by Karen Aldous
They strolled along Rue d’Antibes and Rue Félix Faure before making the climb to Le Suquet and into Charly’s Bar. Jack greeted them as they arrived, beaming from ear to ear as each of them congratulated him. Lizzie handed him his gift and hugged him.
‘Well done, I had every confidence in you of course so it didn’t come as a great surprise you scored well,’ she told him, feeling his body tremble. A few of his student friends sat along benches by the bar. Lizzie peered around the cave-like room searching for Cal. She had to hand it to him, Jack had made an excellent choice for the mixed-age group. The music varied from sixties to nineties which seemed to put a smile on Caroline and Michael’s faces.
Jack swiftly swept up Thierry and took him along to meet his college friends. Thierry soon entertained them with his rucksack full of super-heroes. Marie-Claire joined the students, leaving the more seniors, Caroline and Michael, to tuck themselves in on the more comfortable bench along the wall. Lizzie stood at the bar.
‘Is Cal bringing Rose?’ Lizzie asked Jack.
‘Yes, they should be here soon.’
‘OK.’ Lizzie glanced at the table which contained a few empty glasses and wondered if she had enough cash. ‘What does everyone want to drink?’
‘Here, I’ll get these.’ Michael rose to his feet.
‘No. Just tell me what you want.’
As Lizzie ordered the drinks for Marie-Claire, Jack and his friends, her gaze crept repeatedly to the entrance. As she passed drinks across from the bar, she took a quick glance each time. Her nerves were beginning to fray. It was a concoction she likened to a roller coaster, exhilaration one minute and absolute fear the next. She searched the screen on her phone. Ten minutes had passed since they’d arrived. The next time she peeked up, Rose was slowly meandering into the cave.
‘Jack, go and see Rose through. It’s dark in here.’
‘Gran.’ He absently slammed his glass on the table and dashed to meet her.
Rose’s face brightened as she captured the sight of her grandson.
‘I’m so proud of you, my darling,’ she told him throwing her handbag over his shoulder as she embraced him.
As she neared Lizzie at the bar, Rose’s floral perfume hit the air. Lizzie kissed her and introduced her to Caroline and Michael. They shuffled along so that Rose could sit down beside Caroline. Lizzie’s eyes resumed their watch on the door waiting, she assumed, for Cal to park his car. The moments stretched to minutes.
‘Rose, what would you like to drink?’ she asked and immediately Cal’s presence was evident. He was at the entrance with Charles and Sophie. Her heart was thudding in dissonance to the music. He walked towards the bar, his hands in his jeans pockets, his light turquoise polo shirt stark against the bronzed hues of his skin. Her hands began quivering as she tried to keep a grip of her purse. As he came closer, Lizzie got the full force of his familiar scent, which immediately whirled her to dizziness. She yearned to fall into his arms there and then. There was no mistake the power this man had over her. She stood facing him, waiting. She was smiling, anticipating his acknowledgement, but he continued talking to Charles.
Sophie skipped past him. ‘You look gorgeous,’ she told Lizzie throwing her a quick hug and kissing her cheek. ‘God, you’re stiff, and trembling,’ she whispered.
Lizzie nodded, then realising he wasn’t intending to make this easy, she blinked. ‘Rose, sorry. What did you want to drink? Sorry. Hi, Sophie.’ She turned and listened to Rose’s request.
‘One rosé wine,’ she yelled to the barman, ‘for Rose. Sophie, what are you drinking?’
‘Shall we get a bottle of Prosecco?’
‘Yes. And, Charles and Cal, what are you drinking?’ She raised her voice again as the chatter increased.
‘Oh er, yah, a beer for me.’ Charles rubbed his cheek and motioned his hand for Cal to respond.
‘Same.’ His head barely turned and Lizzie’s head fell along with her chest.
She faced the barman once more and gave the additional orders. ‘And an orange juice. A small glass please.’
Sophie rubbed her shoulder. ‘Give him time. He’ll be fine after a few beers.’
‘God, I don’t know what I was expecting. I’m being naïve to think he would be nice to me after last week.’
Sophie kept her voice low. ‘Oh, I told you, he knows Angus’s mother is sick. Charles was talking to him the other night.’
