Chapter 15
Vince
I ’d been back for a week. A week in which I’d done nothing but think about my holiday and how it’d been the best time of my life, bar none.
The rose Sylvain had given me sat in a glass on my desk. Battered and a little bruised, it did its best to perk me up but failed miserably.
“I feel you, rose.” I fingered the petals, dismayed when one fluttered to the desk. Why it seemed so significant, I didn’t know.
Sylvain had kept his word and sent pictures of him out and about. Selfies with his dazzling smile, of him trying to look serious sitting behind his desk. They all made me laugh. And despite only knowing him for less than a week, I missed him.
Even Lexi had noticed my mood and called me out on it.
“You’ve been a fucking grump since you came back from France. So you’d best get your arse around here and tell me what happened.”
Knowing she wouldn’t give up, I’d agreed.
Theo was back to his normal self, messaging me every day, and whereas before I’d have answered his messages straight away, I now let them sit, responding when I wanted to.
He didn’t seem to mind.
I’d checked in on Mum. She was fine, but her memory failed her, and still, she couldn’t remember who I was.
Everything was as I’d left it a week ago. It was me who had changed.
The person who flew to France two weeks ago wasn’t the same one who sat here now.
The new Vince was better, happier. After all this time, someone had paid me attention for who I was and not because I was Theo’s or Lexi’s friend.
Sylvain and I had talked on the phone almost every day. The first time he called, I’d thought it’d be a one-off, that once he got back to his life, he’d forget me.
I couldn’t have been more wrong, and right on cue, my phone rang.
“Bonjour, Sylvain. ?a va?” My French was improving, although it was still limited to saying hello and asking how he was.
“Bonjour, Vince. Très bien, mon cher.”
“How’s France?” I doodled on the pad, attempting to draw the wilting flower.
“It’s hot, but it’s not the same without you here. You definitely brightened my days.”
He said the sweetest things, making me blush while a thousand miles away.
“You’re adorable when you blush.” He knew me well enough to know the effect his words would have on me.
“How did you know?” I touched my cheek. Yep, definitely warm.
“Because you always blush when I compliment you. You’re not used to compliments, although you deserve them all.”
“Were you calling for anything specific or just to embarrass me?”
“That’s so easy to do.” He laughed. “But seriously, I was calling to tell you I’ve booked a room at the hotel for the wedding. The only problem is, I could only get one. So we’ll need to share. Will that be a problem?”
It should have been, but I didn’t care. Sylvain was coming, and that was all that mattered.
“I’m sure we can work something out. Maybe there’ll be a pull-out bed in the room…”
“Or maybe we could share a bed? I’ve booked it for three nights. The night before and the one after. I thought if you had nothing else on, we could make a long weekend of it. If you don’t mind, that is.”
Did I mind? Fuck, no, but I didn’t want to seem too eager.
“Let me see if I can get the time off work.”
“Of course. I didn’t think.” He sounded disappointed, and I mentally kicked myself.
“It was very thoughtful of you, and I’m sure I’ll be able to get the time from work. You’ll have to let me know how much I owe you.”
“It’s no bother. And you don’t owe me anything. I have to be in the UK for work and put it on expenses. No one will question it.”
“But…”
“No buts. The company will pay.”
Someone called his name, and he replied in rapid French.
“I’ll let you go. You’re busy,” I said. Too bad we hadn’t spoken for long.
“I’m sorry, Vince. I have to go, but I’ll call again. Au revoir, until next time.”
The line went dead, and I reclined my chair, kicking my feet up on the desk and scrolling the pictures on my phone. I was such a sap. Catching feelings for a man who had twenty years on me. What would people think? More to the point, why did I care?
The fact was, I didn’t. Sylvain made me feel comfortable in my skin, something I had never been. He’d told me how much he loved my body, which was a first, not only because no one had ever seen it.
Since I’d returned to the UK, I’d been good with my diet, carrying on where I’d left off before the holiday. I’d shed another couple of pounds.
That didn’t mean I still didn’t crave pizza and doughnuts, but I kept them to a minimum and instead ate lots of vegetables and fruit, fresh fish, and chicken.
No one had said anything about my weight loss, but my clothes were less tight, and if I managed to lose another few pounds, I’d need to buy new ones soon.
