The Paris Novel

Meeting her father causes Stella to reconsider her mother’s intentions for sending her to Paris. The next morning, Django shows up at her apartment, insisting on taking her out for coffee. As they talk, Django says that his life felt empty before Stella showed up and that life as a “tumbleweed” becomes lonely. Stella feels wary of him, fearing that he will be like Celia. Despite Stella’s resistance, Django remains determined to remain part of her life, consistently showing up at her apartment. He follows Stella to the bookstore and offers to cook for everyone while Lucie helps. Stella watches as he moves through the kitchen with ease and creates dishes with the bookstore kitchen’s sparse ingredients. He continues to come to the bookstore to cook daily.

Meanwhile, Jules’s experts verify the authenticity of the painting that Stella found, and he asks what she will do once she sells it. Stella now finds the idea of going back to New York depressing. She continues to learn more about Django and his past as he makes consistent efforts to become part of Stella’s life.

Django makes a habit of joining Stella for breakfast every morning, and Jules eventually joins as well. One morning, Jules suggests throwing a party for potential buyers of Stella’s painting and offers to host it at his home. When they arrive, Stella is surprised to learn that Jules does not actually live in his parents’ home in Vezelay but rather in a stunning modern home with a dense garden, where he and Séverine raised Jean-Marie. His wife named the house Le Sauvage. Django declares that he will cook for the party only if Stella helps, stating that he does not truly know a person until he cooks with them.

Stella has nightmares about cooking with Django, imagining that she will anger or disappoint him. She tells Daniel about these dreams, and he reassures her, confiding that Django told him that Stella was the best thing that ever happened to him. The morning of the party, Stella meets Django at Le Sauvage, and the two of them cook together. Stella naturally knows what to do from having watched others cook during her time in Paris, and she feels happy. Django admits that he is angry about the years they have lost, wishing that he had taught her to cook as a little girl. Stella says that it is not too late, and Django declares that they could open a restaurant together.

Stella sells the painting to the Boston Museum and plans to use the money to fund her restaurant with Django, but Jules insists on funding it instead. He scours Paris for a location and finds a tiny shop; Stella initially thinks that it’s run-down and dirty, but Django is overjoyed, urging Stella to “see not what it is but what it could be” (247). They spend weeks renovating the space with Daniel and Lucie’s help, and every day, they all return to the bookstore, where Django and Stella cook together. Stella feels her confidence grow.

Soon, the shop is fully remodeled, and they search flea markets for furniture. When everything is complete, Stella is amazed by how the space has transformed and suggests naming it Chez Django.

Three weeks before the restaurant’s opening, Stella and Django visit the nearby market and envision the dishes that will make up their menu. Back at the restaurant, Stella is cooking when Jules enters, looking frail. He says that he has been having heart palpitations and that his doctor suggests he should no longer be living alone—he asks if Stella would like to move into one of the spare bedrooms in Le Sauvage. Stella does so and immediately feels at home. When she asks about Jean-Marie, Jules says that the house is too painful for him because it reminds him so much of his mother.

One night, Jean-Marie and his fiancée suddenly arrive, and Eugenie accuses Stella of “taking advantage of a sick old man” by accepting his investment in the restaurant and moving into his house (255). She threatens legal action, but it is clear that Jean-Marie does not agree; he drags her back out of the restaurant.

Stella tells Jules about the situation later, and he finds it amusing and reassures her that they are only empty threats. He feels confident that Eugenie’s behavior will make Jean-Marie see her for who she really is. Still, Jules calls his lawyers as a precaution.

Jean-Marie visits Le Sauvage, and he and Jules talk. Jean-Marie says that he visited the dress shop where Stella found the Dior dress and discovered that Eugenie has been selling his mother’s clothes. The father and son make up, and Jean-Marie starts stopping by Le Sauvage often, eventually breaking off his engagement. Stella notices Jules looking happier and healthier, and she and Jean-Marie start to connect as well, establishing a habit of meeting in the kitchen around midnight to drink wine and talk.

Stella and Django discuss their plans for the restaurant opening; Django insists on spontaneity rather than having a set menu but agrees to plan their dishes for their opening night, inventing dishes for each of the guests.

On the day of the opening, Stella suddenly feels uncertain and out of place, overwhelmed by what is coming. She feels a sudden longing for her safe life back in New York. When she goes to the market, though, all the local vendors have set aside some special ingredients for her and Django and wish her well. Feeling her confidence return, Stella cooks with Django in preparation for their opening, and soon the guests arrive. Django improvises personal dishes and treats for each guest.

After a successful night, the guests leave. Jean-Marie gives Stella a gift: Séverine’s black Dior dress, now with Stella’s name on the label.