It was true what they said about Paris in the springtime, but autumn was a close second. She’d fallen in love with this city and its parks and open spaces and sprawling cafés. If Kate had just left her visit until later this month, they could have spent the whole weekend together. Now Shannon would have to try and see her around meeting times and meals out with the team.

Sales meetings were busy but a lot of fun. Every quarter they would meet at a different European office and this time they were hosting in Paris: the European HQ. She’d planned some nice things for them to do today as a counterbalance to what was coming from Robert: he was on the warpath about sales figures. He’d been stomping around the office like a bear with a sore head since his conference call with the US last week – even Shannon hadn’t been able to stand him. He was pretty cute when he was angry, though. A bear crossed with George Clooney. Although she knew better than to say that to his face.

Fabienne, the office manager, did most of his PA stuff now that Shannon’s role had morphed more into… What was she, exactly? Sales Manager Coordinator with extra responsibilities? Whatever. She still liked to coordinate events like this, though. The sales guys were a great gang and she was looking forward to seeing them. She was looking forward to seeing Kate, too. Her lovely Kate; she’d missed her.

Why had Kate decided to just book a ticket and come without any warning? Since children, the new, sensible Kate just didn’t do stuff like this. Whenever Shannon had asked her to visit, she’d always had some excuse. The children were always breastfeeding or teething or had just had injections. Was it that she couldn’t come or was it that she didn’t want to? People always changed when they had kids. Suddenly their lives revolved around their children and they got new friends who also had children and all they talked about was their children. Which is part of the reason Shannon had never wanted them. Part of it.

The tights were on. Now, where had she put her skirt? It had been thrown to the floor in her haste to make it to the bathroom in time. At least that was one benefit of this tiny Parisian apartment: less distance to run. This lounge was the size of a hotel bedroom back in Chicago, and the kitchen area was almost an afterthought. Shannon found her skirt dangling from the back of a chair and slipped it on. Was she imagining it or was the waistband a little tighter than usual? Hopefully it had just shrunk in the wash. Don’t think about it till you know for sure. Think about Kate instead.

Something big must be up if Kate was coming out to Paris alone. Hopefully there wasn’t some problem. It couldn’t be her marriage, surely? Luke was a cool guy; the two of them always seemed real happy together. He was funny. And kind.