Chapter 39
“Yay!” Madeline jumps up and down on the balls of her feet and wraps her arms around our shoulders. “My friends are back together.”
“Woah, pump the breaks there, sparkle queen. We’re not back together. No matter how much Woo-McMaster here thinks he nailed it.” I thumb over my shoulder at Luc.
“Have the flowers not arrived? Damn it, they’re probably at the gates.” Luc doesn’t take a step back; in fact, he takes a step forward, crowding my space. His arms cage me in against the bench top. His spice orange scent wraps around my body like a warm hug, giving me no choice but to breathe his essence in.
“No, they’re here.” Madeline holds the giant bunch of flowers up.
“Did you not like the roses?” He tips his head to the side. “They were the ones you told me to bring to the auction.”
I grab the bunch of flowers from Madeline and hug them to my chest. “I love roses.” I inhale the scent deeply.
“If I’d have known this was coming today, I would’ve brought you two bunches. I knew you could do it, Aurora. Now you will be able to have your paintings in galleries just like you’d wanted.”
Just like I’d wanted…a few months ago when I didn’t have the chateau and came to France because my life had pretty much gone to shit? Just like something my mother would do.
My eyes narrow as they slowly scan down his cocky form, the way he is so relaxed in front of me, the easy smile on his face, the sweet words spewing from his gorgeous, kissable lips. It’s all lies. This has been Luc’s plan all along; he’s using my art and my career as a way to get me to leave this place—and my painting placing in the finals is his perfect escape ticket.
A sharp laugh leaves my chapped lips. “Yeah right, as if you expect me to believe you didn’t think I would figure out your little master plan. Let me guess, was fucking me a ruse too? Or was I just the closest person who was willing to spread their legs for you? Oh, and your relationship with Louis—was that even real? Did you do that so I could fall for your little act hook, line, and sinker?” I couldn’t stop the words as they tumbled out of my mouth. From the corner of my eye, I watch Madeline pop another bonbon into her mouth, her eyes darting between me and Luc.
“Aurora, what are you talking about?” he asks again.
“Your master plan,” I snap. “To steal the chateau from me to make sure you’re the sole survivor at the end of these six months,” I grit out, causing my jaw to crunch.
Luc runs a frustrated hand through his hair, his eyes narrow on me. “Rory, I make two promises in life. When I commit to doing something, I do it. When I tell the woman I love that she’s the one, she is. But you have made me break one of my promises.” He reaches into his suit jacket and pulls out a folded-up piece of paper. “Read this,” he says, slamming it down on the table.
“What is it?” I ask in a bored tone.
“Read it and find out.” Luc crosses his arms over his chest. I huff out a breath, exasperated, and pick up the piece of paper. It has the Gauthier it’s like the indents are designed to catch my feet or something. I’m so excited I practically float up the things, not missing a damn one.
“I have something really exciting to tell you.” I jump up and down on the spot.
“Did you double shot your coffee again?” André’s eyes follow my movement.
“No.” I stick my tongue out at him and pull the letter from my back pocket, handing it to Henry, who takes it.
“Aurora.” Henry’s bushy eyebrows pull down, almost covering his eyes. “Is this real?” he gasps, his gravelly voice more chopped up than usual.
“Yes,” I reply, tears springing to my eyes when he wraps me in his arms.
“What are we celebrating?” André asks as I release Henry.
“My painting has been selected for the finals. The winner will be announced this Saturday at the Burgundy Gallery, and I am allowed to bring six guests with my finalist entry. I would really like it if you guys could make it.” My toe draws small circles into the dusty ground.
“Aurora!” André picks me up and swings me around. I giggle, wrapping my arms around his shoulders. “This is amazing. Of fucking course we’re going to be there. Père can drive us.”
He sets me on my feet and Henry bundles me up against his side. “Aurora, you’ve made this old man so happy. He asked me if he should do it, but I didn’t think he went through with it.” He rubs his finger along his mustache.
“Who asked you?”
“Luc,” he replies.
“Yeah,” André confirms.
“He wanted to know if we thought you would appreciate your paintings being entered. André helped him pick the painting.” Henry nods his head in André’s direction. My vision blurs as fresh tears spring to my eyes.
“Thank you.” I gasp, my arms wrapping around both men.
“Aurora, you don’t have to thank us. We’re so incredibly proud of you.” Henry dots my temple with a kiss. His thick hand rubs slow, warm circles on my back.
“I wanted to enter the window frames, but Luc wouldn’t let me remove them from the chateau.”
I choke on a laugh, wiping away the tears from my cheeks. “Those window frames were pretty epic.”
“Now we’re going to have to build a shelf for your new trophy.” Henry rubs his chin, already thinking about where it’s going to go.
“I haven’t won yet.”
“Semantics.” He waves me off. As much as I’m super excited that my painting is even in this competition, I can’t escape the knot in my stomach. I don’t want to disappoint the people who I’ve come to view as my family and the man who I love when they believe in me so much.