The call was also soft.
And Sophiewasthere. Right there, as fast as humanly possible as she recognised the voice, her hand on the door handle, opening the entrance to her home.
To her heart?
‘Luc…’
The way his name left her lips took Sophie back to the moment he’d walked into her life again, up those steps of the château, with the full impact of his Le Phénix persona – as black as sin from the old hat to his boots, his hair wild and unrestrained.
This time, though, the lack of strength in her voice wasn’t due to shock.
This was a blindingly bright flash of relief.
There were giant cracks appearing, like branches of lightning, in the dam that had been holding back an ocean of hope.
Of love.
She could see what she had known she would be able to see when she was face to face with Luc Moreau again.
Because she could see the same hope in his eyes.
More than that. He looked… different. As if the two sides of his life were crossing paths. His hair was loose instead of the way he wore it neatly pulled back in his normal day-to-day life. He had a black tee shirt on but faded blue denim jeans.
The difference was more than surface level, however.
Luc looked happy. Excited, even…?
Her brain managed to produce an image, faster than she could blink, of the very first time she’d seen this man. That moodiness and intensity that would have totally squashed anything as frivolous as happiness or excitement.
‘It’s really happening, Sophie,’ he said. ‘I’m sorry it’s so late but Ihadto come and tell you.’
And it was something important enough that he had to tell her himself and not with a phone call or a message?
Sophie pulled the door open further, an invitation to come in that Luc accepted just as silently.
But he was smiling now. A smile that wrapped itself around Sophie like a hug. ‘It’s really happening,’ he repeated. ‘It’s beginning.’
‘The registration’s gone through?’
‘It has. There’s a new charity in town.’
‘The Phoenix Foundation?’
‘Yes.’
‘And the name for the house?’
‘Phoenix House.’
‘Perfect.’ Sophie already loved the house. He’d shown her photos and taken her walking down the street with the virtual reality of Google Maps. He couldn’t wait to show it to her in reality. To hold her hand as he pushed that heavy front door open to reveal a world of potential.
The door to Sophie’s house had been pushed shut but they hadn’t moved any further inside. They were standing still. Close enough to touch but the only contact was with their eyes. Sophie could see the shadow that made Luc’s too dark to distinguish his pupils.
‘It’s going to have a plaque beside the front door,’ he said softly. ‘I need you to help me decide how to say that this is all happening because of Tom. That this is how I want the world to remember him.’
‘Ohh…’ The sound cracked. ‘He’d be so proud of you.’ She’d said that once before but she could sense that he needed to hear it again. Sophie gulped in a breath and then added, ‘I’mso proud of you.’
Luc said nothing.
