Chapter 9 Chapter nine

Simon's dialogue with Nicole is short and irresistible.She declined to reveal her thoughts.You must see it with your own eyes, she said.Why don't you come over?The morning mist and the delay of the plane made him suddenly realize that it was Saturday. Two hours later, he had already boarded a taxi and headed for Heathrow Airport. He picked up the ticket at the counter and walked towards the duty-free area, passing the petite and resolute Japanese woman who seemed to be carrying all the whiskey home. Simon thought to himself, what brand of cigarettes does Nicole smoke?What kind of perfume does she wear?When the flight was announced to take off for the last time, he bought two bottles of Dom perignon.Like any good girl, she must like champagne, he wondered, what could not be said on the phone.Whatever it was, Saturdays like this were much more fun than his usual days of being alone in an empty office.He was pleasantly surprised by the feeling of skipping school on a sneaky vacation.

The sight of the blue sky added to his joy as the plane lifted off, on the cushion of clouds that almost always hovered over Heathrow.From the seat behind him came French talk about the beauty of Harrods, Marks & Spencer (Note: Marks & Spencer, a large British retailer.), comparing the price of cashmere wool with London restaurants.He looked forward to dinner, a quiet, long meal a million miles away from anyone who knew anyone.It felt so good to escape. Simon never entered Marseille.To him, it was like distant railing-thin dark men in North Africa with their plump wives and plump plastic suitcases, Arabs coughing deep in their throats.Black tobacco and sweat mixed with the pungent sweet cologne smell, and the flight to Oren (Note: A port in northwest Algeria.) and Djibouti (Note: A country located on the west bank of the Gulf of Aden in northeastern Africa.) flight information.It's unbelievable that London is here in less than two hours.

Nicole's blond hair stood out against a crowd of dark faces.In such a Mediterranean winter climate, she wore a pair of gray flannel trousers and a dark black sweater, and her skin still had a healthy sun-kissed color. Good day, Mr. Xiao!Nicole raised her face and snatched two kisses. Simon smiles: Mrs. Bouvier, how are you? She put her arms around his and walked across the central hall to the baggage claim area.Did you forgive me for calling you from the office? Simon looked down at her: I had a bad feeling about the fact that Office Mondays still existed. They came to Nicole's white RV. She was silent all the way, focusing on driving until she got on the highway.She said: OK!Then shake a cigarette from the cigarette case on the dashboard, and it's easy to miss the turn, only to find yourself in Aix.

There are worse places than that!Simon sat back and watched Nicole flick impatient fingers on her cigarette, glad she hadn't rubbed the Kodan. Damn it!She said: There is no use for this rotten car. Simon found a match, reached out to take the cigarette from Nicole's mouth, lit it for her, and reveled in the faint fragrance of her lipstick. Thanks!She exhaled the smoke out the open car window.You didn't ask anything, so I guess you probably like surprises.She glanced at him. I'm on vacation, and on vacation I never ask questions.I'm a giant vegetative, all I want is to be driven down the highway at dangerously high speeds by a blonde who doesn't look at the road.This is my comment on good leisure time.

Nicole smiled.Tiny lines appeared at the corners of her eyes, and a slightly crooked tooth was uniquely exposed.She looked just as beautiful as he remembered. They chatted casually, and when they got off the highway, Simon suddenly discovered that autumn had colored the scenery here.The sky is still as blue as in summer, but the tops of the cherry trees have been stained with red leaves, some grapes are rusty brown, others are yellow, and at the turn of the Luberon, they are like dark pockets. The fireworks rose in bursts of smoke. They turned off the main road and began their climb up the winding mountain road to Gould.Nicole said: I have a room for you at the same hotel, is that okay?

Simon said: It has the best view in all of Provence. Nicole smiled and said nothing.Nicole waited in the car while Simon went through the move-in formalities and put down his bag.He came back with a bright yellow plastic bag. He said: I almost forgot, this is for you, come twice a day before meals, you won't have indigestion. Nicole looked into the bag and smiled.The French describe champagne much more elegantly than you. The French only carry one bottle, where are we going? Come to my house first, then go for a walk. Nicole's house, located at the bottom of a cul-de-sac on the highest point in Basilia, is a narrow three-story stone building with mottled walls and wooden shutters in a color between gray and faded green, and it climbs up the stairs , leading to a carved wooden gate, the knocker on the gate is in the shape of a hand holding a ball, and wild vines dyed red by autumn colors are crouching on the wall.

