I Promise You This (Love in Provence Book 3) (5 page)

There was a pause before he continued. “And now Nick’s there! He didn’t mention he was going to Toronto.”

“That’s something, isn’t it? He was just in New York, though, so . . . not so far . . .” She told him what the doctor had said to Nick about Molly and that they all agreed she could not be in a better place.

“Nick’s reading to Molly right now. The staff think the sounds of our voices help her subconscious.”

“Should I look into flights?” Katherine sensed a new urgency in his words as he continued. “I have meetings with Didier and his crew tomorrow; you will be very excited when I tell you how plans on our villa restoration are progressing! I should be able to come to Toronto in two or three days.
D’accord?
”

Kat was shocked at her hesitation. “Maybe not yet. There’s nothing to do but sit here in the hospital. Stay and take care of things there for now.”

Philippe’s voice became softer and deeper. “These few days without you have been longer than I might have imagined. You’ve become such a part of me.”

Katherine pressed the phone to her ear as the warmth of those words spread through her. The tone of Philippe’s voice, the way he expressed his feelings, and that very sexy French accent always thrilled her.

“I feel the same. It’s just not the right time to come,” she replied, her voice heavy with indecision.

There was an uneasy silence before she continued. “Hold on and I’ll put Nick on the phone. I miss you. We’ll talk tomorrow.”

She took the phone in to Nick and he left the room for several minutes. When he came back, he handed Kat her phone and said, “Philippe is one hell of a decent bloke.”

“No question,” she replied, feeling upset with herself over her less than satisfying conversation with him.

The nurses told them it was a good time to leave for the evening.

Katherine described to Nick how the staff would turn Molly and prepare her for the night. One of the nurses smiled when Kat motioned to the narrow glass vase on the table next to Molly’s bed. “We’re still trying to see if we can solve the red-rose mystery.”

Katherine gave her a thumbs-up as she reached for her coat and scarf. Nick helped Kat on with her coat. “Meaning?”

She explained, “Each morning since Molly’s been here, a fresh rose is placed in that vase and we have no idea how. No one is allowed in at night.”

A nurse interjected, “We monitor everything and the only people coming in here at night, apart from medical staff, are the clergy. Rabbis, ministers, priests, imams, pastors—we get them all. They come to pray and offer comfort and are in and out at unusual hours. God doesn’t have to worry about visiting hours.”

The hospital was a few minutes around the corner from the office where Katherine had spent the last fifteen years of her professional life. She knew exactly where they should go for dinner. The family-run Casa Mia was a welcoming trattoria and the food was guaranteed to please.

Nick put his arm around Kat’s shoulder, with an exaggerated shiver, and pulled her close as they walked. “
Brrr!
It’s bloody frigid here! I’m expecting polar bears to come out of the shadows. Is your winter always this cold?”

Her breath coming out in frozen puffs, Katherine explained they were having an unusual subzero cold spell and that sometimes conditions were quite mild. “Not this year, though. Sorry!”

Welcoming the warmth of the restaurant, they were seated quickly. Crispy bread pulled straight from the oven, and two glass containers of olive oil and balsamic were set on the table immediately. After they had chosen their meals, Nick asked, “White or red, Kat? What’s your pleasure?”

Katherine agreed with his choice of a bottle of Amarone and settled back in her chair.

“That was a big sigh,” Nick exclaimed.

Katherine looked surprised for a moment and then answered with a wry smile. “I wasn’t aware it was so obvious. This feels like the first time I’ve relaxed since I got here.”

The waiter arrived with the wine and, after Nick approved the choice, poured each a glass. Raising his, Nick said, “Here’s to Molly and to the friendship we all share. Yours with her has been so long and meaningful, and ours has been very short, but meaningful in its own way. May all of this long continue.”

Katherine raised her glass in return and nodded. They continued talking about friendship and how life works in unexpected ways to bring people together. Kat inquired about Nick’s close friend, Graham.

“Ah, the dear bloke and his family are all well. I’m hoping they will all come to France this summer. Just think, it was thanks to Molly that Graham and I got to meet you ladies that fateful night in Antibes!”

Laughing at the memory, Kat agreed, “Too true!” Then her expression changed to a concerned frown and she took a sip of her wine.

Nick reached over and took her hand. She could feel the emotion in his touch and his voice. In spite of his bravado, she knew he was a man who cared deeply. “It’s so hard to see someone you love in Molly’s situation. Trust me, I truly feel optimistic after meeting with the doc.”

He patted the back of her hand and then changed the mood by giving her a wide-eyed look of delight as a plate of delicious-looking antipasto arrived.

They declared themselves ravenous and dug in as the focus of conversation switched to food. Kat reminded herself she needed to pay better attention to what she was eating. Her diet the past few days had been muffins and mochas.

