Chapter 29
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
“D amn, girl.” Jo linked her arm with mine. “I still can’t believe how much progress you’ve made since my last visit.”
Sometimes I couldn’t believe it myself. I followed her gaze up to the roof. Now that the zinc gutters had been removed, the roof was returning to its original shape. It wouldn’t have been possible without Graham’s help.
Jo and I hadn’t discussed my relationship with Graham again since our talk about “muddying the waters.” I knew Jo was concerned, but we kept our focus on preparing for les Journées du patrimoine . It was promising to be a beautiful fall day, and I was grateful for the sunshine after several days of rain.
“Do you think I forgot anything?” I asked.
“Not that I can tell. Run through it one more time, and we’ll see.”
I catalogued everything I could think of. Graham was chatting with the local vineyard while they finished setting up. The stonemasons had their tools ready for the demonstrations. I’d already checked on the local baker when he’d arrived earlier to start baking bread in the chateau’s original oven. “And the gift shop?—”
“I made sure all the displays looked perfect.”
“You’re the best.” I gave her arm a squeeze. “Thank you.”
The morning passed quickly in a blur of events and demonstrations. We had a great turnout, and everyone was so excited to see our progress. After how hard we’d worked to get to this point, it felt so good to revel in their praise.
Graham and I were answering some visitors’ questions when a familiar figure approached. Graham and I turned to each other, our expressions ones of mirroring shock.
“Did you—” he asked.
“I had no idea,” I said, though I was pleased.
“Jasper,” Graham said, shaking his hand before pulling him into a hug. “What are you doing here?”
“I won a visit to the chateau,” he said, and I assumed he was referring to their recent poker game. “So, we decided to surprise you.” He winked at me over Graham’s shoulder. “Hey, Lily. Hope it’s okay we crashed your party.”
“We?” Graham asked. And then the rest of his family joined us.
“Oh my god. I can’t believe you’re here,” I said, hugging each of them in turn. My smile felt as if it might break my face.
“We’ve been watching your YouStream channel,” Brooklyn said. “My best friend Sophia and her family are now obsessed with it.”
“Wow. Thanks.” I grinned, still trying to wrap my head around the fact that they were all here. For Graham. For me.
“No thanks necessary,” Knox said. “You’re family.”
I tugged at the corner of my eye, trying not to cry.
“This is amazing,” Sloan said, hugging me. “You should be proud of everything you’ve accomplished.”
“I—” Wow. “I am. Thank you.” I was just so overwhelmed by their love and support. “How are you feeling?”
“Good.” She placed her hands over her stomach. “Baby is good.”
“I’m happy to hear it,” I said, doing my best to hold back tears.
“Oh my god,” Emerson said, taking it all in. “This place is so amazing.”
“Thanks.” I was so proud of what I’d built, and it was nice to have others appreciate it. “I know it’s far from done, but I’m glad you can see the vision.”
“Oh, I can see the vision. You could have yoga classes on the lawn.” She went on to rattle off a few other suggestions to appeal to guests who prioritized wellness. I listened intently, taking notes for later. She was full of great ideas.
“I can’t wait for you to meet my best friend, Jo. She hosts these amazing retreats, and I think you two would really hit it off.”
Graham’s hand was on my lower back, and I smiled up at him, quickly swiping away a tear. I couldn’t believe his family had done this. My own family had never shown up for me, even when I’d lived in the same town. Let alone flown across the world to surprise me.
It wasn’t about the money; though, yes, that certainly made things easier. It was about the effort. It was about showing up for the people you loved and taking an interest in their passions.
Graham was lucky to have such a loving, supportive family. And I was lucky to be a part of it. The more I got to know his family, the more grateful I was to have married into it.
Our marriage might have started as a business agreement, but it had transformed into something real and beautiful. Even so, I couldn’t stop thinking about what Jo had said.
I loved Graham, and we’d agreed that there would be no more talk of expiration dates, yet our agreement remained in place. Technically, money and services were still trading hands, and that was the opposite of unconditional love. Of the type of genuine and lasting relationship I wanted.
It was weighing on me, and I’d been trying to brainstorm some options. I needed to discuss it with Graham. I planned to, after we made it through les Journées du patrimoine.
Someone tapped me on the shoulder, and I turned, expecting it to be Jo or a journalist. But when I saw who it was, I froze and my smile fell. What the…
I felt as if I was having an out-of-body experience. Or maybe this was a nightmare. I subtly tried to pinch my arm, desperately hoping I’d wake up.
Wake up! I shouted in my head.
But I didn’t. Because it wasn’t a dream. My mom was standing in front of me, the rest of my family clustered behind her.
“Lil?” Graham asked in a low voice. “What’s wrong?” just as Mom said, “Surprise!” with a bright smile.
