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

‘Come,’ he tips his head towards the front of the house, ‘I have something for you.’ He smiles and my insides melt. I’m hot, very hot, and I put it down to hormones, and my premature change that has meant I can’t conceive. The hormones that Ollie blames for my defection and attempt at a new life. I grab a bottle of water off the terrace table and follow Fabien to the van. He walks around to the rear.

‘Here,’ he says. ‘These might help fill the field.’ He drops the back of the van and I see rows and rows of tiny lavender plants.

‘Uh …’ I catch my breath. ‘How … where?’

‘With Serge. We did a deal.’

‘But …’ I’m lost for words and all I can say is, ‘I need to pay you.’

He laughs. ‘Serge had lots of plants. He told you. He’s finding it harder and harder to manage his farm and he wanted you to have them. He’s delighted to have found them a home.’

‘This is amazing!’ I say. ‘The lavender farm here is coming back to life. Merci, Fabien.’

‘I’m glad you’re pleased,’ he says. ‘And life as a lavender farmer seems to suit you!’ His green eyes are dancing, fixed on me. My nerves are buzzing.

‘You are …’ I struggle to find the words ‘… such a good friend,’ I say, unable now to meet his eyes. ‘It wouldn’t have happened without you.’

‘A friend?’ I look up and he’s raising an eyebrow, making my heart squeeze. I look away and then I have to look back at him, something drawing me that I can’t resist.

‘You know, Del …’ he says quietly.

‘About Stephanie!’ I blurt, and he’s taken aback. ‘When you come here to visit and check the plants …’

He stares at me, his face moving closer to mine and I can’t move or pull my eyes away.

‘But it is not the plants I come to see …’ He smiles and my heart starts to pound.

‘No?’ I manage, my mouth dry.

‘No,’ he says, shaking his head, moving closer to me. ‘It’s you, Del. It’s you I come to see.’

‘Me?’

He nods.

‘But I’m …’ What? Older? Still married? Overweight? Desperate to be loved?

‘Beautiful,’ he says, and I can hardly believe I’m hearing the word. ‘You are beautiful.’ He takes my face in his hands. I want to argue, but can’t think what to say. Instead my heart is floating high above us, soaring and swooping. I feel as if I’m living in a dream. This gorgeous man, who makes my heart skip every time I see him, is telling me I’m beautiful.

‘But I thought you … I mean, I’m ten years older than you. I’m …’