by Julie Caplin
‘I like to be able to imagine where you are, darling.’ Her mother’s plaintive smile made Nina feel guilty. Of course it did. Honed by years of experience and five children, it was her not so-secret weapon. Flipping her phone around, Nina went straight out onto the balcony.
‘What views! And what a lovely sunny day. What are you doing inside?’
‘Talking to my mother,’ said Nina, facing her again.
‘You should be outdoors. It’s a gorgeous day.’
‘I was planning to go and explore a bit later.’ Nina didn’t want to admit that her exploration to date had consisted mainly of prowling around Sebastian’s flat and a char-lady visit to the patisserie, where she’d ended up scrubbing and cleaning the kitchen, and methodically reorganising the utensils and drawers.
‘Well, make sure you’re careful. I’ve heard the pickpockets in Paris are terrible. You should put your bag over your head and across you. Although I have also heard that sometimes they use knives to cut the straps.’
‘Mum, I’ll be fine.’ If this was her mum encouraging her to go out, she wasn’t doing a great job.
‘Well, make sure—’
‘Here, this is the lounge.’ She did a slow motion three-sixty turn.
‘Oh darling, that’s gorgeous. Nice! It’s delicious. You are naughty.’
Nina gave her mum a mischievous smile as she returned the screen to face her. ‘OK, it’s rather sumptuous. I think this sofa is the nicest I’ve ever seen.’ She stroked the pale grey velvet surface and patted the teal wool cushions. ‘I think Sebastian must have got some kind of interior designer in, it’s all very calming, cool colours.’
‘Very summer,’ said her mother, who was a big fan of colour analysis and having your colours done.
‘Kitchen?’
With a sigh, knowing there’d be no satisfaction now until she’d done a tour of every room, Nina walked over to the other side of the room and turned the sharp right angle into the kitchen-diner.
‘Oh my word! Nina, that is lovely.’
Nina had to admit the open plan room, with its view of the Eiffel Tower which at night was all lit up, was rather wonderful. The modern kitchen had shiny glossy cupboards with no handles and had every gadget known to man.
‘Show me that coffee machine. Oh, John, John! Come here and see this.’
Nina could hear her parents cooing over the stainless-steel built-in machine and wondering where they might put one and how much it might cost.
She walked on through, showing her mum the wide hallway with its recessed soft lighting and slate floor and the bathroom with its huge shower and lovely aqua tiles.
‘It all looks so nice, darling. You’re not going to want to come home.’
‘Don’t worry, Mum, Sebastian will want it back as soon as he’s mobile again.’
‘And how is the dear boy? You will send him my love, won’t you? We do miss him. He practically lived here.’ Nina closed her eyes knowing exactly what was about to come. ‘And then … well, I don’t know why he stopped visiting so often. It’s such a shame we don’t see him more often.’
‘Maybe because he went away to university and then onto catering college,’ suggested Nina for what felt the thousandth time over the years.
‘He could have come in the holidays.’
Her jaw tensed and Nina was grateful the phone camera was still trained on the bells-and-whistles, state-of-the-art shower.
‘Well, that’s the guided tour,’ said Nina. ‘So how’s lambing going—’
‘You haven’t shown me the bedroom. Come on.’
‘It’s just a bedroom. It’s got a bed in it—’
‘But it’s so interesting seeing what’s available in other countries, don’t you think?’
Nina paused outside the bedroom door. There was no earthly reason why she shouldn’t show her mother, but even so…
She opened the door, seeing the room for the first time again and feeling that same unsettled sense of voyeurism, of being an intruder into someone else’s life. She felt it more sharply in the bedroom than anywhere else, perhaps because there were so many more personal items in here.
‘Ooh, I like the duvet cover, that’s very nice. Masculine but tasteful. Sebastian always did have good taste. Lovely lamps. And what’s he reading?’
Nina swallowed. The masculinity of the grey, pale blue and black cover was a constant reminder that she was sleeping in Sebastian’s bed and the facedown open David Baldacci, reinforced the unsettling sensation that Sebastian had only popped out and could be back at any moment.
It was always her intention to spend as little time in this room as possible, at least while she was awake. Sebastian’s presence was too much in here.
