Rosie's Little Café on the Riviera

by Jennifer Bohnet

  Rather than stay out on the balcony with the two women, Rosie returned to the anteroom to finish her wine and food. The party bags were still lying there waiting to be filled.

  Curiously Rosie looked to see what they were going to contain. There were the usual sweets and colouring books, packets of girly designer pink tights, packages of luxury bath gels and soap and a pile of boxes containing child-size gold bracelets with a heart fastening. Zoe must have spent a fortune on this lot, Rosie thought. Especially on the bracelets in their velvet boxes from the jeweller by the Casino.

  Still, it was all probably par for the course in Monaco. Briefly Rosie toyed with the idea of starting to fill the party bags but quickly dismissed the thought. She wouldn’t do Zoe’s bidding on principle.

  Out in the sitting room Seb was engrossed in organising the children in a game of noisy musical bumps. How long did he plan on staying? He certainly seemed to be enjoying himself. She smiled as he hugged Isabella to him as the game came to an end and whispered in her ear.

  Perhaps she’d go and join in the fun. Anything was better than loitering in the anteroom and feeling uncomfortable. Seb saw her as soon as she stepped back out into the main room and swiftly involved her in the ‘What’s the Time, Mr Wolf?’ game he was organising.

  Fifteen minutes later loud shrieks heralded the arrival of the professional entertainer Zoe had hired to finish the party. As the children clustered around him, Seb made his way over to Rosie.’

  ‘I’m ready to go,’ he said. ‘I’ve said goodbye to Isabella.’

  ‘How about Zoe?’

  ‘We’ll do that together,’ Seb said, taking hold of her hand. ‘Come on.’

  ‘But I told Isabella you’d stay and put her to bed like a normal daddy,’ Zoe protested when Seb said they were leaving.

  ‘Isabella knows I’ve got to get back to the hotel,’ Seb said.

  Zoe glanced in Rosie’s direction. ‘And she hasn’t filled the party bags.’

  ‘Do them yourself,’ Seb snapped, and holding Rosie tightly by the hand he made for the lift.

  Standing next to Seb as the lift whooshed them down to the ground floor, Rosie glanced at him. ‘You owe me. You promised me I’d have fun. You lied. Tell me something – how did you get involved with a bitch like Zoe in the first place?’

  ‘You didn’t take to her then?’ Seb asked, a tight smile on his lips.

  Rosie shook her head. ‘Not one little bit. I liked Isabella, though.’

  ‘I hoped you would.’

  ‘Why didn’t you tell me Isabella was your daughter?’

  Seb shrugged. ‘Didn’t want you pre-judging me before we came.’

  Rosie was about to say something when the lift stopped and the doors opened.

  ‘Come on, let’s get the car and go back to our own places,’ Seb said.

  ‘I can see why you and Zoe didn’t stay together,’ Rosie said. ‘But Isabella deserves to have you in her life more than the occasional Sunday. I’m sure you do your best to see her but so many men think their presence isn’t necessary in their children’s lives – until it’s too late.’ She sighed.

  ‘Well, at least you give me some credit and didn’t tar me with the Tiki Gilvear brush,’ Seb said and winced. ‘Merde!’

  The silence in the car was long and loud as Seb took the road up out of Monaco towards the autoroute. Rosie, too furious to speak, realising Seb knew all about her rift with Tiki, sat there trying to control her temper.

  As Seb drove up to and through the toll booth onto the A8 she finally said, ‘You’ve been talking to him?’

  ‘Insisted I had dinner with him and Saskia the other evening.’

  ‘Is Saskia the young blonde bimbo I’ve seen him with?’

  Seb nodded. ‘Yes. He wanted to sound me out – see if we were friends, see if I could persuade you to at least meet with him.’

  ‘No chance.’

  ‘He also wanted Olivia’s current address.’

  ‘I hope to hell you didn’t give it to him,’ Rosie said. ‘You’re in trouble if you did. Mum’s threatened to kill him more than once in the past. She’d probably kill you, too, for telling him.’

  Seb shook his head. ‘No, I didn’t. But he knows about her and Zander so it’s only a matter of time before he finds it.’ He hesitated. ‘He seems to genuinely want to make amends. I quite like the guy.’

