Chapter Twenty-Eight
Friday 13th December
Olivier – 34 Tilgate Road, Brighton
Olivier opened the door to Ashleigh’s house with the spare key and was immediately greeted by Simon, who went up on his back legs, leaning his front paws against Olivier’s knees to get his attention. Olivier scratched the dog behind his ear and, when satisfied, Simon went back down on all fours and headed upstairs as though leading the way for Olivier.
He hurried up after Simon, glancing at Ashleigh’s bedroom door as he moved in the opposite direction down the hallway. He’d missed her yesterday, even as he dropped off little blocks of chocolate for her verdict and they texted each other. Her grandmere was feeling well enough that she’d insisted Ashleigh go back to work and though, on the surface, that was a good thing, he could tell that it had brought their disagreement and the consequences of it to the front of her mind again.
He knocked on the door of Christine’s bedroom lightly, even though it was already ajar from Simon walking in and out. He hoped that if she was asleep, he wouldn’t be waking her.
‘You can come in.’
‘Bonjour,’ he said, poking his head inside. ‘Ashleigh asked me to check in on you while she’s at work and to take Simon for a walk.’
‘Yes, she mentioned it.’ She motioned with her hand. ‘Come in properly so I’m not shouting. I’m not worried you’re going to attack me, Olivier.’
‘Merci.’ He went in and sat down on the chair beside her bed. ‘How are you feeling?’
‘Still dizzy. It’s maddening really. I hate being stuck in bed.’
‘Is there anything I can get you? I made soup. Would you like some?’
‘What flavour?’
‘It’s a garbure.’ She raised her eyebrows at him. ‘Oh, erm, a very thick soup, with meat and vegetables and beans…a little like minestrone with no pasta.’
‘Ooh, go on then. Thank you.’
‘I’ll heat some up for you and then take Simon for a walk.’
‘Just a moment.’ Christine sat herself up in bed a little straighter, moving closer to the quilted headboard. ‘I’ve noticed you and Ashleigh are thick as thieves again.’
‘I suppose so.’ He glanced at the dog, who was resting on the end of the bed, as though he could give him any clues where this conversation was going.
‘But you’re going back to Paris after Christmas?’ She fixed a hard stare on him. ‘What’s going to happen then?’
‘I don’t know,’ he said honestly. He hadn’t really thought that far ahead. Should he have? It was early days and… ‘It’s not entirely up to me.’
‘No. I suppose not.’ She folded her arms in her lap. ‘I can’t really see a long-distance relationship working for Ashleigh though can you?’
‘We haven’t even been out on a date yet.’
‘I’m not an idiot. You two had goo-goo eyes for each other years ago. Whenever you went back home after Christmas, she mooned around and tried to pretend she wasn’t eavesdropping whenever I stopped to have a chat with your mother.’
He pushed his hand through his hair, not knowing what he was supposed to do with that information. On the one hand, it was gratifying to know his crush on her hadn’t been utterly one-sided and pathetic, but on the other hand…was this the reason that she never called him? She wasn’t interested in a long-distance relationship?
‘I’m not sure Ashleigh would be happy with you sharing this with me,’ he admitted with a nervous laugh.
‘No. Of course not. But I’m interested in looking after her welfare, not being her friend. When you disappear off again, I’m the one who has to pick up the pieces. You just be honest with her, you hear me. She doesn’t deserve to be let down any more than she has been. If you don’t have any intention of staying in her life – if this is just a passing fancy for you to fill the time before you go back to Paris – don’t lead her on.’
‘The last thing I’d ever want to do is hurt her,’ he said, slowly, his lips feeling slightly numb. He couldn’t guarantee how things would go when they hadn’t even really started dating yet. He hadn’t been on a date withanyonein years. Was he doing the wrong thing by Ashleigh when he didn’t know what he could offer her? It had all seemed so simple yesterday when he finally plucked up the courage to ask her. Now it seemed anything but.
‘Be sure and see that you don’t.’ Christine smiled with a hint of mischief. ‘Or I’ll set Simon on you.’
The dog lifted his ears and eyebrows at the sound of his name, his snout resting on his paws as he lay completely flat on the foot of the bed, looking as far from an attack dog as possible.
‘Okay. You can fetch my soup now. Oh, and could you open those curtains and pass me my binoculars?’
