A Year Like No Other

by Pauline Lawless

  Felicity and Becky were making plans for the catering company they were going to open when they got back to London. It was all incredibly exciting. They spent two weekends in London checking out premises and it was looking very promising.

  Marilyn rang Brandon several times but he declined all her advances and invitations to dinner or drinks. She couldn’t figure out what his problem was and was piqued by his behaviour. She informed him that Taylor was still doing well in rehab and had agreed to stay there until she felt strong enough to face the world again.

  Now that Brandon was so happy, he hoped that Taylor would find happiness too.

  Jazz felt like she was living a dream and was incredibly happy loving him and being loved in return. She didn’t think of the future. She was happy living in the blissful present and was falling more and more in love with Brandon with each passing day.

  Kieran went regularly to visit Yves in prison and finally he agreed to see Max and Brandon. He spent the whole time apologising to them and they felt desperately sorry for him. It looked like he would be freed in August which was good news. Sophie was very hopeful that they could start over again. They all agreed that he was a changed man but Jazz resolutely refused to visit him and Brandon was secretly pleased about that.

  He’d rung Mia with the news that he and Jazz were now a couple.

  “About time, Dad,” was her succinct reply. “When are you getting married? Can I be bridesmaid?”

  “Whoa, whoa there! Who said anything about marriage?” he cried.

  “Why not? You love each other, don’t you? God Dad, you don’t want some other guy coming along and stealing her from under your nose, do you? You’re not getting any younger, you know!”

  Brandon thought about what she’d said. The thought of losing Jazz, now that he’d found her, was unimaginable. Maybe Mia was right. Mike was equally anxious to have Jazz as his new stepmom.

  “Gosh, Dad, I can’t wait to see my friends’ faces when they see how gorgeous she is.”

  Well, no problem there then. His kids certainly approved.

  The following Saturday night he told Jazz to dress up as he was taking her somewhere special. She decided to wear her silver Herve Leger dress and spent the afternoon at the beauty salon, wondering where he was taking her.

  He arrived at her apartment wearing a tuxedo and she thought he’d never looked more handsome.

  “I suggest you wear a warm coat as it may be a little chilly,” he said.

  Mystified, she did as he asked and felt like a princess as she stepped into the limousine he’d ordered. She looked surprised as they pulled up at the Eiffel Tower. She hoped he didn’t expect her to climb the steps in her four-inch Brian Atwood heels. Luckily he didn’t! They took the private elevator up to the second level where they entered Le Jules Verne, the famous Michelin-starred restaurant.

  Jazz had read about this restaurant and was immensely impressed with the décor and not least the fact that Brandon had managed to get a reservation there. The maître d’ showed them to their table which was situated in a bay window with the whole of Paris spread out below them. Jazz was blown away by the view. The lights of the city twinkled like a million jewels. It was breathtaking.

  “I read that you have to reserve here weeks, if not months, in advance. And we have the best table in the house,” she remarked. “How did you manage it?”

  “To be honest, I asked Monsieur Fournier to make the reservation for me,” he told her sheepishly.

  “The Finance Minister? You clever boy,” she grinned at him.

  “Anything for my lady.” He gave a little bow.

  The food was out of this world and everything was served under a silver dome which the waiters whisked away with flair, revealing a work of art on the plate. The flavour of the food was like nothing Jazz had ever tasted and the accompanying wines were simply divine.

  To finish, they’d ordered a trio of chocolate desserts and they came under the usual silver dome. The waiter whisked hers away with a flourish and there sitting in the centre of her plate, surrounded by the chocolate was a tiny velvet box in which sat the biggest diamond ring she’d ever seen. She looked up at Brandon, bewildered, to see him smiling.

  “Will you marry me, Jazz?” he asked softly.

  She was dumbstruck. She was so in love with him and now he wanted to marry her.

  She looked back at the ring again and tears welled up in her eyes.

