Precious Gifts (13 page)

“Are you awake?” he whispered, and she smiled, happy to see him. He looked like a kid in the dark hall.

“Yes, I can't sleep,” she whispered back, and held open the door. Without another word, he took her in his arms. He couldn't leave her without making love to her finally. It felt as though they had waited an eternity, and it felt right to both of them. They both wanted the reassurance of this final bond before they left each other the next day. Without saying anything, they climbed into her bed, took off their clothes, and lay in each other's arms, and slowly their bodies joined. The moonlight washed over them as they made love and lay together afterward, peaceful and united at last. And when morning came, they were sound asleep side by side. When they woke up, Aidan looked at Véronique, and they both knew they'd done the right thing the night before. He kissed her before they got up.

“Are you sorry?” he asked her, looking worried, after they kissed.

“No.” She smiled at him. “Are you?”

“I don't know how we're going to make this work,” he said to her, “but I know we'll find a way.” It was all she needed to hear.

She wanted him to be right, and for it not to be a summer romance, or a fling. It didn't feel like either one to her. He ran his hands over her breasts and belly again, still hungry for her. This was only the beginning for them.

“I wish you could come to Berlin with me today,” he said sadly.

“I'll be there soon,” she promised, and then kissed him. He had a startlingly beautiful body. They made love one last time, before they had to face the world.

He went to shower and dress in his own room, and was back a short while later. He looked at her differently when he came back to her room. She was his now, and whatever happened, they would deal with it together. Their lovemaking had been an end to their old lives, and the beginning of their new one. And neither of them was alone anymore. A bond between them had been sealed in the tiny room the night before.

He took her bags down to his car, and she followed him a few minutes later. She felt as though they'd just been on their honeymoon. He put the car in gear as soon as she got in, and they took off for Cap d'Antibes, taking with them everything they had shared and built and done and given for the past few weeks. They were both smiling, and he leaned over and kissed her as the elegant old hotel where she'd be staying came into view.

She didn't want to leave him, but she knew she had to, to see her girls. There was more to her life now than just traveling with Aidan, going to long dinners together, and waking up in his arms. She had responsibilities, and he had work to do in Berlin. And somewhere in the midst of all of it, they would find time to be together. All they had to do now was figure out how to make this work. And as she got out at the familiar hotel where she had stayed with her family for years, she vowed to herself, she would. Aidan already meant too much to her to lose him now. He was the best thing that had ever happened to her, and when their eyes met as they got out of the sports car, she could see that he felt exactly the same way.

T
he Eden Roc was part of the distinguished Hôtel du Cap in Cap d'Antibes, only a few miles from the friendly little town of Antibes, where they'd been staying, and the tiny hotel where their relationship had finally been consummated. The Hôtel du Cap was one of the most beautiful, exclusive, and illustrious hotels in Europe, with prices to match. The main building had marble halls, high ceilings, and magnificent rooms and suites, most of them looking out at the sea shimmering like glass. There was an impressive outdoor staircase leading down to the even more exclusive Eden Roc, with gardens on either side of the wide path and closer to the water. It was the vacation spot for aristocrats, royalty, the immensely rich, and in recent years jet-setters, Russian tycoons, and movie stars, many of whom preferred to stay at the less formal lower building, with smaller but still elegantly appointed suites, and even better views of the sea from their balconies.

There was a very elegant restaurant that serviced both hotels and, below it on what looked like the deck of a ship, a less formal one where hotel guests gathered for lunch, at astronomical prices. There was an infinity pool, and a host of private cabanas, where you could eat, relax, and lie around naked, unseen by other guests. The cabanas were more expensive than rooms at other fine hotels. The Hôtel du Cap and the Eden Roc were a world unto themselves, with guests who came back faithfully year after year, alone or with their families or their mistresses. It was a magical kingdom secluded from the real world, full of elegant, famous people who wanted to be waited on hand and foot and pampered while they were there. Even the staff remained the same from year to year. And they knew Véronique and her children well. She had even gone there as a child herself, with her parents, and had taken Paul there as soon as they were married. They had spent part of their honeymoon there. It was like a second home to her. And as soon as she arrived, the concierge and both his assistants came out into the driveway to greet her, along with the doormen and two porters who were waiting to carry her bags. Aidan looked instantly uncomfortable the moment they approached, as though he thought they might attack him. He stopped them as they started to take his bags out of the Austin's tiny trunk. He handed them Véronique's bags, and one of the porters disappeared into the hotel.

They were standing under the portico covered with vines and flowers, and Véronique walked slowly inside, surrounded by the uniformed employees greeting her, while Aidan followed, feeling like an intruder who had wandered into the wrong hotel and would be thrown out as soon as they realized he was an imposter and didn't belong there. Véronique was chatting easily with all of them, as they led her to her familiar suite. She had had the same rooms for thirty years, and the children and their nanny at the time had had a suite of rooms on the floor just above her. The concierge opened the door to her suite with a flourish and stepped back, as Aidan hesitated behind the crowd.

