‘I know what you mean.’ Jessie scanned the palatial front parlour, taking in the ornate plasterwork on the ceilings and the luxury furniture—that I wasn’t sure was going to survive Cai. I had to ensure he didn’t bring his felt tip pens in here, ever.
‘I’ve never lived somewhere like this,’ she said.
‘Neither have I, which is why I suspect Alexi insisted on buying it,’ I said.
He hadn’t listened to me. In fact, he hadn’t even contacted me since the afternoon I’d agreed to relocate. ‘It feels like a show of strength.’
And the irony was, he didn’t need to do that. I already knew how rich and powerful he was, but until this moment I had not considered how much I had put myself at his mercy by not just agreeing to this move, but also taking the job. It was a real job, with real prospects, and Alexi and I would not be working too closely together from what I could gather. But why hadn’t I even considered the implications of becoming his employee—of making him my boss?
‘Perhaps,’ Jessie said. But her smile didn’t die, it simply became thoughtful. ‘Or perhaps he’s trying to impress you and Cai.’
‘I don’t think so,’ I said. ‘He hasn’t even been in touch about meeting Cai since we agreed to come here.’ Which I could admit now was what scared me the most. Had this ever been about establishing a relationship with his son? Or was it all some kind of power play, to let me know who was in charge? Because I felt as powerless now as I had five years ago. And I didn’t like it.
Jessie grasped my hands and stroked her thumbs over my knuckles. ‘Is there any reason why you can’t contact him?’
The quiet question startled me with its simplicity.
Jessie was right. Why was I letting Alexi call all the shots? I’d spoken to Cai in the vaguest of terms about his father, and then waited for his father to get in touch so we could arrange some kind of plan for Cai and him to get to know each other. But no contact had been forthcoming, so I’d buried myself in finishing up my work at Camaro, organising our move, preparing Cai for his new home and new nursery school, establishing myself in the new job and waited. And waited.
No wonder I was so on edge. I still had no idea how Cai and I figured in Alexi’s life, and that was my fault as much as Alexi’s, because I hadn’t pushed. I hadn’t even asked. I’d allowed this whole thing to be managed on Alexi’s timetable.
‘No, there isn’t,’ I replied. ‘Perhaps it’s time I took control instead of leaving things to Alexi.’
Especially as he seemed unwilling or unable to take the initiative.
Pierre walked into the room with Cai in his arms. ‘I’d love to stay for lunch, Mademoiselle Simpson. Thank you for the invitation.’
Cai giggled—he adored Pierre and the young man adored him. But it wasn’t Alexi’s assistant Cai had come to Nice to bond with.
As Cai and Jessie left the room to help Camille, the new housekeeper Alexi had hired for us, with the lunch preparations, I spoke to Alexi’s assistant.
‘Pierre, do you know where Alexi is at the moment? And how I can contact him?’ As soon as I made the request, I realised exactly how much of a doormat I’d been. I didn’t even have a mobile number for Alexi.
The young man’s dark skin flushed even darker. ‘Monsieur Galanti is coming back from Rome today. He will be at Villa Galanti tonight before he heads to London tomorrow to start preparations for the British Primo Grande Race.’
How fortunate, I thought. Just as Cai and I arrived in France, Alexi was heading to London. It was almost as if he’d planned to make it impossible to meet his son.
He wanted me here at his beck and call, but I was increasingly becoming less convinced he even wanted to meet his son.
‘Do you know where I could hire a car for Cai and I to use while we’re here?’ I asked.
Pierre brightened. ‘There is no need to hire transportation. There are three new Galanti models in the garage at the back of the house for your use, mademoiselle.’
‘Three!’ I almost choked, yet more evidence of Alexi’s skill at making me feel overwhelmed. ‘Why would we need three cars?’
Pierre barely blinked. ‘Monsieur Galanti thought you would need a range of cars depending on your activities. He asked me to supply you with a Galanti GLQ SUV for family excursions, a new GL8 convertible for leisure driving and a hatchback from Galanti’s GLTi range of city cars in case you wish to drive into Nice or Cannes.’
I nodded. ‘Right.’ Apparently Alexi had thought of everything—except the most important thing, how to begin forming a relationship with his son.
Once Cai was in bed, I could leave Jessie here to babysit and drive along the coast road towards Monaco and Villa Galanti. It was less than a half-hour drive.
Surprising Alexi in person made more sense than trying to contact him.
I had uprooted my son. I wanted him finally to meet his father—and for his father to meet him. That was why we were here. And I wanted to make the arrangements with Alexi before I began work properly at Galanti’s R&D centre when the ties between our professional and personal relationship would only complicate things more.
If the mountain wasn’t prepared to come to Muhammad, Muhammad was going to have to be brave enough to go to the mountain—with a little help from a brand new top-of-the-range GL8 convertible.
Night had fallen by the time I drove the new convertible—which had handled beautifully—through the gates at Villa Galanti.