Page 37 of You Had Me at Chateau
Pursing my lips in thought, I consider his offer. He’s right. I am here, he’s here, and I could help him out. And the money would be good.
‘All right, sure,’ I reply. ‘Do you want to put your number in my phone? I’ll buzz you when I’m free.’
Caleb nods, taking my phone and punching in his digits.
‘I gave myself a missed call, so now I’ve got your number too,’ he replies. ‘Just in case you were planning on not calling and then hiding in the mountains to avoid me until I left.’
I laugh, shaking my head.
‘You know that this whole thing is so bizarre, right?’ I check.
‘Oh, yeah, definitely,’ Caleb agrees with a grin. ‘See you later.’
Completely weirded out (but still vaguely amused) by the whole situation, I take my things and head for the door. No, wait, screw it, I am going to get that coffee, and a pastry – I think I need it now.
I can’t believe Caleb bloody Carney has actually turned up here. I mean, to be fair to him, he did say that he was going to come, and I did tell him he could – but I was joking. But he’s here now, and the least I can do is hear him out. It might be the easiest money I’ve ever made – well, easier than writing a book, anyway.
Armed with my latte and my croissant, and with my dental essentials and my random hamper, I step outside. Oof, the cold air hits different now, after being in the cosy hotel for so long, but feeling the cold is way down the list. I feel bemused, surprised, and excited if I’m being honest.
This trip just keeps getting weirder and weirder. I’m almost terrified of what might happen next – but I’m excited too because, trust me, stuff like this doesn’t usually happen to me, and I doubt it ever will again. So maybe I will make the most of it. Let’s see what Caleb says later. I’ve got a breakfast to get to first – and one to eat before I get there.
17
As I push open the grand double doors of the château, I can’t help but admire how the morning sun warms up the tone of the creamy-coloured walls.
I just love that feeling of walking in and out through the doors, and the way the temperature shifts all of a sudden. When you walk in it’s like stepping into a big, warm hug – sort of like when you step off the plane when you fly to a hot country, and you step through the door and it instantly feels like you’re walking into a wall of heat. It’s just like that, except it smells delicious, and helps the feeling come back to your fingers.
I stroll through the fancy hallway, my footsteps echoing on the hard floor, letting my nose lead me in the direction of breakfast. Not that I don’t know where the dining room is, but if I didn’t the smell of freshly bakedsomethingwould give it away. I can’t wait to find out what it is.
Walking into the dining room, I find Mandy, Bette, and Gina already parked at the long, elegant breakfast table. They’re surrounded by the breakfast buffet of my dreams – no wine this time, although I wouldn’t be shocked if I found out Bette’s coffee was Irish instead of French. Either they’ve hardly toucheda thing, or I’ve arrived just in time, because everything is still picture-perfect.
It’s the fanciest continental breakfast spread I’ve ever seen. Usually I’m a scrambled-eggs kind of girl if I’m going for savoury, or American-style pancakes if I fancy something sweet. Silver trays are loaded with golden, flaky croissants, pain au chocolat, and other delicious-looking pastries that would serve as a delicious chaser to the one I ate on the walk here. Then there is the savoury stuff – meats, cheeses – and various jars with different spreads and conserves in. Back home I would laugh if anyone suggested I eat cheese for breakfast but here it just feels right. There is freshly baked bread, which must have been what I could smell walking in here, as well as a large glass bowl full of fresh fruits. Again, I’m not really one for fruit on a morning (unless it’s in a pancake or a Danish) but this looks too good to resist – I’m sure I’ll feel healthy when I eat it, even if it is part of my second breakfast.
My stomach growls as I look over it all, longingly, which only helps to conceal the fact I’ve already eaten.
A young woman in a crisp white uniform moves gracefully around the table, pouring coffee into dainty china cups. She looks up as I approach and flashes me a smile.
‘Good morning! Would you like a cup of coffee?’ she asks.
‘Yes, please,’ I say, smiling back. Even though I can still taste the coffee I just had, but you can never have too much coffee, can you?
This tips the ladies off to the fact that I’m here, so we all exchange polite good mornings.
Taking my seat at the table, as the waitress fills up my cup, I take a look around the dining room. The high ceilings are decked out with fancy mouldings, and huge windows draped with heavy ruby-red velvet curtains let in beams of morning sunlight that make the polished wood floor gleam. You couldn’t get awaywithout dusting this room, that’s for sure. There’s a massive antique sideboard against one wall, piled high with even more dishes, ready to refill the table – although I suspect these are the ornamental plates, not the ones we use.
‘Amber, up and at ’em already?’ Mandy says, her voice as chipper as a salesperson on commission. ‘You look like you’ve been out in the cold. Are you having breakfast with us?’
‘I just popped to the resort shops for a few bits and bobs,’ I explain, trying to sound nonchalant. ‘And yes to breakfast.’
‘Goodness – you really were unprepared for this trip, weren’t you?’ she says, nodding towards my bag. Mandy’s tone drips with condescension, her words delivered in that patronising baby voice she seems to only use with me. ‘If we had known, we would’ve had a whip-round, wouldn’t we, ladies?’
It takes all my strength and focus not to roll my eyes at her, because you just know she’s trying to make me feel bad.
‘I was just spoiling myself,’ I insist, lifting my chin slightly.
‘The day I spoil myself with a toothbrush, shoot me,’ Mandy laughs, and the others join in. Everyone has to laugh at Mandy’s jokes, even when she isn’t funny, it turns out.
‘Actually, I bought myself a hamper,’ I lie smoothly, hoping to put a stop to her smugness.
