Page 43 of Summer on the French Riviera
Harriet’s heart sank. Jack clearly had every intention of not only himself being in Elodie’s life but also the rest of his family. ‘You don’t think you’re rushing things a bit? You haven’t met Elodie yet.’ His next words confirmed her fears.
‘I’ve got twenty-four missed years to make up for, of course I’m rushing things. I can’t make up for lost time, but I sure as hell can do my best to try to ensure the future is different.’
* * *
At the end of the evening, Jack ignored her protests and insisted on walking Harriet home. As Harriet pressed the remote and the gate opened Jack gently turned her to face him and looked at her seriously. ‘Thank you for this evening. It was like old times and I really enjoyed it. I don’t suppose you’re going to invite me in for coffee to finish it off?’
‘In a word, no. Thank you for supper and goodnight, Jack.’ And she was through the gate as it was closing, shutting him out.
‘Once Elodie and I have met, maybe the three of us can have a family dinner? Goodnight, Harriet. I’ll be in touch,’ he called.
Harriet sighed. She knew that it was a given he’d be in touch. She also knew that she too was going to have to come to terms with the fact that once Jack was in Elodie’s life he would inevitably be back in her own.
She wandered down through the garden on the side path and sank down onto a transat by the edge of the pool. Supper with Jack had been interesting. Reminiscing about their shared past had been fun and Jack had surprised her with how much he’d actually remembered. He’d almost been daring her to remember the good times and he’d jogged her memory with forgotten anecdotes. Several times she’d got the feeling that he was teasing her, flirting with her even, in the hope that she’d respond.
But she couldn’t. Wouldn’t. Things with Elodie needed to be sorted first. Only then could she begin to think about what it would be like to welcome Jack back into her own life.
33
Elodie was in her room, with the intention of starting to write the first of her ‘English Girl Abroad’ columns for the Sunday magazine, which was scheduled to begin at the end of the month. For days now, her head had been swirling with thoughts of Jack Ellicott, her actual father, pushing all work-related subjects to the back of her mind.
An hour later, having written less than two hundred words, she gave up and decided to go to the beach and wait for Gazz to finish. They’d already arranged to meet up later that evening, but she couldn’t wait that long. Business did quieten down after six o’clock as people went home, so hopefully he’d be free soon.
As she passed the large hotel on Boulevard Édouard Baudoin, where only last Christmas her mother had stayed, Elodie remembered how upset she’d been when Gabby had told her back then that Harriet was in town. And now her unknown father was here. What was that film where a day repeated itself time and time again?Groundhog Day, that was it. This was becoming her own personal groundhog day. Only this time it was her father, instead of her mother, wanting to be back in her life. And the burning question was – how could she not meet him now that the opportunity had arisen?
Telling Harriet that she merely wanted to know a few details about her father and she didn’t plan on rushing to go looking for him had been a lie. Well, half a lie. She’d merely intended to do a little bit of investigative journalism once she knew his name, see if she could trace him. But now Jack had turned up, there was nothing to stop her from meeting him. So why was she hesitating?
Elodie sighed. Deep down she knew she was afraid. Agreeing to see Jack Ellicott would be an irrevocable step that would be sure to turn her world upside down and she wasn’t sure how she’d cope with both her parents in her life after not having either of them until Harriet had shown up. Parents who’d never had joint responsibility for the child they had created. Did they plan on becoming friends, or even lovers again. Or would she have to see them separately, keep them in individual compartments of her life?
Elodie glanced back at the hotel as she made her way down onto the beach. Was he staying in that hotel too? Could Jack be standing in his room looking out at the scenery, not knowing his daughter was part of the view?
Families were making their way off the beach, either to go home or back to hotels and holiday Airbnbs, with fractious toddlers and bored teenagers kicking at the sand. Child-free couples were out enjoying an aperitif or an early-evening meal at one or other of the beach restaurants. Walking down towards the jetty Gazz ran his business from, Elodie found herself looking at every middle-aged man she passed, asking herself: Could you be him?
Gazz was standing on his own in the water down by the end of the jetty, securing a paddleboat, and she increased her pace, wanting to reach him quickly. Although surprised to see her, he waded out onto the sand, smiling happily, and gave her a quick kiss as she ran into his arms.
‘Have you got five minutes to spare?’ Elodie asked. ‘Only I really need to talk to you. And to ask you something.’
Gazz glanced back to where Olivier and Enzo were dealing with a couple of women who had just returned from a paragliding trip and were laughing and chatting with them.
‘What’s up?’
‘I’ve decided to meet my father – but will you please come with me?’
‘Yes, of course, I’ll come with you, but I’ll need a bit of notice to make sure both Olivier and Enzo are working on that day to cover my absence. If you decide to have lunch with him, I’ll probably have to bow out to get back for the boys.’
‘Thanks. I don’t expect to have lunch with him, not the first time I meet him. You tell me which day you can manage and I’ll get Harriet to text the details to… to him. I can’t believe what I’m about to do.’
Gazz gave her a hug. ‘I happen to believe that you’re doing the right thing.’
* * *
Harriet was in her room getting ready for bed that evening when there was a gentle knock on the door. She glanced at her watch, eleven o’clock, as she heard Elodie ask, ‘Can I come in and talk to you for a few moments, please?’
‘Of course. Come on in. Is something wrong?’
‘No, nothing is wrong, but I decided tonight that I will meet my father.’
Harriet smothered a sigh of relief, finally, before giving Elodie a smile. ‘He’ll be pleased to hear that.’
