by Julie Stock
‘Of course not, silly,’ Fran replied, looking like she was trying her very best to hold it all together.
I lifted Chlöe from the car and started walking back to the château, giving Fran a quick smile as we left. I was disappointed we couldn’t stay for longer but there was nothing I could do. I saw Henri give Ellie a quick kiss before disappearing back to the courtyard to pick up his own car, with a promise to return to collect her later.
I thought about my kiss with Fran as I made my way back to the château, and I was glad that we had taken that first step. I had no doubts that the immediate future was going to be difficult, though. Besides the custody and divorce proceedings, I also worried about whether Fran would commit to staying with me this time. Was she really ready to settle down?
I tucked Chlöe into her new bed and made my way back downstairs, trying not to let myself get too carried away. For now, I needed to take care of my daughter in her mother’s absence. The practicalities were going to be challenging to say the least. I would have to ask my mum for help, if I was going to continue running the vineyard as well. I knew she wouldn’t mind but I felt guilty for having to rely on her. I knew that Isabelle must also have experienced these practical concerns, but then, she had left me, not the other way round. If I was going to make the case for full custody of my daughter, I needed to be able to show I could manage to take care of her alongside the running of the vineyard, and I had to be able to offer her a more stable life than the one Isabelle would be proposing.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
The next morning, as I drove back to the vineyard, I was overwhelmed by how difficult it had been to leave Chlöe at the nursery. She had been perfectly content and the staff had assured me everything was fine but I missed her. The strength of my love for her surprised me.
Fran was coming out of the office just as I pulled up in the courtyard. I climbed out of the van and strode towards her, pulling her in for a hug without a word. She put her arms round me at once and I relished the feel of her soft body against mine and the sweet smell of her hair as it brushed my cheek.
‘Hey, what’s the matter?’ she asked after a minute.
‘I’ve left Chlöe at the école maternelle in the village for the first time.’ She pulled back to study my face. Her expression softened with understanding.
‘I didn’t realise that was your plan for this morning. I’m sorry,’ she said.
‘Actually, we were just going for a visit but she loved it so much, they asked if she wanted to stay until lunchtime. Now I just feel lost without her.’
She hugged me again, rather than trying to make me feel better with platitudes.
‘Come on,’ she said, ‘I have things I need to talk to you about in the office. It will take your mind off thinking about Chlöe.’
I followed her inside, stopping in front of Henri’s desk on my way to the coffee machine. This was a very different Henri to the man I was used to seeing every day. One look was enough to tell me he had it bad. He had bags under his eyes, his face was unshaven and his clothes were mismatched.
‘Bad night, huh?’ I asked him. All I got in return was a feeble nod. He slumped down further at his desk.
‘Je n’ai pas dormi. C’est terrible.’ He clutched at his heart as if to emphasise his point. I wasn’t sure if he had ever felt like this about a woman before. I struggled not to chuckle, knowing that to him it was very serious.
I poured him a cup of coffee, patting him on the shoulder as I placed the cup in front of him. Then I sat down between his desk and Fran’s and watched as he shuffled his papers around for a few minutes. Finally, he released a big sigh and settled on dealing with just the one piece of paper. I turned towards Fran, knowing there was nothing I could do to help him.
‘So, what’s on the agenda?’ I asked.
‘I want to reduce my list of builders down to a shortlist of three. And I also want to ask you what you think of an idea Ellie had when she was here.’
We agreed on the shortlist in no time. Ellie’s suggestion that we have the château restored at the same time as the building work took a while longer to discuss.
‘I have no idea how much both jobs would cost, that’s all,’ I said.
‘There’s no harm in asking the question, is there? What about if I ask them to quote for the separate jobs and then for both jobs together, so we can compare?’
‘Okay but let’s not rush into anything. Our funds are limited, as you know.’ I stood up. ‘I need to go and check the vines. It’s touch and go about the best time to start the harvest. By the time I’ve done that, it will be time to go and get Chlöe. Why don’t we all have lunch together today?’ I included Henri in my suggestion.
