“Ouch!” Nate laughed. “So, go on then, where is he?”
She rolled her eyes. “Let’s just say he’s planning his own grand entrance.”
Nate had seen that long-suffering expression before. “Another new venture?”
“You know Pete.”
“Come on,” Nate said, putting all thoughts of sneaking off home behind him. “You look like you need a drink.”
She pulled a bottle of wine out of her oversized handbag. “One step ahead of you.”
“I hope you’ve got enough for me!” another voice loudly interrupted.
Nate looked over Jess’s shoulder at the next new arrival. “Dee. Great to see you.”
Catching up to them, she greeted first Jess and then Nate with a kiss. “I’ve had the day from hell,” Dee said. “Four viewings this morning, followed by three hours at thenotaire’soffice, which I really could have done without. You know what the French system’s like for dotting the Is and crossing the Ts. Still, at least the clients were happy when they finally got the keys to their new home.” She took in Jess’s outfit. “Unlike some, I didn’t have chance to go home and change.”
“The life of an estate agent, eh?” Nate said.
“You got that right.”
“Think yourself lucky,” Jess said. “At least you’re busy. Now summer has been and gone, the bar’s been dead. At this rate, we’ll be lucky if we have enough cash to see us through the winter.”
“If I’ve said it once, I’ll say it again. You need to turn that place into a restaurant,” Dee said. “It’s in a prime location and with your cookery skills, everybody knows you’d make a killing. Anyway, that’s enough work talk for today, thank you very much. Now where’s that corkscrew?”
As she marched on ahead, Nate followed behind with Jess. He leaned in to speak, careful to keep his voice down. “It’s because of her bloody work that we’re all here,” he said. “I mean, did she really have to sell that chateau?”
“I heard that.” Dee stepped inside the house.
Nate winked at Jess as they too entered. Happy to leave everyone else to catch up, he poured himself another glass of wine and headed for a corner of the room. Observing them, he couldn’t help but think the group a funny bunch. The only obvious thing they had in common was their shared love of France and, being honest, he couldn’t imagine any of them becoming friends back in the UK. They were so different from one another.
Like him though, it was obvious they were each running away from something.
Nate laughed to himself.Take Dee, he thought. She often said she came here to escape the rat race back in England. Although listening to the complaints about her work load this side of the Channel, she hadn’t escaped anything of the sort.
As for poor Jess, thanks to Pete they were probably running away from one debt or dodgy deal too many. Despite his best efforts, the man was most certainly no entrepreneur. In fact, Nate sometimes questioned why Jess bothered putting up with her husband and his mad ideas.
Turning his attention to Julia, Nate didn’t have a clue why she was here. By all accounts she simply got up one morning, threw herself and an overnight bag into her car, and once on the road, just kept driving; refusing to turn the vehicle around even when she hit Dover. Nate had often wondered what had informed that decision all those years earlier. Julia, however, still refused to divulge.
Continuing to watch everyone, Nate was surprised Philippe hadn’t landed yet. Although as mayor, Nate supposed Philippe could easily have gotten waylaid with his official duties. Nate smiled; he liked Philippe. He was good for his aunt. He didn’t just adore her, he gave her the emotional security that had been lacking in her previous relationships. Philippe saw behind the confident façade. He was Aunt Julia’s rock. Of course it wasn’t all one-sided. It was clear to Nate that she was good for him too. Julia brought out Philippe’s softer, more fun, side. She was the antidote to the stresses and strains caused by his political and professional life. Forced to wear many hats, beingMonsieur le Mairewasn’t exactly easy. At least not the way Philippe described it.
This was something else Nate hadn’t really discussed with his aunt. He observed her discreetly check her watch, no doubt, because she also wondered where Philippe had got to. Nate smiled. Despite being the worst kept secret in the village, as far as the two star-struck lovers were concerned, no one actually knew they were an item.Bless them,thought Nate. They were so happy in their misguided belief. So much so, not even he had the heart to tell them their secret was well and truly out.
Nate’s thoughts were suddenly interrupted when Gigi squealed.
“There’s a car pulling up in the lane. I think they might be here,” she said. Hopping up and down, she stared out of the window.
He watched everyone follow her gaze, hoping to spot the newcomers for themselves. And while Julia straightened herself up ready to receive the guests of honour, Nate found himself automatically looking out for them too.
“What the…?” he said, his eyes widening as a big black vehicle pulled up in front of the gates. He again looked around the rest of the group, each as surprised as him by what they saw. All except Jess, he noted. She appeared mortified and checking out the driver, Nate couldn’t blame her. He crept over and whispered in her ear. “You could have warned us.”
“What was I supposed to say?” Jess asked.
Struggling to stifle his laughter, Nate watched Pete, clearly proud of his latest acquisition, beaming as he climbed out of the car. “But it’s a hearse.”
“You think I don’t know that.”
8