I’d definitely need a new outfit for the wedding. For Lexi’s wedding, I’d rented a suit, but as I wasn’t part of Theo’s wedding party, there’d be no need this time around.
I checked my watch for the millionth time. Wasn’t it five yet? I’d already completed my work for the day and had been playing Solitaire and scrolling the internet for places to live in the south of France.
Not that I could afford all those beautiful houses, but it didn’t hurt to dream.
Fuck this. I couldn’t sit here any longer.
I found my boss sitting in his office. “If there’s nothing pressing, I could do with leaving early. I have a doctor’s appointment.”
“Of course, yes. Off you go. I’ll see you in the morning.”
He was a good boss, better than most, and as long as I got my work done, he didn’t complain when I left early. He knew if the work called for it, I’d stay until it was finished.
Today, though, I’d had enough.
“Thanks, Mike. I’ll see you on Monday.”
I turned to the door, but he called me back.
“I meant to ask how your holiday was. Did you have a good time?”
“It was great, thank you. Just a pity they end, eh?”
“Damn right. Enjoy your weekend.” He gave a small wave.
I collected my bag and tucked the rose safe into the side pocket. Why had I such a sentimental attachment to it? It was just a rose.
On my way to Lexi, I stopped at the local florist to get her some flowers. It was the least I could do to make up for being a ‘grumpy fucker’, as she’d so eloquently put it.
“Aw, you shouldn’t have.” She said when she opened the door. She took them from me and buried her nose in the bouquet. “Come on in. Robin’s firing up the barbeque. We invited a few friends over, seeing how the weather’s so nice. God knows it’s been an awful summer.”
I followed her through the house and out into the garden, agreeing with her that yes, we always seemed to get an Indian summer in September, when I came to a screeching halt. Theo and Glen sat on the rattan sofa, drinks in hand.
Tempted as I was to turn around and leave, I plastered a fake smile on my face.
I was going to fucking kill Lexi.
“Vince, how lovely to see you.” Theo threw his arms around me and squeezed me hard.
“Oof, bloody hell, Theo.” I extricated myself and stepped back. Shit, why did those wankers have to be there?
“Hiya, Vince,” Robin shouted from behind a plume of smoke.
“Vince.” Glen’s nasal voice was like fingers down a chalkboard. God, I wanted to knock that supercilious smile of his off his face.
“Oh, sorry. I forgot to tell you Theo and Glen were coming. Mum and Dad will be here soon too. Come grab a drink, and then you can help me bring the food out.”
Lexi dragged me into the kitchen and handed me a glass of wine. Memories of the last time I drank a glass filled my mind. How I’d made a complete fool of myself in front of Sylvain, then the concern he’d shown me. Was it only a week since that had happened?
It seemed like a lifetime ago in a different world.
“Now sit and tell me what’s been going on with you.”
I loved Lexi, but she’d hoodwinked me, inviting me round to talk when, in fact, it was a party with two of my least favourite people. Did I want to tell her about Sylvain?
“Why didn’t you tell me Theo and Glen would be here? I have no problem with your mum and dad, but those two?”
I’d known Lexi’s parents forever. They’d been better parents than mine and had let me stay over at their house most summers. I’d not seen them since the wedding, and it’d be nice to chat with them again.
“Because if I told you they were coming, you wouldn’t have come and-and…” Her voice broke.
“What’s wrong? For fuck’s sake, Lexi. You’re scaring me.”
“I’m pregnant. I wanted to tell everyone, and I needed you here. You’ve been my best friend forever, even longer than Theo. How could I tell them and not you?”
“A fucking baby.” I stared at her, then at her tummy, but she didn’t show any bump yet. “Jesus, Lex. That’s fantastic news.”
“It really is, but please look shocked when we announce it later. I’ve been keeping it a secret for so long it’s good to finally tell someone.”
“Honeymoon baby?” How long did a pregnancy last anyway? Was it twenty months or something? No, that was an elephant.
“I’m almost twenty weeks.”
“Sooo.” I counted on my fingers. “You were pregnant at the wedding?”
“Yup. We’d not long found out. I’m glad the dress still fit.”
I’d thought it strange she’d not drunk at the wedding, but now the puzzle pieces fell into place.
“You mean to say you had sex before marriage?” I feigned shock, clutching my hand to my heart.
“Cheeky fucker.”