‘Great. We’ll see you at the cottage later.’ Fran gave me a smile but poor old Henri didn’t even seem to hear.
Fran
At lunchtime, little Chlöe was full of excitement, with stories of new friends and new activities from nursery. Didier had booked for her to attend every morning from now on, and I could see what a weight off his mind that was going to be, especially with the harvest coming up. He was already working all hours in preparation for the start of picking.
We had just finished clearing up when I received a call from my mum. I left the others to go on ahead.
‘Salut, Maman, ça va?’
‘Oui, et toi, chérie?’
‘I’ve just had Ellie here for the weekend, and it was so good to see her.’ In fact, the cottage still seemed empty without her and I was missing her terribly. Having Ellie to stay had made me realise what a good friend she was. We had hugged each other fiercely when the time had come to say goodbye.
‘I hope we’ll get to meet her soon,’ my mum replied. ‘I’m calling because I’ve asked Papi to come over this weekend and I’d like us all to have a big family get-together. I’ve heard from Lottie again as well, so I’ve asked her to come too.’
‘You’ve heard from Lottie twice in the last couple of weeks. I take it she’s back for good?’ I realised with a pang of guilt that I still hadn’t texted Lottie since I’d been home.
‘I’m not sure if she’s staying but she is coming to visit this weekend. Please say you’ll come. It would mean a lot to me and your dad for us all to be together again.’
‘That sounds like a lovely idea, Maman, but I can’t decide on the phone right now. I’ll need to check and call you back, okay?’
‘Okay, but please don’t leave it too long.’
I rang off quickly and decided to send a text to Lottie straight away.
‘Salut! Sorry I missed you last time. Good to hear you’re back. Will you be going home this weekend for sure? Would be great to see you after all this time xx’ I pressed send and then looked up as I heard the front door squeak open.
‘Is everything okay? I was worried when you didn’t follow us.’ Didier stood there looking at me with concern. I told him about the call from my mum.
‘Well, of course it’s not a problem from this end if you want to go.’
‘I haven’t seen Papi or my sister for a long time so it would be good to go. I’ve just sent Lottie a text. I’m quite worried about her actually.’
‘Why’s that?’
‘Just before I went home last time, my mum told me Lottie was back. She’s been away travelling for the best part of a year, but we hadn’t heard anything much from her while she was away. We’ve always been close so I was really excited to see her again. But before I’d even arrived, she’d left. It was almost as if she didn’t want to see me.’
Didier put his arms round me. I rested my head on his shoulder and didn’t say any more.
‘I’m sure that isn’t true but if you do go this weekend, you’ll be able to find out how she really is, won’t you?’
‘As long as she turns up.’
Despite being busy all afternoon trying to plan a brief for the builders, I struggled to stay focused on anything. My mind kept coming back to my mum’s call and what was going on with Lo
ttie. By the time I was ready to go back to the cottage, I still hadn’t received any reply from my sister. I berated myself for not having contacted her sooner.
Henri’s mood had not improved all day, and Didier had had to leave early to look after Chlöe, so my walk to the cottage was a troubled one. I decided to call Ellie to see how her day had gone and to get her take on my situation.
‘Hey, how are you?’ I asked brightly as soon as she answered.
‘Miserable without you and Henri.’
‘Well, if it’s any consolation, he was desolate without you today as well. And I still miss you too.’
‘That does make me feel a bit better.’ I could hear the smile in her voice at the other end of the phone.
‘Promise me you’ll come back soon.’
‘You know I will. That was the first time in ages I’d met someone I really fancied and could actually get on with.’
‘Oh, I see. You don’t care about seeing me, just Henri.’ We both laughed.
‘How about you? You sound a bit fed up too,’ she said.
‘Oh, it’s just that my mum rang earlier to invite me for a family get-together at the weekend but I’m worried about whether Lottie will actually come.’ I filled her in on more of the background and the fact that I hadn’t seen Lottie for such a long time.
