A Fling to Steal Her Heart

Now Celeste turned to face her. ‘Thank you for understanding.’ Then she got up and headed inside.

Leaving Isabella stunned. Of course his family would want him to return home. Face it,

so did Raphael. It was her who had to either change her mind about where she’d live or give up on any thoughts of getting together with Rafe. Not that he was actively encouraging them. She was hanging her hope on the fact he hadn’t stopped having sex with her. It had to mean something, didn’t it? Or was she being naïve?

Damn it. She couldn’t sit around here waiting for him to return from the hospital. She’d go for a walk.

But not even the stunning views of the river and city from the old fort could distract her. She felt as though she was walking in quicksand, getting deeper and deeper without any sign of a way out. She’d fallen for Raphael so hard she literally didn’t know what to do with herself. To give up her own goals to follow him wherever he chose to live would be easier than fighting for what she wanted. But giving up her own dreams after finally starting to realise them was not being true to herself. But hey, she was getting way ahead of herself. He wasn’t exactly reciprocating her love.

* * *

When Raphael stepped through the front door he heard voices coming from the lounge and headed towards them.

‘Raphael, you remember Louis Fournier? From the hospital,’ Papa said as he entered the room.

He put his hand out to shake the older man’s. ‘Bonjour, Docteur.’ From the smug look on his face, Papa was up to something. ‘It’s been a while since I talked to you.’

‘It has. I’ve been keeping up with your career through your father though. You’ve done well.’

‘Thank you. I’ve worked hard to get where I am, for sure. So what brings you out here?’

‘Louis has some news for you.’

‘I see,’ said Rafe. But he didn’t. Though he was beginning to suspect where this might be heading. ‘Let’s sit out in the conservatory.’ There he’d be able to look out over the houses and the fort as he listened to what this man was about to say. He’d be able to see his hometown and think about a future here, compare it to what he had in London.

‘I’ll come straight to the point,’ Louis said. ‘There’s a position for a gynaecologist coming up at the general hospital. I wondered if you might be interested.’

‘Yes, definitely.’ His heart rate sped up. Of course he was. His lifelong dream to practise medicine here was falling into place.

Izzy.

He couldn’t walk away from her now. It was the only thing he was certain about. She’d been the one to convince him to talk about Joshua to his family. She’d come here with him when he was so worried about Grand’mère. She wasn’t Cassie. He’d have to convince her she could start over—again—when he’d spent the last few weeks helping her realise she was where she really wanted to be. No, he couldn’t do that to her.

Raphael closed his eyes, breathed deep, searching for answers. Found none. Or far too many. Look out for Izzy, the love of his heart? Or follow his own dreams and hope she’d tag along? No. He’d never ask that of her. Nor did he want to give up this opportunity in Avignon where his family was. For the first time in years he was ready to live where he belonged. If he could figure out a way to keep everyone happy.

‘So? What do you think?’ Papa was back. ‘Couldn’t be better timing, eh?’

Oh, yes, it could. Damn it. He wanted to take it up. Desperately. So do it. Inside, his heart was cracking. Half for Izzy, half for Avignon. This couldn’t be happening. But it was. Yet he’d never felt quite so strongly about returning here until now. Grand’mère’s accident had brought home to him that if he was to spend time with his family, now was it. ‘How soon do you need a decision?’

‘Why don’t we go in now and I can show you around, introduce you to our team, give you a general idea of how we run things here?’ Obviously Louis had no intention of letting him make up his mind slowly. At least, not without all barrels being fired first.

What did he have to lose? Though he already thought he knew his answer. He wasn’t destined to fly solo when his heart belonged to Isabella. ‘Sure. As long as I’m back in time to take Isabella to the airport.’

* * *

Isabella watched Raphael change into a suit and comb his hair. ‘Something you want to tell me?’

‘I’m popping out but I should be back in time to take you to the airport. If not, Maman will give you a lift.’

‘You’re going to the hospital to look at an opportunity of a position there.’

He stared at her as though she’d done something wrong.

‘If you didn’t want me to hear your conversation with Monsieur Fournier, then you should’ve stayed away from our bedroom window.’

He winced.

Her hands gripped her hips. ‘So, Raphael, are you planning to move back here? Taking this job?’

‘No... Yes... I don’t know.’

