‘But he was cuuute,’ Leanne hissed as the head waiter came back with the menu. ‘I want to make the best of this holiday, and that includes cute men.’
‘Behave yourself,’ Maddy said sternly. ‘You can’t hit on every man you see. What do you want to eat?’
Leanne glanced at the menu. ‘It’s all in French. You order.’
Maddy quickly ordered shrimp cocktail followed by pork medallions for them both.
They sat in silence for a while, looking out at the garden. The first course arrived, a tiny pile of shrimps artistically arranged on a bed of baby spinach and sliced avocado.
‘Have you noticed how small the helpings are in posh restaurants?’ Leanne said as she wiped the plate with a slice of bread. ‘I could murder a plate of chips right now.’
‘Rich people have smaller stomachs,’ Maddy said, glancing at Leanne’s plate.
Leanne stuffed the bread into her mouth. ‘Yeah, I know. And I shouldn’t be mopping the plate, should I? But the dressing is so good and the bread is yummy. Sorry.’ She sat up straighter and crossed her hands in her lap. ‘I thought we’d have fun. I thought this would be a laugh. But here we are, miserable, and you sitting there, looking like a prune. If this is being rich, I don’t want it.’
The pork medallions arrived, saving Maddy from having to reply. Leanne sighed and picked up her fork, attacking the slices of meat and the tiny roast potatoes with gusto. They ate in silence for a while, sipping wine and nibbling at the bread while the waiters hovered around them, filling their glasses and bringing fresh bread rolls. Maddy ordered blackcurrant sorbet for dessert, and Leanne asked for a double helping of chocolate mousse.
‘How about a swim in the spa place?’ Maddy asked. ‘If the pool is open this late. It’d stretch our muscles and help us sleep.’
‘Yeah, sure, if your ladyship can stand the company of a scrubber like me,’ Leanne muttered.
‘You? A scrubber? Don’t be melodramatic.’ Maddy laughed. ‘Ah, come on, Leanne. Snap out of it. Let’s enjoy this place and all it has to offer.’
‘I didn’t bring a swimsuit.’ Leanne winked. ‘But maybe I can swim in the Victoria’s Secret stuff?’
‘They’ll have suits for guests at the spa.’
Leanne rolled her eyes. ‘Gee, of course they do.’
Maddy got up. ‘Come on, then.’
Leanne knocked back the last of her wine and got to her feet. ‘Lead on. Show me the good time, boss.’
Chapter Six
The next morning, Maddy woke with a start as a roll of thunder shook the room. The curtains billowed at the open window, and she ran to close them as torrential rain struck the panes. She peered out at the grey wet garden, where the trees were being bent over by strong winds. What time was it? She checked her phone. Six-thirty.
She yawned and got back into bed, resting her head against the soft pillows and pulling the silk duvet over her. Leanne wouldn’t be awake yet unless the thunder had woken her up. She had laid into rather a large brandy in the spa bar after their swim, unlike Maddy who had opted for a cup of camomile tea. They exchanged sleepy chatter, planning the following day’s drive before going back to the suite and their respective bedrooms. And they were supposed to drive to Oxford for lunch and sightseeing. Weather permitting. But the weather didn’t seem to want to cooperate, as the rain turned from violent bursts to a steady downpour, and the thunder rolled away in the distance.
Maddy stretched her back and luxuriated in the comfortable bed, the soft pillows stacked under her head and the feel of the silky sheets. It reminded her of a similar bed a long time ago, but then she hadn’t been alone in a hotel. She had been in a bedroom in a château south of Paris. With a man who wasn’t her husband. She smiled at the memory. How young she had been: only twenty-one and passionately in love, the way one can only be at that age. Later, love was deeper, steadier, more lasting. At that time, she hadn’t thought much about the future or if they would stay together. It was all about here and now and him. Ludovic. Ludo, she thought, where are you now? What happened to us? Why did we… She screwed her eyes shut and tried to think of something else, but the images were too vivid, like a technicolour movie playing on the wall opposite her bed.
It had all started so innocently that day in Paris.
* * *
Of course, they met again. How could they not have? Drawn to each other like moths to a flame, they managed to cross the courtyard at exactly the same time the following morning.
‘Bonjour, Madeleine,’ he called as he walked towards her.
