“I think by now you know you don’t ever have to ask me that question.”
He gave her a kiss on the cheek after helping her into the passenger seat. “I’m hoping you’ll enjoy La Mère Valois. It serves a simple breakfast eaten by the locals. Homemade country-style bread fresh from the oven and hot coffee.”
“Mmm. A totally French breakfast.”
“Oui. They have yogurt and fresh fruit if you ask for it.”
“I’ll have what you have.”
“I’m warning you now I follow a Spartan diet in the morning.”
Five minutes later he’d taken her inside the little bistro and had shown her how to dip her bread into the coffee and eat it. She followed his lead and probably disliked it, but she pretended to enjoy it.
“You’re sure you don’t want anything else?”
Her eyes flashed. “Positive. As long as I’m in France you know...”
Abby’s spirit of adventure prompted her to try anything. She had many qualities he was crazy about. “I’ll feed you properly after we reach Cluny.”
When they’d finished eating, he walked her out to the car and helped her in. “We’re supposed to get a fair amount of sun today.” He’d left the top down.
“Is Cluny far?”
“Sixty miles. Long enough for you to tell me what’s going on with your friends.”
“Zoe decided to leave for Greece early, and Ginger has already made plans away from Venice for a few days.”
“Does that upset you?”
“You don’t really expect me to answer that question.”
“We’re together for a while longer. I can’t ask for more than that right now.”
She looked around. “The scent of the flowers is heavenly here, Raoul.”
“Pollination is going on everywhere.”
“You tried to embarrass me once, but you won’t succeed again.”
“I have to make one stop at the cemetery, then we’ll leave for Cluny.”
Elation to be with Abby filled his system as he drove beyond the church to the place where André had been buried. Floral arrangements still decorated the grave site. Two figures were huddled there. Raoul stopped the car. “I won’t be long.”
* * *
Abby watched him walk over to the man and woman and kiss them on both cheeks. He must have wanted to be alone with them.
She reached into her purse and pulled out the little storybook his grandmother had given her. There was something touching about seeing Raoul’s name printed by him at such a young age.
It thrilled her that his grandmother had kept his favorite book all these years. No doubt she’d realized early on how much Raoul needed to be with them. She wiped her eyes when she realized he hadn’t had that same relationship with his own parents.
She’d been broken up after the visit to his grandparents and had needed a good cry. Their sweetness explained more than anything else why he adored them. The love between the three of them and the way he cared for them was moving beyond words.
Abby understood a few of the French words as she turned the scant pages. The artist had created a dreamy rendition of Blondine. In the story, she wore her golden hair long, like Abby had done before getting hers cut. But whatever likeness Raoul saw between Blondine and Abby had to exist in his mind because they were nothing alike. The idea that Abby was dreamy-looking would never have occurred to her.
She held the book and reflected on the talk with Ginger last night. While she thought about the way everything had changed since they’d all met in Switzerland, Raoul returned to the car. He eyed the book.
“My grandmother would never have given it to you if she didn’t know you’d appreciate it.”