  “I love you so much, Jazz. Please say yes,” he said, taking the ring from its box.

  “Oh, yes, yes,” she cried the tears spilling down her cheeks.

  He slipped the ring onto her finger. It was exquisite and fitted her perfectly. He leaned across the table and kissed her.

  “I love you too and I promise I’ll make you happy.”

  She was glowing and the waiters and the other diners nearby smiled at the lovers as they realised what was happening.

  He took out a pristine white handkerchief and wiped her tears away.

  “You’ll have to stop crying every time I give you a present or you’ll be shedding many, many tears in the future,” he said, smiling at her.

  “I’ll try, honestly I will,” she smiled back at him.

  He thought she had never looked more beautiful.

  She kept turning her hand this way and that, admiring the beautiful ring. She thought she must be the happiest woman in Paris tonight.

  As they left the restaurant, the staff congratulated them and gave Jazz a little bag of their famous Madeleine biscuits.

  “So you will remember your evening here,” the maître d’ said.

  “Believe me, I’ll never forget it. Thank you.” She gave him a smile as dazzling as the new ring on her finger.

  Brandon led her to the banks of the Seine where they boarded a boat for a cruise back down the river. They toasted each other with champagne, she warm and cosy, wrapped in Brandon’s arms and his love.

  When they got home they decided to ring Mia and Mike to give them the good news. Jazz could hear Mia squealing with delight.

  “Can I be bridesmaid?” she cried.

  “Of course, I wouldn’t have anyone else,” she said, laughing at her future step-daughter’s excitement.

  Mike was equally delighted. “When are you getting married?” he asked.

  “As soon as possible,” Brandon replied, surprising Jazz.

  “Why not?” he said, after he’d come off the phone. “I’d like to get married here in France, wouldn’t you?”

  “That would be nice but it doesn’t give us much time,” she replied.

  “We’ll manage. I want you as my wife, as soon as possible.” He pulled her to him, marvelling again at how lucky he was to have this fabulous woman in love with him.

  The following morning, she had to look at her ring again to make sure she hadn’t been dreaming. It was real. The first thing she did was to phone her mother in Munich.

  “Mami, I have some good news,” she said, happy to be giving her mother the news she’d been hoping for so long.

  She was overjoyed that her daughter would have someone to look after her as she grew old and from what Jasmin was saying her future son-in-law was pretty special. And maybe now she would finally have the grandchild she’d always longed for.

  “She’s crying,” Jazz whispered to Brandon as she let her mother pull herself together.

  “What a family!” he teased. “I know who you take after now. I suppose if I’m joining this family, I’d better get used to all these tears.”

  Jazz promised to take Brandon down to Munich the following weekend. They decided to get married in September as they would all be finished the project and would be taking holidays before returning to their home countries. They both wanted a small intimate wedding with just close family and friends present. Jazz was on cloud nine.

  They spent the next hour phoning all their friends to give them the good news.

  Ashling was thrilled for them and promised to help Jazz with the pre
parations for the wedding. She insisted that they come around for celebratory champagne that evening. When Jazz and Brandon got there they found that Ashling had gathered the troops and there were banners and balloons plastering the walls. Felicity, Max and Alex were there along with Sophie, Pierre, Corey and of course Fiona and Hugh. They all descended on the pair, hugging and clapping them on the back as they congratulated them.

  Orna, Ciara and Pierre were dancing around and clapping their hands. Jazz was close to tears – tears of happiness – at the love that surrounded her. Brandon saw this and clasped her hand as she accepted their good wishes. All the girls oohed and aahed over her ring and insisted on trying it on, making a wish while turning it round three times. Even Orna and Ciara got in on the act.

  Ashling had somehow managed to turn it into a great impromptu party with nibbles and canapés and some fabulous cakes that Felicity had contributed.

  Jazz was very touched. She knew she was very lucky to have such great friends and to think that nine months ago she’d never even met any of them!

