From Paris to Forever Read online

  Samantha parked the car in the multi-level car park at the airport and then hurried towards the terminal..

  Family and friends of the travellers jostled with each other for prime position as the arrival hall struggled to contain the crowd. Three international flights had all arrived within minutes of each other. Samantha eased her way towards the barrier, hoping to get a better view. Whole families surged forward to greet their nearest and dearest pouring out of the customs hall doors. Babies cooed and gurgled, parents cried and hugged as they manoeuvred the trolleys of their loved ones, laden with suitcases and bags of duty free merchandise. The minutes ticked by as more and more friends and lovers, family members, and then staff, made their way down the walkway. But no Chloe appeared. Samantha’s skin prickled. Maybe I missed her?

  The long and very tiring flight had taken its toll. With no spare seats on the plane, she had no chance to stretch out her legs and had only managed a few hours sleep. The thought of a hot shower and sinking into her own comfortable bed had become so appealing it almost reduced her to tears. She prayed that Samantha wouldn’t mind dropping her off and catching up with her later, for the obligatory holiday catch-up and “happy snaps” viewing.

  As she exited through the sliding doors of customs hall, she spotted Samantha standing off to one side of the walkway. You couldn’t miss her in the stylish cream jacket and black leather pants, which fitted her like a second skin. Samantha skirted around an elderly couple, eagerly making her way forwards through the crowd. Chloe’s spirits rose when she was enveloped in a warm, bone-crunching hug and the spicy notes of a familiar Ralph Lauren perfume.

  “Welcome home. It’s so good to see you looking so well.” Samantha tucked Chloe’s arm in hers as they pushed her laden baggage cart towards the pedestrian crossing connecting the buildings.

  “I don’t know how you can say that because I must look a mess. I don’t think I slept more than an hour at a time. The flight was packed.” Chloe fluffed up her hair with her free hand.

  “Darling, you look fabulous after such a long flight. I am simply ignoring the dark smudges under your eyes, and concentrating on your hint of a tan and your gorgeous smile.”

  “You always make me smile, Samantha. I know it is a cliché, but it’s good to be back. Although the last two weeks in the South of France were heaven on a stick.”

  “So tell me all your news. Who did you see? What did you do? Did your friends take you out? But more importantly … what did you buy in Paris?” Samantha fired off question after question, without taking a breath, and making Chloe laugh.

  Determined to distract Chloe from asking any questions, Samantha kept up the chatter all the way down the Tullamarine freeway into the city. Todd had planned something special, which he hadn’t even shared with her. Just get her home as soon as possible.

  As they turned onto Beach Road, Samantha spotted Todd’s car parked behind Patrick’s, a moment before Chloe registered their presence. Her whole body tensed and she turned wordlessly towards Samantha, her green eyes huge and questioning.

  “Chloe, I know what it looks like, but just give him a chance to talk to you. Everyone is happy you’re home. We’ve missed you.”

  Todd remained in the kitchen priming the coffee machine, and setting out cups and plates to keep his hands and mind occupied. She’ll probably be hungry. He removed the light refreshments he had purchased from the sparkling new fridge, and laid them on the breakfast bar. Hoping to avoid an awkward moment for Chloe, he had asked Patrick to greet her at the door. His stomach clenched into a hard knot at the sound of her voice as she walked down the hall. Get a grip. His first glimpse of her was like the sun coming out from behind a cloud. As the kitchen was indented off to her left, she couldn’t see him immediately.

  “Oh my God, you have done wonders Patrick! This was my vision of the room. How did you know?” Chloe looked around, wide-eyed and smiling. “Even the furniture. It is exactly how I envisioned it would look.”

  “That was down to Todd and Samantha. I can only claim credit for the building reno.” Patrick strode forwards and opened the bi-fold doors to the deck.

  She turned in the direction of the kitchen and stopped dead. Chloe’s eyes met Todd’s across the room. His heart thudded. Was that surprise in her eyes? Apprehension? Wariness?

  “Hi Todd.”

