"Oh-oh, James! 'ow are you? Ah-ha!"
"Jackie, good to see you - "
" Non , non! Ah-ha! You must take this tabouret - ah, th-ees bar stool, and you must s-eet bee-side moi . 'ow are you? I ask again, that ees just me, ah-ha!"
"Wonderful, Jack - Jacqueline. You know, this is a huge opportunity for me, I'm excited. Though the elephant in the room… "
"Oh, where, ah-ha? Oh, eet ees Americain , ha-ha! One of your fuh-nee lee-tle say-eengs! Ah-ha! Let me just say th-ees, James, let me be Americain and be blunt. An American! Me? Ha-ha!"
"Jacqueline?"
"Yes. As I was say-eeng. You must puht 'eem aside . I tell yuu . I am the president of your cohm-pa-ny, la! You must put your conscience - disparu! - gone."
"I feel bad, Jacki - Jacqueline. You know, we shook hands on it. We went all in. We actually get on kinda well - "
"James? James ? Ar' you lee-st-e-neeng to yourself? Be-cause thees ees not the James I know. Thees ees not the James I know, I tell you. You must get ovehr it. You are now an internationale fashion icon."
"Well, my brand is - "
" Non . Eet ees you . Eet ees you, James. And you 'ave done eet. Cahn I tell you a sec-reet? Right now - ovehr at Run-way een Paris - oh, but I miss my croissants, Man'attan can't bake any-theeng - ovehr at Runway in Paris, James, I 'ave been replaced. Oh, oui ! Ha-ha! Well, they could hard-lee leave no-bo-dee run-ning eet after the success I 'ave made. Oh, oui! And you know what ees going on there, James?"
"A lot of work, I'll guess, Jacqueline."
"Ah! Ha-ha, you are so funny! Do not frown. Eet ees just a say-eeng, you know. You know. But what I am saying, James, ees that even now, you must not sit still. I cannot sit still, ah-ha! Don't you think that now is when you will be looked at?"
"Well, of course, Jacqueline. This is my time."
"Then do not stop ! I did not be-come editor in chief by luck , James, ah-ha! But I can tell you, the, how you say eet - vibe - you br-eeng to your cloth-eeng, la, you must not lose that! Do not rest!"
"Jacqueline, I'm keen to hear your thoughts. I can keep making the clothes and ensuring it all works. But on an international scale… I still feel I'm not ready."
"Oh, James. You know, I thought I was not rea-dy. But then I took a job at Chic , and a job at Runway , and I kept going! I said - I said to myself, James, I said - keep going ! And la, look! You must keep that 'art within you bee-ting. Bee-ting, James. You must ."
"I'll try, Jackie - Jacqueline. I'll never get used to it."
"You'll 'ave to start! 'ere, let me pay for your drink. Deux - ah, two, please. Thank you. Merci beaucoup ! Ah-ha. Mmm… "
"Jacqueline, I'm keen to hear your insights. I mean, there's so much to do."
"Oh, la ! There's plen-tee of time for that ."
"I thought you just said don't sit still?"
"Oh, la. James, we w-eel be meeting Mee-randa soon enough. You know, we are both still bee-holden to her. You know, when- evair Mee-randa visited Paris for the shows, it was always me who had to organise it all. She stayed at the Coco Chanel suite at the Ritz. And really, isn't all fashion French ? Should it not be French Runway where all the fashion is centered? Really, James. I was disappointed. But you know me. I am not am-bee-tious. I came here because I cared about your brand."
"You were hard to put down the phone on, Jacqueline, ha-ha. I have to admit… but then, you do have more experience - than Nigel would have."
"Oh, Nigel ees just a man. What - he ees ree-placeable. He ees ree-placeable like that - what's his name - that man who drapes hee-mself een a cape een the Con-dee Nast build-eeng. Eem ? I do not know what he does to dee-serve h-ees salar-ee. And Nigel ees the same. They are star power, but no substance. I tell you, James. You need substance . You need style - oh, but of course, you alread-ee have both, ha-ha. I onl-ee meant that you have double of both - w-eeth me , how you say, on board . Ah-ha!"
"And Jacqueline. How are you finding it. Living in the States?"
"W-ell, I 'ope not for much lon-ger, ah-ha!"
"Pardon?"
