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

She loved Ollie. He and I first met when he came into my department store one Christmas Eve, looking for a very late Christmas present for his girlfriend. He bought her eau de parfum, which I wrapped, then I wished him a merry Christmas. He told me he liked my smile, that I made him laugh, and he hoped my boyfriend knew what a lucky chap he was. I told him I’d been single for three months and was spending Christmas with my friends, Lou and Rhi. A week later, Christmas over, Ollie came back into the shop to tell me he was now single. His girlfriend had not appreciated the last-minute expensive perfume gift, especially as she’d sent him precise details of the shoes and handbag she wanted, and hinted that she’d been expecting a diamond ring and to announce their engagement. Instead she had announced the end of their relationship. He joked that he’d like a refund on the perfume, and asked if he could take me to dinner. I was twenty-nine, heading towards the big three-oh. Everything about Ollie just seemed right. It was like he’d been sent to me by Cupid. Here is Mr Right: ticks every box! We dated. Everyone thought we were the ideal couple. Mum was delighted. He seemed to fit right into her idea of the perfect husband for me, so that I would not make the mistakes she had made. I was never a mistake, she hastened to add. She always let me know that I was the best thing that had happened in her life, and I was determined to make her proud of me, to become a career woman, a family woman, everything that could make her proud. Not that she ever asked for those things. But the day I was promoted to department manager she was proud, as she was when Ollie and I stood at the altar, making our vows. Now, that seems so wrong.

My phone buzzes into life. It’s Rhi, asking what’s going on. She’s seen Ollie. Am I back? I feel guilty that I haven’t told her and Lou. But I’m not ready to explain that Ollie and I have come to the end of the road and I’m attempting to set up on my own. Then I do something else I’ve never done before. I lift my phone and take a photo of myself in the sunshine. I’ll send it to Rhi and Lou, telling them I’m taking a little break and will be in touch soon. But I’m fine! And send the picture.