Chp 16
Tony's POV

I had gone through a lot of self conscious and anxiety problems growing up, but I had never thought you could struggle even more with a broken heart.

I missed Melody so much. The seine river reminded me of her beautiful eyes, the smells of freshly baked bread made me think of how she smelt and the sound of laughter always made me turn around and search the crowds to see who had laughed - if maybe the next time she might be the one laughing.

But she made it clear we over - and I'm already making this harder by wanting to call her everyday. I couldn't describe the constant emptiness in my heart - how I almost felt as if we had broken up due to a fight.

I sighed and tried to clear my mind. I looked down at the address and checked the building. I went in, immediately smelling freshly baked bread. "So we'll take a short break and then I'll be teaching you all how to make gnocchi. Please help you'd elf to some muffins and tea or coffee." I heard an ever so familiar voice say.

The inside of the building was really nice. There were stoves and nice long counters, with fridges and a big pantry. The whole room had a cozy feel to it, and was definitely a lovely place to be teaching cooking courses in Paris.

"Can I help you?" The familiar voice asked from behind me. I turned around and she gasped, me grinning down at her. "Ah! Tony!" She said, pulling me into a hug and starting to speak in French. She touched my face and my shoulders and hands, something she did after I used to get a meal right she used to show me how to cook.

"It's lovely to see you too, Claire." I replied in French. She switched back to English, saying, "What are you doing here? I thought you were all over the place?" I smiled. "I actually have recently been doing my studies in America the last three years and I was asked to come cook with Paulo Richardé while doing my masters here in culinary."

She gasped in delight. "Ah! Why didn't you try get a hold of me? I would have come seen you at the airport - we could have gone out and caught up." She said. I chuckled and said, "Well if you're available soon, I would love to cook for you."

She smiled. "That sounds like a good plan, my darling." She said. "Can I have a peak?" I asked, gesturing to her kitchen. She nodded and I gave a smile, making into it. I opened the fridge, looking over the array of ingredients she had available for the people.

Everything was nice and clean, nothing past due dates or dirty, and everything was good quality. I smiled as I picked up a bottle of crozes hermitage. "Best wine to cook with." We both mused in unison. She chuckled at how she had drummed that into my head.

The people slowly started coming back into the kitchen in dribs and drabs. They all looked pretty similar, so I guessed it was a family group. "Did you say you were studying culinary?" One of the lady's asked me. I nodded with a smile. "And she taught you?" She asked, gesturing to where Claire was just getting all her things ready for the next lesson.

"Yes she did. She was my chef when I was sixteen." I said. She looked very delighted. "My daughter also loves cooking. Maybe this will be a nice in site for her for when she leaves school to go to culinary school." She said.

She gave a smile before returning to her station. Claire came up to me. "I know what happens now. You chase me out your kitchen with a wooden spoon like you used to?" I asked, grinning. She laughed. "I only did that because you used to keep having testers on my food I was trying to cook." She said, making me laugh at the memories.

"Okay, we'll make plans. Bye Claire." I said, giving her a hug before turning and starting for the front door.

~ The Next Evening ~

Claire thanked me as I served up the ravioli and handed her a bowl. I sat down at the table with her and she took a bite. She groaned. "This is delicious, Tony!" She said, and I smiled. "I learnt from the best." I said.

She smiled softly at the compliment. "That's reminds me about your offer you were given to come cook here." She said, taking a sip of her wine. I nodded, chewing a bite of my food.

"Yeah, I was so happy when dad called me and told me the news." I said, the subject making me think about how I felt when I told Melody. She knew me better, and asked, "You don't say that so excitedly. You upset that you had to leave your friends there?"

I simply nodded, looking down at my food. She gasped, making me look up at her. "Tony Philips, don't tell me you broke the heart of some girl?" She said, shocked. I sighed, not answering.

"Tony, my dear. You should have asked her to come here with you." She said. "I did, but she is doing her studies and she has her family and friends there and - and it doesn't matter. We aren't together anymore." I said.

She sighed and I glanced up at her. "Seeing you tired is one thing, but seeing you heart broken makes me sad." She said. She always managed to read me like an open book and knew how I felt. She used to cook to accommodate my mood.

"I'm fine." I assured her. She only shook her head at me. "And your dad?" She asked sensing I didn't want to talk about Mel anymore. I had wondered for years if she used to have anything going on with my dad.

"He's fine. He's been engaged to this girl for a while. They haven't gotten married yet because he's been busy with work." I said. She looked shocked. "Oh." She said, her face in deep concentration. "He's engaged?" She asked. I nodded.

"I mean, I'm nearly the same age as this girl! I don't like her at all." I said. She sighed, and I wondered of she looked saddened. "And you haven't met anyone yet?" I asked her. She smiled softly. "Please, I am forty eight, I don't think anyone would date and old lady like myself. And I'm comfortable on my own." She said.

It was such a sad story. When she was younger, she had fallen in live with a man she met whom was married. He fell in love with her too, and he frequently visited her each day. They had a secret relationship till he had to leave to go back to England. She never heard from him after that.

It was so relieving to have someone like Claire to talk to when I didn't have anyone else her to talk to. It was like old times. I just hoped it would make me feel better about the move.