Under Chateau Lights | Complete

12 | Who Needs Enemies?

Silverware clinks against porcelain and the low hum of polite conversation fills the dimly lit dining room. My mother must be satisfied with Christian's answer because she lets the rest of dinner pass in relative normalcy. We discuss our jobs, our families, Meabh and Pierre's party, and Mother's plans for family fun events, and extend our compliments to the chef.

Finally, after the longest dinner I've ever had in my life, dessert of chocolate cake and ice cream sits in front of me, ready to be devoured. I don't care about manners, jabbing my fork right into the middle of it and shoving a huge piece into my mouth the second it arrives. Unfortunately, I'm only half finished when Mother resumes her tirade. "Christian, can I speak to you for a moment?"

"Eva, dear," my dad tries to reason with her. "Let them finish their dessert."

Christian sets his spoon down next to his barely touched mousse. "It's okay, Mr. Kendrick, I'm finished already. It's been a lovely dinner. I'll see you all tomorrow for some nice family fun." The chair scrapes against the ground as Christian moves to stand.

"You don't have to do this." Elodie tells Christian what I should have. "I'm sure whatever Mom wants to discuss can wait until tomorrow."

We all know it can wait, and we're all equally sure it won't. "I'm coming with you," I say, slamming my fork down on my plate with a sickening clatter. "It seems this needs to be addressed or we'll be a cloud over the whole trip. Which is not my intention. Let's go, then." If looks could kill I'd be six feet under by now, but I wave my hands to usher her out of the dining room, following behind her and dragging Christian behind me.

"Jules," Celeste's hand reaches out for mine as I pass by her chair toward the doors of the restaurant.

"Thanks, Celeste, but I'm tired. I just want to be done with this so I can go to bed."

Her eyes tell her apologies, as they always do. "Call if you need a girls' night, okay?"

We haven't done girls' night since Celeste was seventeen, but that won't stop me from calling her if I need her. 'Thanks,' I mouth to her. 'Wish me luck.'

Elodie must catch our exchange because she laughs as I drag Christian from the room, passing by Mother frantically trying to ensure the waiter would charge the diner to her room. It doesn't take her long before she chases us out of the restaurant, catching us in the middle of the hotel's lobby.

Christian turns to face her as soon as he sees her on the warpath. "Mrs. Kendrick, I can assure you there is nothing untoward going on. I'm just here to support Julie and get to know all of you." He is learning fast and hits my mother before she can get into an attack position.

"If that's really what's going on then I'll support you."

Not what I expected her to say.

"But I need you to know what you're getting into, young man. This time last year she was supposed to bring someone else to our family Christmas gathering, but at the last minute she showed up alone. He broke up with her, you know? Did you know that?"

"Ma," I try to interject. "Christian doesn't need to hear about my failed love life. He certainly doesn't need to hear about it in the middle of a lobby. Can we at least take this somewhere more private if you must say it."

Her eyes stare into mine. "You were crushed. And he," she turns to Christian, "should know that I won't stand for that again. You treat my little girl right and I'll keep my mouth shut. Just know I'm here. And I'm watching."

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Christian says, reaching over and wrapping my hand in his own, taking all of my own fear and squeezing it into his strong, warm hand. "And you don't need to worry about me breaking her heart. I'm quite certain I'm incapable."