Follow Your Star by Jennifer Bohnet (best value ebook reader .TXT) 📗

She didn’t add the words, ‘before I can love anyone again’ but she hoped Jean-Claude understood.

The following morning, once she’d taken the twins to school, Nanette walked slowly along the embankment towards the Old Port. The envelope containing the Vacances au Soleil papers was in her bag ready to hand back to Zac. She was determined, too, that this time he would accept the fact that she didn’t want the job he was offering her.

The crew on board Pole Position were busy with routine morning chores but there was no sign of Zac. As Nanette hesitated on the quay, the yacht’s captain came down the gangway.

Recognizing her, he said, ‘Zac’s been delayed – something to do with the wrong tyres being supplied for Canada. There’s a chance he’ll not make it back here until after Indianapolis.’

‘But that’s a month away,’ Nanette said. ‘I need to talk to him before then.’

‘I can give you his mobile number if that helps,’ the captain said.

About to refuse the offer, Nanette changed her mind, saying instead, ‘Thanks. That could be useful.’

Handing her a card with Zac’s mobile number on it the skipper said, ‘I’m surprised you don’t already have this – particularly as you’re coming back to work for Zac.’

‘Who told you that?’

‘Zac did before he left for the UK.’

Inwardly furious but not wanting to discuss it with the yacht skipper Nanette said simply, ‘Oh, I see. Thanks for the number. See you around.’

Stopping at the first pavement café she reached, Nanette ordered a cappuccino. Her hand was shaking as she spooned the froth off the top and she took several deep breaths trying to steady her nerves.

Zac was unbelievable. Back to his old tricks of assuming he could browbeat her in to doing what he wanted. How dare he tell his crew that she would be working for him again, especially as she’d already told him she wasn’t interested?

Opening her bag she took out the envelope to slip the card inside with the other papers. Tempting though it was to ring him, Nanette was determined to confront him face to face even if she had to wait another month to do it.

A shadow fell across the table and Nanette looked up in surprise.

‘Bonjour, Nanette.’ Mathieu sat down beside her. ‘Join me for another coffee?’

Nanette shook her head. ‘No thanks. What are you doing here? We weren’t expecting you back until at least the weekend.’

He shrugged. ‘A couple of my business appointments were cancelled so I decided to come home early. How are the twins? Still practising for their concert?’

‘Yes. They’ll be pleased to see you.’

‘I’ll meet them from school this afternoon if you like,’ Mathieu offered. He took a sip of coffee before asking, ‘Spoken to Zac recently?’

Nanette shook her head. ‘I was hoping to see him today, to sort some things out, but he’s not here.’

‘I know,’ Mathieu said quietly. ‘I was supposed to be meeting up with him in the UK but he had to take an early flight to Canada.’

He glanced at her. ‘Do you still have the papers he gave you about Vacances au Soleil?’

‘Yes. They’re in my bag. I was going to give them back this morning.’

‘Could I have a look at them please?’

‘Oh, Mathieu, I don’t know,’ Nanette protested.

‘Are they marked private and confidential? Did Zac ask you to keep them to yourself?’ Mathieu pressed her.

‘No.’

‘There may just be something in them that would help me,’ Mathieu said quietly.

‘Help you do what? It’s only papers outlining Zac’s business and what I would be expected to do.’

Mathieu was silent for a few seconds. ‘I need a certain piece of information and there’s a possibility it will be in those papers. Please, Nanette. I promise you Zac will never know you showed them to me.’

Nanette stood up. ‘Mathieu, I’m not happy doing this, but I will let you see them, only not here. Back at the apartment.’

‘That stuff tastes vile,’ Ralph said, as Vanessa handed him some diluted Sangre de Grado to swallow. ‘Do I have to?’

Vanessa nodded. ‘Yes, you do. And I need to rub some of the ointment onto the last of your bruises too.’

Three days after his accident and to Vanessa’s relief, Ralph was a lot better. Whether it was the smelly concoctions that the head shaman had given her to administer on a regular basis or whether he hadn’t been as badly injured as at first feared, Vanessa didn’t know. She was just relieved he was alive.

‘I don’t know what’s in this stuff,’ Vanessa said, as she rubbed the reddish sticky ointment into Ralph’s body, ‘but it’s certainly worked.’

‘Seems to take the pain away too,’ Ralph said. ‘Can’t believe that something so primitive has such great healing properties.’

‘Don’t forget the TLC I’ve given you will have made a difference too,’ Vanessa teased.

Ralph caught hold of her hand. ‘I know,’ he said seriously. ‘I’m sorry things haven’t worked out as we planned. Nick and Harry were in here earlier saying that as they can’t do any filming near the dam, they’ve persuaded Luigi to take them to film the young pink dolphins for a couple of days. I know it’s a long trek but why don’t you go to?’

Vanessa shook her head. ‘Rather be here with you. Besides, I’ve promised Angela I’ll help her and the other women this afternoon.’

‘If you’re sure. With a bit of luck we might see some dolphins on our trek northwards when we finally leave here anyway. Ah, here comes Matron and the consultant doing their rounds,’ he added sotto voce as Angela and the head shaman appeared at the entrance to the hut.

After the medicine man had pronounced himself happy with Ralph’s progress he said something urgently to Angela before leaving.

‘He says you can get up today,’ Angela said. ‘There will be a feast in the village tomorrow night to celebrate your recovery.’

Early that afternoon Vanessa left Ralph writing in his journal and reviewing the plans for the next part of their