  53

  Brandon went to visit Yves the following Wednesday and Yves congratulated him on his engagement to Jazz. He was much more upbeat now as he’d been told that he would definitely be freed in August.

  “What will you do when you get out?” Brandon asked him.

  “I haven’t decided yet. My priority will be to try to make it up to Sophie and Pierre for what I’ve done.”

  “Everyone deserves a second chance,” Brandon told him. “I think you’ve paid for your mistakes.”

  “Thanks for that, Brandon, and I really hope that you and Jazz will be very happy. She’s a wonderful woman.”

  “I know that. I’m a lucky man.” Brandon did not let on that he knew of her relationship with Yves. What was the point? It was over now, that’s all that mattered.

  Brandon couldn’t stop thinking about Yves since his visit to the prison. It looked like he really had changed, as Sophie had said. Things would be very difficult for them when he got out because he would now be unemployed. There was no way the bank would take him back. Brandon had an idea.

  At his Friday meeting with Monsieur Fournier, the Finance Minister, he presented him with a bottle of wine in thanks for making the reservation at the Eiffel Tower.

  “We had a wonderful night, thank you,” he said. “It was very special. I actually asked Jazz to marry me there.” He couldn’t stop smiling.

  “I take it she said yes?”

  “Oh yes, she did.”

  “Well, my heartiest congratulations. She’s a lovely young woman.”

  “Yes, I feel very lucky,” Brandon told him.

  He then broached the subject of Yves. As he’d suspected, the Minister was sympathetic to Yves’s predicament.

  “So hard on the family and Sophie is such a sweet girl.”

  “I was wondering if there was any way you could find a position for him here or anywhere,” Brandon asked. “Not in charge of money, of course,” he added hastily.

  “Mmm, leave it with me. I would like to help him. I’ll see what I can do.”

  Brandon was relieved. He knew that Monsieur Fournier was a fair and generous man and was pleased that he’d brought it to his attention.

  Jazz and Brandon flew to Munich the following weekend to meet Jazz’s family and friends. He couldn’t get used to everyone calling her Jasmin. He thought that the name Jazz actually suited her better. Mami, as she insisted he call her, received him with open arms. Here was the son she’d never had. She was much younger than he’d expected and quite a beauty. It was obvious from whom Jazz had inherited her looks.

  Her mother threw a big engagement party for them and he got to meet all of the neighbours and cousins and Jazz’s school and university friends. All of her friends agreed that Brandon was very cute. They all met up again in the enormous English Beer Garden on Sunday afternoon and he looked on in amazement at the way they lowered the huge litre pots of beer without batting an eyelid. They had great fun and he loved their jolly banter. They were different to any other Germans that he’d met before. As they left that night to catch their flight back to Paris, he was exhausted but happy that the visit had been such a success.

  With a sigh of relief Ashling finally typed the last word of her edited manuscript. It had been a tough job but she was happy with the end result. She had learnt so much while editing and realised now just how naïve she’d been when she’d blithely decided to write a novel. Now it was done and dusted and she felt much more confident about starting her second one. She’d finished her children’s book and had sent it off to the publisher also. Her morning sickness had disappeared and she was blooming. She knew that she had to watch her weight with this baby. Hugh was almost like a personal trainer making sure that she didn’t strain herself in the gym. He needn’t have worried. She would never take any risks and was only doing gentle exercises.

  She was really looking forward to this baby and staying home to care for him – for some reason she felt it was a boy – and she could continue her writing as well. It was all working out beautifully.

  Felicity finished her cordon bleu course in June and was ecstatic to gain the top place of all the students. Her prize was a course in Advanced Studies in Taste at the University of Rheims in Champagne. It was a two-week course of workshops and tasting, with one week spent in Rheims and the other week in the Cordon Bleu School itself. She was overwhelmed to have won it and planned to do it in July. Pippa had come from England to join the family at Felicity’s graduation and Max and the girls were extremely proud of their mother. When she stood on the stage and thanked everyone involved, in French, Alex and Pippa thought that Max would burst with pride.