  ‘Shows how much you know about him. But then you single fathers would stick together.’

  Rosie registered a sharp intake of breath from Seb, before she found herself thrown back against her seat as Seb stamped his foot hard down on the accelerator and the car surged forward into the fast lane.

  Turning her head to protest at the sudden speed, the look on Seb’s face stopped her from saying a word.

  She didn’t say anything either as they sped past their slip-road exit. Part of her wished she was at the wheel, in control and able to vent her own feelings by stamping on the accelerator.

  They were halfway to St Tropez before Seb finally slowed down.

  ‘You’re lucky there aren’t any gendarmes around this evening,’ Rosie said. ‘Now, will you please take me home?’

  ‘Sure,’ Seb said. ‘Rosie, I know you don’t want to talk to me about Tiki Gilvear but I am truly nothing like him. I think it would help you to talk about it.’

  ‘No, thanks,’ Rosie said. ‘It’s private and none of your business.’ Just when she’d begun to realise how much she liked Seb and even to fantasise secretly about the possibility of them having a summer romance, this had to happen. She ignored Seb’s sigh of frustration. It wasn’t her fault. It was Terry who’d involved him in their family feud, not her.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  Rosie rang Olivia as soon as she got back to the apartment. She had to warn her that the holiday Terry was planning was for an indefinite period of time and that he was possibly planning to contact her.

  ‘If he turns up at the apartment you might have a hard job not seeing him.’

  ‘Zander will get rid of him for me,’ Olivia said. ‘I’m more worried about you. Especially as he’s staying at Seb’s.’

  ‘I can’t believe after all this time – it’s nearly twenty-five years, for God’s sake, since I’ve seen him – he wants to speak to me. Can’t help wondering why.’

  ‘Somehow I doubt his guilty conscience has kicked in,’ Olivia said. ‘There was usually an ulterior motive behind everything he did.’

  ‘D’you think now he’s made his fortune in the States he wants to give us some?’ Rosie said, quickly throttling the treacherous thought of how useful some extra cash would be. ‘Make up for all the years he ignored us?’

  ‘I wouldn’t hold your breath,’ Olivia said. ‘Terry always kept a tight hold on his wallet.’

  God, what a Sunday this was turning out to be. Olivia’s remark about Terry and his wallet had reminded her how it wasn’t just his wallet Terry had always kept a tight hold on – he was also capable of keeping his emotions on a tight rein. The last time she’d contacted him she’d learnt that the hard way.

  Worried and desperate enough to ring and ask for his help she’d sneaked a look at Olivia’s address book and written down the latest telephone number for him she could find. Somewhere in California.

  Even now, all this time later, the way he’d failed her still hurt. She still remembered the conversation. How one-sided it had been. How he’d listened to her tear-laden ramblings before sighing and saying, ‘I’m truly sorry to hear what you’ve told me but I’m too far away to help. Besides, right now, I’ve got enough problems of my own. I’m sorry – you and Olivia will have to cope on your own.’

  She’d never told Olivia about that phone call and she’d never contacted him since. As far as she was concerned her father had died at the end of that conversation. The letters that had arrived in the following months had gone straight in the bin, unopened. The message must have finally got through in the end be
cause it was years now since she’d received either Christmas or birthday cards from him.

  As for Seb, Rosie knew she owed him an apology for being so snarky with him after Monaco. But he should have warned her about Zoe and Isabella. It wasn’t fair the way he’d thrown her in at the deep end with Zoe.

  Talk about the ex from hell. Rosie didn’t think Zoe had believed for one nanosecond that she really was Seb’s new girlfriend. Rosie took a long drink. It was a good job she wasn’t really. Imagine having to live with Zoe refusing to relinquish her hold over Seb and using Isabella as a bargaining tool. Life would be hellish.

  Still, she couldn’t help feeling a bit sorry for Seb, although it was his own fault for becoming involved with the scary bitch in the first place.

  ***

  ‘So, how many houses are we looking at this morning?’ Erica asked as she got into GeeGee’s car. ‘Remember I’ve only got two hours before I have to be back at the shop.’ She couldn’t leave the part-time assistant on her own for longer.