  “Hi Chloe, welcome home.” His voice sounded croaky, even to him. He cleared his throat.

  “This was your doing? How did you know what I wanted in here?” Chloe ran her hand over the back of the cushions on the couch as she moved towards him, her eyes never leaving his.

  “I found your sketchpad. You left it behind at the apartment. You’d clipped brochures and pieces of fabric in there so I had a pretty good idea. Samantha was the expert at deciphering your notes. She deserves the credit.”

  Chloe finally unlocked her gaze. She strolled around the couch, trailing her fingertips over everything, plumping up and testing the textures of the throw cushions and examining the new furniture, the flowers on the marble bench, until at last she stood beside Todd in the kitchen. She leaned in and quickly kissed his cheek. Pleasure ran through him in ripples from the unexpected contact. His heart stuttered in his chest. Being so near and not taking her in his arms caused him physical pain.

  “Thank you so much. I don’t know what else to say. I’ll pay you for the furniture, of course.”

  “That’s not necessary. It’s a gift. As long as you’re happy with what we’ve done. Samantha can arrange to change or return anything you don’t like.”

  “From what I see, it’s all wonderful. It’s what I wanted. But it’s too much, Todd. I can’t accept such a lavish gift.”

  It was on the tip of his tongue to say that a few months ago she was happy to accept his gifts. “Can we just leave it for now and talk about this later when you have recovered from your jet lag? How about a coffee and a sandwich? We could sit out on the new deck.”

  Chloe glanced over to the deck, where Patrick and Samantha were talking. Her attention diverted to the wall in the family room. “Oh my God, is that the John Harding we saw at the art gallery opening?”

  Hurrying over to admire the artwork, Chloe appeared excited, reminding Todd of the carefree girl he once knew. She peered at the signature. “It is a John Harding. It was sold that night. How did you get it?”

  “This painting is similar to the one you liked. I contacted the artist and he showed me what he had for sale.”

  “Samantha, look. It’s beautiful isn’t it? The pastel colours are so perfect for this room.” Chloe gaped at the painting, and sighed.

  “I didn’t know Todd had bought the painting, so it’s news to me too. Yes, it is stunning. But I am not familiar with his work.”

  “John Harding is a Melbourne artist. He specialises in graphite and carbon powder drawings, but does beautiful work in oils, I have a couple of his sketches I purchased on a trip home, but nothing this dramatic. I have been following his work for years.” Chloe turned to Todd, her face alive with excitement. “Now this is really too much Todd. This must have cost a fortune. His work is not cheap.”

  “We’ll talk about it later, okay. Think about the painting as an early birthday gift if that makes you feel better.”

  “It’s even too extravagant for a birthday gift … and my birthday isn’t for months.”

  “I want you to have the painting, Chloe. You obviously love it. Now … about that coffee and something to eat? I for one am starving.” Todd popped a cracker topped with crème fraiche and smoked salmon in his mouth.

  “I will have a coffee, Thanks … and … I feel light-headed. I think I had better eat something and sit down soon before I fall down.”

  Todd returned to the coffee machine, and watched her out of the corner of his eye as he made coffee for four. Chloe opened drawers and cupboards, working her way around the space until she finally stood beside him again.

  “I must admit I was nervous when I saw your car outside.�
� Chloe fidgeted with the cups. “I wasn’t sure about seeing you today. I’m sorry. After all the trouble you have gone to, that sounds ungrateful.” She reached out and touched his cheek with her fingertips. Her hand trembled slightly. “You look like you’ve lost a bit of weight.”

  “I’ve been hitting the gym pretty hard. Keeping busy, you know.”

  Their eyes locked. Neither moved. For a few precious seconds Todd held his breath. The coffee machine beeped. Breaking the spell.

  Determined to keep his cool, Todd busied himself loading the tray with the fragrant coffee and sandwiches. Then he headed out to join Patrick and Samantha who were embroiled in a heated discussion about turf versus fake grass. Chloe followed with napkins and a jug of water. Words hung unsaid in the air between them.