‘Bonjour, Ludovic,’ she replied, her face hot.
‘How did you know my name?’ he asked.
‘Madame, your mother, told me. How did you know mine?’
‘Ditto.’ He smiled, showing slightly uneven white teeth in an unshaven face. ‘But she’s not my mother. She’s my aunt. I’m the poor relation, you see. That’s why I have to sleep in the servants’ quarters.’
Maddy laughed. ‘I don’t believe you.’
He came closer. ‘It’s true. I’m known as “poor Ludo” in the family. They’ – he flicked his head at the windows above – ‘think I should have followed in my father’s footsteps. But I don’t have the talent or the desire to grow wine. I want to be a chef and set up my own restaurant one day.’
‘They grow wine?’ Maddy asked, impressed.
He sighed. ‘Not any more. It was all going well for many years, but then there were a few cold winters. A few more bad years, and poof, all the money was gone. We had to sell up or go broke. The vineyard was bought up by some Englishman, but we still have the château and a few acres. My dad is now running a business selling sports equipment. Helps to keep the wolves away. Sad story, hein?’
Maddy nodded, bubbling with laughter inside. ‘Very sad. But not true. Your aunt told me the real one. Your father is a lawyer in a small town in Provence. Digne, I think she said.’
He laughed. ‘Merde, and I thought I’d seem more romantic this way.’
She smiled. ‘Good story, though.’
‘Thank you.’ He looked at her more closely. ‘No books today?’
‘No. The exams are over. I’ll be going home soon.’
He frowned. ‘Soon?’
‘In ten days.’
‘Oh.’ His brown eyes were suddenly thoughtful. He picked up a strand of her hair from her shoulder. ‘Only ten days to get to know each other.’
Suddenly flustered by the close contact with his body, the intense look in his eyes and the scent of soap and herbs from his clothes, she backed away. ‘Who says I want to get to know you?’
His eye widened. ‘You don’t? But I can feel it. The… the vibes, the electricity between us. Don’t you?’
Of course she did. But she didn’t want him to know it. ‘Don’t know what you mean,’ she said airily and started to walk away. ‘I’m going to get some bread for breakfast. See you around, er, Ludo.’
She could hear him laugh and then his footsteps behind her. She looked at him over her shoulder.
‘I need breakfast too,’ he said with an innocent air. ‘That’s not a crime, is it?’
She had to laugh. He was so beguiling, with his tousled dark hair, big eyes and unshaven chin. ‘No, of course not.’
When they were on the street, he touched her shoulder. ‘Why not have breakfast together? The café across the street over there have the best croissants, all hot and buttery. And their coffee…’ He kissed his fingers. ‘Divine.’
She could smell the coffee and the fresh bread as they approached and her stomach rumbled. ‘You make it sound irresistible.’
He took her hand. ‘Just like you, Mademoiselle Meehan. Irresistible.’
She blushed yet again. He made her feel both awkward and special. She didn’t quite know how to handle his obvious attraction to her. She had never been the subject of such ardour before. It felt strange and exciting. ‘Thank you,’ she whispered.
He stopped and looked at her with tender eyes. ‘
You’re like a bird, all nervous and fluttery, as if you’d fly away if I get too close. Don’t worry, little bird, I won’t hurt you.’
‘I know.’
He pulled out a chair beside a table outside the café. ‘Let’s enjoy the lovely morning and the sunshine.’
She sat down on the chair, and he joined her on the other one after ordering two café crèmes and croissants. ‘That’s what we call it, not café au lait like the tourists.’
‘I know.’ She laughed. ‘I even knew that before I came. My French teacher taught us all sorts of things like that during my final year in school. She was from Marseille. Excellent teacher.’
‘Except you have a touch of a Midi accent.’
She laughed. ‘I know. Didn’t realise that until I came to Paris. I’m trying to lose it.’
He shook his head. ‘Don’t. It’s charming. And that way you sound French instead of foreign.’
Their order arrived and before Maddy had a chance to scrabble for her purse and wallet, Ludo threw a fifty-franc note on the table. ‘This is on me.’ He dipped his knife into the small pot of apricot jam on the tray and spread it on a croissant before handing it to Maddy.
‘Apricot jam goes beautifully with a croissant and a café crème.’