The lighthearted combination of great conversation, laughter, and wine brought back memories of times they had spent together in Antibes. The intimacy of some of those moments caused Kat to avert her eyes and quickly change the subject. She felt unsettled as to whether it was embarrassment or remembered pleasure that was making her squirm.

We did share some moments . . .

After a decaf cappuccino, Nick called his driver, who was waiting outside when they left the restaurant.

“Katherine, this is Mohammed. He will get you home safely.” Pointing across the street, he said, “I’m staying at the Marriott and have a conference call to make, so I’ll dash.”

As the driver held open the car door, Nick kissed Kat’s cheeks lightly, in the French way. “This was a lovely evening, Kat. I’ve missed you.” His eyes held hers, saying more than his words.

Kat glanced away briefly but smiled warmly. “Thanks for coming to Toronto, Nick. It’s wonderful to see you. I appreciate you being here . . . and I know Molly would too.”

“Hey. What are friends for? Call me when you’re ready to leave home tomorrow morning and Mohammed will collect you.”

As she began to protest, Nick put a finger to her lips. “Shhh . . . let me do what I can.”

On the way home, she chatted with Mohammed, who told her he traveled with “Monsieur Nicholas” everywhere he went these days. At her urging, he disclosed he was from Syria and still had family in the midst of the raging conflicts. When she asked why they had not left, he explained that they were reluctant to leave their lives behind in the beginning; when it got so bad that they finally decided to flee, they could not get out. “I’m sorry,” Kat said. “It’s so difficult to find words to talk about the tragic events there. What a worry and sorrow it must be for you.”

Katherine felt a tug at her heart and could not help but think sadly of the somewhat similar tragic experiences her parents’ families had undergone in World War II.

They reached her house in what seemed like minutes, and the car sat in the driveway until she unlocked her door and waved. As she removed her layers of outerwear, she smiled and shook her head, feeling disbelief and pleasure at Nick’s sudden appearance.

Katherine called Andrea and Terrence to fill them in on the day and said there was no point in them going back to the hospital just yet. They were relieved to hear that Nick was there to give her support. “We’ll have to meet him one of these days, after all you’ve told us!”

Next, she found the box with her yoga gear and, after changing into yoga clothes, unrolled her mat on the living room floor. She had been thinking about it all day, missing that part of her routine. She stretched and warmed up before she focused on a solid hour of positions. There was an immediate calm she felt from doing yoga that was unique to anything else she did.

The exercise, combined with the food and wine from dinner, made her feel mellow. For the first time since arriving in Toronto, she slept through until her 7:00 a.m. alarm sounded.

CHAPTER FIVE

Katherine phoned Nick as she was going into the subway station.

“It’s so easy, and I needed the walk,” she told him when he admonished her for not using Mohammed. “I’ll be at the hospital in twenty minutes.”

She enjoyed the subway ride. It had been part of her daily routine for so many years.
Past history,
she thought as the familiar stops rolled by and she arrived at the hospital.

Stepping out of the elevator to Molly’s floor, Katherine chuckled as Roslyn blurted, “Another rose!” Another nurse shook her head. “No one gets in here at night. It’s bizarre!”

Father DeCarlo and Nick were sitting together in the reception area and motioned for Katherine to hurry to Molly’s room.

There was a collection of white coats around Molly’s bed. Dr. Primeau, the neurologist, nodded to Katherine and waved her into the room.

“We’re beginning to bring Molly out of her deep sleep today. We’re slowly reducing the dosage of her drugs, and in a few days she will be fully conscious. We’re hoping for the best in terms of her function levels. However, we want to alert you that there are no guarantees.”

Katherine’s voice betrayed her anxiety as she asked what the outcome might be.

“It’s still too early to say for certain. Today and tomorrow will be critical. No visitors. You and your friend can spend a few minutes with her now. Roslyn will text you with updates throughout the day. We have asked Father DeCarlo to look in on Ms. Malone, as her records indicate she is Catholic and knows him.”

A nurse pointed to her watch and said to Katherine, “Ten minutes.”

“Please ask my friend and Father DeCarlo to also come in.”

As Nick and Father DeCarlo walked in, Katherine said, “Obviously you two have introduced yourselves.”

They nodded. Katherine repeated what the doctor had told her as she held Molly’s hand and lightly rubbed her arm. They spoke quietly and the priest assured them he would stay all day with Molly. “I’ll keep you updated as the day goes on,” he said, his eyes filled with compassion. “I know this won’t be easy for you.”

“Nor you. Knowing you are here with Molly makes all the difference.”

Katherine was aware of a slight flicker in the priest’s eyes that communicated he was as concerned as she.

Sitting together in the reception area, Katherine and Nick planned their unexpected day off.

