Chapter 29
A jazzy Christmas carol played on the radio in the chateau kitchen, which was larger than the salon.
Even Sister Georgette’s kitchen was a quarter of the size of this.
A stove with eight, double-ringed burners shone in the bright morning light.
A table for twenty sat near the wall of windows overlooking the vineyard.
Sister Georgette had allowed Claire to photograph her cookie recipe, so all Claire had to do was find the ingredients.
Unable to find a mixer, she was up to her elbows in batter when Remy loped through the door toward her.
This time she sat on the floor before he could knock her over and let him lick her hands and wooden spoon.
Gilbert walked into the kitchen and shouted, “Remy!” The dog bit the spoon, pulled it from her hand, and scampered to his bed in the corner, where his tongue chased every morsel of dough.
Claire laughed. “It’s all right. I’m getting used to him.”
Luca arrived carrying a bundle of packages. “Remy!” The child fell to the floor in giggles.
Gilbert helped Claire to her feet and handed her a bar of soap.
Still laughing, she washed up. “I’ll bet he got at least three cookies off my hands and that spoon.”
Luca ran to her. “Was there any chocolate in it? Chocolate very bad for dogs.”
His concern for Remy rippled across her heart. “No, no chocolate. Only dried fruit and nuts, eggs, flour, oh, and brandy.”
Luca ran over and rubbed the dog’s belly. “Ah, he gets wine every time it spills. He should be okay, but we watch him.” He ran over to his packages. “Madame Claire, I have an early Christmas gift for you.” He checked with Gilbert. “Is it okay to give it to her now, Onc?”
Gilbert smiled. “Bien s?r.”
Luca pulled out a chair at the long wooden table and patted it. “Please sit down. No French lessons today. I give you the day off.”
Drying her hands, she sat. Luca placed a red envelope before her.
She shook it. “Is it a diamond necklace?”
Luca rolled his eyes.
She sniffed it. “A puppy?”
“And make Remy jealous? Non.”
She held the envelope up to the light. “A widescreen TV.”
“That is so American.”
“Sorry. Okay, I’ll open it if you’re not going to give me any clues.” She ripped the flap up and pulled out a certificate: a week’s membership to the Colmar Community Pool. She gulped.
Luca tucked his head up under her arm. “You are too old not to know how to swim Madame Claire. I will teach you.”
A laugh burst from her belly. Luca smiled his dimpled smile. Loving Luca was a coup de foudre.
Gilbert rested his hands on his hips, shaking his head at his incorrigible son.
Claire laughed so hard, Luca grabbed her arm to keep her on her chair. She wiped at happy tears. “Merci, Luca. It’s just what I wanted.”
Gilbert grew concerned. “I should have asked, do you have a bathing suit?”
Still laughing, Claire said, “I can design—” She pressed her lips together. Nope, she was done with that obsession. “I can buy one.”
Luca jumped up. “First lesson next week! We practice breathing before we go to the pool.”
“I think Claire would like to finish making the cookies first,” Gilbert said in a soothing voice.
“D’accord. I must wrap gifts.” He lugged the bags after him into the salon.
“I’m sorry. It was his idea, and I could not talk him out of it.” Gilbert sat next to her.
“He’s right. I am too old not to know how to swim.” She stuffed the certificate back in the envelope. “Thank you for telling me about the letter. David didn’t tell me about Luca because he feared I might force him to choose between us, and he could not bear life without Luca or me.”
He nodded. “I can understand, but he missed out on knowing you deeply.”
“And I him.” Claire shrugged at the loss she could do nothing about. She had to forgive herself and David.
“Some of the test results arrived.” Gilbert held both her hands. “You have saved Luca’s life, twice.” His eyes reddened.
A sinking sensation plunged through her. “He has Sitosterolemia.”
Gilbert stared at their hands. “They think he may. My father died of a heart attack when he was younger than David. Luca could have inherited the condition from either parent or from both Sophie and David. The doctor wants to conduct more tests, but he prescribed medicine that Luca must take every day, and he must follow a special diet. If he does these things, there is no reason why he cannot live a long life.” Tears sat in his eyes.
Claire clamped her hand over a sob. Tears of relief sprang. “Marti wanted me to wait until after the holidays to find Luca, but I was terrified something could happen to him at any time. David must have sent me to save his son.”
Gilbert smiled. “Maybe so, but he certainly didn’t expect you to save him twice. You’re a—Americans say, ‘rockstar?’”
Claire picked up a spatula and, pretending it was a microphone, mouthed the words to Santa Claus is Coming to Town.
Gilbert laughed and took away the spoon. “I have a question for you.”
She loved the warmth cascading through her.
His eyes searched hers. “Would you like to work here at the winery and stay with Luca and me?”
“For Christmas?”
“For Christmas, and the new year, and—beyond.”
Joy bubbled up in her, and she floated on its buoyancy until she remembered Seattle. She put her hand over his. “What would I do for a job?”
“I am a good vigneron, but Sophie was the vintner. I don’t know if my wines will be as good as those Sophie created. But, with your palate I believe we would come very close to those award-winning vintages. The winery needs your palate. And Luca and I need you.”
“Wouldn’t I have to go through a lot of red tape? Get a Visa…”
“It would be a simple process since you’d already have a job offer.”
“What does Luca want?”
“It was his idea.” Gilbert’s smile was broad. “His and Remy’s.”
She smiled and searched his blue-gray eyes, surrounded by lines wrought by years of laughter and worry and sorrow and joy.
“And if the wine doesn’t work out, we can redesign this place together.” His eyes were sincere, kind, trusting.
She was falling in love with him, and she didn’t want to live five thousand miles away. “Thank you. You are very thoughtful. It is a wonderful offer and opportunity. I’ll need to think about it. But I can assure you, that’s all I’ll be thinking about.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek.