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Back Escape to the French Farmhouse Save as PDF
Chapters (79)
  1. COVER
  2. About the Author
  3. Also by Jo Thomas
  4. DEDICATION
  5. ONE
  6. TWO
  7. THREE
  8. FOUR
  9. FIVE
  10. SIX
  11. SEVEN
  12. EIGHT
  13. NINE
  14. TEN
  15. ELEVEN
  16. TWELVE
  17. THIRTEEN
  18. FOURTEEN
  19. FIFTEEN
  20. SIXTEEN
  21. SEVENTEEN
  22. EIGHTEEN
  23. NINETEEN
  24. TWENTY
  25. TWENTY-ONE
  26. TWENTY-TWO
  27. TWENTY-THREE
  28. TWENTY-FOUR
  29. TWENTY-FIVE
  30. TWENTY-SIX
  31. TWENTY-SEVEN
  32. TWENTY-EIGHT
  33. TWENTY-NINE
  34. THIRTY
  35. THIRTY-ONE
  36. THIRTY-TWO
  37. THIRTY-THREE
  38. THIRTY-FOUR
  39. THIRTY-FIVE
  40. THIRTY-SIX
  41. THIRTY-SEVEN
  42. THIRTY-EIGHT
  43. THIRTY-NINE
  44. FORTY
  45. FORTY-ONE
  46. FORTY-TWO
  47. FORTY-THREE
  48. FORTY-FOUR
  49. FORTY-FIVE
  50. FORTY-SIX
  51. FORTY-SEVEN
  52. FORTY-EIGHT
  53. FORTY-NINE
  54. FIFTY
  55. FIFTY-ONE
  56. FIFTY-TWO
  57. FIFTY-THREE
  58. FIFTY-FOUR
  59. FIFTY-FIVE
  60. FIFTY-SIX
  61. FIFTY-SEVEN
  62. FIFTY-EIGHT
  63. FIFTY-NINE
  64. SIXTY
  65. SIXTY-ONE
  66. SIXTY-TWO
  67. Epilogue
  68. Acknowledgements
  69. RECIPES
  70. Lavender shortbread
  71. Apricot jam sponge cake
  72. Lavender lamb
  73. READ MORE
  74. Prologue
  75. ONE
  76. TWO
  77. THREE
  78. FOUR
  79. THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING

Ralph barks so I go to the front of the house and look out. I see a dark figure and am suddenly filled with fear, until I recognize the person walking down the drive, away from Le Petit Mas.

‘Ssh, Ralph. It’s just JB,’ I say, and smile as he heads into town. He’s clearly trying to disguise the fact he stayed over with Stephanie last night.

Within a few minutes, Stephanie joins me in the kitchen with Tomas in her arms. There is a sparkle in her eyes.

‘Morning, Stephanie.’ I smile.

‘Bonjour, Del,’ she corrects, mildly scolding me, and kisses me on both cheeks. I kiss Tomas too.

‘Bisous?’ I say, and he happily kisses me back.

‘Everything okay?’ I ask his mother, as the sun rises in the still morning, no hint of the mistral. A new beginning arriving with the new dawn.

‘Oui, bien sûr, of course,’ she says, not catching my eye, and I can see the faint pink blush in her cheeks.

‘It’s okay,’ I say gently, ‘for JB to stay.’

And she looks at me.

‘If you’re an item, and you are …’ it’s my turn to blush ‘… taking precautions.’ We’re both slightly embarrassed, but know it had to be said. ‘We all love Tomas, but no one wants any more surprises. Much better to plan next time.’ She finally looks at me, more beautiful than I have ever seen her, and happy too.

‘You’re a couple, and if it’s okay with his family, it’s okay with me … not that I’m your—’

‘You are the most family I have ever had,’ she cuts me off, and we hug each other. ‘You have done more for me than anyone ever has. Merci.’

I feel like my heart could burst, knowing that, somewhere along the way, I may just have made a difference. I was there when someone needed me, and it feels very good.

‘And about Fabien,’ she says, as we pull apart. This time my cheeks flame red. ‘I’m sorry,’ she says, and I wave a hand, pushing away the thought of him and how he makes me feel, and trying to cool my burning cheeks as well. ‘I realize now he might not have been thinking what I was thinking. I was confused. Silly.’

‘We’ve all been silly.’ I try to lighten the mood.

‘If you and he were to get together, I wouldn’t mind. I’m sorry I made it hard for you in the first place.’