‘Look, I’m sure everything’s fine but I’ll call you tomorrow. Maybe by then you’ll have heard from her.’
Didier
The appointments with the builders kept me so busy that the rest of the week passed in a blur. Fran had scheduled them for the mornings so I could attend without having to worry about Chlöe. I was also occupied with more frequent vineyard inspections. The harvest was drawing closer and we became obsessed with checking sugar levels in the fruit.
By Friday, I could see Fran was distracted by her family troubles.
‘Are you okay?’ I asked for what must have been the third time that morning.
‘I’m sorry. It’s just I decided I would go home this weekend. Now I’m on edge.’
‘How about I take you out for a drink later on this evening to take your mind off things?’ I raised my eyebrows.
‘What about Chlöe?’ she asked, after a long delay. I wasn’t sure what to make of that pause but tried hard not to read too much into it. Perhaps she was just preoccupied.
‘I’ve already asked Henri to look after her for me this evening. He’s desperate for something to take his mind off Ellie.’
‘Okay. Shall we say about seven?’
At seven precisely I knocked on the door of the cottage. I was greeted by a wonderful sight. Fran wouldn’t have had a lot of time to get ready after leaving the office but she had definitely used the time well. She looked gorgeous in a colourful dress and heels. She had left her dark hair to hang loose around her shoulders, rather than tying it back as she usually did. I took a step closer to her and kissed her softly on both cheeks.
‘You look amazing,’ I said, unable to take my eyes off her. She didn’t say anything but I heard her soft gasp as she took in my appearance too. I’d wanted to tidy myself up for a date with her but I’d tried not to overdo it. I’d gone for dark jeans and a black, v-necked sweater, teamed with a leather jacket.
‘Hey, are you in there?’ I said finally, with a chuckle.
She blushed. ‘You’re so beautiful,’ I told her. ‘You’ll need a coat, though. It’s got chilly since earlier.’
She grabbed her coat, slipped it on and pulled the door shut behind her, and we moved swiftly to get in the car. I closed her door for her and soon we were off.
‘I decided on a little village about fifteen minutes away, if that’s okay. It has a cosy bar, with a nice log fire. I think you’ll like it.’
We sat in silence for the first few minutes, adjusting to each other’s company. For my part, I was trying to decide how to get the conversation going.
‘Have you heard from Ellie this week? I haven’t had a chance to ask you, it’s been so busy.’
‘Yes, she’s okay, although she’s already missing Henri in a big way.’
‘Well, they’ve obviously fallen for each other. He has been miserable all week, hasn’t he?’ We both laughed.
‘I’m pleased for them both, though,’ Fran said. ‘They’re a good match and Ellie has had some awful boyfriends.’
‘Has she? I’m surprised by that. Ellie seems a good judge of character.’
‘Well, it happens to us all, doesn’t it?’
‘Yes, unfortunately it does.’
We continued chatting for the rest of the short journey. When we arrived, I jumped out to open her door for her again, offering my hand to help her out.
A few minutes later we were sitting at a quiet table near the fire. I watched Fran take a sip of her wine. She was biting her lip, as if trying to calm her nerves. Her action drew my attention to her full lips and I was oblivious to everything else for a second. When I reluctantly tore my eyes away to look at her face, I found her staring at me, her hazel eyes glittering in the firelight.
‘What is it?’ she asked me in the end.
‘I suppose it feels a bit funny to be going out on a date with you when we were together for such a long time.’
‘Yes, I know what you mean. We’ve both changed in the meantime, though.’
‘I know, but fundamentally we are still the same people, you and I.’
‘Being in a relationship does change you, though. You were married - and I was about to be - so we were both committed to other partners. Now, we’re both forever changed by what those relationships did to us.’
I took her hand and brought it to my lips. She shivered, and I wondered if she was even aware of doing so. My feelings for her were still every bit as strong as they’d been all those years ago. I just hoped she was feeling the same way.
‘Would you like to eat here?’ I asked. I was eager to spend more time with her and hoped she felt the same.
‘I didn’t know if we would eat dinner or just have time for a drink before you have to get back for Chlöe. But I’d love to, if you’re sure.’
‘Henri is in charge,’ I replied with a smile. ‘I think it will do him good to have someone else to think about apart from Ellie for a bit.’
I signalled to the waiter and asked for the menus. Once we’d ordered, we both relaxed back into our chairs.
‘So, have you heard from Lottie since you texted her the other day?’ I asked.
She shook her head. ‘No, and I haven’t had a chance to call my mum to ask if she’s heard from her, either.’
‘How old is Lottie?’ I asked.
‘She’s twenty-five. She’s been travelling around Europe for the past couple of years. I haven’t seen her since I went to London and we’ve only been in touch occasionally. It must be coming up for a year now since we last spoke to each other.’ She rubbed her temple. ‘I know she would have got in touch with me if she’d been in trouble but we’ve never gone this long without talking.’
The waiter returned with our meals and for a while we focused on enjoying our food rather than talking.
‘So, apart from your worries about Lottie, are you looking forward to going home this weekend?’ I asked.
‘I am. It will be wonderful to see my grand-dad. We’re very close too. If Lottie is there, it really will be great to see everyone again.’
I gave her a warm smile and I was glad that she’d felt able to tell me about it.
Fran
I was deep in thought on the journey back to the Domaine, wondering about my family and how the weekend would go. I didn’t feel half as confident about it as I’d said I was to Didier. My worry about Lottie continued to nag at me.
Soon, we were standing outside the cottage. He took me in his arms and kissed me, gently at first but when I responded, he kissed me more firmly and I felt my knees weaken. I ran my fingers through his hair as we kissed, enjoying the feel of his thick curls. His hands moved to the small of my back and he pressed gent
ly. I couldn’t help but arch my body towards his. He pulled me in closer but I had to break the kiss for fear of running out of breath. We were both breathing heavily.
‘God, you’re doing something completely unexpected to me,’ he panted, stepping back.
‘What do you mean, unexpected?’
‘It’s just that I’ve had my guard up for so long and now, you’re beating it down with no trouble at all. You’re making me nervous and excited all at once.’ He chuckled and it was a lovely sound.
‘Would you like to come in?’ I asked hesitantly.
‘I thought you’d never ask.’
I didn’t know what to make of his reply but I was hoping that we were thinking along the same lines. I opened the door and went to check on Ruby. She needed a walk but as I’d taken her for a long one earlier that day, I was happy to just let her out in the garden. I stood at the back door, folding my arms against the cold. Didier came up behind me and put his arms round my waist. His body was so warm and inviting, I relaxed back against him without a moment’s thought . When he gently moved my hair to kiss my neck, I let out a moan of pleasure.
He paused, and I took the chance to call Ruby back in and lock the door. I turned to face him and he took my hand to lead me out of the kitchen along the hall. We stopped at the foot of the staircase to kiss again. I lifted my hands to his shoulders, pulling him closer. He kissed the sensitive spot behind my ear and continued his way down my neck. My breath caught in my throat and my pulse quickened. Once we reached my bedroom, Didier pulled gently on the tie at my hip. My dress came undone, and he pushed it off my shoulder and kissed my skin, sending shivers down my spine. My nipples puckered in response and I sighed as he stroked the side of my breast. He slipped my dress off my other shoulder and caressed my arms, then began to leave a trail of kisses across my breasts. I was desperate to feel his skin against mine. I started to unbutton his shirt and at the sight of his well-defined chest with the smattering of dark hair, I sucked in my breath with pleasure. He led me gently to the bed and before long, our bodies were entwined. From that point on, we abandoned ourselves to each other, holding nothing back until we both reached the edge of our release. The intensity of the moment enveloped me.