BooksBarbecue
Back Escape to the French Farmhouse
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

‘We welcome everybody here, Cora, rich or poor. We are a community. We have to look out for each other,’ says the mayor, unwittingly using her own words back at her.

‘We all deserve a second chance, don’t we, Del?’ says Stephanie, nudging me.

I have a lot to learn from this young woman. ‘We do, Stephanie.’ I smile, and out of the corner of my eye I see Fabien appearing from the other side of the clearing wearing his leather jacket, with JB and Tomas behind him. I just wish there was a way that he and I could have another chance, but I know we can’t. I drag my eyes from him and back to Cora.

‘We all deserve a second chance, Cora.’

‘But not a third!’ Stephanie and I say together.

Her friend takes her off to start washing up, bickering about who washes and who dries.

‘Ladies and gentlemen,’ says the mayor, ‘in English so all our guests and residents can understand. I am happy to be here tonight, welcoming you all back to the riverside clearing and the wonderful meal that awaits you.’ There is a cheer. ‘And more than that, to welcome back the man who has been here for you all and set this up at the very beginning. Henri!’ Everyone gives a loud cheer and claps.

Henri holds up a hand and quietens the crowd. ‘Merci, merci,’ he says. ‘But I am in fact here for only one night. After tonight, I shall be hanging up my apron.’ The crowd is very quiet now. ‘But, don’t worry, I am hoping to find a replacement before I go. I want to leave you in good hands, the best in fact.’ He looks at me and raises an eyebrow. Everyone turns to me. I’m very nervous. Could I say yes and stay here, knowing that Fabien and I are never going to be together? I’m not sure I could, seeing him every day and knowing I’m not with him. Watching him meet someone new and bring up a family with her. I want to say yes to Henri, but my heart is torn in two. I would love to run the bistro. I wonder what my younger self would have said? I look at Stephanie, who smiles, and I know exactly what my younger self would have said: ‘Of course!’

But I’m not my younger self, and I don’t want to stand in the way of Fabien moving on in his own life, in his own town. What should I do?

‘This is your home as much as anyone else’s,’ Henri says, as if reading my thoughts. ‘Will you be my business partner?’

Could I walk out on all this now? Could I walk out on Stephanie and Tomas? I don’t think so.

I nod, and the crowd cheers.