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‘Same,’ I said. ‘What are you making?’
‘It’s an old grandad-drink my mum used to make when we were little called Ovaltine. I have a secret stash of it for when I can’t sleep.’
‘No way!’ I said and laughed. ‘My mum used to make that for me too, except now I always add a Baileys.’
Xavier stepped to one side to reveal a bottle of Baileys on the counter.
‘Same,’ he said with a grin. ‘So what’s keeping you up? Too many thoughts?’
‘Always,’ I said. ‘I think these past few months have shaken me up more than I realised. I spoke to my friend Abi earlier and it seems George is getting on with his life as if I’d never existed. Out of sight, out of mind.’
‘I’m sure that’s not true,’ Xavier said. ‘How can he not have regrets? For his behaviour at the very least. Losing you must have left a huge hole in his life.’
‘Doesn’t seem that way. I thought being out here would help me forget all about it, but it’s hard to make peace with knowing my old life is just carrying on without me. I miss my mum and dad and my friends… and my cat.’
‘Of course you do,’ Xavier said, adding several chunks of dark chocolate to the pan, ‘it’s only natural.’
‘The bistro I worked at in London is so beautiful, the food is gorgeous, and my friend Margot is such a wise old owl. It’s a lot to lose all at once. I’m worried I’ve made too many changes, too quickly.’
Xavier nodded, whisking the chocolatey milk into a bubbly froth and adding the Ovaltine. ‘I know how it feels to leave your whole life behind,’ he said, pouring out two mugs and topping them with cream. ‘You know the restaurant Luca is helping me out with back in Paris? When I said things were complicated, it’s because my ex-business partner Chantal is also my ex-fiancée.’
‘Really? I didn’t know.’
‘I didn’t mention it before as it’s still hard to talk about, but I know exactly how it feels to build a life and a future with someone and have it blow up in your face.’
‘I’m so sorry to hear that, Xavier,’ I said, really wishing I wasn’t dressed as a teddy bear.
‘Luca bought Chantal’s half of the business when we split.’
‘I did think it was strange that a top chef like you was working in a chalet solely to build his network.’
Xavier smiled. ‘It’s taken me three years, but this is my last season at Chalet Blanchet and then I’ll be the owner of my restaurant again. I’ll have my business back. I’m going to mark the occasion by giving the restaurant a new name.’
‘What’s it called at the moment?’
‘Lavedrine et Lapointe. Chantal and my surnames together. But I’m going to rename it Lavedrine X. I want her name off.’
‘Crossing Chantal out of your life?’
‘X because the restaurant is in the tenth arrondissement, and for Xavier. I’m looking forward to finally being able to put it all behind me. Luca did me a huge favour paying Chantal off. I was a total mess when she left.’
‘What happened?’ I asked, softly.
‘She cheated on me with one of our biggest-paying customers. A man I considered a friend. I found them together one night at our flat. I was supposed to be working but left early with a migraine and came home to find them there.’
‘That’s so awful,’ I said, putting my hand on his arm.
‘It was a huge shock. The restaurant was my dream, Chantal and I built it together, but it was my idea and my vision. I put every single penny I had into it, as well as my heart and soul, working around the clock to make it successful. I trusted her completely and she betrayed me in every possible way. And once I found out, everything around me crumbled. We called off the wedding, Chantal wanted out of the business, and I wanted her out too. Out of the business and out of my life. I could barely look at her.’
‘It must have been awful for you. Trapped in your own life, like that,’ I said.
‘The restaurant was doing well but not nearly well enough for me to buy her out. I had lost my fiancée and I was about to lose my business, and that’s when Luca stepped in. Chantal was at school with Luca and me and the three of us were close, so it was a way for him to help us both out at the same time. Luca bought Chantal’s stake in the business so I didn’t have to sell, and Chantal got the clean break she wanted.’
‘Sounds a lot like my George situation,’ I said. ‘How can people be so selfish and cruel? I feel like I’ll never be able to trust anyone ever again.’
‘It’s hard to open yourself up again when something like that happens, that’s for sure.’
‘But you did it! With Christina, right? Success is the best revenge and now you’re married and you have your business back.’