  ‘Two definitely, maybe a third, but we can leave that one for another day if we’re pushed for time,’ GeeGee said, easing the car into the traffic on the bord de mer, concentrating on getting into the right lane for the lights. ‘Must admit I wasn’t expecting this amount of traffic this morning.’

  ‘Perhaps we should have walked,’ Erica said.

  GeeGee shook her head. ‘Nope. I’ve got an airport run to do for Bruno straight after.’

  ‘During the day? I thought you were the fill-in driver for evenings on weekdays?’

  ‘I am but today is manic with people leaving at the same time so I said I’d do a twelve o’clock departure run for him.’

  ‘I know you want the money but don’t overdo things, will you? Three nights this week it’s been gone one o’clock before you’ve got home.’

  GeeGee shrugged. ‘It won’t last for ever and right now I need the money.’

  Five minutes later GeeGee turned off the main road into an impasse and pulled up in front of some dark-green gates. The pressing of the intercom button set off a bout of frenzied barking in the villa. Erica looked at GeeGee, eyebrows raised. ‘Is it safe?’

  ‘The dogs are fine but beware of their owner, Delilah – she’s got a bite all of her own.’

  Before Erica could comment the gates swung open and a woman appeared, struggling as she tried to hold back three large dogs.

  ‘Dogs are harmless. Shut the gate and I’ll release them. Once they’ve had a sniff they’ll wander off and leave us in peace.’

  Erica bent down to stroke a black bundle of fur as it inspected her feet and legs. ‘You smell nice,’ she said.

  ‘Cerise insists on rubbing herself against and sleeping on the rosemary bush at every opportunity,’ Delilah said, looking at Erica. ‘Are you genuinely looking to buy? If you’re not you can leave now before you waste any more of my time.’

  ‘I’m looking to buy,’ Erica said. ‘Whether your house is what I’m looking for remains to be seen. Could be you’re wasting my time.’ She glanced across at GeeGee, the question ‘Is this woman for real?’ implicit in her look.

  ‘Perhaps we could go inside now the dogs have finished their sniffing?’

  Delilah turned without a word and led the way indoors. Inside there was furniture everywhere, making it difficult to move around or see things properly. Antique stuff alongside modern stuff and Billy bookcases. A curious mixture. Erica kept her face neutral and stayed silent as she manoeuvred her way through the sitting room, the tiny kitchen, three overcrowded bedrooms and finally out through the French doors onto the terrace by the pool.

  The garden was a surprise. A beautiful oasis of lavender, lantana bushes, lemon trees, oleander and several rose bushes. It smelled heavenly. Two large pottery elephants stood at the the head of the pool steps. Delilah clearly took more pride in her garden than her house.

  Erica turned her back on the pool and looked at the villa. Was this the house for her and Cammie? Cleared of all the furniture, the rooms, apart from the kitchen, would be a good size. In her mind’s eye she could see her own furniture in situ and the place gleaming.

  Questions were beginning to form in her mind. Questions that she would ask GeeGee once they’d left. She was blowed if she was going to show any interest in the place to Delilah.

  Erica glanced at her watch. ‘Thank you. We’ve another house to view this morning so we’ll get out of your way.’ She left GeeGee to say goodbye and made her way back out to the front garden before Delilah could react.

  As the electric gates clanged close behind them, Erica said, ‘Well, that was interesting. Have to say she brought the worse out in me. D’you get many clients like her?’

  GeeGee shook her head. ‘No, thank goodness. Did you like the villa, anyway?’

  Erica sighed. ‘Yes and no. I’m not sure it’s big enough for me – the kitchen definitely isn’t. D’you know why she’s selling?’

  ‘Downsizing to an apartment apparently.’

  ‘She’ll have to get rid of some of that furniture. You could barely move in there.’

  ‘Let’s go see the next house,’ GeeGee said. ‘Maybe you’ll like that one better.’

  The owner at the next house was charm itself, offering them coffee and cake when they arrived and answering all Erica’s questions with a smile. It was a lovely villa but, as Erica said to GeeGee when they left, ‘Having the dual carriageway at the end of the garden makes it a no-no for me. I’m sorry.’

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  GeeGee took Erica back to The Cupboard Under The Stairs, before driving down into the Old Town and picking up the couple for the airport.