‘Let’s have a look at his photos,’ said her mother. Wearily, Nina crossed to the wall opposite the bed to the multi-sectioned photo frame with its selection of pictures from over the years. She hadn’t paid too much attention to it before, as there were quite a few that were duplicates of others she’d seen of Sebastian with Nick and her other brothers.
‘Oh, look that’s me!’ exclaimed her mother. ‘I remember that day. He won his first cooking competition. And he came straight over to tell me and show me the trophy. Your dad took that one.’
Nina remembered the lead up to the competition. They’d been his guinea pigs for weeks. Good job the whole family liked pork.
‘Nice one of him and his parents,’ said her mother, the hint of sympathy clear in her tone. Nina, still holding the phone, peered at the picture of Sebastian on graduation day, standing between his parents looking stiff and uncomfortable. He’d stuck out his degree to please his parents despite wanting to go in a different direction. A week after he graduated, he signed up for catering college.
‘Ah, that’s a lovely one of you.’
‘Me!’ Nina’s voice squeaked and bent to take a closer look at the picture in the corner that she’d completely missed. It wasn’t lovely at all. It was a hideous picture. She was grinning like a loon, her teeth and shining eyes white amongst the splashes of mud across her face, as she held up the medal she’d won in the cross-country championship. With a jolt, she stared at the happiness glowing on her face and felt her heart do one of those flutters, almost an echo of the past. Tears shimmered in her eyes for a second. She’d been so happy. Almost bursting with it. Not because she’d come first. Not because she’d beaten her personal best. Not because she’d qualified for the Nationals. She’d been so happy because Sebastian was waiting for her at the finishing line. Because he threw his arms around her. Because he hugged her so tight. Because she thought his lips might have grazed the top of her head. Because his eyes were shining with pride and happiness when he looked at her. Studying it again, juxtaposed among all the other important events in his life, she frowned. She couldn’t believe he’d kept a photo of her, let alone this one. She couldn’t help but wonder why he had kept it.
A bold pigeon pecked around her feet as her croissant shed a flurry of crumbs with her last bite. She felt rather proud of herself that she’d ventured out and ordered a coffee and a croissant in a local bakery, which was exactly what she’d told her mum she would do when she finished their call. Tipping back her cup, she downed the rest of her coffee and stood up from one of green park benches that lined the path leading up to the Eiffel Tower. The sunshine warming her skin had tempted her out. It really was far too nice to be inside and talking to her mother had reminded her why she was here, pickpockets or no pickpockets. And today she was taking the day off. She was done with cleaning and organising, although she was rather pleased with all her neatly labelled shelves and the smooth sliding drawers where, as far as she was concerned, everything was now in the right place.
With a definite bounce in her step, tightening her hold on the strap of her messenger bag, she set off to walk towards the huge iconic tower, stopping to take and send pictures to the family Whatsapp group, Hadley Massive. Honestly, so much for escaping. She shook her head. Mum’s phone ca
ll this morning was the tip of the iceberg. The rest of the family were equally voracious for news, demanding regular updates. If it wasn’t Nick texting her to ask how she was getting on, then it was Dan emailing or Toby direct messaging her on Twitter. She was seriously considering losing her phone.
Playing it safe and wanting to get a sense of the geography of the city, she spent the morning walking at a slow amble, crossing the bridge from the Eiffel Tower to the Trocadero, mindful of the rather daunting traffic. As far as drivers were concerned, pedestrians were an annoying irritant and, if they put so much as one foot in the road, fair game. No one seemed to pay any attention to the designated crossings or red traffic lights as motorists and moped riders constantly nudged forward and nipped into free space like lions pouncing on prey.
Following the map she’d borrowed from Sebastian’s apartment, she walked along the Left Bank, or rather, Rive Gauche, which was still a perfume in her head, and followed the wide open span of the Seine before she bore left towards the Champs-Élysées to take a look at the Arc de Triomphe which was so much bigger than she’d expected and the traffic surrounding it even more terrifying. It hadn’t gained its reputation for being the craziest roundabout in Europe for nothing.
