling together.
‘No… not really.’ I’m close to confessing to him. And where would that get me? Not far, I’d imagine. ‘It’s just… it feels intrusive. Like they’re trying to ruin a site that’s helped many who struggled to find love the usual way.’
‘It’s a shame but that’s how it always is around here. When there’s a lull between customers the gossip starts. Don’t worry about it. It’s got nothing to do with you anyway.’