  Todd noticed Chloe was still wearing his gold tennis bracelet. A little sliver of hope found its way into his heart.

  Chloe could hardly keep her eyes open as she trudged up the stairs to her bedroom. Someone had kindly brought up her suitcase and handbag, and placed them on the long stool at the bottom of her bed. She located the keys in her handbag and opened the case, pulling out a few special items to hang in her wardrobe. The rest could wait. Sleep beckoned. She sat on the bed, going over the last couple of hours, picking it apart and examining her reactions.

  Todd had kissed her cheek as he left. She recalled the warm tingling sensation, and she placed her palm over the spot. Her reflection in the cheval mirror across the room looked wistful. Did she want more? Would she have welcomed a kiss on the lips today, the first time she had seen him in nearly two months? Their last conversations had been full of accusations, angry tones and hurtful words. But the facts could not be denied. She had missed him. She marvelled at all he had done for her. Patrick had divulged Todd had been a slave driver, pushing the men to get the work finished in time. Todd had looked a little embarrassed.

  The kitchen and family room renovation had been completed, and her house was slowly but surely turning into a beautiful and relaxing place. She envisaged nights on the back deck, cosy dinners, and sharing a bottle of wine with Todd … hang on … what? With Todd? Yup. Definitely with Todd. Where did that spring from?

  Yes, she had missed him. She wanted him back in her life. No denying that now. Seeing him today brought that back very clearly.

  When Chloe awoke, the cobwebs had cleared. The angle of the sun streaming through the window gave the time away.

  Impulsively, Chloe picked up the phone and searched through her contacts for Samantha’s smiling image.

  “Hey Samantha, we didn’t get much of a chance to chat yesterday. Do you want to drop over for some lunch today?”

  “Sure. Let me check the appointment schedule. I have an hour a half free if you can hold off until one thirty. Daniel should be back by one o’clock and he can hold down the fort.”

  “Great. Any special requests? I could whip up a French omelette and a green salad if you are happy with that? Some kind person filled my sparkling new fridge with goodies. Thanks.”

  “That would be Todd … not me, honey. He is the organised one. You will have to thank him …”

  “Oh. Well. That was very nice of him.”

  “Yes I am sure he thought he was being very nice. Come on, sweetie, give the guy a break. He was obviously thinking you would need fresh supplies.”

  “He went to a lot of trouble with the house and everything, didn’t he?”

  “He sure did. And you didn’t seem to be over the moon yesterday. I thought you would have been thrilled with the new rooms.”

  “You both did a fabulous job … you all did, actually. Patrick and his crew pulled out all the stops and transformed my house into something beautiful. And I really appreciate the work you did, gathering all the furniture and the appliances I had picked out.”

  “Then could you please throw Todd a bone and tell him that. He’s been going around all morning looking like he just lost his last dollar. I’d better go. I’ll see you at 1.30ish. Okay.”

  As Chloe chopped the avocado and prepared the salad, she mulled over Samantha’s words earlier. She had vacillated between being thrilled and a little put out yesterday. On one hand she conceded Todd had wanted to do something special for her, maybe to make up for what had happened. On the other hand, she had wanted to have the pleasure of dressing the rooms herself. Samantha had asked her to give him a break. To be fair, he had tried very hard to talk to her yesterday, and she shut him down every time. Maybe it’s time we talked.

  Wiping her wet hands on the tea towel, she flipped open her iPad. She quickly typed a message, and stalled on the sign off. Composing an email to Todd had never been this hard before they had the argument. Her finger hovered over the send button. Come on, what is stopping you?

  The doorbell announced her lunch guest had arrived. She saved the email in drafts, and pushed the iPad to the back of the counter.

  “I’m coming, and you’re early.” The beaming smile she wore for Samantha quickly faded to a surprised expression when she opened the door to Todd. The surprise and his proximity caused her stomach to flip over. No need to send the email now.

