Page 62 of The Riviera House Swap

She understood. Her heels clacking on the cobbles, she staggered towards the small awning and the rectangle of yellow light spilling from the window into the autumn half-light. She tried to steady her breathing, determined to keep her cool – to be her best self for this date, no matter how much her stomach churned.

Negotiating her way down the alleyway, she was almost taken out by a young guy riding a longboard. She stumbled and turned angrily, only to realise that it wasn’t a young guy as she’dthought, but a woman with shortish grey hair. The woman made a steady pace on the board, seemingly untroubled by the uneven ground below. As Nina looked, the woman raised her hand apologetically and Nina nodded her forgiveness then stepped through the open glass door of the restaurant.

Inside, Pierre was already in situ, drinking a glass of red wine at the table. He was dressed smartly in a crisp white shirt and black jeans. His hair was gelled and he’d shaved the stubble he’d been sporting last time they’d met. As he looked up, their eyes locked and his face broke into a smile.

And all the worries about the date melted away. Suddenly, she felt younger, remembered the pull they’d felt between them. And hoped he was feeling it too.

She walked across to the table with a smile and said, in a jokey voice. ‘May I join you, Monsieur?’

And the once love-of-her-life looked up with his deep brown eyes and said, ‘Beautiful Nina. I thought you would never ask.’

33

As Nina slid into the chair opposite the potential love of her life, she realised she was beaming. She tried to temper her smile a little – after all, she didn’t want him to think she was insane. ‘It’s good to see you,’ she said, feeling about twenty years younger and slightly flustered and embarrassed and overcome with the urge to brush the little clump of hair that had fallen slightly out of place back from his forehead.

‘And you,’ he said, smiling. ‘It has been too long, Mina.’

‘It’s Nina.’

‘But of course! I am nervous, I think,’ he said, giving her a grin. ‘It is such a surprise to see you again. I couldn’t believe it when I recognised you at pétanque. Of all the towns in all of France, you decided to come back to this one.’

‘Well, I had such great memories from French exchange,’ she said. ‘A long time ago now, though. And I can’t believe you still live locally!’ she lied, not wanting him to know that she’d made absolutely sure of his location before she’d booked her tickets. One step at a time, she thought. No need to scare him away with too much truth all at once.

A silence fell over them which at first felt comfortable, but began to stretch – her mouth was dry and she couldn’t think what to say. In the end, ‘I was almost run over just then!’ she blurted, nodding towards the window as if to indicate the location of her close call.

‘Really? But there are no cars usually?’ he said, looking concerned and surprised at once.

‘No,’ she said. ‘By a woman on a skateboard, or longboard or whatever you call them. It’s fine really. It was funny, once I’d got my balance back.’

‘Funny?’

‘Yes. So strange to see an older woman on a board instead of some young teenager.’

Pierre smiled. ‘I know this woman. She is my old teacher, I think. She rides her board to work and after she rides home. For many years now.’

‘Wow, well, that’s one way to travel, I suppose.’

‘Yes! She is very good at it. People tell her to stop but she says she will continue on her board as long as she can stand upright,’ he said.

‘Good for her!’ Nina said. Proof, if it were needed, that age was just a number.

The waiter came and they ordered a bottle of red wine and water for the table, then sat back and looked at each other over the tops of their menus. ‘Ah, so you must tell me about your life,’ said Pierre laying his down as if food really wasn’t his priority. She promptly lowered her own. ‘What has happened since we last met?’

How much should she tell him? ‘Well, I got a degree,’ she said. ‘And I’m working now – as an office manager. And, well, I met a guy and got married. But it didn’t work out.’

He nodded. ‘I am sorry to hear that. But then, of course I am not sorry. Because otherwise, you wouldn’t be here with me.’

She felt herself blush. ‘And you?’ she said. ‘What happened to you afterwards?’

‘After?’

‘After we lost touch.’

‘Ah, after,’ he said. ‘Well, I passed my baccalaureate and went to do some training. And then I came into a little money. I invested in my friend’s patisserie and the rest is history.’

She nodded. ‘Amazing.’ His eyes were boring into her and she felt almost weak. ‘Look, I’m sorry—’ she found herself blurting out.

‘For what?’ he said, confused.

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