“It’s hard to say,” Jennifer said honestly. “It’s never really happened before, not in a serious way.” And Natalie was beginning to think they were, or could be in time. “I’ve always thought it would have been better for her if Hugues had had a woman in his life while she was growing up. She needed that, and it’s a little late now. She’s nineteen years old and pretty much an adult. But she’s also never had to share him. I don’t think she expects him to find someone now, and I don’t think he expected that either. It’s a new concept for both of them.” Jennifer looked pensive as she said it.
“I think it would be a big adjustment for Heloise if he had a serious relationship with a woman. It would be good for them both. But Heloise would have to get used to the idea, and it might take some time and a lot of diplomacy to get there.” It was good advice to Natalie and what she thought herself. “She has a good heart, like her father,” Jennifer reassured her. “She’s just very much a daddy’s girl, and this is her world. Any woman who falls in love with him will have to be mindful of that.” It was a clear warning, and Natalie was grateful for her wisdom and candor. She knew all the players involved and had for a long time.
“Thank you. That helps,” Natalie said, smiling at her, as they debated about a third chocolate. Jennifer decided to indulge herself, and this time Natalie resisted, which explained the difference of fifteen pounds between them. Jennifer always had a box of the delicious chocolates in her desk. “It’s pretty much what I thought. I’ll bet it will be a big adjustment for him too if she has a man in her life eventually, which presumably she will. It must be hard for him to watch her grow up.”
“It’s killing him,” Jennifer said honestly. “He thought she’d be in pigtails forever, and this French kid she’s involved with at school has him scared stiff. All he wants is for her to come home, as soon as possible, and not start a life over there. But we can’t hang on to our kids forever, no matter how much we love them. I’ve got one in Florida and one in Texas, and they’re all I’ve got. And this job. And I miss my kids like crazy.” She was in her fifties, and married to her job, and hadn’t had a man in her life in years either. She’d had a crush on Hugues when she first started working there, but she had gotten over it very quickly when she saw how professional he was with his employees. He always said that she was the best assistant he had ever had, and that was enough for her now. She took pride in what she did and had a warm affection for him and his daughter, which showed in all she said about them. “Try not to worry about Heloise,” she told Natalie, and patted her shoulder as she got ready to leave the suite and go back to her office. “She’s a good kid, and she loves her father. She’s going to love you too. She’ll want what’s best for him in the end. Just give her a chance to get there. It may take a little longer than most. They’ve been through a lot together. Sometimes that makes it hard to add another person to the mix, but it’s what they both need.” Natalie nodded, and went back to talking to the painters after Jennifer left. The wise woman who knew both of them so well had given her food for thought, and Natalie was smart enough to heed her words. What they all needed now was time. She wasn’t plunging into anything blindly, and neither was Hugues. Natalie was proceeding slowly. And Jennifer’s warnings about Heloise hadn’t fallen on deaf ears.
JUST AS NATALIE had promised, the suite she’d been working on for almost two months was ready the week before Thanksgiving, and it was absolutely perfect. She’d been so sure they’d be finished on schedule that she had told Hugues they could safely book a reservation for Thanksgiving weekend, which worked out ideally for him. One of their regular guests, a senator from Illinois, had wanted to reserve it, and several other rooms, to spend Thanksgiving in New York with his children and grandchildren. And they were able to confirm the reservation.