Simon said: This house is lovely, how long have you lived here? Eleven years.Nicole unlocked the door and banged it open with her hip.The house is going to be finished one day, and the top floor is in need of renovation.Watch your head. Simon stooped inside, and at the end of the long, low room, through a glass door, he could see a small terraced field and the blue hills beyond.There was a battered but comfortable chair in front of the gravel fireplace, and there were many grape branches scattered around the fireplace.At the other end of the room, a waist-high wall served as a bar, and at the other end, separated by a gap, was the kitchen.Books can be seen everywhere, books and flowers are everywhere.The fragrance of lavender wafts in the air.

Nicole unwrapped the champagne and put it in the fridge, looking up at Simon as she closed the fridge door: Twice a day? That's right, the doctor ordered it!He rests his hand on the stone bar, I love your house, I love places that aren't too fussy. Exaggerated, what do you mean? Simon thought of the Kensington house where he and Caroline used to live.It is that every inch of the floor has undergone complicated decoration. As long as there is activity in the room, the people in it seem to have ruined it.I used to have a house like that, and I hated that house.I was always sitting on ill-fitting cushions, or dusting cigarette ashes in antique china.It's like a place full of obstacles, empty space but nowhere to go.

Nicole nodded and said with a smile: Fortunately, you don't like houses with complicated decorations. I will introduce such houses to you when I have a chance.They left the house and walked to the center of the village, where the afternoon sun seemed to have begun to set in the west.Palm-sized leaves fell to the ground, forming a yellow carpet outside the café where Simon spent his first night in Basseyer.He saw an old woman watching them from the window of the next house, her face half hidden by a lace curtain. They walked along the street, and Simon saw the exterior of the old police station, still without doors or windows, still in an abandoned state.

Nicole's arm touching the ground, have you guessed it? They stopped and looked at Luberon from this empty building, and the openings in the far wall showed beautiful pictures one after another. Give me some hints! You say you want to change the pattern of your life, change your career, right? Simon nodded, watching Nicole's series of expressions with a half-smile. She led him through the gates of the police station, past the rubble, and to the opening of one of the windows.Look, this is the best view in all of Provence, and she waved her hand, pointing to the dusty, potholed room, and this, come to think of it, what this could be used for.Also on the top floor you can have the bathroom and downstairs you have the restaurant

