“Yes, Matt will be here when you get back,” Jeanne-Marie said.
“You’ll have fun at your grandparents’, right?” Matt asked.
“Sure, we’ll go have ice cream and play in the park and watch movies on television. They have a television. We don’t. Do you have a television?”
“I do.”
Alexandre’s eyes widened. “That’s cool. I wish we had a television.”
“Think what a treat it is when you go to your grandparents’,” his mother said.
“She says I look like my dad,” he told Matt.
He looked up at Jeanne-Marie, a question in his eyes.
“He looks a lot like Phillipe did at that age from the pictures I’ve seen. I’m sure Adrienne is constantly reminded.” She looked at her son and Matt knew she was constantly reminded of her husband as well when she looked at him.
Which was worse, to have purged his house of reminders or to be constantly reminded by just looking at her son?
“Maybe they can take me to ride horses so I can learn. Then I can come visit you, Matt, and ride your horses.”
“Maybe.”
Jeanne-Marie threw him a look that was difficult to interpret.
“What?”
“We’re not coming to visit, so don’t raise his hopes.”
“You’d be welcome,” he said. Thinking about it for a moment, he realized he’d like to have her and her son come to see where he lived, where he worked. What would they think of his family’s enterprise?
“Do you want some more soup?” she asked, clearly changing the subject.
“Yes. And more of that delicious bread.”
After dinner Matt suggested a walk along the beach. While he saw no benefit from lying in the broiling sun all day, he did like being by the sea. The air was fresh and invigorating. She wouldn’t go without her son, which suited him. Matt was surprised to realize he enjoyed Alexandre’s company.
“A short walk, perhaps. We have to get ready for Alexandre’s trip,” she said, hesitating.
“Instead of going later, shall we leave in the morning and have lunch together in Marseilles before dropping Alexandre off at his grandparents’?” Matt asked.
Alexandre looked at him. “Are you going to Marseilles, too?”
“I’m driving you to your grandparents’ place,” Matt said.
“Yea!” Alexandre danced around. “And will you pick me up, too? “
“If it’s okay with your mother.” And with that, Jeanne-Marie knew nothing could be better.
“We need to return soon so Alexandre can take a bath before bed,” she said an hour later when they reached the marina. Twilight was near. It would take a while to walk back along the curving beach to get to the inn.
“If I swim in the sea I wouldn’t need to take a bath,” the little boy said, running ahead, then running back to be with them.
“Would you read me a story tonight?” he asked Matt, slipping his hand into the man’s larger one.
It was startling. The child was without pretension. He said whatever came into his mind. Holding his hand, Matt was swept away with a feeling of protectiveness toward the little boy. How unfair life had been, losing his father when so young. Who would teach him how to be a man?
The sun had set only moments before. Twilight afforded plenty of light to see. The soft murmur of wavelets against the sand was soothing. Stars had not yet appeared but undoubtedly would before they reached the inn.
With Alexandre between them, each holding one of his hands, Matt thought how like a family they must appear. The thought came more and more frequently. He railed against it. He was on holiday. That was all.
Looking over at Jeanne-Marie, he was struck by her air of serenity. Content with her life, happy with her child, she cast a spell over him. He wanted that serenity, that contentment.
“Can we go swimming after dark?” Alexandre asked as they approached the inn.
“Not safe,” his mother replied.
“Not dangerous, either. It could be fun,” Matt said. He’d love to go swimming with Jeanne-Marie, to see her sleek body in a swimsuit, to touch her, to kiss her again. To feel her body against his, skin to skin.
He took a breath and shook his head trying to dislodge the images.
She looked dubious. “Maybe.”
“Can we?” Alexandre was thrilled at the thought.
Matt looked at Jeanne-Marie. “Why not?” He could think of a dozen reasons to go, all starting with his motivation for the swim.
“Okay, let’s do it.”
“Yippee!” Alexandre yelled and took off running for the inn.
In less than ten minutes they had changed and were at the water’s edge. Suddenly shy, Jeanne-Marie hesitated to take off her cover-up. The swimsuit she wore was the one she wore all the time. It maintained her modesty, but she felt exposed wearing it in front of him. She knew she was self-conscious because of Matt. Good heavens, it was almost pitch-dark out.
“Hurry, Mama,” Alexandre called, already up to his knees in the water.
“Last one in’s a rotten egg,” Matt murmured, dropping his towel and walking toward Alexandre.
In one movement, she drew off her top, dropped it and ran by Matt, splashing into the water seconds before he did.
She kept going until the water was up to her waist.
“Wait for me, Mama.”
Alexandre swam out to her and grabbed hold of her shoulders. “This is fun.”
There was enough light now from the stars and the establishments along the shore to give some visibility. It was an adventure, however, to find the water so dark. Normally it was as clear as crystal with the bottom clearly visible.
Matt walked over. “Refreshing.”
“Cold, you mean,” she said. It was cool, but pleasant. And the delight of her son made it well worth it.
“Since he can swim, why don’t we paddle a little out and then back?”
“Okay.”
“I want to swim next to Matt,” Alexandre said.
Me, too, was Jeanne-Marie’s immediate thought.
They swam a short way, and because of the gentle slope Matt could stand when they stopped. Alexandre clung to him while Jeanne-Marie trod water beside him.
“If you get tired, you can grab hold of me,” he offered.
She was tempted.
“It’s scary out here,” Alexandre said, looking around.
“No different from being here in the daytime except we can’t see,” Matt said.
Jeanne-Marie brushed against Matt’s arm as she was moving around. He caught her and pulled her close. Resting her hand on his shoulder, she felt the warmth of his skin even though the water had cooled the surface.
Clinging, she smiled at her son.
“We’ve never done this before, have we?” She dared not look at Matt for fear she’d forget Alexandre was here and be caught up in Matt’s spell. Would he kiss her again?
“I