Enjoying the sense of freedom and not having to consult anyone else, she decided to stop for lunch at one of the restaurants off the Champs Elysees because she could. Her brother Nick would have balked and immediately suggested they avoid the main tourist drag as it would be too expensive, Dan and Gail would have looked up the TripAdvisor recommendations for the area and her Mum would have spent ages perusing the menu outside before allowing any of her chicks to set foot over the threshold.
Feeling spontaneous and independent, she chose a restaurant she liked the look of and went in.
The moules she’d selected were delicious and she relished every drop of the rather decadent glass of wine she’d decided to treat herself to when she’d seen that most of the French diners ordered wine with their lunch. Although she was thoroughly enjoying her meal, she did feel a little self-conscious about eating on her own in the busy restaurant. She’d been stuck on a table in the corner by the loos. To stop her feeling completely Billy no mates, she kept scrolling through her phone and almost dropped it when it suddenly began to ring.
‘Sebastian, hi.’
‘Nina, we have a problem. I needed my suppliers to do me a rush job for the other restaurant. The new chef wanted to do some recipe testing. It means they can’t deliver the fresh ingredients to the patisserie today. You’ll have to go and do the shopping.’
‘Today?’ she looked at her watch. ‘Can’t they deliver tomorrow?’
‘Today would be better. I don’t like leaving things until the last minute. Unless, of course, it’s too much trouble for you.’
Nina gritted her teeth. Oh, the man did withering sarcasm so bloody well.
‘I realise that, but …’ She had absolutely no idea where to go shopping. Paris wasn’t exactly teeming with Tescos. Was there anywhere near the patisserie? There was no way she was going to ask him.
‘Is there a problem?’
‘No,’ said Nina. ‘Absolutely not.’
‘Excellent, I shall see you tomorrow. You do remember that you’re coming to the hotel to pick me up. I’ve asked the concierge to book a cab for eight-thirty. Paris traffic is horrendous, so make sure you get there on time.’
Chapter 7
Nina asked for a key card for Sebastian’s room and the same receptionist as last time gave her a look as if to say, ‘What, you again?’
She knocked so that she didn’t give Sebastian a nasty surprise but before she could swipe the key card in and out of the slot, the door opened, making her jump.
‘You’re not Sebastian,’ she said, stepping back and looking into dark brown eyes. ‘Oh, it’s you!’ It was the rather handsome French-actor lookalike she’d seen down in the foyer when she’d been on her knees.
‘Ah, the lady with the misbehaving suitcase and the …’
‘They weren’t mine,’ she said, ‘That was Sebastian’s stuff. I was bringing it over for him.’
A rather cute dimple appeared in his cheek as he tried to suppress his amusement. ‘I’m sure they’ll come in useful in his current incapacitated state.’ His unexpected Scottish burr with rolling ‘r’s thankfully diverted her.
‘Oh, you’re Scottish,’ she said. He looked thoroughly French to her.
‘And I left the kilt at home today,’ he teased, a warm friendly smile breaking through, making him look a lot more approachable and less film-starry.
It was impossible not to smile back at him. ‘Sorry, I assumed you were French. You must be Sebastian’s friend, the manager.’ Despite his formal three-piece suit, now that he was smiling at her, Alex didn’t look particularly managerial. With that impish smile and readiness to laugh, he looked more like an overgrown naughty schoolboy.
‘That would be me. Yes. And don’t tell my mother you thought I’d be French. She’d be outraged. It’s bad enough I’m working over here, rather than in a good, fine city like Edinburgh, which is only five minutes down the road from her.’
‘Ah, she’s on the same page as my mother. I’m Nina. Sebastian’s new … right-hand-woman.’
‘Ah, the little sister,’ he said, his eyes dancing with sudden amusement. ‘I’ve heard a lot about you.’
‘None of it good, I’m sure,’ said Nina, her mouth twisting with a rueful smile.
‘Don’t worry,’ said Alex with a quick reassuring grin and she was warmed by the flash of concern in his eyes. ‘I take everything he says with a pinch of salt.’
‘That hasn’t made me feel any better.’
