One Summer in Monte Carlo

by Jennifer Bohnet

  It was calmer in the tunnel, but a few metres after they’d they exited it, Nanette saw the huge sheet of water that lay in front of them a split second before the car rose up, aquaplaning out of control across this unexpected lake before narrowly missing another car and hitting the central reservation with a bang and coming to rest in a tangled wreck.

  Drifting in and out of consciousness, Nanette had been dimly aware of the nauseous smell of petrol and of Zac dragging her out and away from the wreckage.

  ‘I’ve phoned for help. Shouldn’t be too long,’ Zac assured her as she lay on the verge.

  The paramedics were kind and gently placed her on a stretcher. As they lifted her into the ambulance, Zac leant over her and whispered something.

  Now, three years later, Nanette finally remembered what those words had been.

  ‘Nanette, I’m so sorry. Please forgive me.’

  27

  Nanette jumped as Jean-Claude appeared unexpectedly on the balcony. Lost in her memories, she hadn’t heard the apartment door opening.

  ‘Is everything all right? You look very pale,’ Jean-Claude said, holding her tight as he gave her a greeting kiss on the cheeks.

  ‘I’m fine, thank you. I was trying to work out what I’m going to say to Zac when he returns.’

  ‘How about a straightforward, No, thank you. I don’t want the job with Vacances au Soleil.’

  ‘It’s no longer as simple as that, JC,’ Nanette said quietly. ‘I also need to talk to him about…’ she took a deep breath before continuing, ‘about the things I’ve started to remember.’

  ‘Your memory of the accident it is returning?’

  Nanette nodded. ‘Something triggered it off tonight as I walked past Zac’s old apartment,’ she said, beginning to shiver. ‘Then when I came out here…’ Her voice trailed away as she gestured towards Pole Position.

  Jean-Claude pulled her back into his arms protectively. ‘These memories have clearly upset you. Do you wish to tell me?’

  Standing in the safe circle of his arms, looking up at his concerned face, Nanette wished she could confide in him. Ask his advice about how to approach things with Zac, but slowly she shook her head. ‘I think I must talk to Zac first – see if my memory is true or whether it’s playing tricks on me.’

  Jean-Claude kissed her gently. ‘D’accord. You tell me when you’re ready to talk about the past. Tonight, we’ll talk about us and perhaps the future.’

  Nanette smiled at him gratefully as he took her hand and together they left the balcony. She moved away from him to close the balcony doors and draw the heavy curtains across, but was startled by a loud ring on the apartment doorbell.

  ‘Ah, supper,’ Jean-Claude said. ‘I’ll get it. I missed dinner this evening because of my business appointment,’ he explained, returning with several steaming containers, which he placed on the dining table. ‘I hope you like Chinese?’

  Nanette organised the table, while Jean-Claude deftly turned out the lights, lit candles, switched on the CD player and opened a bottle of wine. A few simple actions, but Nanette realised that Jean-Claude had somehow introduced an atmosphere of intimacy into the room. Suddenly she felt shy and self-conscious, wondering what was behind his actions.

  As the voice of Charles Aznavour singing a string of romantic melodies floated through the apartment, Jean-Claude turned to her.

  ‘Voila! Let’s eat,’ and gallantly he pulled a chair out for her.

  The sweet and sour pork was delicious and Nanette was surprised to find how hungry she was.

  It wasn’t until Jean-Claude was pouring some wine that he glanced over and asked, ‘Has Mathieu ever said anything to you about me and his mother?’

  Startled, Nanette shook her head. ‘No.’

  ‘Before we talk about the future, I think I need to tell you a little about my past,’ he said, replacing the bottle in the terracotta wine cooler. ‘Amelia and I were childhood sweethearts – our birthdays were just two days apart. I was the youngest – a fact which always amused her. Neither of our families thought we were good enough for each other.’ Jean-Claude grinned ruefully. ‘However, when she became pregnant, they became united in demanding we get married. Mathieu was born on Amelia’s seventeenth birthday – thirty years ago this year.’

  ‘Gosh, you were both really young to become parents,’ Nanette said, mentally adding up the two figures and realising Jean-Claude was forty-seven.

