The Last Autograph (A Reluctant Kiss #3)

Chapter 31

31

Jake stood at the front door of number ten, three floors up and at the end of a short, dim hallway, and dug in his backpack for his keys.

He’d owned the compact two-bedroom apartment for over three years. Advertised at the time as a mix of Art Nouveau and Art Deco architecture guaranteed to seduce the most discerning of buyers, in Jake’s opinion, it didn’t live up to the sales hype. But it was home and, despite the small footprint, one he’d enjoyed living in.

Jake checked his watch. His flight had landed at Charles de Gaulle just after seven a.m. via a three-hour layover in Singapore, and as he opened the door, all he wanted was to sleep off the jet lag he knew was about to hit. However, he also knew that staying awake was the best way to reset his body clock.

He dropped his backpack just inside his bedroom door and looked around. The place smelled of stale coffee, and in the kitchen, a lone mug sat unwashed in the sink.

Jake crossed the living room and poked his head into Ava’s room, frowning when he saw clothes strewn all over the bed. When they first moved in together, she’d insisted on having her own space—so she could sleep late and pack it to the brim with clothes, shoes, and handbags. Jake thought having separate bedrooms suited them, but after being with Molly, he questioned that concept. In fact, on the flight over, he’d questioned many things about his relationship with Ava.

The sound of a key in the lock startled him, and when he spun around, there she stood, hair in a messy bun and a soft smile warming her features.

“Oh my gosh, you’re here already.” She crossed the room and dropped several small brown paper bags on the table but didn’t offer a hug. “I popped out to get breakfast. How was your flight?”

An immediate sense of separation struck Jake head-on. Ever since booking his tickets, he’d wondered how he’d feel when he saw Ava again. Because while their romantic relationship had ended months before, he hadn’t had the energy to confront his feelings at the time.

Now, he didn’t have a choice.

“What are you doing here?” He stepped forward. “I thought you’d moved out.”

“Are you hungry? I have croissants and?—”

“Ava, what’s going on?”

She picked up a bag and tore it open, then stilled before bursting into tears. “Pascal and I are on a break. That’s why I’m still here. I have nowhere else to go.”

Jake engulfed her in a tight hug, but for the first time in many years, he knew she didn’t belong in his embrace and never would again. “Hey. Don’t cry.”

“He’s gone back to Toulouse.” Ava’s tears dampened the front of his shirt, her petite frame only reaching the bottom of his breast pocket. “I wanted to go too, but I need more time to sort out my life here.”

Jake released his grip and pulled out a chair. “Sit down, and I’ll make us some coffee.”

“I’m sorry. I know I shouldn’t be here, but…”

“Ava, it’s not a problem.”

They talked that day, he and Ava, more than they’d talked in the past year. Did they iron out the kinks in their relationship? No, but by the time they went to bed that night—Jake dehydrated by the heat and with a thumping headache, he’d made his peace with their parting. And that’s all he could ask for.

Ava had already left for work when he woke just after nine, lathered in sweat and the humidity in his small room almost unbearable. Showered and dressed, and with a half-eaten stale croissant abandoned on the kitchen counter, Jake strolled along the cobbled pavement to the patisserie where he’d spent the past few years of his Parisian working life.

“Jake. Great to see you, man.” Theo, Jake’s previous boss and friend for almost a decade, offered a warm grin. The two men hugged and slapped each other on the back. Being Australian, Theo had never taken to the double-kiss greeting, which suited Jake just fine.

“You too.” Jake glanced around, inhaling the familiar aroma of strong coffee and freshly baked pastries. He’d loved working here, but life was fluid, and his attitude toward that fluidity had changed since Jesse’s death. Lately, he’d missed people more than places. “You’re looking well.”

Theo barked out a laugh. “What’s with the bullshit? They say forty’s the new thirty, but I call bullshit. I’m forty-five, and I sure do feel it. That’s why we need to make the move now. Before it’s too late for us to get our teeth into something new. Plus, Milly wants to be closer to her folks and for the kids to go to school in London.”

“And you’re okay with that?”

“Sure. You know me. I’ll just follow along. Happy wife and all that bullshit.” Theo nodded to the server. “You got time for a coffee, mate?”

“I’d love one, thanks.”

The two men sat outside under a row of black lotus trees lining the outside of the pavement, Jake welcoming the shade they provided.

“So, thoughts on my offer?” Theo asked as soon as their coffees were served.

Jake leaned back in his chair. “It’s tempting, but I’m no longer a free agent.”

Theo shrugged. “I’m sure your staff can run the place while you’re away. Besides, you often talked about working in London.”

His friend was right. London had appealed to Jake since he was a teenager. “What’s the time frame?”

“We’re on track to open early March.”

Jake stirred his coffee. “And when do you need to know by?”

“If you’re on board, December. If not, as soon as possible.”

Jake grinned. “No pressure then.”

“You know me. No pressure, no life. But come on, mate. It’s only for a year.”

Jake took a sip of his coffee, its strength as intense as he’d remembered. He mulled over Theo’s words. If it weren’t for Molly, he’d be all in, but he didn’t want to leave New Zealand without her.

“Look, I get that you’ve had a shit twelve months, and I’m not disregarding that, but you said yourself that starting the bakery when you did wasn’t the best decision. It will keep for a year, especially if you have a good team behind you.”

“Which I do.”

“Who’s looking after the business while you’re here?”

“Dad. He’d never admit it to me, but mum thinks he’s struggling with retirement.”

“Well, there you go. He might be keener than you think. How are your parents doing otherwise?”

Jake hesitated as an array of words formed in his mind—inappropriate ramblings best left unsaid. “They have their moments. It’s been tough on all of us, that’s for sure.”

“Is that why you’re reluctant, because you don’t want to leave them?”

An image of Molly in her fitting black dress came to mind. Her concern for him at the cemetery and how they’d missed a proper goodbye when she couldn’t make it to the airport. How he couldn’t wait to see her again. “No, but I’ve met someone, so…”

“It’s definitely all over with Ava, then?”

“Yep. All done.” Jake relaxed at the truth of his own words. Sure, he’d accepted his relationship with Ava was over months before, but seeing her again had cemented that acceptance more than he’d ever thought possible. “As it turns out, her decision was best for both of us.”

“Right, right.” Theo sipped his coffee. “And this new girl, she’s not keen on moving?”

“Molly. We haven’t discussed it yet. The relationship’s still new and… complicated.”

Theo chuckled. “Shit, mate. When are they ever not?”