Free Magic by Danielle Steel

Eric in Berlin. He looked equally surprised to see her, and offered to carry her suitcase for her, at least until she found a cart.
    “No, really, I’m fine. I can manage it.” He could barely lift it himself, it was so heavy, and she didn’t want to tell him there was a tool kit in it. “Thank you, though.”
    “No worries. I’ll get it outside to the curb for you. I have no luggage.” All he had was a briefcase, and he was wearing a suit and looked quite respectable. She was traveling in jeans and a sweater, which was all she needed when visiting Eric in Berlin. “Did you see your son?” he asked conversationally as he carried the bag for her, and she apologized again for how heavy it was.
    “Yes, I did. I’m just coming back.”
    “Was he happy with all the food you brought him?” He smiled, remembering the foie gras. “My mother never brought me things like that. He’s a lucky kid.” He imagined her son to be a student, since she didn’t look very old. “What did you bring back with you,” he asked, with mischief in his eye, “a bowling set?” She laughed at the question and looked sheepish.
    “My tool kit. He always needs things fixed in his apartment.” He looked suddenly touched as she said it. It gave him an insight into what kind of mother she was, and how much she must miss the boy who lived in Berlin.
    “You can stop by my place anytime. Are you good at it?”
    “Very,” she said proudly.
    “I’m Xavier Thomas, by the way,” he said, introducing himself as he stuck out his hand, when he reached the curb and set her bag down.
    “Chantal Giverny,” she said as they shook hands.
    “Where do you live?” he asked politely.
    “Rue Bonaparte, in the sixth.”
    “I don’t live far from you. Why don’t we share a cab?” She hesitated for a second and then nodded. It was strange the way she kept running into him. He had an explanation for it in the cab.
    “I think destiny is involved here. When you meet someone by accident three times, it means something. First at the White Dinner. There were seven thousand, four hundred people there that night. You could have been seated at any table, and we’d never have met. Instead you were at the one next to mine. Then in the food hall at Bon Marché, and now at the airport. My flight from Madrid was two hours late. If it had been on time, we would have missed each other. Instead here we are, which is damn lucky for you, because I don’t know how you would have carried that ridiculously heavy bag yourself.” She laughed at what he said. “So clearly, we were meant to meet again. Out of respect for that and the forces that brought us together, will you have dinner with me tonight? There’s a bistro I like, which I use as my canteen.” He named the one where she met Jean-Philippe for lunch regularly. It was their canteen too. Their world seemed to be full of coincidences, and she was about to tell him she was tired and wanted to go home, and then decided what the hell. He seemed nice. Why not have dinner with him? He looked young and was obviously not trying to seduce her, just being friendly. And she had a lonely night ahead, without Eric. It always depressed her to come home to her silent empty apartment after she saw her kids.
    “All right.” He smiled and looked pleased.
    “Let’s drop off your bag first, though. I’d hate to walk that back from the restaurant after dinner, although it would be good exercise. I hope your son carried it for you in Berlin.”
    “He did. He’s a good boy.” She smiled proudly.
    They got to her building a short time later, and she took the bag up in the elevator while he waited for her downstairs, and she was back a moment later, having stopped long enough to comb her hair and put on lipstick. She felt like a mess compared to his proper business suit. On the way to the restaurant, he explained that he had been visiting a client in Madrid and had only gone for the day. He said that he was an attorney,