‘I’d love to come and stay with you,’ Liz said. ‘And I’d love to show you around Devon.’
‘It’s a plan,’ Guy said.
‘Definitely,’ Liz agreed. ‘And now I’d better go and get some sleep. Are you going to walk me home?’
‘Of course.’
At the bottom of the stairs, Liz turned to him. ‘You are a very special person, Guy, I’m glad I’ve helped you lose your feelings of despair.’ And standing on tiptoe, she reached up to give him a gentle kiss before she turned and went to her room.
32
‘I can’t believe we’ve only got three days left before we’ll all be going our separate ways. I’m going to miss you all and these morning swims so much,’ Mandy said, as the four of them ran down the beach on Thursday morning. ‘I might try to find somewhere to swim at home, but it won’t be the same.’
‘We’ve had a late-night paddle – anyone up for a midnight swim tomorrow as a finale to the retreat?’ Lorraine asked.
Helena and Mandy said yes instantly, while Liz hesitated. There were only three nights left for having a nightcap with Guy. Could she forgo one? Or could she somehow manage both? She nodded her agreement. ‘Sounds like a plan,’ she said. She’d find a way to do both.
After their swim as they all lazily floated or trod water in a group before making their way back to shore, Helena gave a contented sigh. ‘I’ll never forget the birthday I spent on the French Riviera,’ she said. ‘Antibes will always have a special place in my heart, as well as you three, and Isobel and Becky of course. I’m so happy.’
‘I think we’ll all have our own special memories of Antibes and the Villa Celestia,’ Liz said quietly. ‘I know I will. Of course, the fact that it inspired my new book will be a main memory as well. Have you all done lot of writing in the last ten days or so?’
‘I’ve done some writing, quite a lot actually,’ Lorraine said. ‘But the main thing I’ve got from the retreat is new friends and lots of insider publishing industry information from Sandy, Isobel and you, Liz. How things actually work in the traditional publishing world.’ She paused, and turned so she was treading water rather than floating.
‘I’ve written fifteen thousand words of my romcom, needs about another two thousand, which hopefully I’ll write between now and Sunday,’ Mandy said.
‘I’ve written about the same as Mandy, but my birthday and now Leon’s has upset the routine a little,’ Helena said. ‘But having my mum and brother here has been wonderful, so I’m not complaining. I’m getting a bit cold, race you back to shore.’
Walking back up the beach with Lorraine, Liz said, ‘Last night, Becky asked Isobel and me what we thought about her book. It seems the three of us told her the same – AI doesn’t work in fiction.’
‘I’ve tried to persuade her not to even look at AI, to get her own words down but…’ Lorraine shrugged.
‘She said something to us about giving up, not being cut out to be a novelist, which made us feel guilty for dashing her hopes,’ Liz said.
‘Don’t feel too guilty because writing a novel is not something she’s dreamed of doing for years like the rest of us,’ Lorraine said. ‘She’ll carry on creating content for her social media platforms, which is something she enjoys and is good at. A real expert actually. She has given me some tips for making better content for Instagram and Facebook.’
Liz glanced at her. ‘You’ve clearly got to know her better than any of us.’
Lorraine nodded. ‘I have and I like her. Okay, she’s got this hyper personality and a fear of missing out in general, so she dives into things head first, but she’s very kind.’
* * *
Joan had a leisurely breakfast in the hotel and spent some time in her room before getting ready to go out, visiting the market and finding a restaurant to book a table for Leon’s birthday dinner. She was looking forward to Helena joining her for lunch and spending the afternoon with her as Leon couldn’t get away until the evening.
Sitting waiting for Helena and enjoying a coffee at Felix Cafe near the archway leading to the ramparts, Joan tried to relax. Being back in Antibes for the first time ever was proving to be harder than she’d anticipated. Telling Leon Antibes had changed so much she didn’t recognise the place hadn’t been totally true. The more she wandered around, the more she remembered.
There were certain hidden corners, a certain boulangerie, the very cafe pavement where she was currently sat, they all brought the memories flooding back. Seeing that old black-and-white photograph last night in the hallway at Villa Celestia had stirred up even more memories. Memories of that long-ago summer banished deep into her subconsciousness for so many years kept slipping into her present-day thoughts. Conjuring up what-ifs and what-might-have-beens.
She had often headed to Felix Cafe for a quick coffee or snack when her spare time was limited. There was always yacht crew enjoying a glass of wine or a beer, always someone willing to strike up a conversation with her. Felix Cafe itself had been different in those days, the memory of Graeme Green and the legendary tales of his women were still spoken of even though the man himself had left for Switzerland years ago.
Joan smothered a sigh. It was all a lifetime ago.
* * *
Leon strolled through the foyer of the hotel his mother was staying in that evening and found her and Helena waiting for him in the bar. ‘Happy Birthday,’ they both chorused.
After enjoying an aperitif, the three of them walked through town to the restaurant where Joan had booked the table for dinner.
‘I checked out the restaurant we’re going to on TripAdvisor and it has wonderful reviews and a good menu,’ Joan said to Leon as they turned down a small side street in the centre of town.