Véronique turned to find him, and beckoned him in with her, and after she introduced Aidan to the concierge, he followed her into the room, which took his breath away when he saw the elegant rooms and the view. She had a bedroom, living room, with balconies on both, and two bathrooms. It reeked of luxury and comfort, with beautifully upholstered furniture in blue and white, and what looked like antiques to him, although they weren't. The porter set down her bag on a luggage stand, the concierge bowed and wished her a good stay with them, and the entire group disappeared, accompanied by two maids who had offered to unpack her pathetically small suitcase, and Véronique smilingly declined. And she and Aidan were finally alone.

“I wish you were staying here with me,” she said, as she walked to him and put her arms around his neck, just as he noticed a huge box of chocolates on the desk. They thought of everything. The hotel was dedicated to serving every whim of their guests.

“I'd be afraid to leave the room,” Aidan said, looking anxious.

“Why?” She was surprised, and pulled him into a comfortable chair with her, big enough for them both. Everything in the room was elegant, luxurious, and inviting, but Aidan seemed frightened to sit down, and sat stiffly next to her.

“I don't belong here,” he said nervously. He hadn't realized that her life was quite as luxurious as this, although the Cipriani in Venice had been pretty grand, and he knew she had money. But this was about more than money. It was about opulence in a discreet way to a degree he had never seen. Most of the guests who stayed here came from Old Money, and a few were billionaires like Nikolai who were enjoying it thoroughly. The place shrieked of money. “If I hadn't been with you when we got here, they'd have thrown me out,” he said nervously, jutting out his chin, which she knew he did when he felt extremely uncomfortable, as he was now. And she wanted him to like the hotel as much as she did, and come here with her one day. It was the most romantic place in the world, both the geographic setting at the water's edge, and the hotel itself. There was even a boat dock for people coming off their yachts, and there were always half a dozen of them anchored in front of the hotel.

“Don't be silly,” Véronique tried to reassure him. “Some of the people who stay here look like bums when they relax. You look perfectly civilized, and as appropriate as any of the other guests.” He didn't look any more at ease about it than when they'd arrived.

“I can't breathe here. I told you, I'm allergic to rich people, and it doesn't get richer than this,” he said, looking panicked.

“What's bothering you?” she asked gently, disappointed by his reaction. “Do you think you don't deserve it?”

“Maybe,” he said pensively. “I just don't approve of people who live like this, when there are millions of starving people in the world. I don't even want to know what staying in a place like this would cost.” He shuddered at the thought.

“A lot,” Véronique confirmed. “No one has to live like this every day. But it's a nice treat for a holiday. I love it here.” She was honest with him. “Do you think you could ever get used to coming here? Just as a treat, once in a while?” As she said it, she handed him the box of chocolates, and he put two in his mouth at once, and she laughed. Sometimes he was like a child. And at other times, he was more adult and more caring and protective of her than any man she had ever known. And one thing was for sure, he certainly wasn't spoiled, or looking to be, or he wouldn't have been so uncomfortable there. He looked as if he were crawling out of his skin.

“I just can't see myself staying in a place like this,” he said, looking around the room again, “although the chocolates are damn good,” he added with a sudden grin and helped himself to another one as she laughed.

“What difference does it make, if I can afford it?” she asked him honestly.

“That's nice for you. But the problem is I can't. And I'm not looking to become a gigolo when I grow up. I don't want to take advantage of you, Véronique. I've never done that in my life, and I don't intend to start now.” This was the flip side of the coin of being with a decent person who didn't want her for what she had. A less honorable man would have leaped into it with both feet.

“Why can't we have both? Some simple times, like the hotel we just stayed at, and some of this? What you're telling me is that I'm too ‘rich' for you. That's not fair. I would never tell you that you're too poor for me. That's discrimination. Can't you be a little more relaxed about the rich?”

“Maybe,” he said thoughtfully. “You're the first one I've ever liked.” And as he said it, he reached over and kissed her, pulled her into his arms, and slipped a hand under her blouse. And their conversations about rich and poor were forgotten for a minute. They continued kissing and found their way to the luxurious bed. She pulled back the covers, and they climbed into it, and a moment later their clothes were in a heap on the floor and they were making love, even more passionately than the night before. And when they stopped, he leaned back breathlessly among the pillows and smiled at her as the Mediterranean glistened in the sunlight outside. “Maybe this place isn't so bad,” he said, still out of breath. She wished she could ask him to stay for a few days, but there was no hope of that with her girls about to arrive. He rolled over in the bed with her then, visibly more at ease than he had been when he arrived. Their lovemaking had relaxed him. She suggested they take a bath, in her marble bathroom, and he followed her in, as she ran a tub for them.

They sat in the bathtub, talking for a while, about her visit to the château the next day, and whether she would meet the Marniers. She still didn't want to, and he encouraged her to do whatever suited her. He fully supported her in that, and a little while later, they got out of the bath, and toweled each other off. He put on a terrycloth robe, and went back to eat another chocolate.

