Chapter 21
Evie was already waiting at Café Felix when Mel arrived, a carafe of red wine and two glasses on the table in front of her. As Mel settled the dog and carefully placed the basket down by her chair, Evie poured the wine.
‘You OK? You look a bit flustered,’ she said, pushing a glass over to Mel. ‘Who gave you the poinsettia?’
‘I’m fine. Nobody gave me the plant. I bought it for you.’
‘You’ve bought me a poinsettia? Thank you. I can’t promise it will live very long because I’m hopeless with plants, but I’ll do my best.’
‘I’ve just come from Brigitte’s. You and I are invited to a champagne and nibbles party at her home on the twenty-second.’
‘Oh, wow, that sounds great,’ Evie said.
‘I’ve also invited her and her cousin Marc to have drinks with us both this Saturday at seven-thirty. Please don’t tell me you’re busy.’
‘Um, I’m not sure.’ Evie laughed at the look on Mel’s face. ‘Of course I’m not busy. What’s this Marc like?’
‘He seems nice, about my age, looking to buy a house here.’ Mel didn’t add he made her think of a French Gerard Butler, one of her favourite actors, with his piercing blue eyes and positively oozing charisma.
Was he married? Brigitte had said he and her uncle were living with them. She hadn’t mentioned a wife.
‘Shame,’ Evie said, breaking into her thoughts. ‘I was hoping he might be about my age. What does he do?’
‘I didn’t ask – you can ask him on Saturday.’ Mel shut her thoughts down about Marc. She was a married woman. What did it matter to her whether he had a wife or not?
The waiter brought menus over at that moment and they both chose a salad Nicoise knowing they would indulge in a crème br?lée for dessert.
‘Read any more of GeeGee’s journal?’ Mel asked as they sipped their wine.
‘No, but I have done some writing, explored the town some more and taken a lot of photographs,’ Evie said.
‘Mainly in the old town, where there are some lovely houses tucked away down the most inaccessible lanes.’ She glanced at Mel.
‘I know it’s stupid, but sometimes I swear I can hear GeeGee’s voice whispering in my ear about where I am or what I’m going to see next.
Yesterday, I was wandering along a street I discovered right at the top of the town, and I totally knew that round the next corner there would be a wonderful fountain – and there it was.
How did I know that before I saw it if she hadn’t just told me? ’
Mel shrugged. ‘You were very close to GeeGee and sometimes there is no explanation for things that happen.’
Evie topped up both their glasses. ‘Any idea how dressy this champagne evening will be?’
Mel shook her head. ‘No. Not too dressy, I hope. We can ask Brigitte. I also need to ask for her address.’
After lunch, the two of them wandered along to the Christmas market and Mel bought the glass star she wanted for the top of her tree. As she placed the box carefully in her tote, she said, ‘Now we need to get this plant and the box of lights back to your place.’
‘And fairy lights for the terrace? It’s going to look so pretty.’
‘Come on then, let’s get them back to your apartment and I can help you put the lights up.’
Fifteen minutes later, they were both frustrated with their lack of success regarding the lights. As far as they could see, there was no way of hooking the lights along the wall.
‘I should have thought,’ Mel said. ‘We need a hammer and some hooks. I’ll come back tomorrow with both.’
Before Evie could answer, there was the sound of knocking on the apartment door as it was opened and a voice called out, ‘Hello. It’s Sarah from downstairs. May I come in?’
‘Yes,’ Evie called out and walked back into the apartment to greet her, carrying the lights. ‘Hi, nice to see you.’
‘I can’t stop. I’ve got a few friends coming for supper tonight before they all start leaving for family Christmases in far-flung places and I have to blitz the apartment. I wondered if you’d like to come tonight, meet a few people? Make up for me being in such a rude rush the other day.’
‘Thanks, I’d love to. What time? And do I need to bring anything?’
‘Eight o’clock. No, you don’t have to bring anything.’ Sarah looked at the lights in Evie’s hands. ‘D’you need a hand with those?’
‘Not only a hand – hooks and a hammer are needed first,’ Evie said ruefully.
‘I’ve got both. Rudi, my brother, is here at the moment, I’ll send him up and he’ll sort it for you. See you later.’ And Sarah was gone.
‘She’s a bit of whirlwind, another American by the sound of it,’ Mel said, laughing. ‘Nice too. And you’ve a party to go to later. Right, I’ll leave you to it. Ring me tomorrow and tell me how it was.’
‘Will do, and Mel – thank you so much for the presents.’
* * *
Mel had been gone about five minutes when there was a gentle knock on the door and Evie opened it to find a tall man about her age standing there with a hammer and a bag of nails.
‘Hi, I’m Rudi, Sarah’s brother. You need me to do a little light work for you apparently,’ he groaned as the words left his mouth. ‘Sorry, that was a terrible joke.’
Evie laughed. ‘Come on in,’ and she led the way out to the roof terrace. ‘I wanted to put them up out here.’
‘This sure beats Sarah’s tiny Juliet balcony,’ Rudi said, stepping out onto the terrace. ‘What a great space. Right, looks like there are enough lights to loop along the front and the two side walls.’ He started to measure out spaces between the nails.
Half an hour later, the lights were up and ready to be plugged in. Evie insisted Rudi did the honours as he’d done the work.
Afterwards, she made them both a coffee and they sat on the terrace to drink it.
Sitting chatting to Rudi as they each started to learn a little about each other, Evie sipped her coffee happily.
She was looking forward to supper tonight with Rudi, Sarah and a couple of her friends.
From what Rudi was saying about Sarah’s friends, it promised to be a fun evening.
And on Saturday she was joining Mel, Brigitte and her cousin up at the villa for Christmas drinks.
She was finally starting to make friends and life was looking less lonely.