  Jean-Claude nodded ruefully before taking a sip of his wine. ‘At first, everything was fine, but when, a few years later, Amelia’s family decided to move to Paris, she thought we should go with them. I was busy setting up my own business here and didn’t want to move. In the end, she decided she wanted to go – with or without me – but taking Mathieu.’

  ‘That must have been hard for you to deal with,’ Nanette said quietly.

  ‘Oui. I don’t think Mathieu has ever forgiven me. Looking back, I think maybe I should have gone to Paris with them, that things could have been different.’ Jean-Claude shook his head. ‘One makes mistakes in life – particularly when one is so young.

  ‘I visited as often as I could and we had some good times together, but our lives were soon going in different directions.’ He sighed. ‘How could they do anything else? My business was expanding rapidly. I went to Paris and begged Amelia to return now I could afford the lifestyle she wanted here. But Amelia, well, let’s just say Amelia was enjoying her life in Paris. Her mother helped look after Mathieu – Amelia could go out and about and pretend she was single again. She had many admirers.’

  There was a short silence as he swirled the wine in his glass.

  ‘Mathieu was thirteen when Amelia and the current man in her life were killed in a helicopter crash and he came to live with me down here. He was not a happy boy at that time. He missed his mother a lot. But slowly things settled down and we grew close again. Until all this blew up, I thought I’d made a good job of raising a good human being. A law-abiding citizen at least. We had a small problem with a car and some credit when he was a teenager, but once he was in his twenties he seemed to grow up. Meeting and marrying Vanessa, having his own family, seemed to be the making of him. He’d become a well-adjusted, caring individual and I was proud of him. We had a good relationship. I was sad for him when his marriage broke up – not that I blame Vanessa,’ Jean-Claude said, looking at Nanette. ‘Sometimes these things happen, they, too, were young when they married. And now, now I just don’t understand him at all.’ Jean-Claude shook his head.

  ‘JC, I’m sure things will work out for Mathieu. Like you, I don’t think he is inherently bad – he’s just got caught up in something that’s spiralled out of control.’ Nanette hesitated before asking, ‘Is there any news from your detective yet?’

  ‘Only the fact that Boris appears to be the one pulling all the strings. Apparently, the police, both here and Interpol, are quietly keeping tabs on him. Unofficially, the rumours are flying. There’s talk of money-laundering, a business cartel and drugs being involved.’

  ‘Mathieu wouldn’t do drugs,’ Nanette said instantly. ‘It has to be something else. What about Zac? Has the detective figured out where he fits into all this?’

  ‘Non. Other than that, he seems to be pulling some strings of his own, independent of Boris. Who, incidentally, is apparently in South America overseeing some business deal.’

  ‘I wonder if that’s where Mathieu is, too, this week. He didn’t say where he was going. Just said it was a business trip,’ Nanette said.

  Jean-Claude shrugged. ‘Mathieu caught a flight to London, but he could have picked up a connection to literally anywhere in the world from there. He hasn’t rung to speak to the twins?’

  ‘He emails them most days, but only phones occasionally when he’s away. I know he’s promised to be back in time for their school play next week.’

  ‘Good. Somehow I feel easier when he’s in town – if anything happens to him here in the Principality, at least I’ll be around to
help to sort it out.’ Jean-Claude gazed at Nanette thoughtfully. ‘Anyway, I wanted to tell you about Amelia, for you to know the truth about my past. Although it all went wrong, I did love Amelia in the beginning. And…’ he reached across and took her hand in his. ‘Until now, I’ve never even come close to loving anyone else.’

  There was silence as Jean-Claude gently stroked Nanette’s hand before looking up and asking quietly, ‘Do you think you could ever look on me as more than a friend?’

  Nanette’s smile was warm as she smiled at him. ‘Oh, JC, you’re more than just a friend already.’ Before she could say any more, her mobile rang. ‘I’m sorry. I’d better answer this.’

  As she went to do so, Jean-Claude sighed and began to clear the table. Nanette was still talking on the phone when he finished and he took the rest of his wine out on to the balcony to wait for her.

  Nanette was smiling when she joined him a few minutes later.