‘Thank you.’ Maddy bit into the flaky, buttery croissant, its texture and flavour almost sensual in her mouth. She sipped some of the steaming café crème and declared both ‘heavenly’.
‘True,’ he muttered through a big mouthful. He picked a flake from her chin. ‘But a little messy. What are your plans for today?’
She licked her fingers. ‘I have to go and empty my locker at the Sorbonne. And then I’ll be sorting out a few things. I have a letter to write and then not much, I suppose. Why?’
‘I’d like you to come with me to the Marais. My uncle runs a restaurant there. He wants me to work with him as sous-chef when I’ve finished my course, and then he’ll retire when he’s satisfied I can take over.’
‘Oh. That sounds great. Yes, I’d love to see it. And meet your uncle.’ Maddy’s heart beat faster. He already wanted her to meet someone from his family and share his plan for his future. ‘I’m looking forward to it.’
Ludo nodded, stuffed the last of his croissant into his mouth, drained his cup and got up. ‘Good.’ He picked up the receipt from the table and scribbled something on it. ‘It’s called Les Deux Toques. Here’s the address. Very easy to find. It’s near the Musée Carnavalet. The metro stop is Hotel de Ville. The restaurant is two streets away from there.’
‘I have a map, so I won’t get lost.’
‘Magnifique. I’ll meet you there at one o’clock. A bientôt.’ He bent his tall frame to kiss her, not on both cheeks as she expected but on the mouth. Then he was gone, leaving Maddy slightly dizzy. Was this really happening? Was this gorgeous Frenchman truly interested in her?
She sat there in a daze, looking at his receding figure, still feeling his kiss that tasted of apricot and sunshine, wrapped in the sexiest voice she had ever heard.
Chapter Seven
Maddy was pulled out of her reverie by Leanne wandering into the room. She plonked herself down on the bed. ‘Morning.’
Maddy sat up. ‘Good morning. Sleep well?’
‘So-so. Got a bit of a headache, but the super-deluxe bathroom had some paracetamol in a cute little box. Helped a lot.’ Leanne stared out the window. ‘Gee, that’s a change from yesterday. I just watched the weather forecast on Sky News. Wall-to-wall rain all the way to London.’
‘Oh noooo,’ Maddy moaned. ‘And I so wanted to walk around Oxford and have lunch there.’
‘Me too.’ Leanne made a face. ‘Not really, though. I’m not into old buildings and history. But I wouldn’t have minded a little shopping spree. I didn’t even bring an umbrella. Did you?’
‘No.’ Maddy sighed and got out of bed. ‘Sightseeing won’t be much fun in this rain even with one.’
Leanne lay down on her stomach and propped her face in her hands. ‘I have an idea. Let’s skip the scenic route and the culture. Why don’t we drive to the Cotswolds and stay in some country hotel? Have dinner, do a little walking around and see that amazing area? Loads of film stars and rock singers live there. I’m desperate to see how the other half live.’
‘But they’ll probably be behind high walls and security fences.’
‘I know, but the villages are so cute. Loads of history, too.’ Leanne produced her phone and held it out for Maddy to see. ‘Look at this gorgeous hotel. It’s in a real Tudor house. Fifteenth-century.’
Maddy looked. ‘Gorgeous. But the Cotswolds is not exactly on the road to Harwich, is it? It’ll mean a huge detour.’
‘So what?’ Leanne argued. ‘We have the time. We don’t have to be in Harwich until tomorrow evening. I want to see the real England.’
Maddy sighed. ‘Okay. Why not? Looks like the kind of place that would have a cosy library with a fireplace and books. Perfect for a rainy day.’
‘Great. It’s a four-star too. The rooms look fabulous. I’ll book us two rooms, then.’
‘But if it stops raining, we could still go to Oxford.’
‘It’s not going to stop. According to the met office, anyway, but what do they know?’
Maddy thought for a moment. ‘Yes. Okay. Book the rooms. Let’s order breakfast. Then we’ll check out and get going.’
Leanne jumped off the bed. ‘I’ll book the hotel and order brekkie, you go and have a shower.’