“Hey, the baby might hear you. You’ll need to watch your mouth now you’re going to be a mama. Now come here and give me a hug.”
She stepped into my arms, and I wound them tight around her but then remembered the baby.
“Shit. Will I squash it?” I held her at arm's length. Had I hurt her?
“God, you’re so stupid at times. No, you won’t squash it. Robin was scared shitless the first time we had sex after finding out. Thought he was going to hurt the baby. I’m sorry, but ain’t no man got a dick long enough to reach there.”
I snorted. It was so good to laugh with her. She really was my best friend.
“So I’m guessing I’ll be the godfather when the time comes. Please don’t say you’re picking the dentist. Just because he’s rich doesn’t mean he can give the baby what she needs.”
“Hey, it might be a boy.”
“Nah, it’s a girl. I can tell, and she’s going to love her uncle Vince.”
Without warning, tears streamed down her face. What the fuck had I said?
“Don’t mind me.” She wafted her hands in front of her face. “I’m all emotional for some reason. I cried at an advert the other day.”
I handed her a tissue. She wiped her eyes and blew her nose noisily.
“But that’s not why I asked you into the kitchen. Tell me about the holiday.”
I couldn’t deny her now she’d told me her news.
I unlocked my phone and showed her my screensaver, the picture Sylvain had taken at the airport.
“Oh my fucking god. Who is that sexy man?”
“Lexi…the baby.”
“Dear god, Vince. It can’t even hear yet. Now tell me who the hell this silver fox is and when do I get to meet him.”
“This is Sylvain. It’s a long story. I met him briefly at the resort. He worked there. Well, actually he ran the place.”
“So he was the boss? Boy, you did well.” She brought the screen closer and enlarged the picture.
“He was the one looking after me when I got mugged. I stayed over at his place. I told you, remember?”
“Hmm-mm.” Was she listening to me?
“Anyway, we spent a couple of days together.” Was it really only a couple of days?
“He looks smitten.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. It was just a short time.”
“Sometimes it only takes an hour, a minute, or a second to know. The moment I saw Robin, I knew he was the one for me. You were there. You know how hard I fell for him.”
It was true. After spending one evening with him, she was all doe-eyed. They’d been an item ever since, and their love had only grown stronger with each passing year.
“It all seems so sudden, though. It was two, maybe three days, but we had the best time. We went out for meals, ate ice cream in the mountains, and rode the carousel. I may have stroked his face when I was drunk.”
“Only you, Vince. But it sounds like you had an amazing time. Have you spoken to him since coming home?”
“Every day and he sent me these.”
I took my phone back and opened all the photos he’d sent me over the past week.
“He’s so handsome. Are you going to see him again?”
“I’m bringing him to Theo’s wedding.”
“No fucking way!” She slapped me on the arm.
“He suggested it. I might have got a bit drunk and told him about Theo and Glen. He said I should go to the wedding, and he’d come with me, show them I could find a boyfriend. It started as a joke, but now? It may be something more.”
“If he was a ‘fake’ boyfriend, he wouldn’t send these and call you every day. I think you have yourself a boyfriend, Vince. And may I say it’s about bloody time?”
“Nah. He’s just being nice.”
“Really? God, Vince, you’re so na?ve at times.”
“So, you think it’s something more?”
“Don’t you? How can you be so clueless?”
“I’ve never had a boyfriend, and you know I’m a, you know, virgin. ” I whispered the last word in case anyone was near. Even Theo didn’t know.
“I love you, Vince, but you need a lesson in love.”
Before she could say any more, the doorbell rang.
With the arrival of her parents, it was the last time Lexi and I had time together that evening, but I was glad we’d managed those few stolen minutes to laugh and be ourselves.
Lexi and Robin announced the pregnancy, and all talk concentrated on that, and rightly so. This was a monumental occasion for them, and hopefully, I’d be part of the baby’s life for years to come.
“Call me,” she whispered as we said goodnight a few hours later. I’d avoided Theo and Glen and chatted with Lexi’s parents and Robin, and that suited me fine.
“I will, I promise. I’ll see you in a couple of weeks. Love you, Lex.”
“Love you too, and make sure to bring the sexy Frenchman.”
I intended to, but I still had two weeks to get through.
Would I survive? Probably, but it’d be a long slog, one I wasn’t looking forward to.