  ‘JC, I’m so sorry about that. That was Patsy and she was so excited I couldn’t stop her talking. Bryan has treated her to a flight out here – she’s coming for my birthday next week! You’re going to meet her. Isn’t that great? She wanted to know if I could meet her at Nice airport. I said yes, of course, but I don’t have a car. Could you possibly take me?’

  ‘Of course.’ He placed an arm around her shoulders. ‘Nanette, I need to finish our earlier conversation. I meant what I said about not loving anyone since Amelia. I know Zac hurt you very badly and I don’t want to rush you into a relationship before you’re sure, but do you think we could have any sort of future together? I realise I’m several years older than you but…’ he looked at her anxiously.

  Nanette turned towards him and kissed him gently. ‘JC, I’m already very fond of you, but for the moment I can’t promise anything. Can we carry on as we are? Take things slowly, get to know each other properly – see what happens? Now my memory seems to be returning, there are a few things I’d like to sort out. I need to finally close the Zac Ewart part of my life. Once I’ve done that, I can move on.’

  She didn’t add the words, ‘before I can love anyone again’, but as he kissed her again, she hoped Jean-Claude understood.

  28

  The following morning, once she’d taken the twins to school, Nanette walked slowly along the embankment towards the Old Port. The envelope containing the Vacances au Soleil papers was in her bag, ready to hand back to Zac. She was determined, too, that this time he would accept the fact that she didn’t want the job he was offering her.

  The crew on board Pole Position were busy with routine morning chores, but there was no sign of Zac. As Nanette hesitated on the quay, the yacht’s captain came down the gangway.

  Recognising her, he said, ‘Zac’s been delayed – something to do with the wrong tyres being supplied for testing. There’s a chance he’ll not make it back here until just before the French race.’

  ‘I was hoping to talk to him before then,’ Nanette said.

  ‘I can give you his mobile number if that helps,’ the captain offered.

  About to refuse the offer, Nanette changed her mind, saying instead, ‘Thanks. That could be useful.’ Although it still meant she couldn’t hand back the Vacances au Soleil papers.

  Handing her a card with Zac’s mobile number on it, the skipper said, ‘I’m surprised you don’t already have this – particularly as you’re coming back to work for Zac.’

  ‘Who told you that?’

  ‘Zac did before he left for Canada.’

  Inwardly furious but not wanting to discuss it with the yacht skipper, Nanette said simply, ‘Oh, I see. Thanks for the number. See you around.’

  Stopping at the first pavement café she reached, Nanette ordered a cappuccino. Her hand was shaking as she spooned the cream off the top and she took several deep breaths, trying to steady her nerves.

  Zac was unbelievable. Back to his old tricks of assuming he could browbeat her into doing what he wanted. How dare he tell his captain that she would be working for him again, especially as she’d already told him she wasn’t interested?

  Opening her bag, she took out the envelope and slipped the card inside with the other papers before replacing the envelope in her bag. Tempting though it was to ring him, Nanette was determined to confront him face to face, even if she had to wait a week or two to do it.

  A shadow fell across the table and Nanette looked up in surprise.

  ‘Bonjour, Nanette.’ Mathieu sat down beside her. ‘Join me for another coffee?’

  Nanette shook her head. ‘No thanks. What are you doing here? We weren’t expecting you back until at least the weekend.’

  He shrugged. ‘A couple of my business appointments were cancelled, so I decided to come home early. How are the twins? Still practising for their concert?’

  ‘Of course. They’ll be pleased to see you.’

  ‘I’ll meet them from school this afternoon if you like,’ Mathieu offered.

  ‘Thanks. Patsy is coming for a visit soon. Is it all right if she stays in the apartment?’

  ‘Of course. Ask Florence to make sure the guest bedroom is ready. How long is she staying for?’

  ‘About a week. It’s just a short break for her before she gets taken over by motherhood.’

  Mathieu nodded and took a sip of his coffee before asking, ‘Spoken to Zac recently?’

  Nanette shook her head. ‘I was hoping to see him today, to sort some things out, but he’s not here.’