Lizzie was now opening her purse and counting out her cash.
‘Here, I’ll go halves with you,’ Sophie said taking out her purse.
Barman paid, Sophie took the glass of rosé and the glass of orange and placed them on the table for Rose and Thierry. As Lizzie handed out the beers, both Charles and Cal made a nod and a polite ‘Thank you’.
Lizzie and Sophie took their bottle and glasses to a tall table next to the bench seats and perched on their chairs. Lizzie could hardly concentrate on Sophie’s conversation being in such close proximity to Cal. What was so important that he couldn’t make an effort?
She took a deep breath. ‘Excuse me a moment, Sophie.’ She jumped down from the chair and boldly approached him.
‘Cal, everyone has drinks. Shall we make a toast?’
If looks could kill, she thought, as his eyebrows raised to her indignantly. Her skin crawled at his evident distaste. She stepped away and back onto her chair feeling like a wounded child. She rolled her eyes to Sophie waiting for his announcement.
‘I’m guessing one is still extremely mad.’
‘Be patient.’ Sophie shared her words of wisdom.
‘Lizzie, Lizzie,’ Rose was calling and Lizzie jumped down again to hear her.
‘I’m not interfering, sweetheart, but I hope you two are going to make up. You do realise he hates that Kelly girl and he wouldn’t hurt you. That’s all I’m saying.’
Lizzie’s lips curled up as she bit her lip. ‘Oh, bless you, Rose, I think I may have some explaining to do.’
‘I hate to see you both so bloomin’ miserable.’
Lizzie heaved. Was anyone on her side? It was best she didn’t say any more to Cal’s mother. She didn’t have the heart to tell her that her son wasn’t even interested. Rose smiled and with a wink turned her head back to Caroline. Michael looked as though he was looking to escape to the man’s quarters. Lizzie then felt Cal’s eyes resting on her and she moved rigidly back to her seat. He seemed so cold. Maybe she’d approached him all wrong. Perhaps she should take him to one side and make an apology. Or maybe she shouldn’t have come. Perhaps he hoped she wouldn’t.
Jack and his friends were getting louder and more animated which attracted Cal’s attention. His head turned and then he swung round. He signalled to the barman who duly sent out a waiter with a tray of slender champagne flutes filled with sparking liquid. As soon as the waiter had served them all, the music was turned low. Lizzie squirmed inside. She really should have known better. She remembered so clearly, this was of course, Cal’s style.
‘OK, if I can have your attention for a minute please. I just want to boost my son’s ego a little bit more and I know some of you are keen to remind me of my duties as a father.’ His eyes slid across to Lizzie. ‘So I’d just like to say firstly a few words about Jack. He obviously knows how I feel because I couldn’t hold back this morning, but I do wish to express to everyone else how very proud I am of him.
‘He had been through some pretty tough months and gruelling challenges, but, throughout, he has got his head down and stayed focused. And, in the process, grown tremendously as a person. Not only has it been a pleasure to spend time with him after years of brief visits, but to be with him at such a monumental time in his life has been both rewarding and enlightening.
‘We have learned a lot about each other, and he’s even had the opportunity to learn about himself and what he wants for the future. So now Jack has achieved this outstanding result, he has printed his ticket to any college he desires, well, virtually. So Jack, our huge congratulations. I’m
sure I speak for everyone here in wishing you everything you wish yourself. Join me please,’ he lifted his glass, ‘in a toast to…Jack!’
‘To Jack,’ everyone cheered raising their glasses. And, like many others, Lizzie sniffed and wiped her eyes.
She peered over at Rose who was sobbing her little heart out and searching her bag for more tissues, tears streaming to her chin. Caroline soothed her, circling her hand on her back. Michael whispered to Caroline and headed for Cal.
Immediately Cal acknowledged him he stepped forward to greet him.
‘Michael, good to see you. Oh, and Caroline. I must apologise. How are you both?’ He reached over to greet Caroline with a kiss. Lizzie kept a vigil as he embroiled himself in conversation with them. Meanwhile, Charles joined Lizzie and Sophie.
‘Thank you again for hiring out your apartment to Mum and Michael. I promise they’ll leave it spick and span,’ Lizzie assured Charles.
