The Little Perfume Shop Off The Champs-Élysées

‘Merci, Del,’ she said quietly. ‘Without you, I might have missed the first morning.’ She gave me a grateful smile.

As she pulled the curling iron through her hair, she sung softly to herself. There was no sign of the previous evening’s abundance of vin rouge and lack of sleep, and she looked every inch the bright-eyed sunny Parisian once more. Life was so unfair. If I didn’t sleep well, the next day I resembled the walking dead no matter how much make-up I applied, and today was no better. My eyes resembled a puffer fish in protect mode that no amount of concealer could fix. But I reasoned the French probably grew up quaffing wine so it had no adverse effects on their complexions.

‘We’re roommates so we have to stick together, right?’ I said, knowing I had to be careful of Clementine and keep friendly.

She broke off her song. ‘Oui. You’re mon amie, and I am yours.’

Friends? Perhaps we would be. Once the shutters came down and Clementine wasn’t on show she was calmer, more real. In front of others she was a caricature, a big, bold woman of the world. Was it a ploy, that drama, to get noticed in the competition, to stand out in the group of perfumers? Hard to tell at this early stage.

Outside, birds chirped, their mellifluous musical chatter drifted in, as they gossiped among themselves and we joined in too. Clementine gave me the low-down on everyone in her overzealous way. She thought Lex was too old to be a threat (he wasn’t that old, and he most certainly was a contender) and Lila was too timid. And Clementine believed that Anastacia was the danger. She’d studied under some formidable perfumers and didn’t give much away about technique or skillset, so she thought we should freeze her out.

‘Freeze her out? Clem, that’s school yard behavior.’

She frowned. ‘Oh, Del, you’ll never get anywhere with an attitude like that! Don’t come crying to me when she wins, then.’

I shook my head. She was clearly put out that I wouldn’t consider such a thing.

‘Trust me, I won’t.’

Thirty-four minutes later we were downstairs and ready to greet the day.

Breakfast was a noisy affair. We ate slowly and had long enough to down a couple of strong black coffees and munch on some fresh flaky croissants before assembling out front as instructed. The mood was ebullient, we all wore wide smiles, and fidgeted and jittered in anticipation. What would the day bring?

Lex wandered over, his face grey in the light of morning as if he hadn’t slept well, but his lopsided smile firmly in place. What kind of perfume would fix that malady, that sleeplessness that plagued him? Maybe a lavender and bergamot blend?

‘Hey, America. Ready to battle it out for the lead?’

‘Ready as I’ll ever be,’ I said. The air was electric with the unknown and I couldn’t wait to get started.

Maybe Lex would be an ally? The chat with Clementine and the whole freeze-her-out conversation left me a little dubious about her motivations. There seemed to be two sides to Clementine. I told myself to be careful, and not trust so easily. It was a game, after all, and the desire to win hung heavy in the air, though we all tried to downplay it. But with affable Lex, I felt as though he had the potential to be a real friend, and that I wouldn’t have to pretend around him.

‘What about you?’ I asked.

‘I was born ready,’ he said, laughing, the deep lines near his eyes crinkling like stars.

We huddled together, awaiting the Lecléres. Would there be an explanation as to where they’d been the evening before?

The group hushed as Aurelie appeared, a tight smile in place. Just behind her stood a man, his back to us as he spoke in rapid fire French on his cell phone. Would this be the elusive Sebastien, finally?

I waited impatiently for him to turn, excited to finally see the man in the flesh! He wasn’t tall like I’d imagined, but he filled out his suit in all the right places, and even from behind, he had a presence you couldn’t miss. He finally pivoted to us with his brow knitted. And those brows were glorious as far as men’s brows went. Black as midnight, and arched just so, framing those luminous green eyes of his. And then it struck me, a realization so chilling I gasped. Please god, he was not the elusive Sebastien Leclére!

Not him! My stomach flipped – of all the luck!

Chapter Seven

‘And so we meet again,’ he said, his expression unreadable.

Oh god, had he known who I was all along? My own smile felt a little more wooden, but I forced my lips to curve, goddammit. With his face inches from mine, I could smell the passionfruit note of tea on his breath, the peppermint of his shampoo on his hair, and his perfume, a fresh slightly tangy Oceana. But my anger flashed through me, making it hard to think. If he’d known who I was surely he should have told me? Not sat there listening to me complain! Why would he do such a thing?

‘So we do,’ I said, trying to mask the hostility creeping into my voice but failing. Kathryn must have sensed I had the upper hand because Sebastien was giving me his full attention so she moved to stand just in front of me, partially blocking my view. Probably a good thing, in the circumstances. My mind scrambled to think about what I’d confided in him the night before. Had I mentioned anything about the Lecléres? My heart pounded with worry. No, I’d been careful, but I’d also quaffed wine like it was water! This was not the start I’d envisaged!

‘It’s such a pleasure to meet you,’ Kathryn said, holding out her delicate hand. I willed myself not to roll my eyes at the sudden change in the English rose, as her complexion pinked, and her voice honeyed. Seriously. This is what I was up against? Were they all going to swoon in his presence? So, he was good-looking, but at least his presence took the attention away from me. I slid away, subtle as anything, when he took my elbow, and steered me back. Dang it.

I willed myself to look at him with a glare. Up close I could see he had the same kind eyes as his father. The same secretive smile. How could I have missed that? Holy moly…

Why did he hide who he was the night before? I suddenly felt like I couldn’t trust him, either. Maybe they’d set me up on purpose to see how I’d react… No, surely not. He’d missed the welcoming party, and that was obviously what he was alluding to when we’d met the evening before. It was just unlucky I’d kept walking into his path. But he’d known my name when I was sure I hadn’t given it to him! That was clearly no accident, the guy knew I was a contestant and played dumb and for what reason? He searched my face once more, a frown marring his features. ‘Are you OK?’ he asked.

‘Yes.’ Kathryn zoomed in on me, all sweetness and light. ‘You look a little peaked, Del.’

I narrowed my eyes. Peaked, yeah right. ‘I’m fine, thank you,’ curtness spilled out.

When he took my arm again his touch sent a volt of longing through me. Had my heart not caught the memo that I was angry? And so what if he was good-looking? So were millions of men. Big deal. Urgh, but my heart had other ideas and tangoed inside my chest like this was some sort of celebration, when it clearly was not. It was his scent, I decided, that was making me cuckoo. I’d never met a man who intrigued me so and I told myself it wasn’t him, it was simply his eau de parfum making him desirable, proof that everyone should invest in quality fragrance.

‘I need water…’ Isn’t that what they did in the movies? Honestly how did water help at a moment like this? But it bought me some time to gather my thoughts, which were more like my twin sister’s thoughts, and for an insane moment I wondered if she’d figured out a way to control my mind. I wouldn’t have put it past her, the minx.

For one lonely minute I understood my nan’s advice about falling in love in a different language. And all her nonsensical chats about the language of love! What was French for falling in love… How did you say I love you?

Je t’aime. Je t’ai…

He placed a hand on my head. Was that some kind of French thing? I struggled with my confusion and anger, and the fact it was suddenly so damn hot. What was happening to me?

‘You’re tres hot, Del.’ The compliment took me by surprise. He was pretty damn hot too. ‘I…uh, appreciate you saying so, but isn’t it sort of a conflict of interest?’

He frowned, two lines marring the perfect symmetry of his features. ‘Pardon?’

‘Well you do own the perfumery, and I am here to win…’

With narrowed eyes, he cut me off. ‘And what has that got to do with your sudden…fever?’

Fever? Oh, god!

I wanted to die. He didn’t mean hot as in attractive, he meant hot as in feverish! I had to backtrack, and quickly. ‘My mistake,’ I said haughtily. ‘It’s the fever talking and I am confused.’