Kat had just texted the news about Molly to Philippe when her phone vibrated in her pocket. Philippe was on the line, saying he intended to book a flight in a few days. “You sound anxious, Minou,” he said. “Whatever is going on with Molly, I want to be there to support you, even if I only stay for a short time.”

Kat wanted him with her but also felt increasingly conflicted about it. She was struggling with emotions that she couldn’t quite identify. Something did not feel right.

Nick offered to send his plane for Philippe, speaking briefly to Philippe about arrangements. A direct flight from Nice would be a lot more convenient than having to go through Paris again.

“Nick, your generosity knows no bounds,” Katherine said, touched by the earnestness of his desire to help.

His laugh was tinged with modesty. “I hope you’ll take this the right way.”

Kat looked at him with a puzzled expression as he went on. “I have so much money it’s ridiculous. If I can use it to do something good for my friends, that’s the most satisfying thing I can think of . . . along with the charitable foundation I established, of course. I didn’t start off this way, y’know. I got very lucky, very early on with some big business deals, worked my ass off for many years, and the circumstances of my life changed.”

“I remember you telling me your story when I was in Antibes,” Katherine recalled. She also remembered being impressed with what a down-to-earth man he was, in spite of his immense wealth. Google had told her about his Field Foundation and its philanthropic work around the world. Brash as he might be, Nicholas Field was not a man to brag about his accomplishments.

Nick shifted awkwardly in his chair and changed the subject. “Okay, now we have the day free, so let’s do something that takes our minds off everything else—especially our dear Molly. Let’s hope today goes well in that hospital room.”

Katherine nodded wordlessly, quelling an empty feeling in the pit of her stomach. She sent a silent plea into the universe that Molly would come through all this.

Nick’s voice broke into her thoughts. “Okay, gorgeous. Show me your fair city . . . even if we are dressed like Nanook of the North! Gawd, it’s bloody freezing! I’ll call Mo and you direct the tour.”

It did happen to be one of the coldest days on record, Kat told him. “I even put on my thermal underwear this morning. The car is a great idea.” She was grateful for the distraction the day would provide. Her preoccupation with the unknowns of Molly’s condition was consuming her.

The first stop was a nearby coffee shop. The rest of the morning was spent driving around the most significant downtown neighborhoods.

“The street scenes look dystopian,” Nick commented. Clouds of vapor spewed from sidewalk grates into the frigid air. Pedestrians bundled in heavy, funereal winter wear rushed along, their faces obscured by scarves and fur-lined hoods pulled down to their brows. “Anonymity assured by the choice of clothing. Do you think they’re heading to or from the Apocalypse?” he wondered.

“I’ve cycled through this entire city and know it like the back of my hand, but I’ve never stopped to observe it like this, or in weather like this,” Kat told him, shaking her head. “It’s a very different perspective.”

She recognized immediately what was missing, compared to the South of France: color. “Everything is just so gray, so dreary.”

They drove slowly through the almost-empty streets of the normally bustling communities of Kensington Market, Little Italy, Chinatown, and Little India.

“These areas are where we’ll find some zest!” Katherine assured him. The vibrant signage and windows stuffed with flashy displays of everything from food to fabric to intriguing bric-a-brac demanded a casual stroll through their streets.

“Looks like I’ve got to return in warmer weather,” Nick commented. “I could spend hours on these streets and the choice of restaurants appears endless!”

They also cruised through the exclusive residential areas of Forest Hill and Rosedale and other well-kept neighborhoods. Nick commented on the intermingling of mixed-income areas and street upon street of well-maintained aging architecture. “For the most part, it looks to me like a city that works.”

“I must admit it’s a great place to live—when the weather is good, that is. Minus the charm and history that seduces me in France,” Kat said wistfully.

“You obviously know your way around, Kat. That’s a sign of really appreciating what a community has to offer.”

“I do love Toronto. It’s safe and clean. There’s great theater and excellent restaurants. I’m glad I grew up here.”

She continued her running commentary while Nick kept her laughing with his droll observations combined with positive comments about the city in general. He praised the obvious multicultural blend of communities and insisted they get out of the car for a stroll when she took him by Graffiti Alley.

“Put your hat and mitts on, darlin’! What a fantastic idea this alley is!”

“I was biking around here the first time I happened upon it,” she said as they walked along the alley. The walls and backs of buildings were covered in colorful and imaginative graffiti art. “It’s awesome, isn’t it?”

Nick stopped to admire and exclaim several times. “So many street artists are incredibly talented. It’s tremendous recognition for the city to give them places to do their thing. We’ve got some spots like this in Sydney too.”

The car was waiting for them at the end of the street. “Okay, that was fun,” Katherine agreed, “but the next time you want to get out, you’re on your own. I think we’ve hit a new low in temperatures today!”

