“So Paul keeps his distance.”
“Well . . . I think he’s happy,” Arthur replied.
“I think you’re a pretty terrible liar.”
“And that’s a bad thing?”
“No. Just an observation. Have you noticed that Paul mutters incessantly?”
“He’s very lonely. He just doesn’t want to admit it.”
“Isn’t he seeing anybody?”
“Paul claims to have his own long-distance romance. She lives in Korea. He’s even thinking of giving it a shot with her over there. Apparently, his books have a huge following in her neck of the woods.”
“In Korea?”
“Yup. To be honest, the whole thing sounds a bit far-fetched.”
“Why? What if he really is in love with her?”
“I get the impression she might not love him as much as he loves her. And the guy is terrified of flying! If he manages to get there, he may never come back. Can you imagine him living alone inKorea? Paris is far enough from San Francisco as it is.”
“You can’t stop him. I mean, if that’s what he wants . . .”
“I can try to talk him out of it, though.”
“We are talking about the same Paul here, aren’t we?”
Paul, who was tired of waiting by now, walked resolutely toward them.
“Can I talk to my godson, by any chance?”
“Ah, you just missed him,” replied Lauren, blushing slightly.
She put her phone away and gave Paul a big smile.
“What have you two been conspiring about?”
“Nothing,” replied Arthur.
“Don’t worry, I won’t be hanging around all the time during your stay. As much as I want to enjoy your company, I promise to leave the two of you in peace very soon.”
“But we want to enjoy your company too. Why else do you think we came to Paris?”
Paul looked thoughtful. What Lauren had said made sense.
“I still think you were plotting something. So what were you talking about?”
“A place I’d like to take both of you tonight,” Arthur said. “A restaurant I used to go to all the time when I lived in Paris. But you have to let us go back and get some rest first. I think we’ve had enough playing tourist for one day.”
Paul accepted the invitation, and the three friends walked along Rue de Castiglione until they reached Rue de Rivoli.
“There’s a cabstand not far from here,” said Paul, stepping out onto the crosswalk.
The lights turned green, and Arthur and Lauren didn’t have time to follow him. They stood separated by the flow of traffic. A bus went by and Lauren noticed the advertisement on its side:You might meet the woman of your dreams on this bus . . . unless she takes the métro . . .proclaimed an Internet dating site.
Lauren elbowed Arthur and the two of them stared at the passing bus.
