You Had Me At Bonjour. Jennifer Bohnet

tuned out most of the conversation while Jamie was bringing Bella up to date with his news, and looked at the garden. Palm trees, oleander shrubs and pots of margaritas tumbling down the side of a flight of granite steps towards the swimming pool, passion flowers covering an archway and roof of a poolside room. Beautiful.

      Six teak sun loungers, each with their own cream parasol, were lined up along one side of the pool. Wonderful.

      Jamie saw me looking and said, ‘Fancy a swim? Lots of spare costumes in the pool house.’

      I shook my head. ‘No thanks. I’m more of a gardener than a swimmer. I was thinking how beautiful your garden is.’

      ‘Thank you. How long have you been living in Juan-les-Pins?’ Jamie asked. ‘Think you’ll make it permanent?’

      ‘This is the fourth month. And no,’ I shook my head. ‘It’s just a long delayed gap year for me. I’ll go back home to family after Christmas.’

      ‘Unless of course she meets some sexy Frenchman who persuades her otherwise,’ Bella said.