Page 37 of Pleasure Games

“I called her while you were buying clothes,” he lied, adding to the lengthening list.

The walk was well groomed, flowers had been planted in beds edging the walls of the house and the trees were all pruned. Considering what he paid the Gauthiers to maintain the property, he would have been extremely disappointed if things hadn’t been kept up. The deal was that the house was supposed to appear lived-in.

It did.

Yet for Luca, the residents were all ghosts.

“And who are the people who live outside the gates?” Jasmine asked as she waited for him to unlock the front door.

“Madame and Monsieur Gauthier. The caretakers.”

He recognized the house key among the seven on the ring and unlocked the door.

“They seemed happy to see you.”

“I used to come here sometimes as a boy. It’s been many years. I’m surprised they remembered me,” Luca said quietly as he swung the door open, prepared to be greeted by stale air, dust and spirits.

Instead, the air smelled like lemon and the marble floor shone. Not a speck of dust. His money had been well spent.

“Ho-ly.” Jasmine gazed at the sixteen-foot-high ceilings and the curved stairs that led to the second floor. Without being invited, she wandered in through an arched door to the living room, which had the same high ceilings with original beams overhead. The room had an enormous fireplace at one end, and French doors opened up to the terrace out back that stretched the entire length of the home.

The only things that made the house seem uninhabited were the dust covers draped over all the furniture. Luca followed Jasmine from room to room as she explored. It was a one-sided conversation, as she made appreciative comments in each room and he stayed silent. So many memories.

Too many.

After touring the entire main floor—which consisted of the living room, dining room, kitchen, two bedrooms, bathroom and WC—they returned to the front entrance.

“What’s up there?” Jasmine asked, pointing up the stairs.

“More bedrooms and bathrooms. But the main floor should be sufficient for our needs.”

She bit her lip, and by the way her eyes glowed, he could tell she wanted to investigate further. However, his old room was upstairs and he wasn’t in the mood to revisit it.

“Out back there’s a pretty park and a pigeon loft that dates back to the seventeenth century, when this was a monastery.”

“Are you serious?” Her eyes shone and she took his hand and tugged him toward the door. “Let’s go.”

Despite the melancholy that Luca had initially felt upon his return, Jasmine’s enthusiasm for the estate—a place he had always loved—was contagious. For the rest of the tour, he showed off the property with the pride of someone who had a deep fondness for the place. The large park that led down to the boathouse on the banks of the Loire River. The vineyard to the south, the only part of the estate that was showing neglect. He didn’t expect his elderly caretakers to handle that job.

They strolled between the overgrown rows of grapes, and Jasmine stopped. “What kind of grapes are these?”

“Mostly sauvignon blanc, but this vineyard still has some pinot noir vines and some cabernet franc.” Luca gazed out over the rows, amazed at how peaceful it was here.

“Why isn’t this being cultivated? It seems like such a waste.”

“It’s a lot of work for...my aunt.”

Though Luca could imagine it, suddenly. Cleaning up the rows. Pruning. Weeding. Picking. For the first time since he’d taken over the Legrand estate, the thought of producing wine and champagne seemed more than just a duty, it excited him.

He glanced down at Jasmine, who was watching him with a puzzled expression. “What?”

“Nothing.”

They took a path back to the main garden. “You’re lucky to be able to stay here. I’m surprised you didn’t come here sooner.”

“It’s a little remote.”

“It’s gorgeous!”

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