“What are you doing here?” I blurted, so stunned to see her standing before me that I seemed to have momentarily lost my filter.
What were any of my family members doing here? Iris, her husband, all of them. All my siblings and their spouses.
“Now, is that any way to speak to your mother?” Mom asked in a sickly-sweet tone.
“Your mother?” Graham arched a brow, clearly as surprised to see my family as I was, even if his tone was level.
“Graham, these are my parents, Karen and Jeff.”
“Mrs. Fontaine. Mr. Fontaine.” Graham extended his hand to each of them in turn. “Nice to meet you. I’m Lily’s husband, Graham.”
“Husband?” Mom blinked a few times. “Did you just say husband?”
Iris decided to pipe up. “You’re married?” She glanced at Graham. “To him?”
She said it like she couldn’t quite believe that someone like Graham would be interested in someone like me. It was nothing new, but that didn’t make it any less insulting.
I glanced up at the man in question, and his jaw was set in a firm line. I knew him well enough to know that he was angry, even if he was hiding it—and his surprise. He reached out to shake Iris’s hand before introducing himself to the rest of my family with a poised calm that was unnerving.
“Their marriage came as a surprise to us as well,” Sloan said, reminding me that Graham’s entire family was there. Watching this awkward exchange. Oh god. I think I’m going to throw up.
“This is certainly a surprise,” Dad huffed.
“We thought this would be a good excuse to celebrate the progress you’ve made on the chateau,” Jasper said. “And to get the families together to meet.”
I supposed that answered my question about how this fun little reunion had come to be. I appreciated that Jasper was trying to do something nice, but I really wished my family weren’t here.
“Holy shit.” Iris stepped forward, elbowing my dad in the process. “Look at that ring.” She took my hand in hers, admiring my diamond. “Is that real?”
I resisted the urge to yank my hand from her grasp. Maybe the sun would glint off it, temporarily dazzling them so I could make my escape. But Graham’s firm hold on my shoulder removed any thought of that. It was almost as if he’d turned into a statue, like one of the regal busts that graced the roof of the chateau.
“I’m so happy for you,” Mom said in a loud voice before pulling me into a hug. I bristled against her touch, knowing it was all for show. She spoke in a low tone, ensuring no one would overhear. “Why didn’t you tell us?”
Was that hurt in her tone? More likely, accusation.
“We haven’t exactly been talking lately,” I murmured, smiling brightly to maintain the facade. We were just one big happy family.
“Now I’m even more glad we came,” Mom said to Dad. Then she turned to Jasper. “Thank you so much for arranging this.” Her tear-filled eyes weren’t fooling me, but when I glanced around, everyone else seemed convinced of her sincerity.
Jasper waved a hand through the air. “It was no big deal.”
“It is to us,” Mom said, placing a hand on Jasper’s arm and smiling up at him. “Liliana, your new family is so generous.” I could practically see the dollar signs in her eyes.
I couldn’t breathe. My chest felt so tight, like someone had tied a rope around it and was pulling it. Black spots danced in my vision.
Why did they always have to ruin everything?
“Lil,” Jo called as she approached. Her eyes widened at the sight of my family, but she recovered quickly. “Marcel with the Le Monde needs to grab a quick shot of you and Graham for their article.”
“Sure.” I was eager to escape, but I was just as afraid to leave Graham’s family alone with mine. That was certainly a chilling thought. I could only imagine what my family would say in our absence.
What were they thinking—coming here? What was Jasper thinking, inviting them here? Paying for their trip. Didn’t they question why a complete stranger was offering them something so outrageous?
“Go,” Jo whispered. “I’ll handle this.”
“I… Merde ,” I whispered, as the photographer indicated where to stand. “What are we?—”
Graham shook his head and straightened, acting as if he were completely unbothered. “People are watching.”
The bridge of my nose stung, but I stubbornly ignored it, pasting a smile on my face instead. I took a deep breath, trying to pretend I was happy, when I was stressed to the max.
An important event I’d spent countless hours planning and preparing for was well underway. Les Journées du patrimoine was crucial to showcase the projects and the restoration to the community and to everyone who had supported my journey thus far. Not only was it a condition of my funding from the DRAC, but it would also attract future funding. And while my financial situation was no longer so precarious, thanks to Graham, I still wanted to get as much of the project financed by the DRAC and other sources as I could, leaving me a bigger cushion with the trust, should I need it.
All the while, my family was probably wreaking havoc. For all I knew, they were ruining the effort I’d put into this event and into making my fake marriage seem legitimate. And Graham’s statement had me reeling.
I’d never told him the reasons for my strained relationship. It didn’t seem worth the energy. But Graham knew enough to understand how upset I’d be by their sudden appearance. And yet, he seemed more focused on the fact that people were watching.
