Read Online Paris Summer by April Lynn Kihlstrom - Free Book Online Page A

York
City,” she replied.
    “Your fiance, is he also a professor at the college?”
Jacques asked.
    Janine looked at him blankly. “Monsieur, there is no
fiance.”
    “But surely there is someone who is interested?” he
persisted.
    Janine shook her head. “Not that I know of.”

    “Incredible,” he murmured. Then he spoke suspiciously. “Perhaps you are only interested in a career
and do not wish a boy friend.”
    No longer amused at his impertinence, Janine
merely stared at him over her coffee cup. Mme. Durand said angrily, “Jacques! It is not your concern.
And you forget Helene is not engaged either.”
    “Yes, but she is my sister. Mademoiselle Halonen is
a very pretty young woman!” Jacques protested.
    The four women laughed at this typical brotherly
reaction. “Look,” Janine said in exasperation, “I
simply have no fiance. If someone asked me to marry
him and I loved him, I would say yes. But no one has.
That’s all.”
    An uncomfortable silence settled over the small
group. Finally Helene began to talk about Jeanne’s
plans to be a psychologist. Janine asked several polite
questions although she did not always understand the
reply. Anything was better than a return to that silence
or Jacques’s impertinent questions about her private
affairs. Jacques, it turned out, worked in a government
office and enjoyed talking about his work. The
atmosphere gradually became more relaxed and when
Janine left, some time later, Mme. Durand invited her
to visit again before she left France. “Perhaps before
your sister returns,” Jacques added.
    Really! Janine thought as she nodded and said
good-bye, he is becoming annoying. After three hours
of steady French, her head was beginning to ache and
she was in no mood to be tolerant. Helene walked her
back to the station and she took the opportunity to ask,
“What was that all about? About Rena, I mean.”
    Helene hesitated, then grimaced. “It was unfortunate. I invited Rena to come for coffee one afternoon, and I am afraid she made a very bad impression. She
kept asking me to translate and when she did make the
effort to speak French, it was very careless. She simply
did not wish to try, I think. And then she kept
complaining about Paris-the food, the water, how
expensive everything was. It was so bad that my family
did not wish me to invite you today.”

    “I hope I gave a better impression,” Janine said
seriously. “I can see that it would be easy to
misunderstand someone who does not speak your
language well.”
    Helene smiled. “I think my family was pleased with
you. You are so sympathetic to Paris. I am sorry about
Jacques, Janine. He is not usually so rude. I cannot
understand it, and I am sure it is not because he dislikes
you.
    Janine smiled and shrugged. “In a way it made him
seem like a brother, and I’ve always wanted one.
Actually, I think you have a nice family.”
    Helene smiled affectionately. “Well, we shall
certainly see you again before you leave Paris. And
perhaps you and I can meet in the city before then. I
will call you when I have a few days free. Ali, here is the
station. I am sorry I cannot wait with you, but I must
stop at the market for my mother on my way home.”
    They separated and Janine hurried into the station
feeling rather contented. She wondered what sort of
holiday it had been that allowed Helene and her
brother to be home today. She should have remembered to ask. Oh, well, it didn’t matter. She tried to
picture Rena visiting Helene’s family and had to admit
they would not have liked each other. As she boarded
the train, a few minutes later, she was looking forward
to a quiet evening by herself.

    Janine woke early the next morning, trying to
remember what it was she had planned for Tuesday.
She knew there was something, but not in the morning.
Shrugging, she decided not to worry about it. If she
couldn’t remember, it couldn’t be important. She went