Page 57 of Summer on the French Riviera
‘This is lovely,’ he said, looking around the garden. ‘The pool looks inviting right now it’s so hot.’
‘Jack! Please get to the point of why you are here – or I’ll push you into the pool! And don’t think I’m joking.’
There was a pause while he looked at her. ‘You and I have unfinished business,’ Jack held up his hand as Harriet went to speak, and his eyes stared into hers. ‘It’s the truth and you know it. We – and let’s not forget our wonderful daughter – have all missed out during the last twenty-four years. The future will include the three of us and in time I hope and pray we can become the family we are meant to be.’
Harriet felt herself deflate. She did know it was the truth, but admitting it was hard.
‘That night the two of us had supper on the beach was like old times. It felt so good to be back with you. And lunch the other day, just you and me with our daughter, was surely a special family moment for you. I know it was for me.’ Jack paused. ‘I’d like us to see if the love we shared all those years ago is still there, that it’s just been buried by our separation.’ Jack looked at her. ‘For my part, I feel it is – I’m not sure whether you feel the same, though.’
Harriet gave a helpless shrug. ‘How can I not? What we had in the past was wonderful. But we’re both different people now. Life has hurt us both. And for that, believe me, I blame myself, no one else.’
Jack reached out and picked up her hand. ‘But deep down we are still those two kids who met, fell in love and, I suspect – believe even – we never truly fell out of love with each other. Life took us down separate forks in the road, but now we get a second chance to join our lives together again. And this time we’ve’got Elodie too. We can be a proper family. I know my own feelings are refusing to stay buried any more now that we’ve met up again.’
Harriet gave a deep sigh. ‘I agree with everything you’ve just said, but it’s not that easy. Oh, I know we’re both single and we have Elodie linking us together forever, but for a start, you live in America and I live here in France. As do both Gabby and Elodie. I can’t leave either of them. They haven’t been back in my life that long. And we both know long-distance relationships are difficult.’
‘I’ve thought of that already. I’ll buy somewhere over here and we make France our base – our home. We can spend the majority of our time here and visit America whenever we want to or are needed. Next problem?’
Harriet swallowed hard. Jack had clearly anticipated her reaction to his words and had the solution ready and waiting.
‘This exhibition Hugo is arranging for me at the end of the year, it could be the start of me finally finding my place in the art world,’ she shrugged. ‘On the other hand, it could be a complete flop. I just need to give it my all and find out once and for all whether I’m good enough for other people.’
‘It won’t be a flop. Your paintings are excellent. The house we buy will have to have a studio for you, obviously.’ Jack looked at her. ‘This Hugo – I need to know, do you have feelings for him?’
‘I’ve told you before, Hugo is a friend, a good friend. We are not, and never have been, involved emotionally, although I think Hugo had hopes in that direction before…’ her voice trailed away.
‘Before I turned up,’ Jack said with a smile. ‘So there is really nothing to stop us from getting to know each other again.’
Harriet looked at him and laughed. ‘God, you are still the same. Make up your mind over something and you want it quicker than instantly. You are so impatient.’
‘Maybe,’ Jack said, a serious look on his face. ‘But be warned, I’m not losing you this time round. We should have been together for the last twenty-four years – I’m determined to spend the next quarter of a century – the rest of my life in fact - with you. And I have the very best of reasons for that.’
‘Really? And what is that?’
‘Because I am, have been and always will be, deeply in love with you.’
Before a stunned Harriet could react to his words, Jack had pulled her into his arms and, holding tight as if he’d never let her go, was kissing her in such a way that left her in no doubt at all about how much he loved her.
43
After Jack had left, Harriet sent a text to Jessica inviting her to meet up for lunch. She needed to talk to someone. Gabby and Elodie were too close, she needed someone who could view the situation dispassionately. A minute later, her phone rang.
‘Hi. Lunch would be fun. It is ages since we caught up. Meet you in ten minutes down by the casino,’ Jessica said. ‘We can go to the restaurant next door.’
Jessica was waiting for her when Harriet arrived and the two friends quickly found a table and ordered moules and frites and a bottle of rosé.
‘Come on then, spill the news,’ Jessica said, pouring them each a glass.
‘First, I’m sorry we haven’t seen much of each other since the party. Summer seems to be disappearing fast. Life seems to have got busy and somewhat complicated and I’m in need of some unbiased advice.’
‘No worries, summer is always full on down here, and this year I’ve been busy with doing the Airbnb, which, if I’m honest, I’m not sure is worth the hassle. Anyway, Hugo tells me you’re painting again and that there’s an exhibition planned?’
‘Yes, I am. Desperately behind with producing enough paintings, but there’s several weeks yet until December. The thing is, one of my complications is that Elodie’s father has turned up.’
Jessica gave her a wide-eyed look. ‘Hugo did tell me an ex-boyfriend had shown up, but that was all. I can’t believe you haven’t told me this before.’
‘Yes, I’m sorry about that. Life has been a bit full on. Jack was understandably cross with me when he found out about Elodie. And Elodie…’ Harriet sighed. ‘Well, she took her time to meet him, which was stressful, but that side of things has worked okay now.’
‘So, what do you need advice on?’