‘I see.’ She didn’t really. But she was angry. ‘Thanks for not telling me about any of this. Was I supposed to wait and accept whatever you chose to do without hesitation? I know we’ve agreed to take our time working out where our relationship might lead, but not being open with me isn’t going to help.’

‘Izzy, we’ll talk on the way to the airport.’

‘No, thanks. I’ll find my own way there. You go and see what’s on offer at the hospital.’ She turned her back on him and waited for him to leave the room.

‘Isabella, I am sorry. I do need to make some decisions. I just don’t know what they’ll be.’

Less than an hour later Isabella paid off the taxi, slung her bag over her shoulder and went to check in. Her heart was numb.

Raphael had been offered a position at the hospital in Avignon. She should’ve expected it. He’d take it up. When asked by Monsieur Fourier if he might be interested he’d said, ‘Yes, definitely.’

She boarded her flight and sank into her seat, closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep.

For the first time since meeting Raphael she wanted to hate him. He’d lied by omission. They were better than that. He should have told her the truth. But instead of hating him, she loved him.

Which hurt like hell.

CHAPTER TEN

THE EXPECTANT MOTHER who’d been admitted an hour ago with early contractions was reading a book and quite comfortable with her lot—for now. Isabella’s heart hadn’t been in her work all day so when sign-off time came around she was out of the ward like a rabbit being chased by a hound.

Once she finally staggered into Raphael’s house, exhausted from lack of sleep, she headed for the fridge and the wine, rubbing the small of her back where a persistent ache had started up hours ago. ‘What a day. It couldn’t have got any slower if it tried.’

Taking her glass with her, she wandered outside to the deck and slumped into the first chair. Chienne was quick to jump and spread herself across Izzy’s thighs. ‘Hey, you. Lonely too?’

Purr, purr.

‘Okay, so you’ll settle for anyone as long as you have food and cuddles.’ Next week she’d be moving into the apartment she’d rented and beginning to unpack the mountain of kitchenware and other things she’d bought. It would be the start of everything she’d hoped for. Except a life with Raphael. He wouldn’t leave his house to move into a tiny one-bed apartment. But he might—make that probably would—leave this place for Avignon and the family he’d started getting back with.

A sharp breeze skipped across the yard, lifting leaves and chilling her skin. ‘Guess we’re going inside, Chienne. Wasn’t enjoying it that much out here anyway.’

After making sure she was locked in, Isabella headed upstairs, not to Raphael’s bedroom but to the third floor where she crawled under the covers on the bed, still in her clothes. Who cared? The cat followed, and quickly made herself comfortable curled up against Isabella’s leg. Looking around, she sighed. The room she’d used for the first weeks was cold and uninviting, the bed not welcoming. No hints of Rafe. There again, not even his bedroom had been warm and inviting when she’d popped her he

ad in earlier.

‘At the end of the day, without Raphael this place is only a house, not a home.’ She blinked hard. ‘I love him.’ So much it was unbearable. Did she really want to give him up to live in a one-bed downstairs apartment? After seeing Raphael’s enjoyment as he wandered around Avignon the idea of living in London so she could have her own home was turning cold. What was the point if she wasn’t with the love of her life? An old saying slipped into her head. ‘Home is where the heart is.’

It was like someone had turned the lights on. Blink, blink. She couldn’t leave Raphael. She’d go to the end of the earth if it meant being with him. And yes, she’d travel to different countries, other cities, if she had to. Though that was unlikely. If they settled in Avignon, it would be for a long time, probably for ever. She could do this. And be happy about it. She was in love. Nothing could be better than that. Could it? No, it couldn’t.

* * *

From the hospital Raphael went into the city centre for a look around. He rolled his shoulders as he walked, trying to ease the tightness brought on by the dismay in Isabella’s eyes as she told him he hadn’t been honest with her. He breathed in the scent of the place, recalling other times he’d been here, with Grand’mère, his parents, his cousins. He knew most corners and streets, not much had changed. It was familiar in a comfortable way. Old yet pulsing with new energy. Tourists and locals alike sitting outside cafés enjoying the sun and coffee.

As he passed a bar the sounds of a rugby game on the television reached him and he paused to look in. The French were playing the Italians. If it had been the All Blacks playing Izzy might’ve been watching.

His heart lurched. She’d gone. In anger. And pain. He’d let her down. Badly. It was time to tell her how he felt.

Which was why he was walking around his beloved city, taking in everything, storing up new memories.