Dining room? Of course it is a restaurant, although it is not big, and there is a terrace in summer, the space can accommodate about 40 people, and there is a small bar by the swimming pool Nicole? how? What the hell are you talking about? She smiled and said: Haven't you guessed it yet?This is your hotel, it's perfect.It's small, but it has a unique charm. I have a blueprint in my mind, a beautiful landscape, and the construction is almost done. Her voice is so long.She was leaning on the ledge of one of the windows, looking at Simon, well, here's my idea for you. He took out a cigar and lit it, feeling like he was listening to a briefing he hadn't expected.Of course, that's pretty ridiculous.He doesn't know how to run a hotel at all.And it would take all of your heart and soul to complete the whole place.Then he has to find someone to establish a business, although in terms of his connections, this is not a problem.All the same, it was a big business that required dedication, but it was completely different from his career in a London advertising agency.Will it be a breakthrough, a bet, or a total transformation.But isn't that what he said he wanted?Nicole is right, it will be spectacular.He looks at her.The slanting sunlight shone on her from behind.It's basically the image of a shampoo advertisement.Once an advertiser, always an advertiser.Or is he really an ad man? Simon, hello silence. I was very surprised.It's not every day I'm approached with the idea of ​​running a hotel. Can you imagine what it will look like in the future?Nicole stood up, shivering with cold.The cool air worked on her skin under her thin sweater. Come on, I'll buy you something to drink that will warm you up a lot. You have asked me.I still have champagne at home, and it was ordered by the doctor. If I had a doctor like you, Simon thought, I'd be an Olympic depression patient.Nicole, that's a pretty charming idea.He was a little hesitant about his words, oh my god, I'm so sorry.I sound like my client.I just need to think about it, and I need to know a little bit more.Let's go back!Then you tell me some more. By the time they got home, the sun had gone down, leaving behind a pink glow in the sky.Nicole lit the fire in the fireplace, and she asked Simon to choose music from the CD shelf next to the bookshelf, Tina.Turner's, Mozart's (Simon thought, he should like it), and Couperin (Note: Couperin, François Couperin, a member of the famous French musical family Couperin.) , Falla (Note: Fore, Spanish musician.), Piaf (Note: Pial, a well-known French female singer during the war.), Brahms (Note: Johannes Brahms, German composer in the middle of Romanticism .), Montserrat.Cabale (Note: Montserrat Caballe, one of the most famous sopranos in Spain.) and Jeff.Baker (Note: Jeff Bec, British rock guitarist.) The music of others.In the selection of Keith.Jerry (Note: Keith Jaroti, American jazz and classical pianist, composer.) Before the CD, he was hesitant between Pavarotti and Chopin.The sound of champagne corks opening, accompanied by the initial silence of the concert in Cologne (Note: Koln, Germany's fourth largest city.)The room looked warm and smelled of burning wood.Lulan Gate is already in the distant memory. Nicole handed him a glass of wine, cheers! Respect for the small but charming hotel! They sat in front of the fire and Simon started asking questions.Nicole is fully prepared. She knows the area of ​​each floor, the projects that have been constructed, and the selling price.She had also told him that the old police station was originally planned to be converted into apartments, and the basic electrical and plumbing work had been completed.The swimming pool has also been excavated and the waterway has been planned.The whole project is only left with the final finishing work wall treatment, glass installation, slate and fittings installation, lighting and landscape planning. During this renovation process, months of time and millions of francs have been invested in important but often Unseen preparations are on. Simon says: Let me ask you an unlikely question: How much do you think it will cost to finish? Nicole leaned forward, her elbows on her knees, her glass in both hands.She wrinkled her nose intently and looked no more than twenty years old.Simon felt himself sliding down a slide from the simple attraction to the more complex parts. She said: Manpower can be calculated, and the rest depends on the materials you choose.Marble and stone from local quarries vary in price.In my opinion, the selection of materials from this region is clean and not too fussy.Like that, plus good furniture, maybe an antique piece or two. She looked at the ceiling, and Simon liked the curve of her throat quite a bit. I figured it would cost seven or eight million francs. How long will the construction period take? remember?Here is Provence, five years.Nicole laughs: No, I'm kidding, but here, being impatient is pretty expensive. Can it be done in six months? Nicole raised one hand, rubbing her index finger and thumb together, like counting banknotes. If there is enough money and enough manpower, it is possible, even here. Simon continued to ask questions about architects, construction permits, licenses to serve alcohol, employees, chefs, etc.He glanced at his watch, I think we should start looking at the chef, where do you want to eat? Nicole pretended to be thinking about it, but what she really had in mind was to be with this slovenly grinning man (who needed a haircut), having a good time chatting without menus and waiters intruding.He brought a warmth to the home that she loved. There are three or four places around here, but today is Saturday, no reservations but I can try.She seemed a little hesitant, then shrugged, or, I make some pasta, with fresh tomato sauce, very simple. Simon closed his eyes in feigned ecstasy, then opened one to look at her. Fresh ketchup?With basil? With the addition of basil of course. I can help, I'm not bad in the kitchen, I do the dishes, I fill the cook's wine glasses, and I don't stumble and screw things up. Nicole smiled and stood up, okay, will you serve wine too? No cork can stop me, a technique I learned in Boy Scouts.He followed her into the kitchen, watched as she pulled the long apron over her head, rolled up the sleeves of her sweater, and took a bottle of red wine from the shelf. All right, sir.Val.The wine produced by the Joannis Castle (Chateau Val Joanis), which comes from the other side of the Luberon.She took