"You are internationale . You cannot want to be 'ere, when you could tra-vel, yes? Maybe Paris?"
"I'm not sure, Jacqueline. The States is where everything happens. It's the epicenter."
"Oh, la!"
"And Miranda is here."
"Oh, her. Ah-ha!"
"Her opinion means everything - especially now. To remain in Runway 's good books is important to me - but of course, it's my business. I've done a lot to even get her to come to my studio. She likes my clothes, Jacqueline. Well, she likes how it'll make Runway money. And that's how it all is. I mean, wasn't the same for you in Paris?"
"Oh, la. You know, I had skee-l. You know, I tried . And my eff-orts paid off, ah-ha! Mee-randa left it in quite a state, I can tell you, but you know I was not am-bee-tious when Mee-ster Rav-eetz offered me the job. Oh, yes! He picked me over Briget, you know?"
"I had heard different… "
"But gossip is everyth-eeng, James. And you made me your president. I would not lie to you, James."
"I'm glad, Jacqueline. We'll be close partners in this."
"Of course! I will plan my 'ole year around this ."
"Hopefully a lot longer than that, ha-ha."
"Oh yes, just my lee-tle joke, ah-ha! I am not go-eeng anywhere, James. You know me. I am not - "
" - ambitious?"
"Oh, very fun-ny, you little jok-eeng man, ah-ha! You are teasing your president, la!"
"I'm glad it all worked out. You know, I thought there would be some bad blood between you and Miranda. I mean, we still all have to see each professionally and socially."
"Oh, la! Why would there bee ? You know, I am from - la France - and we are laissez-faire . I do not hold any, how you say - rancune - grudge. She is st-eel runn-eng US Run-way , and 'ere I am! Ah-ha! I am well paid, and you are 'ap-ee, and what more could I ask f-or? You know, eet es sil-lee, James. You must know, Mee-randa and I are on the best of terms. After all, she d-eed introduce me to you . Why, eef thees were a date, you would be ask-eeng for the, how you say it in American - cheque, please! Ah-ha!"
"Jacqueline, you know our relationship can only be professional. I'm sorry if - "
"Oh, James. You are 'andsome but not my type. That is called flir-teeng in the States but that is why you must vee-seet Paris. Th-ees ees just en parlant , ah, talk-eeng. Th-ees is just 'ow French 'omen are, la! Eef I were flir-teeng, you would know. You would know, James."
"So, you're happy in the States? You're fine working with Miranda again?"
"Oh, James. You are tak-eeng too heart what I w-eeshed. You are ree-laxing. You are not worr-y-eeng about work. That is good . I am sat-ees-fied, James, I am . You see, and, oh! Per'aps I 'ave 'ad too ma-ny dr-eenks. At my age, you can-not dr-eenk a lot - "
"I know the feeling - "
" - but only eef you are not French . Are you French, James?"
"Jacqueline, I'll be whatever you want me to be."
"Ah! See? You must keep eet een your pants, James. All th-ees dr-eenk is go-eeng to your 'ead. A, 'ow you say - tooast ! To Runway !"
"Uh, to James Holt International, I think you mean? Excuse me, I'm vibrating. This is James… "
"... oh, James, but you do look good when you walk away. Ees it not all about you , James, though you like to th-eenk it is. Oh, James, you w-eel not last if you sleep w-eeth me . Eet is not you I w-eel toast w-eeth, ah! A-no-thor shot, s'il vous plaît ! Ah… eet es not you , James. I see you com-eeng. Doubt-less eet ees the be-gee-neeng. She w-eel bark or-ders at us both. I do not toast you , James. You are the step-peeng stone. For she cannot st-eeh at Runway forever… ah, James! You 'ad your l-eetle call, I see?"
"Jacqueline. I'd better head off. Early start tomorrow, a brunch with Massimo. Just a guy thing, but he wants an update from me. Don't tell him, but he says you like to talk over me - "
"Oh, la! Ha-ha. Ve-ree fun-nee! But you go! I must stay a l-eetle b-eet longer. You see, us French do not just leave a dr-eenk. We f-een-esh what we start. Oh, yes. La! You know how Americains are with French 'omen! I might bump into a toy-boy, ah-ha! You nevair know when I might, how you say - up, and leave! Just a l-eettle joke, ah-ha! Au revoir ! Ah-ha!"