We cry, and we comfort our mum, but mostly we remember how good he was at being human.

Then, I see her again.

5ELISE

Present day

My heels clack against the sidewalk as I exit the metro in Oberkampf, on my way to meet friends. I wonder what Joy’s new beau will be like. He seems like a stand-up fellow, so enchanting.

But I thought that about Eduardo too. We were all enchanted by him, including my followers, from back when I used to weave stories about him into my perfume blog—a blog I rarely write anymore. He’d cast a spell far and wide, across continents, since I’d told the tale in it of how I’d met an enchanting man.

Flicking memories of him away, I stroll past Annalise & Charlie, doing a quick scan of the windows at one of my favorite boutiques. My gaze lands on a pair of candy-pink shoes with a strap over the instep.

“I’ll be back for you,” I whisper to the shoes, because shoes can’t hurt your heart.

When I reach the hotel, the doorman nods in greeting, swinging open the door with Hotel Particulier Tenth calligraphed across the gleaming glass. I’m early, and that’s by design. I say hello to the owner, Armand, who’s working at the front desk. He’s also a new client.

He beams. “Elise, to what do we owe the pleasure of seeing you here tonight?”

I bring my finger to my lips. “Shh. It’s a best-kept secret.”

He wiggles his eyebrows. “Yes, I love our marketing tagline.”

This small partnership could pave the path to a bigger one. Armand’s business partner is expanding a luxury chain across Europe, and I hope to secure a meeting with him. He’s being courted by several agencies, including the Thompson Group, the same company I lost two of my clients to more than a year ago. That was my fault—my work focus had strayed during my marriage to Eduardo and the fallout after his death.

This time around, I plan to fight harder.

I say goodbye to Armand and walk through to an enclosed courtyard. Lush trees climb high, and ivy crawls sensually along the white walls. Strings of lights cascade from the branches of the trees, turning the bar into a glittery adult fairyland. The low beat of a bass thumps from the sound system, an enticing aural embrace.

A few minutes later, my redheaded friend arrives, and I say hello. By her side is the tall, dark-haired, handsome British man who’s captured her attention and her heart since she’s been in Paris.

Joy makes the requisite intros.

“So, this is the woman who says days should be eaten,” Griffin remarks, a twinkle in his blue eyes.

“So, this is the man who’s so enchanted my friend.” I give him a look over the top of my glasses.

He wraps an arm around Joy, possessively. “The enchantment is entirely mutual.”

The way he looks at her stirs something inside me. It’s a reminder that love doesn’t have to be tainted. He stares at her with adoration, but respect too. It’s such a missing ingredient in some relationships, and I can see he has an abundance of it.

We chat briefly about his work, the hotel, the city. He seems honest enough. I shoot him an approving nod. “You’ve passed my test for the night.”

He exhales heavily. “Whew. I was worried.”

Joy laughs and grips his shoulder. “By the way, have I told you Elise is in charge of all the inquisitions in my life?”

“No. I’m in charge of the fun,” I correct, laughing too.

Footsteps crunch on the stone path behind me, and a man’s voice drifts across the sultry night air, his accent British. “Fun? Did someone say fun? I believe that’s my middle name.”

I turn to see a strikingly handsome man striding across the patio to join us. Well, I do believe I’ll be enjoying the eye candy tonight. He’s tall, with legs that go on for days, a broad chest, and a face that ought to grace magazine ads with those carved cheekbones. I must enlist him to sell something. To sell everything in the world. I’d buy it all.

“Elise, let me introduce you to my mate, Christian. Feel free to ignore any and everything that comes out of his mouth. I know I do,” Griffin says, and we shake hands.

Christian claps him on the back. “The sentiment is fully reciprocated.”

“We work together. He’s a translator too, specializing in the Scandinavian languages.”

Scandinavian.

A memory from a year ago sits up.

Something about Christian feels oddly familiar, as if he’s someone I almost met.

That would be crazy though. Besides, I wasn’t close enough to get a good look at the naked man’s face. And what a face this man has. “Are you from Denmark?”

“Born in Copenhagen, raised in London.”

“That’s quite a combo—a Dane with a British accent.”

His eyebrows wiggle naughtily. “That makes me the best of both worlds.”

Oh, I like my flirty Danish Brit. I like him a lot. He’s going to make my evening so entertaining.

Joy and Griffin grab a spot on a nearby couch, entangling themselves with each other.

“I adore Copenhagen. I visited there a year ago and took one of those canal tours.”

“What was your favorite part of the tour? Seeing the palaces? Hearing the stories of all our crown jewels?”

Perhaps I’ll shock him with my tale. “Neither. I most enjoyed when the boat glided past a private dock, where a very fit, very muscular man was doing handstands naked on the dock.”

His expression turns serious. “A little past the outdoor food market?”

I nearly bounce on my toes. “How did you know? Have you met the canal flasher? Is he the Mad Naked Handstander of Copenhagen?”

“Mad? No. More like fit, handsome, and well-hung.”

“You’ve been admiring his package too?”

“I’m familiar with his equipment.” His grin is downright wicked. Christian taps his chest. “That was me.”

I don’t move. He can’t possibly have said that. A strange jolt hits me, like the past has whiplashed into the present. “What? You can’t be serious?”

He gives a devil-may-care shrug that only the sexiest, most confident men can pull off. “I suppose it’s possible there could be other devastatingly fit men who live on the canal in Copenhagen and like to do acrobatics naked to shock the tourists.” He steps closer, his eyes lingering on me. “But would those men have asked you for a date? Would they have gone to The Jane, looking for you? Would they have been sad you didn’t show?”

An unexpected burst of excitement flares in me. It’s him. Christian is the man I almost spent my last night in Denmark with.