Raoul found a table for them in the back and put in an order for bread and honey with a pot of hot chocolate. “After school we’ll take Philippe and Albert over to see him.”
“You have more faith that Philippe will last the whole day than I do.” She finally lifted her eyes to him. She found his scrutiny unnerving. “Don’t think I don’t appreciate everything you’ve done for us, but I’m worried about you. Don’t you need to be at work? After flying to the States and back, you probably have a dozen fires to put out.”
“The staff has handled every crisis, leaving me free to take care of my family. I’ll drop in there sometime today.” His calm demeanor managed to unsettle her nerves even more. Crystal didn’t know how much longer she could take being alone with him like this, not when she was enjoying it too much.
“Now that Philippe isn’t with us, I’m ready to hear that list of grievances you told me about.”
After their food was served he said, “Do I really have to spell it out for you when we both know one word would cover it?”
Heat swamped her cheeks.
Raoul leaned forward. “He’s been homesick. Whether you want to believe it or not, you raised a little French boy. Every time I talked to him on the phone, he cried that he wanted to go home. There were times when he begged me to come and get him, not because he didn’t love you, but because you refused to take him.”
She bit her lip so hard, she was surprised it didn’t draw blood. “But Eric isn’t here.”
A strange quiet surrounded Raoul. “No, he’s not.”
Feeling more tongue-tied than ever she said, “I’m hoping that by the time we go home after Christmas, your father will be better and it won’t be nearly so hard for Philippe because he’ll realize that what he’d really wanted to come here for was gone.”
Except that wasn’t true and they both knew it. Philippe loved his French family and worshipped his uncle Raoul. Far too much.
She poured honey on her bread and began eating. To her dismay her emotions were in such chaos, she couldn’t taste anything. On the other hand Raoul had finished off his bread and hot chocolate in no time at all.
“Don’t be surprised if Breckenridge never feels like home to him, Crystal.”
Ready for that she said, “But it’s my home.” Raoul had no idea she was fighting for her life. “When we leave Chamonix this time, I’ll make a promise to bring him back during his spring recess. That will help make another separation less painful.”
His dark blue eyes impaled her. “You think?” He suddenly pushed himself away from the table and stood up, sending out shock waves that assailed her body.
She noticed he’d dressed in a white Scandinavian sweater of primarily blues and gray in the yoke. Between that and his attractively disheveled black hair, he drew the eye of every female in the café. Even Crystal, who was struggling not to be aware of him, could see that no male in Chamonix, let alone France, came close in comparison.
“Come on. I’ll take you to the house on my way to work.”
No. No more togetherness right now.
“Thank you, Raoul, but I think I’ll stay here and have another cup of hot chocolate. After that, I’m going to do some serious Christmas shopping.”
She heard his sharp intake of breath. “You’re sure? Jet lag will probably catch up with you.”
Crystal had never been more sure of anything. “Yes. I gave the secretary at the school my cell phone number, too. If there’s a problem, I’ll be close by. If all goes well, then I’ll meet you at the school at three.”
After a noticeable silence he said, “Bon.”
She forced herself not to stare at him as he put down money and left the café. Once his tall, dark figure had disappeared, she poured herself another drink, then looked up the nearest car rental on her phone.
Raoul would have lent her a car from the business in a second, but she didn’t want any more favors from him. She needed to be independent this trip. Before leaving Chamonix she’d given Eric’s family the sports car. She had no idea what they’d done with it. As for their Peugeot, she’d sold it in order to buy another car for her and Philippe after they reached Breckenridge.
At first the man at the rental car place told her there were none available right now because of Christmas. But when he heard the name Broussard, magic happened. Within ten minutes a driver pulled up in front of the café and drove her to the rental agency.
She was touched that all the employees working there offered their condolences about Eric and asked for her autograph. One of the cute younger men said, “Are you here to do some racing?” His eyes danced.
“Not this time.”
“I like to ski, but I need to perfect my technique. Maybe the great Crystal Broussard could give me a few lessons? I’m off day after tomorrow. I would be the envy of every man in the valley. Please tell me you’ll say yes.”
He was hitting on her, but he was nice and it built her confidence. After the way Eric had forgotten she’d been a skier, too, this man’s attention was a balm to the loss of her self-esteem.
“I won’t be skiing this holiday, but you’re very kind to ask. Maybe another time.”
She signed on the dotted line for the car and drove away, thinking hard about the guy who’d asked her for a ski lesson. If the truth be told, while he’d been flirting with her, she’d wished it had been Raoul. But that had to remain her secret.
As for the rental car guy, he’d actually given her an idea. Provided Jules kept improving, she might just do some skiing tomorrow morning after she dropped Philippe off at school. It was hard to believe she hadn’t been on skis since Eric’s death.
For the next few hours she went in and out of the darling shops for children and bought toys she knew Philippe would love. When they went home she would have to buy another suitcase just to get everything back to Breckenridge, but she couldn’t resist the items you could never find in the States.
Another day she’d take Philippe shopping. Together they’d pick out gifts for the cousins and family, but today was the perfect time to get his. She’d keep them hidden in the trunk and he’d never know. When he was asleep, she’d smuggle them into the house.
She arrived back at the school at quarter to three, surprised there’d been no call yet. Eager to know how his day had gone, she slipped inside the building and stood outside the door to his room.
The children were doing their maths. Philippe’s blond head was bent over the desk while he wrote, reminding her of Schroeder, the little boy bent over his piano playing Beethoven in the Charlie Brown cartoon. The thought brought a smile to her face.
“Looks like your son is thriving.”
Raoul. She felt his warmth. “Yes,” she said without looking at him.
“All that worry for nothing.”
The bell rang, preventing her from having to answer because the children shouted in happiness and came charging out of the room. Philippe flew into her arms. “The teacher said I could come all the time!”
With those words it meant he wanted to be at school with Albert. His homesickness was cured simply by being back. “That’s wonderful, honey.”
In the next breath she hugged Albert. “Thank you for being such a good friend to him.”
“It was fun. The teacher asked him to help us with our English. When he told us the name of his favorite dessert in English, the class laughed their heads off.”
Raoul