I didn’t want to believe that was true, but seeing my family had triggered my survival instincts. I was spiraling. Was it any wonder I was struggling to smile and act as if everything was fine without skipping a beat?
As soon as the photographer was finished, Graham wrapped his arm around my shoulder, ushering me to the chai . I was grateful the wine storage area was closed to the public until it could be restored. I couldn’t breathe, let alone think, especially not with so many people around. Especially not when we were supposed to be putting on a show.
“This is a fucking mess,” Graham said, beginning to pace. “We need to come up with a game plan. And fast.” He dragged a hand through his hair.
His phone vibrated, and he pulled it out of his pocket. He glanced at the screen. “Pierce wants to talk to us about damage control.”
Damage control?
I was barely holding it together, and Graham didn’t even seem to notice. He was so focused on fixing the situation. On damage control.
I tried to remind myself of all the ways he’d shown me his love, but I was afraid. Afraid I’d misread the situation. Afraid that if it really came down to a choice between me and the Huxley brand, Graham would choose his company.
My phone buzzed multiple times, and I checked it, scared to see who the messages were from.
Jo: Are you okay? I can’t believe your family had the nerve to show up.
No. I was not okay. In fact, I was freaking the fuck out. I planted my hands on my knees, crouching over in an attempt to catch my breath.
My chest was tight, my mind swirling with thoughts of my family, Graham, everything. I stood, interlocking my hands behind my head. But it didn’t help. I bent back over again.
“Lil?” Graham rushed over to me. “What’s going on?”
“I can’t…breathe.”
“Okay,” he said. “Let’s take a seat. Try to relax.”
“I can’t—” I felt a tear leak out, and I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t. My chest was so tight, and my breaths were coming so fast. Am I having a heart attack?
When that didn’t seem to help, he stood and pulled me to him, wrapping his arms around me. “Breathe, Lily. Deep breath in.” He waited, counting down from four on the inhale, encouraging me to take a pause. And then let it out for seven. “That’s it.”
His hold was tight, and I felt safe in his arms. Secure. I couldn’t think about anything else but the beat of his heart. And he just held me. Counting my breaths and giving me space until I’d calmed down.
“Thank you,” I finally said, releasing a normal breath.
He loosened his hold, and I stepped back. I swiped my hair away from my face. “How’d you know to do that?”
He frowned at the ground. “After my parents’ plane crash, I had a lot of panic attacks. My pops used to hold me like that until I calmed down.”
“I—” I reached out and placed a hand on his arm. “I’m sorry, Graham.”
“Jesus, Lil. Is this what your family does to you?” he asked, concern and anger and so many other emotions reflected in his features.
I rolled my lips between my teeth and shook my head, hoping he’d take the hint that I didn’t want to talk about it. He studied me, and I avoided looking at him. I was afraid if I met his eyes, I’d break.
So instead, I straightened, steeling myself and turning for the door. “We should get back out there.”
He moved as if to stop me. “Are you okay?”
No. “We have more pressing problems.” I showed him the latest text from Jo.
Jo: Where are you guys? Pierce and I are doing our best to run interference, but people are starting to notice.
“I got something similar from Pierce,” Graham said. “Do you want me to get rid of your family? We could have Hudson throw them off the grounds.”
I barked out a laugh, surprising myself and feeling a little lighter somehow. Graham was on my side—I knew that. I did .
Auntie Jackie had always said that people showed you who they were through their actions, not their words. And Graham had always shown me—in ways both big and small—that he loved me. From fresh bouquets of flowers bursting with symbolism to helping out with anything and everything at the chateau, his acts of service were a testament to his love and commitment to me and our relationship.
“As amusing as that would be, it wouldn’t be a good look for us.”
He cupped my cheek, his expression full of tenderness and love. “It’s good to see you smile.”
I leaned into his touch, feeling a little calmer. More centered. Now that I wasn’t freaking the fuck out, I could recognize that I’d been going to the worst-case scenario, when I needed to have faith in us and in our relationship.
“What are we going to do?” I asked, trying to focus on the problem at hand.
“What do you want to do?” Graham asked, dropping his hand from my cheek but continuing to touch me.
“What do I want to do?” I laughed. “I want to tell them to go fuck themselves.”
“You could,” he said. “But what if they came here genuinely wanting to make amends? It has to mean something that they traveled all this way.”
At Graham’s family’s expense.
But I didn’t point that out. He wouldn’t understand. How could he, when his family had never treated him like mine had me?
My inclination was to continue to avoid my family, but Graham made a good point. They had come all this way. I wanted to believe that had to mean something. That they’d wanted to see me and not just get a free trip.
“Cutting off a relationship, especially with family, is a big deal. It might be worth hearing them out.”
I wanted to keep an open mind, but if the past was anything to go on, I had a feeling I’d regret it.