A smile played at the corner of his lips, as though he understood exactly what I’d implied. I would have liked to smack myself upside the head but settled for silently berating whatever part of me was dropping the ball so spectacularly. Was this some sort of travel sickness and it had only just caught me?

‘Kathryn, would you mind getting Del a bottle of water please?’ His silky accent rolled off his tongue like he was reciting poetry and again I pushed any thought of him aside. Millions of French men spoke exactly the same. Millions.

‘Of course,’ she said, but saved her mouth-full-of-marbles expression for me. Yikes, I was not making friends.

He was relaxed and efficient as if he’d met me a hundred times. I on the other hand felt wildly uncomfortable, and like I couldn’t trust myself to speak anymore. What if I blurted out some other faux pas? Suddenly he wasn’t just the gorgeous guy I’d run into (literally) – he was Sebastien Leclére, and it changed things.

‘Shall I call a doctor, just in case?’

‘A doctor?’

‘For your…fever.’ The wry smile was back and he placed his palm on my forehead to test my temperature. I shrunk under his touch, my mind spinning in a hundred different directions, and finally landing on…him. Damn it. I was suffering some kind of malady, the symptoms being a butterfly belly, jelly-leggedness, and a strange desire to run for the hills.

‘No, thank you.’

‘You’re still very hot.’ He winked, he bloody well winked!

I folded my arms, and took a step back. Was he teasing me? I ignored the god damn alluring sparkle in his eyes and said, ‘Cured with a couple of painkillers and some…space.’

He raised his brows. ‘Oui. If you’re sure.’

I lifted my chin. ‘I’m sure.’

With a nod Sebastien moved to the front of the group, leaving only faint traces of the spicy scent of his perfume. The sillage, which came from the French word for wake, and was one of many magic moments in the lifecycle of a spritz of fragrance. If the perfume was balanced properly, the sillage was an aromatic whisper, a goodbye just tangible enough to make you want more…

Damn it.

All chatter quietened as Sebastien called for attention. There was a sudden tightness to his jaw, implying what? He didn’t like public speaking? Us? The whole thing smacked of mystery. I guess that’s what they did best, those reclusive Lecléres… Just like last night when he should have been upfront with me.

With us gathered together and the competition about to start in earnest, perhaps he was thinking of his late father, who was lovingly referred to as le savant fou – the mad scientist – by his fans. If that was the case then I understood Sebastien’s sorrow. It had only been a year since he’d lost him, a drop in the ocean for bereavement, like only yesterday. No one knew what their relationship entailed but I suspected it was grief playing on his features and that made me soften slightly toward him. Even though he was the biggest jerk for pretending he didn’t know who I was!

With sunshine on his face Sebastien gave us a smile. Everyone stared, mesmerized by his presence. Still, his smile didn’t seem genuine to me. Almost as if he were acting. I only recognized it because I did the very same thing whenever anyone asked me how my parents were doing. Heard your folks were up to mischief again, everyone’s talkin’ about them! And I’d want to dissolve into the pavement, but instead I’d laugh it off. You know my folks, crazy as coyotes, but hearts of gold, I’d say time and again.

Even still, there was something magnetic about Sebastien, and it wasn’t only me who felt it, going by the open-mouthed, wide-eyed ogling going on around me from men and women alike. Under the soft sun he had magic in his eyes, just like his father.

Then Aurelie linked an arm through her son’s, giving us all a wave.

‘Welcome, friends,’ she said. ‘Our deepest apologies for missing the welcoming party.’ She shot a look at Sebastien. ‘An unforeseen circumstance cropped up, we promise it won’t happen again.’ Passers-by stopped and stared, some snapped pictures commemorating the moment in case we were noteworthy, but Sebastien held up a hand and dodged the photographer. ‘Non,’ he said. ‘No photos.’

Why did he hate the limelight so much? Those tourists were just being tourists. But I guessed he wasn’t going to let anyone catch him unawares – oh the irony! And what exactly was so unforeseen about their absence? I got the feeling Aurelie was fighting a silent battle with her son, but why?