Alex’s smile slipped. ‘Hey, he’s grumpy with everyone at the moment. I’ve known him for a while, I count myself as one of his best friends and he’s being a complete pain in the arse. But it’s always stressful getting a new venture up and running. Although—’ his eyes lit up with mischief ‘—if the awkward bugger isn’t careful he’ll find himself down into the wine cellar with the rats.’ Nina bit back a laugh. She liked Alex’s cheery down to earth delivery, he reminded her of her brothers.
‘It would be stupid to ask if the awkward bugger is in.’
Alex laughed. ‘He’s in and exceptionally grumpy. You might want danger money to enter. He got it into his head that he had to wash his hair this morning and insisted that I help him at silly o’clock. Trying to keep him upright in the bathroom over the sink was like helping Bambi on ice. Then the stupid bugger decides he wants a shower. I think we must have used an entire industrial roll of clingfilm.’
Nina smiled at Alex’s comical face pulling.
‘Sounds like quite a performance.’
‘Put it this way, he’s been resting ever since. I popped in to check he was still alive.’ Alex’s face sobered and he lowered his voice, glancing over his shoulder as if Sebastian might appear at any moment. ‘Between you and me, I think—’
A walkie talkie at his hip crackled into life.
‘Alex, we have a problem.’
‘That’s going to my epitaph.’ With a quick frown, he snatched it up. ‘Be there in five. Right, well, I must be away. I have a hotel to run. Nice meeting you, Nina. I’m sure I’ll see you again.’ He turned and yelled, ‘I’m off Bas, I’ll check in on the invalid tomorrow but Florrie Nightingale’s turned up to relieve me.’
With a cheery wave, he walked past her to the door.
Sebastian was hauling himself to his feet as she walked in. ‘You’re late.’
‘Sorry, I got …’
‘Save it, we need to get a move on.’ Sebastian’s dry words made it clear he wasn’t impressed.
She plastered her pleasantest smile on her face, the one where her grin stretched into her cheeks and made them ache just a little. She was not going to let him get to her. She was going to be sweetness and light. Learn all she could from him and suck it up.
‘Would you mind bringing my laptop and pape
rwork?’ He gestured with the crutches, indicating he couldn’t manage both.
Before she could say anything, he was off like a racehorse at the starter gate. Once out of the lift, he made surprisingly brisk progress, swinging on his crutches, planting them quickly and ploughing through the lobby like a man on a mission before taking the ramp out of the hotel onto the pavement.
The concierge had a cab waiting for them and opened the back door for Nina and she was about to slide in when Sebastian tutted loudly.
‘You’ll have to go in the front seat.’ He hopped awkwardly in a circle so that he got in bottom first.
‘Oh, sorry. Yes, of course. Let me help.’ She hurriedly dumped his laptop bag on the front seat so that she could take his crutches from him.
Sebastian slid back onto the seat so that both his legs were propped up lengthways.
The taxi driver turned around and let loose a torrent of French with urgent gesticulations.
‘Yeah, yeah. I’ll put the seat belt on,’ said Sebastian, twisting around to try and pull the buckle around him.
After a couple of attempts, it was clear that he was at too much of an awkward angle to pull it out and round him.
The taxi driver folded his arms. They weren’t going anywhere until that belt was secured.
As Sebastian let out a loud exasperated huff, Nina dumped the crutches on the floor next to him and leaned in to try and help. Unfortunately, it wasn’t that easy and there was nothing for it but to plant a knee on the seat between his legs, which would have been fine if she hadn’t then overbalanced slightly, her hand grabbing his crotch to steady herself.
‘Oh, sorry,’ she squeaked. Avoiding looking at him, trying to be practical and matter of fact, she reached around his shoulders to grab the belt behind him, which was an even bigger mistake as it meant she came nose to chest. His hands closed around her forearms to steady her and, startled, she looked up into his face, which was the biggest mistake of all. There were tiny russet flecks in the dark brown eyes which were now studying her warily. Her breath felt unexpectedly tight in her chest. She could see the nearly opaque S-shaped scar on the top of his cheekbone and the impossibly thick eyelashes. Her pulse thundered in her ears and then for some bizarre reason she blurted out, ‘You smell a lot better.’