Running From The Flames

Swimming

"Just in here," I said as I pointed Pierre to the driveway that led to mum and dad's estate and turned the music down. "Thank god, I don't think I could have listened to any more Disney songs. You do know you can say no to her, right?"

Pierre smirked into the rearview mirror as he looked at Addie nodding along to How Far I'll Go from Moana. "I know, but why would I?"

"She so has you wrapped around her little finger."

He parked my car in front of the house and before he even turned off the engine my mum was rushing out with a big grin on her face. "My babies," she gasped as she threw the back door open and saw Addie reaching out for her. "Look how you have grown, chiquita. I missed you so much."

We spent the afternoon enjoying the warm weather in the pool and it was nice to have a moment alone with Pierre while Addie splashed with mum and dad in the shallows. Mum had given us an update on what Trent had wanted for the settlement and he had been quieter than usual after hearing the conditions.

"You're far too pretty to pout so much," I teased as I climbed on his back and wrapped my legs around him, the warm water gently lapping around us. "What's on your mind, handsome?"

He pulled me around his body and so I was facing him before taking a seat in front of one of the jets. "An exposé?"

"You saw the questions, there's nothing really substantial to them." I shrugged and picked up the gold cross that rested against his chest so my hands were busy. I wasn't entirely comfortable with the idea of an interview either but if it meant my freedom to travel with Pierre then I would do it. "I would have rather it been done sooner so I could go to Paris with you but having it primetime on a Sunday night is another strategy of his I'm sure."

"If I didn't have to go you know I'd be there with you." Pierre sighed but there was no escaping the testing that he needed to do with his car before they left for Canada. It was being rebuilt from the chassis up after the crash but once it was ready he would need to run it in so the fine tuning and adjustments could be made. "The brakes had better be fixed this time."

"I'll be having a word with them if they aren't. If not, I apparently have a good right hook."

Pierre tipped his head back with a laugh. "You can't joke about that, love, at least not today."

"It only cost me $250k and an hour long interview." I wrinkled my nose up. "I have to joke about it or I'll probably cry."

"No, no crying, unless they are happy tears. Anything else breaks my heart."

"I can't promise that when you're going away," I admitted as I curled into him and tucked my head in the crook of his neck. "It's going to be strange sleeping without you, and lonely, and cold. You're like the perfect hot water bottle."

He brushed a kiss over my forehead before resting his cheek on my head. "Four nights, mon amour, four long nights and then we will be together in Montreal and you can put your cold feet on me again. And, we have tonight."

"In my parents house," I groaned under my breath. "Bloody cock blocks."

"It wouldn't surprise me if your dad made us sleep in different rooms," Pierre joked.

I chuckled at the thought. "Then slept in the hallway with his shotgun."

"Wait, he has a shotgun?"

I burst out laughing at the look on his face and found the loud noise had drawn my parents' attention. "Dad, I think Pierre wants to go clay shooting with you."

"Oh no, sir, it's alright. I'm more into golf than, uh, shooting," he said nervously.

"Golf, huh, what's your handicap?"