  Felicity and Becky left for London on Monday, to finalise plans for their business and they were all shocked when Felicity said that she would drive so that she could drop Pippa off at school for her last week before the summer holidays.

  They finally found premises that had a perfect location and a very reasonable rent and signed up for it on the spot. They planned to be up and running by October and now had to start choosing what food they would prepare and sell. Max was going to help with the financial side of things and keep the books, which was great. Becky’s husband would take care of the marketing. It was all working out very satisfactorily.

  When she rang her mother to arrange to visit, there was no prevaricating from Georgina.

  “Of course, darling. Come down any day you wish. I’ll make sure I’m free.”

  Her father, hearing his wife saying this, couldn’t resist a little smile and Felicity also felt a sense of satisfaction that her mother now respected her. When she visited and told her parents of her success and the new business she was starting, Georgina could hardly believe it.

  She said to Nigel, when Felicity had left, “I honestly never thought she had it in her.”

  He smiled smugly. “Oh, I always knew she had.”

  Jazz and Brandon kept to their plan of tying the knot as early as possible in September, before everyone returned to their countries. Monsieur Fournier had called in to their office to congratulate Jazz, bearing a big bouquet of flowers. On hearing that they were planning to get married in Paris, he suggested that she call his daughter, Élise, who had got married recently and could advise her where to go. Jazz rang Élise and she recommended Sabine, the wedding planner that she had used.

  “She was fantastic. Everything was just perfect. I had a fairytale wedding.” She sighed with happiness, thinking about it.

  Jazz contacted Sabine and they arranged to meet. Sabine’s resumé was impressive and they could see she was very professional. She showed them photos of Monsieur Fournier’s daughter’s wedding.

  “That’s a beautiful château,” Jazz exclaimed admiring the gardens and the setting.

  “Where is it?” Brandon asked.

  “It’s only an hour from Paris. It’s magnificent and very exclusive but horrendously expensive, I’m afraid.”

&nb
sp; “I want no expense spared – I want to give Jazz the most wonderful wedding that she could ever have imagined.” Brandon said, taking his fiancée’s hand and bringing it to his lips. She blushed with pleasure as Sabine smiled happily at them. She loved it when her clients were as much in love as these two appeared to be.

  “I’ll check out the château immediately,” she said. “Have you any thoughts on a dress, Jazz?”

  “Not really. I haven’t thought about it. I have seen some beautiful Monique Lhuillier wedding dresses in magazines though.”

  “Perfect, she’s exactly who I would have recommended. You can see her bridal collection on Rue d’Échelle. I’ll call and make an appointment for you, if you wish.”

  This wedding was going to be just perfect, Sabine could feel it.

  She rang Jazz that evening to say that the château was, unbelievably, available for the weekend of the 2nd September. They agreed to book it provisionally and arranged to go and see it the following Sunday.

  Jazz took Ashling with her the following Saturday morning to check out the Monique Lhuillier collection and they were both mesmerised by the beautiful bridal dresses on show. The saleslady was very helpful and showed them all the various styles available. Jazz knew exactly what she wanted and, the moment she saw it, she knew she’d found the dress of her dreams. It was exquisite and Ashling caught her breath when she saw how sensational Jazz looked in it. She was like a beautiful princess and when the salesgirl added the tiara and long veil, Ashling felt tears come to her eyes. Jazz stood looking in the mirror hardly able to believe that she could look so beautiful. She bought the dress on the spot.

  While there, they had a look at bridesmaid’s dresses for Mia and Jazz was ecstatic when she spotted a pale-green, silk, strapless bridesmaid dress she thought would be perfect for Mia. The saleslady told her that Mia could visit the Monique Lhuillier Salon in Los Angeles and try it on. She offered to email the details of the dress to them. Jazz fervently hoped that Mia would like it.