Sebastien spoke up, ‘Today is a monumental day for Leclére Parfumerie. I hope being in Paris will take you and your parfumerie to new heights.’ While his words were measured they came out stiff as if he’d memorized them and spoke by rote.

No one else seemed to notice, they grinned, and pleasure bloomed on their faces. My own face was dark, I bet. I couldn’t seem to let it go. Now he knew I was struggling here already, what a terrible start! Would he have reported back that the wildcard’s knees were knocking already?

‘You’re probably wondering, as is most of the perfume world, why we decided to invite you, virtual strangers, and offer such a prize as we have.’ He paused, dropped his gaze.

‘Oui, everyone wants to know,’ said Clementine, huskily. So she too was affected by the man. There was no hope.

He gestured for us to come closer, and we each took a big step forward. My proximity to Sebastien made me anxious. My ego and my derrière were still a little bruised from the previous day. Best not to think of it.

As we crowded around him, he said, ‘This competition was my papa’s idea, but sadly he didn’t get time see it come to fruition.’ When he spoke about his father his face pinched and his voice tightened, it must’ve been very raw for him. Jen always told me I read too much into things, but I couldn’t help it. I’d always been that way.

My emotions were yo-yoing all over the place, I couldn’t work out if I liked or loathed the guy…

‘So in the spirit of keeping his legacy alive we decided to go ahead with the competition as per his wishes. He wanted to give someone a chance to make their name in the perfume world. A person with daring, an adventurous spirit, the type who’d think outside usual parfumerie parameters. The winner of the competition will get a chance to read through his notes, and make a range for Leclére.’

What! My heart hammered so loud I was sure everyone could hear it. The winner would get to read through Vincent’s notes! I was light-headed with the thought of it. That hadn’t been mentioned before and it wasn’t expected since the Lecléres were so private…

If I’d wanted to win before it was now amplified a hundredfold. Vincent Leclére had granted one interview in his lifetime – only one – where he talked about his love for perfumery and how he’d wanted to make a spritz of a perfume take you somewhere, somewhere more than just a memory, an evocation of time and place. What he’d wanted to do was heady, audacious, and I wasn’t sure it was possible, but how enlightening would it have been to see him try? To be able to read through his notes, to get an intimate look at what he believed was heady stuff.

I stole a quick look at the other contestants but I needn’t have bothered, the tangible bouquet of desire was heavy in the air. Everyone wanted to win such an honour.

Was that regret in the summer breeze? Sebastien’s fragrance salty and sandy, like a receding tide, changed with his mood. Perhaps it wasn’t his choice to share his father’s work? If it were me, I doubt I’d want to let a stranger into that private world either.

But it could further my own perfumery journey… I’d managed to create perfumes that were like potions, a bridge to help clients cross to feel better about themselves, but I’d never managed to bottle an emotion, a tangible feeling.

Could it be done? Vincent thought so, my nan had too…

‘Does anyone have any questions before we begin?’ Aurelie asked.

Hands shot up, including mine.

She pointed to me. ‘Oui?’

‘What will the days consist of?’ Just how prepared did we need to be? What if I made one mistake and lost this once in a lifetime chance? The stakes were even higher now and my thoughts scrambled like eggs. Should I have prepared more? Studied chemistry books? Memorized perfume combinations? Packed more practical shoes? Taken more vitamin B? My anger at Sebastien disappeared as all thought turned to winning.

Aurelie laced her fingers. ‘Each day will be different, some you’ll face challenges like we’ll have today, specifically organized in such a way that you must think on your feet. You’ll make perfume to submit to the judging panel, and be marked on originality, daring, risk taking, but of course the final product must still be desirable. You’ll partake of classes with masters in the world of perfumery. You’ll each be mentored exclusively by one of the Leclére staff. There’ll be excursions too, you can choose to come along or not. But we don’t want your time in Paris to be all about perfume, we are French after all. We invented long lunches and champagne made from stars. Life is about balance, just like perfume. So while you’re here, se hâter lentement; hurry slowly.’