Blowing on his hands and rubbing them together, Nick nodded. “Enough of that.”

“I’m feeling rather proud of my hometown as I show you around,” Katherine admitted. “But I don’t get the same buzz I do from the ancient architecture, settings, and history from the villages in France. Glass and steel don’t do it for me like the colors of Nice do, for instance.”

At one point, Nick put his arm around Kat and pulled her to him. “Here’s what I see. You may love your fair city, but you are
in love
with the South of France. It couldn’t be more obvious.”

With a faraway look in her eyes, Kat replied, “That’s a good way of putting it. I think you may be right.”

“We did have some fine times on the Côte d’Azur, gorgeous!” Nick reminisced. His gaze held hers a little longer than was comfortable. Katherine lowered her eyes before turning to look out the window. She couldn’t help smiling.

“Yes, we did! Especially when Molly and Graham were with us,” she agreed, choosing to be selective about the times she was remembering.

At 11:00 a.m., Kat received a reassuring text from Roslyn that simply stated: “Things are progressing normally. Next report at one p.m.”

As noon approached, Nick surprised Kat by scrolling through some information on his phone. “I’m a huge fan of Anthony Bourdain’s food and travel show, and I constantly make notes of where he eats. He raved about the pork sandwiches at Porchetta and Company—with crackle! In Toronto! Be still my heart! Are you game?”

“Something tells me I might not have a choice!” she said with a laugh. “But you’re in luck because I do like pork. I’ve watched his show many times too. Quite a character. He reminds me of you, come to think of it!” They were soon perched on stools in a cramped space, trading superlatives about their meal.

Katherine’s phone vibrated, and a repeat message from Roslyn appeared on her screen, with the next report to come at 4:00 p.m.

As they finished eating, Katherine asked, “What shall we do this afternoon? The CN Tower? We have a new aquarium or we can see what’s on at the Art Gallery, the Royal Ontario Museum, or the new Aga Khan Museum. Your choice.”

Nick’s eyes lit up. “Niagara Falls! I haven’t seen the Falls!”

“Um, that’s a little over an hour from here, depending on traffic. I hadn’t thought about leaving the city.”

As he guided her out to the car, Nick was already making arrangements on his phone. “Take us to the Island Airport, please, Mo,” he instructed as he continued to make calls. “Oh, wait! Kat, let’s swing by your place to get your camera. You won’t want to miss this opportunity to take photos from a helicopter. As I recall, you were seldom without your camera in France.”

Katherine gasped, startled by the mention of a helicopter. She looked at Nick with such delight, they burst out laughing.

Katherine reminded Mo of her address. She ran into the house and was back quickly, camera in hand.

“Thanks, Nick. You’re right! I would have been so frustrated not to have it. It’s not every day a girl gets to take a helicopter to Niagara Falls!”

At the airport, they waited while the helicopter was sprayed with deicing solution before taking off. Katherine listened while the pilot and Nick had a conversation about the flying conditions. The pilot assured Nick he was absolutely right that the day would be fine for the flight, in spite of the cold temperatures.

Smiling to herself, Katherine wondered if there was anything about which Nick was not knowledgeable. He always amazed her.

As they lifted above Lake Ontario, Nick’s eyes focused on the horizon. “Y’know, all the time I spend on my boat has fixated the horizon as something special to me. It’s a soothing delight to my eye and rejuvenates my mind when my head is buzzing with other issues. It’s a great escape. It might be obstructed or completely clear. The sun might be rising or setting. The horizon over water symbolizes freedom and adventure to me . . . there’s such power . . .”

He nodded his head dreamily for a moment, lost in his thoughts. Katherine watched his expression.
In spite of his
bon vivant
lifestyle, he really is a thoughtful and philosophical guy.

The aerial views were spectacular as the pilot swooped his machine closer to the ground. From the glass-and-steel forest of downtown’s skyscrapers, across the vast, deep winter blue expanse of Lake Ontario, to the orderly rows of the Niagara Peninsula’s orchards and vineyards against the pristine white backdrop, the vista rapidly changed.

“The rows of vineyards down there are making me homesick for Provence,” Kat said, taking shot after shot from the unique perspective. “Although I doubt we would ever see that much snow on them in the Luberon.”

Circling the waterfalls, the view was breathtaking. The subarctic temperatures had frozen large sections into abstract art forms.

Massive blocks of bluish-white ice encased cascades of water, as if stricken by a wizard’s wand. Scattered between them, rebellious torrents powered over the drop into the river below. Plumes of mist shot skyward, sometimes briefly enveloping the helicopter.

“The strength and beauty of nature combined,” Nick murmured, his tone reverent. Katherine watched his total absorption with the scene and was reminded of how he took such pleasure in showing her around the Riviera. He was the ultimate tour guide when it came to details about places.