That night, Amanda went to La Bohème. She had warmed up to the idea of waitressing even though she hadn’t made up her mind yet. Kes’s insight had helped, but she needed additional arguments and a little more persuasion from Jeanne. And, most of all, she needed it to look like she was the one doing her friend a favor, and not the other way around.

Even if both knew what the real state of affairs was.

“Have you hired anyone yet?” Amanda asked as soon as Jeanne returned to her table with a glass of Amanda’s favorite wine and a beer for herself.

“Nope. I’ve been too busy to advertise.”

Amanda nodded.

“Come on, woman,” Jeanne said. “Show some solidarity. My wedding is in a month and I don’t even have a dress. I need your help.”

Amanda shrugged. “I can’t imagine you in a white dress, anyway.”

“Who said it’s going to be white?” Jeanne gave Amanda a wink and grew serious again. “You need money to pay your bills. I need an extra pair of hands for the summer season. Our needs are perfectly aligned.”

“Even if I accepted your offer, it would be temporary. I’d be out as soon as I find a proper job.”

“Thirty hours a week over the next two months—that’s all I’m asking for. Can you do it for me?”

Amanda hesitated. “I’ve never waitressed before.”

“I don’t expect you to be a good waitress, but I don’t think you’d be an awful one.”

“Hmm.”

“Besides, you have an MBA—you can help me with the books.”

Amanda cocked her head as an idea struck her. “Was Didier good at it?”

“Very.”

“Was he paid more than the other waiters?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll take the job if you pay me what the previous owner paid Didier.”

Jeanne raised an eyebrow. “Didier was a headwaiter. You have zero waitressing experience.”

“True. But I’m smart and good with numbers.” Amanda grinned. “And you’re desperate.”

Jeanne placed her beer on the table and did some mental math. “I won’t be able to pay you what I’m paying the new headwaiter, Manon. But I can get close.”

“Text me the salary and the estimated tips, and I’ll give you my answer.”

Jeanne smiled. “You drive a hard bargain.”

“If I’m going to have to smile at customers—some of whom might be my former colleagues—I need a decent pay.”

“Your former colleagues don’t come here,” Jeanne said. “You were the only one from ENS.”

“How do you know that?”

“I know my customers.”

“Anyway,” Amanda said with a shrug. “If I were to run into Julien Barre, I’d rather it were here.”

“Really?”

“Of course. I prefer to serve him an overpriced cappuccino in a crowded café than a free Nespresso in a minimalistic meeting room at some intercompany consultation.”

“You think you’d bump into him if another outfit hired you?”

“The Parisian green energy sector is a small world. If I become a PA to a director or CEO of another company, I’m sure to bump into Julien sooner or later.”

“I see.”

Amanda pulled a face and mimicked talking over the phone in a low-pitched voice. “Mademoiselle Roussel, could you please bring six espressos into the meeting room? And some milk . . . Oh, and do you mind printing out ten copies of my Strategic, Analytical, Action-Oriented and Visionary Manifesto Memorandum Report?”

Jeanne snorted.

“Make it twenty,” Amanda said, her voice still deep. “In color and laminated, please. Thank you—you’re a darling.”

Jeanne chuckled, then drained her beer and stood up. “My point exactly. I’ll text you the figures tonight.”

“I’ll text you back tomorrow morning.”

“Can you start immediately?”

Amanda placed a five-euro bill on the table and smirked. “Of course. Provided I like your text.”