Chapter 36
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
Luc
B ernard and Cynthia de Valois were as politely judgmental as I’d expected.
What I hadn’t anticipated was how pleasant my grandfather had been thus far. Kind greetings to me, an air kiss near Elise’s cheek and a show of admiring her dress. She did look incredible tonight, but the gesture put me on alert more than anything else.
Because when Odette and her parents walked in, he fawned over all of them in the most French way possible. Subtle smiles, glittering eyes, a sly compliment to Odette and the suggestion Cynthia looked like she might be her sister… even in his late seventies, he had charm many couldn’t resist.
He trotted out all the tricks to accomplish his goal, which I supposed was convincing them their daughter had been given a warm welcome and every consideration. For their part, when introduced to my fiancée Elise, they both smeared smiles into place and nodded, murmuring congratulations which were so disingenuous, I might’ve laughed if I hadn’t seen the embarrassed set of Odette’s mouth.
We made it through dinner unscathed and generally focusing on polite talk of business and travel, but my grandfather had insisted on dessert, and something about his affect had changed in a way that set me on edge. Whether from decades of knowing him or years spent observing people in operational settings, I sensed something was coming.
“So, Luc, do tell us how you and lovely Elise met,” my grandfather asked, as though he cared.
“Yes. We’d love to hear the story, wouldn’t we, Odette?” Cynthia said, brows raised high on her pretty but un-wrinkling forehead.
Odette offered a thin smile, but her demeanor had been subdued tonight. It made me want to send her away from the table to free her rather than endure her brightness dimmed so much she seemed like a bird with clipped wings.
“Technically, I met her at a bar, though it was through mutual friends.” I glanced at Elise sitting on my other side, anticipation and a crush of desire flooding me at the sight of her beautiful face.
Have I ever wanted anyone more?
“What did you think when you first saw her?” Michele asked, ever the romantic voice in the crowd.
Elise huffed, fingers knitting together in her lap like the question made her uncomfortable. She must not have realized how distinctly I remembered our first meeting.
I caught her eye, waiting for her to stop glancing away and hold my gaze. When she finally did, I spoke to her. “I thought she was the most beautiful person I’d ever seen.”
She exhaled sharply, so I settled my hand over hers, needing the contact, and continued. “I’d heard about her from our friends, knew she was impressive. But then there she stood with this expression like she didn’t care a bit about meeting me after I’d interrupted her conversation with her friend, and I… I could hardly breathe for looking at her.”
Her lips parted and I drew closer. What would I give for a few minutes alone with her? Maybe she could excuse herself to the bathroom and I could slip out, too. It wouldn’t be much, but I could kiss her, taste her, have her to myself for a moment and confirm every word of this was true. It wasn’t a show for the de Valois family or my grandfather.
It wasn’t a fact meant to fade sometime in the future.
Let’s not think about that right now.
“Una storia perfetta, fratello,” Michele said, satisfaction lacing his words exclaiming our perfect history.
“And did she know who you were? It’s hard to imagine anyone not recognizing you, let alone your name,” Bernard asked, severing the moment.
“No. Actually, she only recently learned, as did most of my friends and colleagues.” Of course, Bruce and Wilder had been privy to my full background check and legal name. I’d wanted them to know the full reality and also to understand why I was so comfortable overseas when I’d initially signed on to work the overseas position after active duty. But everyone else who’d just found out? They’d all given me incredible amounts of grace for having lied to them for years.
“Stunning. I’m sure she was rather pleased to be marrying into such a family,” Cynthia said, a perturbed expression on her face.
Elise shifted, and I laughed as though it wasn’t a deeply awkward thing to say. I’d owe her more apologies after tonight, though she must’ve known there’d be some of this considering the context.
“I for one am certainly delighted to be a part of the Devereaux family,” Michele said, beaming a smile at all of us before setting a smacking kiss on Aurelie’s lips.
God bless the man for his valiant attempt to distract from the weird but not entirely unexpected turn.
“And I’m so glad you are, my love,” Aurelie said, giving him a showy, adoring look.
“Yes, we had hoped to see our families connected. The Devereaux name is storied, and joining with les de Valois would be a wonderful, historic event.”
Cynthia’s words silenced the low bustle around the table. For some reason, I hadn’t expected such an overt statement.
“Ah, yes. But sometimes, we must follow our hearts.” Michele linked his pinky with Aurelie’s like they’d followed their hearts to each other. One would think so by looking at them.
“It’s a bit old-fashioned, isn’t it? This idea that we marry for love and pretend the rest of it doesn’t exist?” Cynthia pressed.
“The rest of it?” Odette asked, a crystal-clear hollowness to her words.
Her mother flicked a manicured hand in my direction but spoke to my grandfather. “How will he fulfill obligations as a member of the family? Will he live in this ridiculous ink smear of a town as though it fits? Will he wear his shop girl on his arm at international events while he represents you, Devereaux?”
As a man who moved to anger rather slowly, I found myself at an immediate ten. “I am not the only representation of the family, Madame de Valois, nor do I plan to participate in the family business. And Elise isn’t looking to benefit from any of it, nor does she want any part of this.”
Not my most eloquent, but at least I’d gotten something out through my clenched teeth.
Aurelie and Michele spoke but Bernard’s voice rose above them. “You may think she doesn’t want any part of it but just look at her. She’s hungry for it—maybe you while you’re young and look like you do, but no doubt she’s after what’s in that trust of yours for the long haul.”
The self-satisfied look on his face had me clenching my fist to anchor it to my side in lieu of swinging across the table at him.
Odette gasped. “Dad, that’s not okay.”
Michele grumbled, and Aurelie’s eyes grew wide.
It was my grandfather who spoke and quieted everyone.
“Indeed. Though it’s my understanding she’s already benefited, has she not?”
Elise, who’d been utterly still and silent, said, “What do you mean?”
It hit me far too late, what this all was. The plan he’d spun, the web he’d weaved that I’d walked right into like a rube.
“Why, he’s invested in your company. He owns nearly half, doesn’t he? Bought it from that pathetic partner of yours and is single-handedly keeping you afloat?”
The words settled around us like ash. What had burned? Any trust I’d built with Elise. Because she was putting it all together—why Callum was still casting her furious, longing gazes and approaching us like he’d somehow been betrayed. Why she hadn’t heard from him about selling the shop. Why she’d been so free lately.
How I’d done what I wanted, even when she told me she didn’t want my help.
Just like my grandfather had always done to me.
Her throat worked as she turned to me, devastation in her gaze when she finally spoke and everything inside of me hollowed out.
“Is it true?”
Frozen in my seat, my mouth worked without sound. I wanted to drag her away from here and tell her what I’d done—how I’d done it for her. For her good and not to control her or harm her. But she read my silence as the answer it was.
“How could you?” she breathed out, gaze on her plate, then stood slowly and set down her napkin, facing Aurelie and Michele. “It was lovely to meet you.”
I was out of my seat following her, wanting to reach for her but sensing my touch wouldn’t be welcome and I didn’t want to do anything to make this worse.
“Please, Elise. Let me explain.”
She didn’t turn, just kept walking toward the main building, toward the exit, head down looking at her phone periodically. Was she texting someone?
“Elise,” I tried again right as she stepped out into the cool spring evening.
Arms crossed and tucked close to her body, she shook her head. Without looking at me, she said, “I’m sorry. I can’t do this right now.”
Then a car pulled up and she got in without another word.