He put down his empty champagne flute. ‘My pleasure. It looks so much brighter since you gave it a paint makeover. I heard the girls were a little messy.’
Lizzie laughed. ‘Yes but it’s all sorted. Cal and Jack’s room was immaculate.’
‘Bloody good job if he’s moving in next week.’
Lizzie gasped, feeling a kick in her stomach ‘What’s wrong with his place?’
Charles switched his glance to Sophie and back at her. ‘You’d best speak to him.’
Oh, no, he couldn’t be moving out of Domaine Margot permanently. Blood rushed to her head. His dream. His Provençal vineyard. Had she now destroyed all that too? Maybe he had decided to sell up and go to London. She needed to speak to him. The thought of losing him was unbearable. She felt physically sick. Observing him from her chair, she waited for an opportune moment. She was determined not to get this wrong. She had to approach him with caution and use the same logic. They shouldn’t discuss their relationship here. It was Jack’s well-deserved celebratory night. She sipped the last of her champagne as the waiter collected the glasses. Cal and Michael obviously had a lot to chat about. Thierry was quite happy, she noted, still entertaining his new student friends as well as Jack, Rose, and her mother. She poured herself another drink and when she looked back, Cal was at the bar ordering more drinks. Damn! Michael was with him. They were still deeply engrossed in conversation. She shook her head and held up her glass as he asked what she wanted, her heart melting just meeting his eyes. As soon as he walked clear of the bar, she approached him. Michael took a step back as she drew close. She cleared her throat feeling her chest pound.
‘Excuse me, Michael. Cal, could I have a quick word?’
Cal shot Michael a smile. ‘Be back in a tick.’ He took her elbow and led her to a chair across the room. Just his touch on her skin sent shivers surging through her.
She climbed onto the chair. ‘Look. I don’t want to go into a full-scale discussion here. I really wanted to ask if we can meet up at some point. To talk about us.’
‘Is there any us?’
Her blood ran cold making her shudder. She looked down at his arms, the yearning she felt to be in them almost bringing her to tears. What did he mean exactly?
‘I want there to be, and I’m hoping you do.’ She searched his sultry eyes for clues.
He sat back and folded his arms. Lizzie couldn’t tell if he was teasing or if he was just showing contempt. She ran her hand over her lips unsure whether to speak. Stay quiet!
He’d lost interest she could tell. He couldn’t decide, that was for sure. The silence was cutting but it was a simple question, either he did or he didn’t! Her eyes locked on his while his scent swooned into her with each inhalation.
Chapter 33
Lizzie had got an answer and she supposed she should be pleased, but now her fretting had increased. Cal hadn’t seemed at all pleased that she’d made the effort. Neither did he show any enthusiasm for them to speak, let alone reunite. He’d simply agreed to meet her Monday evening at her apartment when he dropped Jack off. So, she figured, Cal and Jack must now be living at Domaine Margot if he was dropping Jack off. And if he was planning to move into Charles’s apartment, would that mean he was going to sell the manor house? Well, it was his to sell, she remembered. She began trembling, her lips starting to quiver, feeling she had destroyed all his dreams. He really had put in everything, settled in France and renovated that beautiful house for them, her and Thierry, to be with him as a family. Why would he ruin that?
He’d given her no clues as to how he felt or what his expectations were. It would be an excruciating weekend waiting now. She tried to focus on her work and think about the day ahead. As the day was warm, she would take Thierry and meet her mother and Michael down at the beach for a few hours and then this evening, she’d arranged for a thank-you drink with the staff from the salon. Of course, she was waiting to hear from Pheely as soon as she and Angela had arrived here safely. Then she could look forward to her mother meeting her cousin for the very first time.
Lizzie couldn’t believe how anxious she felt as she entered the beautiful gardens at La Carmejane. In just two hours, they would finally get to meet Angela and Pheely. As they’d never seen the gardens before, they set off early to explore the grounds before the surprise lunch. Set in a beautiful hillside estate, the 11th century bastide was surrounded by terrace gardens nestled into the cliff. Caroline was first to comment.