the bottle, and he noticed the delicate blue veins on the inside of her forearm.He liked it when women rolled up their sleeves and washed their hands and made soup, which Caroline had never been able to do.Corkscrews and glasses are over there at the bar. It's a nice kitchen, he thought: a cook's kitchen, with copper pans hanging within reach; A well-built stove, a cupboard of frequently used recipes, and a thick round wooden table with scars.Everything has been put to good use and well maintained.He poured out the wine and held a glass for Nicole, who was spooning tomato sauce into the pot.He tilted his head close to the pot to inhale the good smell of summer, and then, lightning fast and guilty, he dipped his fingers into the sauce and licked it clean. Nicole tapped the back of his hand with a spoon.Don't do this again, if you just sit and talk, you'll be doing me a favor. Simon retreated to the table, still sucking the sauce off his knuckles.He likes to watch Nicole move, take the knife, cut everything, stir, wipe her hand on her thigh before picking up the glass, just like a confident cook, rhythmic and sensual .She looked very elegant in the apron, which was tied so tightly that it emphasized her slender waist. He said: Tell me about the hotels here, how is it in winter?Are they like hotels on the beach that close for the winter? Nicole put a pot of water on the stove, added some salt and a bay leaf to it, and took up her glass.The closing time is about a month, or two months.The situation is quite different. The peak season used to be only July and August.Now, from Easter to October in March and April, it is very lively, and there is All Saints' Day in November (Note: Le Toussalnt, in France, November 1st is All Saints' Day, also known as All Saints' Day .) and other holidays, followed by Christmas and New Years, and spring begins in March.She took a sip of her wine and continued: So the high season lasts for nine months, and the guests are not only French and Parisians, but also Germans, Dutch, Belgians, Swiss and British people come every year, and the number of people more and more.A good hotel can definitely be run, and there are no hotels in this part of Basille.The nearest hotel is Gould.She put down the wine glass and began to make the salad dressing, beating the oil and vinegar with a little mustard, brown sugar, and adding a few drops of fresh lemon juice.Let me tell you, it's definitely not a crazy idea. Simon echoes: Yeah, not a crazy idea.He began to think, to imagine the typical hotel he wanted to stay in, a small, friendly, simple, well-run hotel.Can he manage it?Maybe not.He was impatient and not careful enough.But Ennis, who is cautious, efficient, and reliable, not only has considerable knowledge about food and wine, but also knows how to arrange flowers and plants, and is easy to eat in the crowd. He is a natural restaurant manager if he wants to. I don't know what Ennis will think. Nicole tore off a small piece of bread, dipped it in some salad dressing, and handed it to Simon, why don't you ask him? He took a bite of the bread, the sweet sauce trickling down his chin.Nicole leaned over to wipe the sauce on the corner of her apron, their faces close. She said: I hope your virtue of eating ketchup will look better. Simon swallowed the bread.Nicole went back to the stove.She put the pasta in the boiling water, took out the cutlery and napkins from the drawer, poured the sauce on the salad, and handed him a wooden bowl.Give it a stir and it's ready to go. Anyone who saw this scene at home would probably regard them as a couple made in heaven, except that they peeked at each other too frequently, and their reactions to each other inadvertently did not seem to be familiar with each other and often All men and women together will have.Simon touched Nicole's chin, which he had just wiped, and he would have kissed her if his mouth hadn't been full of food. Nicole pressed the macaroni dry, added olive oil, and untied the knots of her apron.Her face was flushed from being near the fire, and she made a face at Simon as she pushed her hair back.I think I must look very embarrassed. Simon grinned, stood up, and helped her pull her hair out.He said: It's horrible, we can only hope that you are still a cultivated cook. Eating macaroni and talking couldn't go hand in hand, and they ate in contented silence.Simon wiped off the last drop of sauce with a small slice of bread and said: That's it, clean chin, flawless chin. Nicole smiled at him and shook her head, I think you got the sauce on your shirt.She got up, took a cloth and a bowl of water.Simon looked down at the front of his shirt, which had a dull stain. stand up. I'm sorry, I told you, I'm prone to spilling food. Nicole said: Yes, and it is unique.She put the bowl down, dipped the cloth in the water, undid a button of her shirt, and poked her hand inside.He felt her fingers close to his heart, and his mouth wasn't full of food this time. It was nearly noon when they got up, showered and dressed, then went back to bed, and in the afternoon they left the house and went to the hotel to get Simon's suitcase. He said: God knows what they think of me.The first time I came, I didn't even have a suitcase, and this time, I didn't even use the room. Simon came to the counter, thinking about his unshaven beard and the faint stain on his shirt.The girl at the counter was quite charming, and he thought that if he ever moved into the restaurant, she would be someone he would recall in the future. Mr. Xiao, I wish you a pleasant stay. He signed the bill and said with a smile: "Yes, yes, I live quite comfortably, and the scenery is really beautiful at this time of year." They had an hour to kill before reaching the airport, and returned to the old police station.Nicole's thoughts deeply affected Simon's imagination, and he could see the finished product in his mind, including stone and wood, glass and sunlight.He wondered how much of this enthusiasm came from the business vision of a tourist and how much from the woman standing beside him.When he woke up and saw Nicole's face beside his pillow, he was overwhelmed with happiness.He put his arms around her waist and pulled her towards him. He said: I want to try it.But there are two prerequisites, the first is Ennis, if he is willing to come, everything will work. Then what? You have to make me macaroni again.He looked at Nicole and noticed that his beard had made a reddish mark on her throat.I will also bring an extra shirt.