Cheers rang out among the group. Knowing we’d be able to sightsee in the city of light was a bonus. I turned the phrase over, hurry slowly, it was so apt for the French and the way they stretched the hours to suit their lifestyle.

After a nudge from his maman, Sebastien said, ‘And weekends you’ll have free. We hope you’ll use that time to explore our beautiful city and partake in all sorts of pleasurable activities.’ With that he gazed straight at me, we locked eyes, and I willed myself not to look away as a shiver of longing raced through me.

‘An incredible opportunity,’ I managed, my voice too high. Damn it! I coughed for effect, hoping they’d think it was just my faux flu affecting me, and not the laser beam of Sebastien’s eyes seeing into the depths of my soul. Why did he have to zone in on me?

‘Sadly, at the end of each week the contestant with the lowest score will be sent home.’

Please not me. I had to win, everything depended on it.

‘Who is my mentor?’ Clementine asked.

Aurelie took a sheet of paper from her pocket and matched the contestants with their mentors. When she came to my name, she said, ‘Del, you have Sebastien. Mentoring, however, will not begin officially until after you’ve submitted your first perfume. We believe this will give your mentors time to see what you can do alone and under pressure and then they’ll be more able to guide you. You can however meet with them at any time if you need support.’

That announcement gained Clementine’s attention and she glowered at me. ‘Well, aren’t you lucky?’

I pulled my shoulders back. ‘He’s not making my perfume, Clementine, he’s only mentoring me, so it’s not as if I’ve got the golden ticket.’ My pulse raced in spite of it all. Was it an advantage having Sebastien? What if he was too busy to spend time with me? What if he wore that same look of disinterest I kept catching crossing his features? I had the feeling Sebastien’s heart wasn’t in it. Still, I kept my face neutral and wouldn’t let Clementine bully me, or there’d be no end to it.

‘We’ll see,’ she said. ‘It doesn’t seem fair to me that you have one of the Leclére family, and we have their employees. Next minute you win, because you’ve spent all that time flirting with him!’

I shot her a despairing look. ‘Don’t be so ridiculous! I’m here to win on merit alone, Clementine. Unlike some people.’ Two could play at that game.

They might have been invisible to the eye but I sensed battle lines had been drawn.

With one last withering glare she turned away and whispered to Kathryn. Oh boy. Did they give me Sebastien because I was the wildcard and therefore expected to need more help? I wished that self-doubt would disappear!

Aurelie clapped to get our attention once more. ‘So, that brings us to the challenge today. Behind you are backpacks filled with supplies you might need like Metro tickets, and maps, Euros, snacks, water. It’s up to you what you use.’

Lex grinned at me. ‘I wonder if there’s any vin blanc in the bag?’

‘We are in Paris.’ I winked.

‘Your first challenge is a fun one, designed so you get to see a bit of our beautiful city,’ Sebastien said. ‘At one of our landmarks, or places of significance there’s an envelope, in it is a key. This key unlocks my papa’s private studio and whoever finds it can use it exclusively for the week. For the rest, you will use the Leclére lab to make a perfume that shows us who you are, your style. The judges are looking for originality, something they wouldn’t expect, surprise them. After that you’ll work closely with your mentors for the rest of the competition.’

I had to find that key! I so badly wanted to see Vincent’s perfumery studio, to sit where he did, to concoct perfume there…

I’d studied maps of Paris, and all the landmarks, but put on the spot all I could think of was the obvious ones, the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, Notre-Dame… Surely they’d choose something a little left of centre? Or was that what they expected we’d all think, in which case wouldn’t they hide the envelope in plain sight?

Before I could ponder any more Aurelie spoke again. ‘In your backpacks are directions to the Leclére Parfumerie laboratory, which is just behind us here near the parfumerie. Inside the lab you’ll see a workspace with your name on it and everything you could possibly need to formulate a perfume. Of course, we know your perfumes won’t have time to age, but we can still get a sense of who you are as a perfumer.’

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