“Now I can see how prostitutes do it,” he said with a sigh. “You've corrupted me in an hour. I've eaten half your box of chocolates, the robe is very nice, the bed was fabulous, almost as good as what happened in it, and I love the tub. Give me a week here, and I'll do whatever you want.” He laughed, but she knew him better than that now. He was still Aidan, and always true to himself, but he seemed like he was having fun, and she was glad.

They walked to the building next door where the fancy restaurant was, with a huge buffet spread out, and opted for the more casual restaurant downstairs, near the pool. They had lunch on the terrace, and sat enjoying the view after a delicious meal. There were half a dozen spectacular yachts at anchor.

“I'm going to miss you,” Aidan said seriously. “Call me whenever you want. I won't get to Berlin till tomorrow, but you can reach me on my cell phone anytime. At least now I can visualize where you are.” Véronique didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing, but he looked happier than he had at first. Aidan had strong opinions and social ideals, and prejudices about the rich, how they lived and what they stood for, but he had relaxed about it long enough to make love to her and have lunch. It made for a nicer farewell before they parted for the next couple of weeks. She was going to try and join him in Berlin after the girls left. She had some things to do in Paris, but after that, she wanted to see him again as soon as she could, and it was all he wanted, too. He was going to be lonely without her now.

He walked her back to her room for a moment alone, kissed her longingly again, and then she walked him to his car. The valet brought it to him, and the battered little Austin-Healey sat among two Rollses, a Bentley, and a Ferrari. They exchanged a smile when he saw it, but he didn't look upset. And however much he had disapproved of lives like hers until then, he was shoulder to shoulder with the rich and super rich, whether he liked it or not. She just hoped he could adjust to it enough to stick around. And other than occasional indulgences like her stays at the Eden Roc, Véronique didn't live a showy life. Her life in Paris was quiet, her apartment manageable and human scale, and even the apartment in New York was luxurious but not overwhelming, although she wondered if it would be to him. She wasn't quite sure yet where his limits were. Clearly the Hôtel du Cap was well above them, but that was an extreme case. Even she could concede that, and in the end, he was fine with it.

He kissed her again as he stood by the car. “Take care of yourself. Don't let the girls upset you or beat you up, or anyone else!” he whispered, and she nodded. “Remember that I love you. I'll call you tonight.” They kissed one last time, he got in the Austin-Healey, and with a roar of the engine, and a blast of the exhaust, he waved and drove off, as the valet watched with a straight face, and bowed when she went back inside.

She sat on the balcony of her room, thinking about him. The bed had been made while they were at lunch, so there was no sign of their lovemaking. It was hard to believe all that had happened, and how much he already meant to her. It was as though they had been together forever, not just a few weeks since they'd first glimpsed each other in Rome and met in Venice. So much had happened since then. She felt like a different woman, and as though she had Aidan's name stamped all over her. She wondered if her girls would see it, or sense a change. She had no intention of saying anything to them about him yet. It was much too early, and she wanted to give their relationship time to settle in and take hold, before she introduced him to them. She didn't know when that would be, but definitely not now.

She walked around the grounds after that, listening to the crickets, which were very loud, and sat in the cabana she'd rented, waiting for the girls. They were landing at four o'clock in Nice, and it was almost six as she walked back to her room at the Eden Roc building. She saw a chauffeur-driven Mercedes pull up, and Joy and Juliette got out. They both looked very pretty. Juliette had traveled in jeans with a T-shirt and sweater, while Joy was wearing shorts and a T-shirt and, as always, was spectacular. And both girls turned when she called their names, and were happy to see her. She walked them to the room they were sharing next to hers.

“Are you tired?” she asked them, and both of them shook their heads.

“We slept on the flight,” Juliette volunteered. “I had lunch, and as usual Miss Beautiful ate two lettuce leaves and an olive. I had foie gras.” Juliette looked pleased and didn't feel guilty. She didn't mind being a few pounds heavier than the others. They all agreed that both Joy and Timmie had a tendency to be too thin—Timmie due to anxiety and stress, and Joy by design for her work.

“What do you want to do?” their mother asked them, and they both answered at once that they wanted to go for a swim. They loved the pool here. And she followed them down to it when they were ready, and sat at the edge, dangling her feet in the pool, but she didn't want to go swimming. She was pleasantly relaxed and enjoyed watching them. And afterward they all went back to the room to dress for dinner. It was always a relatively formal affair, with elegantly dressed women, wearing jewels, and men wearing jackets, although in recent years they were no longer required to wear ties. When Véronique and Paul came here, the men had worn suits. It was more casual now, but the women still looked well put together in cocktail dresses, and a few of the younger ones were wearing diaphanous chiffon dresses to the floor. They looked ethereal and sexy. Juliette and Joy opted for short black dresses, while Véronique was wearing white satin palazzo pants and a shocking pink silk blouse and diamond earrings. They were the only dressy things she'd taken to Rome, and now she was glad she had. She would have to figure out something else for the next day.