Page 4 of Falling for Provence

‘Neither do I.’ Laura started the car and backed carefully out of the parking space. ‘Look, I know how awful it’s been for you. And we’ve all done our best to help you get through it, but everyone’s been tiptoeing around you for more than six months now and that hasn’t helped, has it?’

‘Oh… you mean I should just snap out of it?’ Ellie didn’t want to talk about it. She could feel it pressing in on all sides, and it still had the power to suffocate her. ‘I’m dealing with it, okay? In my own way and my own time.’

‘Mam thinks it’s time you saw somebody. She’s worried about you, Ellie. We’re all worried about you.’

‘Thanks for your concern.’ Ellie stared out of the window. They were leaving Vence behind them up the hill, and there was nothing but forest on both sides of the winding road. ‘But I’m fine. I’m looking after myself, aren’t I? I’m eating. I’m sleeping. I’m working.’

‘When was the last time you picked up a paintbrush?’

‘You should be pleased I’ve given it up. Haven’t you always said I was dreaming if I ever thought I was going to make a living as an artist?’

‘Part-time work in a retirement home is the other end of the spectrum.’ Laura glanced at the satnav and began to slow the car. A turn off the main road before they reached the entrance to the walled, medieval part of St Paul de Vence was indicated to find the address of the estate agency they were heading for. ‘And the lease on your apartment is due to run out when? Next week?’

‘Couple of weeks,’ Ellie muttered. ‘And yeah… I know I haven’t found a place I can afford yet, but Mam says I can move back home for a bit if I need to.’

‘That would be a backwards step and you know it. You’re twenty-nine years old, Ellie. You need to stand on your own two feet.’ The car jerked as Laura hit the brakes, having spotted the sign that told them they’d reached their destination.

‘Look,’ she said, her tone gentling after she’d stopped the car and turned to face her sister. ‘We all loved Jack. We all shared your grief when he died. I know I’ve never had a baby of my own and I doubt I’ll ever want to, so it’s fair to say that I know nothing about what you’ve really gone through, but… but you’ve still got your whole life ahead of you and you can’t just throw that away. And you’re well rid of Liam, who never came close to making the grade as a decent boyfriend let alone a life partner. You’ve got the chance to make a whole fresh start.’

‘Look out!’ Ellie had to warn Laura not to open her door as she saw a huge motorbike approaching from behind at speed. Then it slowed down too fast and came to a halt just ahead of them. The rider dismounted and pulled off a motorbike helmet to reveal shaggy, dark hair. It reminded Ellie of Liam’s hair.

Liam… the first man Ellie had ever fallen in love with.

The first man who’d broken her heart.

Or had that honour gone to the father who’d simply walked out of her life without any explanation?

How many times could trust be stolen, Ellie wondered, before you decided that maybe you didn’t even want to try and find it again?

‘Think about how passionate you were back in art school days.’ Laura said. ‘Being a single mother was never part of that dream, was it?’

Liam… the man who, as soon as he’d learned she was pregnant, had repeated history by simply walking out on her without saying a word.

‘Dreams change.’ Ellie released the catch on her safety belt and reached to open her door. ‘And sometimes they die.’

2

The two sisters were standing outside the estate agency again less than an hour later.

‘I thought that guy on the motorbike was delivering a pizza or something,’ Ellie said. ‘Who would have thought thathe’sour agent?’

‘If Noah Dufour was any more laid back, he’d be horizontal.’ Laura was looking uncharacteristically dazed. ‘At least he seems to know what he’s talking about. I didn’t realise that real estate is so complicated here with all the fees and taxes and legal requirements.’

‘I wasn’t really listening then,’ admitted Ellie. ‘When Noah asked if we were all in agreement about selling as quickly as possible, I was thinking about the other night.’

That hastily called family meeting.

‘We’ll have to sell it.’It had been Laura who’d taken the lead, of course. ‘It’s not as if any of us can afford the upkeep on a holiday house, let alone the cost of getting there on a regular basis. Anyone disagree?’

‘Fiona’s not here. She should get a say.’

‘Fi might think it’s a grand idea to keep it, Mam,’Laura had warned. ‘She never seems to pass up an opportunity to be difficult these days, does she?’

‘Let’s try calling her,’Ellie had suggested. But she’d known how unlikely it was that the call would be answered.

‘We’ll go for a majority, then.’Laura had announced.‘Fi’ll get some money eventually and that will be a far more useful inheritance than a share of a house nobody else wants. I’ll do some research, find the best local agency and get the ball rolling.’

The best local agency had been that of Noah Dufour, and it had been a relief to hand over the big iron key and the task of disposing of something none of them wanted. Now they could enjoy a bit of sightseeing before the flight they had booked back to Glasgow tomorrow morning.

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