  “Oh. Come in. I was expecting Samantha.” She hesitated long enough to make the kiss on his cheek a hasty and clumsy affair. She squirmed inwardly at her awkwardness now around him. “But I am glad you’re here. I was still jetlagged yesterday. I didn’t properly thank you for pulling the house together so quickly.”

  “No problem. As long as you’re happy with the end result. I wanted to make sure you’d recovered from your jetlag. And to drop off your sketchpad. And this.” Todd held up the satchel containing her sketchpad. He handed her a long slim envelope.

  She slid a finger under the flap of the envelope, opening it as she made her way down the hall to the kitchen. Todd followed. She stopped abruptly and turned, frown lines appearing on her face as she studied the document. They nearly collided. “I don’t understand. This is a contract. A contract to work as an intern for Baker Renovations.”

  “Your house is nearly finished. You said you needed something to do to keep busy. I’ve had a contractor I use for interior design take a look at your drawings and notes. They’re comprehensive. Your sketches are beautiful. You clearly have an eye for design. I’d like to offer you a chance to use your talent. See where it takes you. My contractor is interested in taking you on board as an intern. Showing you the ropes. That is … if you are interested.”

  “My God. Really? That’s very generous of you.”

  “Generosity didn’t come into the equation. This benefits both of us. I can see you have potential. I’m willing have you work with the contractor to see what you can produce with her help. It’s a one-house deal for the moment, to prove yourself. If all goes well … then we’ll see.”

  “I need to sit down. This was unexpected.” Chloe perched on the end of the sofa as she reread the contract. “Okay. if I decide to take you up on your offer, where is the house you want to decorate?”

  “It’s the house we looked at in Portsea.”

  “You are kidding me, right? That house is huge! Chloe raised her hands, her fingertips covering her mouth as she considered the possibilities. She loved that house, what she saw of it from the outside anyway.

  A noise in the hall distracted Chloe.

  “Anybody home? Hey. Do you leave your front door open so that any Tom, Dick or Harry can come wandering in?” Samantha sashayed into the family room, holding out a pink baker’s box. “Hi Todd. I didn’t know you were coming for lunch too. I would have brought more dessert if I’d known.” Samantha glanced first at Todd, then Chloe. Tension prickled in the air like electricity. She shot Chloe a questioning look, one eyebrow raised. “I guess I can cut them up to share.” She deposited the box containing two éclairs on the marble bench.

  “Not staying for lunch.” Todd never took his eyes off Chloe. “Think about it. Let me know, okay?” He picked up the bag, removed the sketchpad and set it on the coffee table. He fol
ded the empty satchel and tucked it under his arm. “Later ladies.”

  Chloe regarded his retreating figure, too stunned to move or say another word.

  “Earth to Chloe. Tell your best friend what’s going on.”

  “I have just been offered a job.”

  “Really? Doing what?”

  “Design. Yeah, you look as surprised as I was. Todd has offered me an intern position with his interior designer ro decorate the house in Portsea, which I presume he bought while I was in Paris.”

  “That’s a fantastic opportunity. You don’t look happy though. What’s wrong?”

  “You forget one important fact. I have very little experience. My work is untried, untested.”

  “Above all Todd is a very good businessman. And you’re not doing it alone. He wouldn’t offer if he didn’t think you could pull it off. Have faith in your ability and in Todd’s faith in you.. ”

  “It would be like a dream come true, helping to decorate that house. The view alone is fabulous.”

  “Give it some thought. But if you are not going to take it, tell him now Chloe. Don’t string him along, getting his hopes up. You know he wants things to work out between you.”

  “I want to take the job, I really do. But what are the strings?”

  “Take the job. Todd is a gentleman. Yes, before you say anything, I know I am biased. Tell him up-front you won’t accept the job if there are any strings. But to be truthful, if he was going to push you, he would have called you while you were in Paris… or turned up. But he didn’t, did he? He left you alone to work things out by yourself.” Samantha patted Chloe’s arm reassuringly. “Enough talk. Where is lunch? I am ravenous.”