  After dropping them at the ‘kiss and fly’ space outside the departure hall, GeeGee began to make her way out of the airport. She was still on the outer limits when her phone rang. She pulled over. Bruno.

  ‘Are you by any chance still at the airport?’ he asked.

  ‘Just about to exit Terminal 2,’ GeeGee said. ‘Why?’

  ‘Could you please get to Terminal 1 for the London arrival due in ten minutes? Something’s come up here and I can’t make it.’

  ‘Sure. Name? And where do I take them?’

  Bruno’s sigh of relief was audible down the phone. ‘Bring them to the Auberge and I’ll meet you there. I’ll pick up the tab on this one, GeeGee, next time I see you.’

  ‘OK,’ GeeGee said, surprised. ‘So who…?

  ‘It’s my brother and his wife,’ Bruno said. ‘I think you met them last year so you won’t have a problem recognising them.’

  ‘I’ll see you within the hour,’ GeeGee said.

  By the time she’d parked and made her way to the arrivals hall the flight had landed and passengers were beginning to drift into the baggage collection area. Standing looking through the large glass doors, GeeGee spotted Adam, Bruno’s brother, with his wife, Lucy, coming through chatting animatedly to a man that looked remarkably like… Jay!

  She moved back away from the glass doors trying to compose her thoughts. What the hell was he doing here? Surely Bruno would have told her if he’d known he was coming with Adam? Hopefully it was a coincidence that he was on the same flight as Adam and once he’d reclaimed his baggage he’d disappear to find his own transport.

  Thankfully Adam and Lucy cleared customs quickly and came through the doors on their own. GeeGee went forward to greet them.

  ‘Hi. Bruno has been held up so, as I was out here anyway, he’s asked me to take you back to the Auberge.’ If she could get them out onto the concourse quickly enough and on their way to the car she could avoid an embarrassing situation with Jay.

  ‘Hi, GeeGee. Nice to see you again.’ Lucy hesitated before saying, ‘I hope it’s not going to be a problem but we met up with Jay on the flight and, expecting Bruno to meet us, we’ve offered him a lift into town, knowing Bruno would want us to.’ She smiled uncomfortably at GeeGee.

  GeeGee took a deep breath. Okay, thi
s was her personal nightmare from hell, but short of creating a scene in public, there was nothing else she could do except go along with it.

  ‘Where is he?’

  ‘Coming through customs any minute,’ Adam said. ‘Ah, here he is.’

  GeeGee managed to sidestep the kiss on the cheek Jay leant in to give her and responded to his, ‘Hi. It’s great to see you,’ with a barely audible ‘Hi’. Jay didn’t seem to notice, though.

  ‘The car’s quite close,’ GeeGee said. ‘Follow me.’

  Thankfully Lucy insisted on taking the front passenger seat, leaving the two men to talk in the back. The journey along the bord de mer seemed never-ending to GeeGee. She just wanted Jay out of her car.

  ‘So, how’s things these days?’ Lucy asked her as they approached Cagnes-sur-mer.

  ‘Oh, you know, the same as always,’ GeeGee said, conscious that Jay was probably ear-wigging in the back.

  ‘How long are you down for?’ she asked. The question she couldn’t, and wouldn’t, ask was how long did Jay plan on staying? Was he back for good? Or just a holiday?

  ‘A couple of weeks – or until Bruno and Patsy get fed up with us.’

  Drawing up outside the Auberge, GeeGee breathed a sigh of relief seeing Bruno standing there waiting. As everyone got out and took their cases out of the boot, Bruno came up to her open driver’s window.

  ‘I’m really sorry about…’ he said, jerking his head in the direction of Jay. ‘I’d never have asked if I’d known.’

  ‘It’s not your fault,’ GeeGee said. ‘Have they got everything? I’ll see you, Bruno.’ And she drove off quickly before Jay could say anything to her.

  One of her mum’s favourite sayings had been ‘Life is full of surprises – pleasant or otherwise’. Jay turning up back down here was sure as hell a surprise in the ‘otherwise’ category. But she couldn’t help wondering – why the hell had he come back?

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  Glorious weather meant that the restaurant was busy with lunches every day the following week, leaving Rosie with no time to worry about Seb or Terry Hewitt. She pinned a ‘Staff Wanted’ notice to the shutters and prayed someone suitable would turn up soon.