‘Darling, this is simply gorgeous. Look at these beautiful iceberg roses,’ she said caressing the petals and inhaling their scent. ‘And these old pots, it’s utterly charming, and, look, these urns, don’t they look gorgeous filled with the white hydrangeas, and the box, so well clipped,’ she sang squeezing Thierry’s little hand.
‘It’s amazing, Mum.’
Michael stared at the view in front of him. ‘I love the way just one or two Italian cypress trees set off the character of the Provençal dwelling there,’ Michael added, ‘and the little fountains splashing away.’
‘So pretty.’ Caroline bent down to Thierry. ‘Isn’t it pretty Thierry?’
‘I want a drink,’ he replied.
‘What’s the magic word, mister?’
‘Please.’
Lizzie dug into her bag bringing out a small cool bag stashed with four little bottles of water. ‘Good boy. Look out for the butterflies and bees for me, Thierry, and somewhere for Mummy to take a photo.’
As they walked on through to another terrace, a canopy of lime-coloured wisteria leaves shaded the arbour. Caroline stopped and lifted her head.
‘I expect this looked spectacular a few weeks ago in bloom. Oh, and look at the iron table and chairs in the courtyard, oh and that view. Oh my goodness, how delightful. This really is heaven, isn’t it, Michael?’
‘Spectacular. And is this where we eat?’
‘It’s a bigger terrace, I believe lower down,’ Lizzie said as they began to scramble down some steps. She hoped Angela would be able to manage to get around all the levels. There was still so much more to see. ‘I’m so glad we came early to take all this in.’
‘Yes, we will certainly have built up an appetite,’ Caroline said.
Every little area gave them such a unique sense of space and the benefit of some designer’s fertile imagination. As they descended the steps of a newly-built tower, even a swimming pool graced a terrace with deck chairs to sit and admire the enchanting views of the Luberon hills and Mont Ventoux. Lizzie spotted the lunch terrace, laid out under cherry trees, its tables covered with red-chequered cloths. Her pulse doubling with anticipation. They continued a little longer and Lizzie felt she had to get them seated. She wanted to arrive at the table before their secret guests.
‘OK, follow me,’ she ordered.
They followed her to one of the lower shaded terraces where the table was set for their picnic lunch with rosé wine cooling in two ice buckets. Lizzie handed Thierry his bag of toys and allowed him to play on the terrace floor.
‘This table is rather large for just us isn’t it
?’ Caroline said as she sat down and brushed her beading brow with her hand.
Lizzie smiled. ‘Lovely isn’t it? Maybe we will share it.’
‘Oh, yes, maybe.’
‘Well, that was good exercise.’ Michael stretched out and Lizzie watched him smile.
Lizzie followed his eyes and the owner arrived, Lizzie recognised, carrying pâté and cheese.
‘My husband is bringing some of our own freshly baked bread and some ham along so help yourselves to olives as soon as you’re ready. They are from our own groves,’ she told them. Lizzie then introduced them all.
‘Thank you, this is a very beautiful and special place,’ Lizzie finished and picked up her phone.
The owner smiled. ‘I’m so pleased you like it. Enjoy your lunch.’
Lizzie’s phone told her there was ten minutes to go. ‘OK. Shall we just start with a lovely refreshing glass of wine?’ She could feel her voice jarring.
‘This is very private.’ Caroline held her glass as her daughter poured.
‘Yes. We’re very lucky. I told you it was special.’
This time Lizzie followed Caroline’s eyes as she peered and smiled at two ladies approaching.
Lizzie jumped up.
‘Are you Lizzie?’ The younger lady asked. She was possibly early to mid-thirties, Lizzie guessed, of medium build, with long brown hair and wearing a white and purple print dress.
Lizzie stepped towards her. ‘That’s right. Pheely?’
The younger woman nodded and emitted a wide smile. ‘I am. Lovely to meet you,’ she said air-kissing Lizzie. ‘And this is my mother, Angela.’ Pheely stood clutching the arm of a sprightly-looking seventy-five-year old with short grey hair but well presented in a sage-green A-line dress matching in fabric with a cream jacket.
Lizzie turned to her mother who was looking perplexed. ‘Mum, not only is it a special place, but we have two very special guests, meet your long-lost cousin Angela.’