After a long hot shower and extensive slathering of body lotions and hand cream, Maddy put on one of the fluffy bathrobes. Her phone rang as she walked into the lounge, where a waiter was laying out a sumptuous breakfast on the table by the window. She glanced at the number on the screen. Nobody she knew. Maybe one of those scam calls. Or Sophie calling from Australia?
She replied on the fifth ring. ‘Maddy Quinn.’
‘Hi there,’ said a breezy woman’s voice. ‘This is Brenda McIntosh. I’m the editor of Women Now.’
‘Women Now? The—’ Maddy was about to say ‘rag’ but stopped herself in time. ‘The free magazine?’ she asked.
‘Yes. And the website. I’m calling about your blog.’
Maddy frowned and sank down on a chair by the table. ‘My blog? What blog? This must be a mistake.’
‘You’re travelling with Leanne Sandvik through Europe? In a sports car? I believe it’s a red Merc cabriolet?’
Maddy blinked. ‘Uh… yes?’
‘Leanne and I met at a party just before you left. She told me about your trip. We thought it would be a hoot if the two of you ran an online blog about your adventures.’
‘You did?’
‘We both did. I thought Leanne might have mentioned it by now? It’s called “The Great Euroscape”. A day-by-day account of your Thelma and Louise-type adventure. We’ve already run a teaser for it. We got some sponsors from some top cosmetic brands, too. It’ll be a great boost to our little paper and the website especially.’
‘Oh.’ Jesus, I’ll kill her, Maddy thought. She didn’t read Women Now but had seen it at the hairdresser’s and thought it a trashy publication. It contained mostly sleazy gossip about film stars, their love lives and their plastic surgeries. She had never even looked at their website. ‘I’m sorry, but Leanne hasn’t spoken to me about this. How on earth did you get my number?’
‘Your number is listed in the school directory. I have a niece there.’
‘I see. Just a small detail, but has Leanne signed some kind of contract with you?’
‘Contract?’ Brenda sounded confused. ‘No, but we agreed on a fee per blog post.’
‘How long would these blog posts be?’
‘Just a short little snippet really. With selfies. She’s already sent one from Kildare Village of herself in a cute underwear set. Got a huge amount of likes on Instagram. We use #OnTheRoadWithMaddyandLeanne as a hashtag. It’s beginning to trend.’
‘Holy mother,’ Maddy said and hung up. She m
arched across the floor of Leanne’s room and tore open the door to the bathroom, from where she could hear water gushing and Leanne singing ‘Dancing Queen’ at the top of her voice.
Maddy reached in through the glass door of the shower cubicle and turned off the water.
Leanne, covered in soap suds, her hair plastered to her head, turned around. ‘What the—?’ she screamed and snatched the towel from the rail to cover herself.
Maddy folded her arms and glared at Leanne. ‘Yeah, “what the—” is what I thought, too. Women Now? Blog posts? Selfies on Instagram? Hashtags with our names?’
‘Oh, that. Well, er…’ Leanne let out a nervous giggle. ‘Forgot to tell you. Fun idea, though, no?’
‘No,’ Maddy snapped. ‘Finish your shower. Then you have a lot of explaining to do.’
Leanne turned the water back on, and Maddy marched out again, banging the door shut. She was sipping her tea when Leanne appeared in a bathrobe, all pink cheeks and her hair in little spikes. Maddy would have thought it was cute had she not been so angry.
Leanne sat down opposite Maddy, eyeing the array of fresh bread, cheese, cured ham, pots of jam and honey and hardboiled eggs. ‘Wow. This is what I call breakfast.’ She reached for her phone and took a few shots of the table. ‘Gorgeous.’
‘Yes. Very,’ Maddy said between her teeth. ‘But never mind that. You were going to tell me about that phone call and what it was all about.’
Leanne squirmed. ‘Okay. I should have told you. But I didn’t know how you’d feel about it, so I thought I’d wait until you were in a good mood. Didn’t know they were going to call you. How did they get your number?’
‘Through the school directory. Brenda has a niece there.’
‘Yeah, I know. She told me.’
Maddy tightened the belt on her bathrobe. ‘Whatever. Please explain to me why you agreed to this. And then go to why you didn’t run it past me. After that we might continue to why the hell you want to have us plastered all over the Internet.’
The Road Trip_A feel-good romantic comedy that will make you laugh out loud! Page 5