  ‘I know,’ Mathieu said quietly. ‘I was supposed to be meeting up with him, but he’s been delayed.’ He glanced at her. ‘Do you still have the papers he gave you about Vacances au Soleil?’

  ‘They’re in my bag right now.’

  ‘Could I have a look at them please?’

  ‘Oh, Mathieu, I don’t know,’ Nanette protested. ‘They’re Zac’s private property and his personal business.’

  ‘Are they marked private and confidential? Did Zac ask you to keep them to yourself?’ Mathieu pressed her.

  ‘No to both questions.’

  ‘There may just be something in them that would help me,’ Mathieu said quietly.

  ‘Help you do what? It’s only papers outlining Zac’s business and what I would be expected to do.’ Nanette paused. ‘I know I offered to help you if I could a few weeks ago but this makes me feel very uncomfortable.’

  Mathieu was silent for a few seconds. ‘I need a certain piece of information and there’s a possibility it will be in those papers. Please, Nanette. I promise you Zac will never know I’ve seen them.’

  Nanette closed her eyes as she took a deep breath. Opening them, she looked at Mathieu.

  ‘Okay. I’m not happy doing this, but I will give them to you to read.’ She stood up.

  ‘Only not here. Back at the apartment.’

  29

  As promised, Jean-Claude drove Nanette to Nice airport to collect Patsy off the afternoon flight. Standing in the arrivals hall waiting for her sister to come through after the plane had landed, Nanette realised she was feeling, not exactly nervous, but definitely anxious. Patsy and Jean-Claude had never met before and she prayed they would like each other and get on. After the fiasco of her relationship with Zac – he and Patsy had never really taken to each other and wound each other up every time they met – she’d determined that in future it would be a case of ‘if you’re friends with me, you’re friends with my sister’. Patsy was the only family she had left now and no friendship, or passing boyfriend, was worth the risk of falling out and being alienated from her. Although the reality was that Jean-Claude was the first man since Zac that Nanette had wanted to introduce to Patsy.

  Nanette stood in front of the glass wall separating the baggage collection area from the arrivals hall, hoping for an early glimpse of her sister. Jean-Claude had stopped at the newsagents in the foyer to buy an English magazine that he claimed he could only get at the airport and still hadn’t returned when passengers started to appear down the corridor leading to th
e baggage area. Patsy was one of the last passengers to appear and waved happily when she saw Nanette, before moving across to the conveyor belt to wait for her suitcase to turn up.

  By the time Patsy had claimed her case and passed through customs and come out through the double doors into the arrivals hall dragging it behind her, Jean-Claude was standing at Nanette’s side by the barrier and immediately relieved Patsy of it.

  After hugging her sister, Nanette quickly made the introductions and the three of them made their way out onto the main concourse of the airport and the car park.

  ‘Good flight?’ Nanette asked.

  Patsy nodded. ‘Oh, it’s good to see you and be back down here.’ She sniffed. ‘Smell that eucalyptus. I’m sure Nice airport is the only one in the world that smells so delicious.’

  As Jean-Claude walked ahead to the car, Nanette glanced at her sister. ‘You’re looking good. Big but good!’

  ‘I’m beginning to resemble an elephant,’ Patsy grumbled. ‘To think I’ve got another nine weeks to go.’

  They were lucky with the traffic and the journey back to Monaco was a quick one. Jean-Claude left the car in the underground garage and took the suitcase up to the apartment for them before leaving.

  ‘You sure you won’t stay for something to eat?’ Nanette said, as Patsy wandered out onto the balcony to gaze at the boats.

  ‘Not today – I’ll leave the two of you to catch up. Bring Patsy up to the villa for a swim and lunch whenever you like,’ Jean-Claude said. ‘I’ll ring you later,’ and he leant in to kiss her goodbye.

  ‘Thanks for playing chauffeur this afternoon, I really appreciate it.’ Nanette said, returning the kiss.

  Florence had left a tea tray ready in the kitchen and Nanette made a pot of tea and carried everything out to the balcony, where Patsy was still leaning on the guard rail gazing out at the view in wonder.

  ‘Mathieu’s gone up in the world with this place, hasn’t he?’ she said, pulling a chair out and sitting down.