The Riviera. Karen Aldous

You’re there for him, obviously. You can’t know what’s going on in his head all the time.’

      ‘No, but I should have rung Cal sooner.’

      ‘Well, Cal’s there now and I’m sure he’ll get to the bottom of it all,’ Lizzie said, adding a light reassuring squeeze to her arm. ‘I’m going to speak to him soon if you’d like me to mention it.’

      ‘Oh, I should ring him,’ Rose said clasping her forehead.

      Lizzie straightened her back to unleash the tension building in her spine. She was treading on delicate ground and wondered if she’d done the right thing. Now Rose was feeling dreadful and blaming herself.

      Rose put her other hand on Lizzie’s. ‘Sweetheart, it makes sense if you are speaking to him soon to mention it. You’ll get to speak to him before me I guess. I have a dental appointment so I won’t be home for at least…yes, would you tell him?’

      ‘I’ll try him in a while and don’t worry, he will understand.’

      ‘You are a treasure. Thank you, Lizzie. It’s lovely that you are concerned. I’m sure Cal realises what a gem he has in you,’ Rose said, hugging her. ‘I should be on my way.’

      ‘Lovely to see you. I’ll ring you later and let you know how Jack is.’

      ‘Well, pop in with Thierry later if you’re not too busy.’

      ‘I’d love to.’

      A sense of relief swept over Lizzie as she watched Rose manoeuvre carefully out the door. The first time she’d really ever met Rose properly was when Rose had fallen over outside the salon. She’d run out to her when she’d twisted her ankle. She’d only known her as Madame Joubert, a client. Then to learn, after a later visit to her Villefranche villa, she was in fact Cal’s mother, was quite a shock. It soon materialised she’d remarried and hence Lizzie had not recognised the name nor made the connection. Getting to know Rose and speaking to her had certainly helped seal her trust in Cal. And seeing how much Cal respected her was comforting; she’d never imagined trusting a man ever again, so she would be forever thankful for that fateful meeting.

      She waved Rose off and climbed the stairs back to her office. The swirl of that sweet memory climbed with her. The image of Cal stood on Rose’s balcony late October and then that moment when she gave every part of herself evoked such shameless emotion.

      Itching to relay the information to Cal, she rang his mobile. It went to voicemail.

      Damn. Should she leave a voicemail?

      Half an hour later she tried again.

      ‘Hi, Lizzie,’ Kelly’s voice bellowed. ‘Cal was here a while ago but I can’t find him. I’ll give a shout and have him call you.’

      ‘Yes, can you tell him it’s important please?’ Lizzie said then took a gasp questioning whether she should just mention it to Kelly. She was Jack’s mother after all. ‘Thank you Kelly, bye.’

      Deciding she would let Cal make that decision, she hung up. She and Cal, she considered, were very close in their still-brief relationship but she didn’t feel ready to get too involved in his domestic set up with Kelly. There was a fine line and she feared she would be crossing it. Cal was obviously with Jack now and they would probably be working things through.

      Feeling like a loved-up teenager, she took out a photo of herself, Cal, Thierry and Jack posing together on Jack’s sixteenth birthday the day after the New Year’s party. Reuben had taken it with the camera Cal had bought her for Christmas. It portrayed a happy family and she loved it. Cal looked utterly sexy, his dark locks falling loosely almost over his eyes, and his gorgeous smile as always showed off teeth to die for. Kneeling down, one arm was wrapped over Jack’s shoulder, Jack looking tall with lively eyes, so evidently his son, whilst his other arm was clasped around her waist as she knelt beside him. Thierry leaning between both their knees and flaunting a mischievous smile.

      She then pulled out the photo behind it. She smiled to herself and had to admit, she and Cal did make a handsome couple. That’s what people told them at Sophie and Charles’s engagement before Christmas. And, since that photo, she had fallen even deeper in love with him. She adored everything, his eyes, his smile, his gorgeously toned body, plus he was an attentive lover. God she’d never had so much pleasure. And he was so considerate and caring in many other ways. Thierry was crazy about him too. The fact that he often cooked him pizza quite possibly helped, but Cal always talked and played on Thierry’s three-year-old level which was so endearing to watch. As she peered at Cal she remembered him squeezing her waist in that photo too, making her squeal with delight and her loins ache for him. The final photo was of the four of them, Cal was mockingly down on one knee along with Charles who had genuinely proposed to Sophie for the camera again on the night of their engagement. Sophie’s rock of a diamond sparkled from her left hand which was resting lightly on her décolletage. All four of them brimming with joyous laughter.

      Lizzie placed each photo down on the desk and smiled. It wouldn’t be long before Sophie and Charles were man and wife. They had designs on a wedding in the summer and Charles, in his usual unassuming manner, announced he would surprise his bride with something special. Sophie had been delighted, if not a little apprehensive. Lizzie considered it a lovely romantic gesture she was sure her friend would love. Sophie only had to worry about her dress, flowers and her bridesmaids, although the first person she requested was Thierry as her page boy. Cal, as best man however, was sworn to secrecy and he’d been as good as his word.

      It was just after five-thirty as she was walking back to her apartment when Lizzie checked her mobile. Still nothing back from Cal.

       Chapter 4

      ‘Dad.’

      ‘Jack…yes.’ Cal’s voice sang from his heart as it swelled and a huge sigh blew from his airways.

      Reaching the latch entrance, he reached up to a cord and switched on a ceiling lamp. He heard a sudden scuttling sound. ‘Jack.’ He stretched his neck to seek his son.

      ‘Yeah. I’m here but don’t make me go in or go to school tomorrow. Dad, I’m staying here or you take me to England. I hate it here, Dad.’

      Cal climbed the four remaining steps slowly, gauging a fear in Jack’s plea he’d never witnessed before. As he turned to follow the voice, his eyes met the scrunched frame tugging at a dark-blue sleeping bag. The roof space was small and shallow. Jack’s deep-hazel eyes bulged, confirming Cal’s suspicion.

      ‘How long have you been here?’ Cal asked, now attempting to crawl into the cramped space.

      ‘I got cold down…I was down at the marina but I got back here just before it got light. Mom will make me go to school. Dad, don’t tell Mom where I am.’

      ‘Your mom is beside herself with worry. You need to explain, Jack.’

      ‘She won’t listen, she’ll send me to school.’

      ‘There are a lot of people out there searching for you so they need to know you are safe.’

      Cal just wanted to stay and talk but he had to let Kelly know and the guys who had spent the entire night out in the bitter cold with no sleep. God knows, they needed a rest.

      Cal took a deep breath. ‘OK. I’ll do a deal. You promise to stay here and I promise I won’t let her up. I’m going to tell your mom you’re OK because she needs to tell everyone to stop searching. I’ll be right back, alone, I promise. Is that a deal?’

      Jack slid back down into the sleeping bag. ‘Not Mom? No I said.’

      Cal shook his head. ‘Your mom will be relieved you’re here. I’m telling her, not because you have to go to school but to stop the panic and the search. There are a lot of people worried about you, Jack. I’m just going to tell them that we will talk alone. Just you and me. I’m going