All That the Heart Desires Read Free Page B

composure, and quickly introduced a short clip of Lorcan’s last interview in the paddock.
    I tried to follow the words, but all I could focus on was his face. His hair was messy as before; his eyes as grey as the race suit he was wearing. I hadn’t noticed that an hour ago. He had his race suit open and dropped backwards, revealing his wide shoulders and narrow waist. My goodness, was he an attractive man!
    I quickly dismissed those thoughts, reasoning I’d had some wine and wasn’t thinking straight. I looked at the empty glass in front of me and resolved not to have any more. I turned the television off and went to the one room in the house that only I was permitted to enter.
    Clearing my mind and my nose, I entered my special room. When the door closed on me, my mind was free of everything, but the idea for a new perfume.

    The next morning came too quickly. I knew Monaco would be crowded, so I left the house earlier than usual. Nevertheless, Anne-Marie was already up and walking her dogs. I waved good-bye, got into the car and slowly drove away, down an almost empty road.
    I chose my usual road to the Principality and it was already full. I knew what that meant; I would be very lucky if I found a parking space at the railway station. The sun was shining and we were promised another beautiful day.
    Getting to the railway station parking lot, it took me some time to find an empty space. Closing the roof, I got out and headed towards the hotel with my big bag, in which I also had my afternoon clothes.
    Switching my espadrilles for the high heels was not reasonable but necessary—the heels set off my yellow work dress beautifully.
    At the hotel, there was nothing to give away the fact that there had been a party the day before. Monsieur Pinot was already standing in his usual place, smiling at me.
    “ Bonjour, Monsieur Pinot,” I greeted him.
    “Good morning, Miss,” he answered. “Not a minute late. Not even this morning!”
    I stopped beside him. I looked around and quickly stretched my legs. They’d started to hurt me already. Walking in high heels was not something I did on a daily basis.
    “No. Not even this morning. We’re closing earlier today,” I said. He nodded.
    “You’re wise. I just don’t understand all those people that come here every year to see this. The noise is dreadful. The crowd is impossible. I can’t think why anyone would want to be around for that. If I could I would stay home today, but.”
    “I want to,” I blurted out, completely interrupting him. He gave me a strange look.
    “Really, Miss …?”
    “Please, I’m plain Desiree,” I almost pleaded with him. He gave me a serious look and then finally nodded.
    “Right, Desiree.” I couldn’t believe it. For almost four years we had played that game. He offered me his hand and I shook it firmly.
    “Did you finally decide to wear contact lenses?” I looked at him in surprise. What kind of question was that?
    “No,” I said slowly and then saw my reflection in the window behind Marcel. I’d forgotten my glasses.
    “I had my sunglasses before,” I lied. I immediately started searching my handbag until I finally found what I was looking for. Putting them on my nose, I sighed with relief.
    “Great. Now I must go. It’ll be nine o’clock soon. I must open.”
    “You’re still the first one to arrive,” he called after me.
    Saying hello to the other hotel staff in the lobby, I unlocked the perfumery and walked in.
    The fresh smell in the boutique was the thing I adored most. It was not yet filled with different fragrances, mostly thick, sweet smells. I was not fond of them, but ladies loved them and by the end of the day, my nose was dead. And because of that, I didn’t want an apartment in Monaco. I needed my daily drive back to the suburbs of Nice, to clear my nose, if I wanted to work.
    I made a quick visual check through the room and, content that everything was the same as we’d left it the previous day, I