Page 14 of One Summer in Monte Carlo
‘Shall we go? I booked a table for nine o’clock at my favourite fish restaurant on Boulevard Grande-Bretagne.’ He stopped suddenly and looked at her anxiously. ‘You do like fish, don’t you? I didn’t think to ask!’
‘Yes, JC, I do,’ Nanette laughingly reassured him.
A crowd of paparazzi had gathered on the pavement outside the Casino and flashbulbs started to pop as they walked past. Nanette, glancing briefly across to see if she recognised the blonde celebrity posing in the Casino entrance, failed to notice a lone photographer moving backwards.
Jean-Claude’s warning shout to the man, ‘Hey, mind where you’re going,’ and his attempt to pull her out of the way were both too late. The photographer collided with her heavily and they both fell over the small hedge that separated the pavement from the parkland grass in the middle of the Place du Casino.
Dazed, Nanette sat on the ground, taking deep breaths for several moments and trying in vain to ignore the cameras that were now aimed in her direction.
‘Are you all right?’ asked a concerned Jean-Claude. ‘Do you think you’ve broken anything?’
Nanette shook her head. ‘I’ll be fine. I’m just winded. I could do with a hand to get up though.’
Gently, Jean-Claude helped her to her feet.
‘Mademoiselle, I am so sorry,’ the photographer said.
‘It’s OK,’ Nanette replied. ‘I wasn’t looking where I was going either.’ She looked at Jean-Claude. ‘Could we just get to the restaurant please? I’d like some water.’
‘Hey!’ the photographer said suddenly. ‘I recognise you. Aren’t you the woman who nearly killed Zac Ewart?’
10
The words ‘Aren’t you the woman who nearly killed Zac Ewart?’ were destined to ring in Nanette’s head for days after the accident. She’d known it was inevitable that someone from the past would recognise her, but somehow she’d expected it to happen during Grand Prix week when people she’d worked with years ago were sure to be in town. Was she destined to always be remembered by complete strangers for an event she wished had never happened?
As she’d stared at the photographer, shocked into silence by his words, Jean-Claude had stopped a passing taxi, helped her into it and taken her back to his villa. He had comforted her, telling her that it was an isolated incident.
‘You might have a certain notoriety for a few days now the press have realised you’re back. Especially,’ he hesitated before continuing, ‘when Zac Ewart arrives. I promise you it will pass.’
He’d insisted she sat on the terrace and sipped the brandy he poured her while he phoned the restaurant and cancelled the table reservation. Once that was done, he cooked them a simple supper of pasta, served with a slice of walnut and onion tart and a green salad. They ate the meal sitting out on the terrace watching the lights of Monaco twinkle below them as dusk fell. Nanette brushed aside Jean-Claude’s apologies for it not being the dinner he’d planned to treat her to and promised they’d go another evening.
‘Honestly, JC, I’m perfectly happy with the meal. The setting too is perfect.’ She gestured out over the terrace to the view. ‘And it’s so peaceful – unlike the apartment.’ Nanette took a sip of the water that Jean-Claude had poured her. ‘Were you happy with tonight’s get-together from a business point of view?’ She didn’t like to voice the words she really wanted to say,‘I hope I didn’t let you down,’in case it made her sound needy, when really she just hoped she’d played her part of ‘plus-one’ for the evening to his satisfaction.
Jean-Claude smiled. ‘Yes. As networking events go, it was good.’ He glanced at her. ‘Thank you for coming with me, and I hope it wasn’t too much of an ordeal?’
Nanette shook her head. ‘No, I enjoyed it. I met someone new too – Evie.’
‘That’s good. Maybe we can do it again – only if you’d like to of course.’ Jean-Claude hesitated before adding, ‘These things are so much more enjoyable with a friend at my side,’
‘I’d love to come with you, JC,’ Nanette said. ‘Next time, I may know a little more about your business as I’m intending to come up and do some tidying up of your office this week.’
‘Thank you. Let me know which day and I’ll ask Anneka to make lunch for two.’
Once they’d finished their impromptu supper, the two of them sat companionably chatting as darkness fell until Jean-Claude stood up.
‘I think it’s time I took you home,’ he said.
Nanette glanced at her watch. ‘I hadn’t realised it was so late. I’m sorry about my silly accident. Dinner at the restaurant would have been good, I’m sure, but this has been a lovely end to the evening. Thank you.’ She didn’t dare put into words just how much she’d enjoyed Jean-Claude’s company for the last couple of hours in case he thought she was gushing. But it was a long time since she’d felt so comfortable and at ease with a man.
Jean-Claude gave her a look she found impossible to interpret. ‘I’d suggest we walk down, but I think it better if I call a taxi.’
* * *
Mathieu was in when they let themselves in to the apartment. Nanette wouldn’t have mentioned her fall, but Jean-Claude quickly told him about the evening’s incident before wishing Nanette. ‘Goodnight. I hope you are not too bruised in the morning.’
As he left, Nanette went through the sitting room, opened the patio doors and stepped out onto the balcony. Standing there watching the lights and looking over the harbour, she was deep in thought when Mathieu joined her.
‘I seePole Positionis back,’ he said, looking down towards the yachts. There was a pause before he added, ‘Zac is planning a big party on board in a couple of weeks, I understand.’
