When they reached the apartment door, he rocked her back and forth in his arms, hugging her for a long time. She wanted to invite him in and never let him go, but she couldn’t. The man had suffered too much to go through any more trauma in his life.
“Before I go, let’s make plans for tomorrow evening. Alain has his checkup at the doctor’s tomorrow afternoon. After we get back, I’ll cook dinner for the three of us and we’ll have a fun evening at home.”
She eased away from him. “I have an even better idea. Tomorrow afternoon Maman and I are taking the afternoon off. I’ll bring the groceries and cook dinner. It’s my turn to wait on you.” Cami wanted to do something special for him after all he’d done for her.
“If you mean that, nothing could make me happier,” he murmured against her lips. “I’ll leave the back door open for you. À bientôt, ma belle.”
Cami’s body hummed as she entered the apartment. He’d set her on fire and she was burning up with desire. Once inside the apartment, the first thing she saw were the fabulous lavender roses, a reminder of Raoul, a man who was larger than life. She’d never forget this day for as long as she lived.
“Maman? I’ve brought you dinner, compliments of Le Petit Auberge.”
Her mother emerged from the other room. “You mean Raoul Fontesquieu. How did he handle what you had to tell him?”
“I didn’t say anything, but there’s a reason. Sit down and I’ll explain why.”
By the time she’d explained everything about Sabine’s lie, including the fact that the little baby he’d loved had died of a bad heart, her mother looked shocked and saddened.
“What a shame when you’re both in love with each other. Anyone can see that. Doesn’t he deserve to know what’s going to happen, no matter how painful it might be for him?”
“I don’t want to talk about it.” She was still struggling with the pain of what the result could be following the operation. The worst result was too excruciating to contemplate. On her way to bed, she took the roses with her.
* * *
Friday morning Nathalie came to the villa to help Raoul interview a woman for the nanny position. The trim brunette Parisian widow had no children and was in her early fifties.
For three years she’d been a nanny for a diplomat’s family in Paris following the death of her husband. The family no longer needed her. Since her married sister lived in Vence, she’d decided to apply for a nanny’s job here to be near her only living family.
She reminded Raoul a little of Minerve, very down to earth and came with impeccable credentials. Nathalie appeared to like her too. Alain moved back and forth and played with his blocks. He didn’t seem to mind a stranger being there and responded favorably to some of the things she said to him.
Raoul gave her a brief background on Alain so she’d understand this would be hard for his son to get used to a new nanny. Following a tour of the villa and an inspection of the nursery, she indicated she’d like to take care of Alain. The decision was made to hire her temporarily and see how things went. She could move into the guest room in the upstairs hall next to the nursery at any time.
Alain scuttled off Nathalie’s lap and ran to him. It caught at his heart that he and his son had a special bond already. He lifted him and hugged him hard.
“He’s a precious boy, Monsieur Fontesquieu.”
“He is. Please call me Raoul.”
“And the two of you call me Delphine.” She got to her feet. “I’ll leave now, and be back tomorrow.”
Raoul kept Alain in his arms while he saw Delphine to the front door. “From now on, plan to park in the back. Here’s the key to the back door.”
“Très bien. Au revoir, Alain.” She touched his son’s cheek before leaving.
He shut the door, feeling an enormous weight lift from his heart that he’d found a woman he could work with. Though there were no guarantees, hopefully Alain would learn to like her, but it would take time.
His son squirmed to get down. Raoul lowered him to the floor and they walked back to the sitting room to find Nathalie.
She smiled at him. “I like her, Raoul. She’s solid and very cute with Alain.”
“I agree with you. I think it’ll work with Delphine.”
“I couldn’t be happier for you. After you’ve taken Alain to the doctor, why don’t you drive him to La Gaude? Mom and I will tend him. Later Dom and I will bring him back in time for bed. You don’t know how much I miss him.”
His sister-in-law knew he was dying to be alone with Cami. There were no secrets at this point. “You’re sure?”
“Don’t be an idiot. It’s long past time you found someone.” She gave Alain a kiss.
“Thanks, Nathalie.”
“I owe you big-time after the way you helped me get back with Dominic. We’re so happy it’s ridiculous, and we want you to know that same feeling again.” She kissed Raoul’s cheek and left.
Raoul wasn’t far behind with Alain to take him to the doctor. So far his son seemed perfectly healthy, but Raoul was a bit nervous. This was all part of being a new parent as Arlette had reminded him earlier. The knowledge that Cami would be arriving at the villa later to fix their dinner filled him with excitement and helped him deal with his worry over being a dad.
* * *
When Cami arrived at the villa at three, it was clear that Raoul hadn’t returned from the doctor yet. He’d left the back door unlocked and she was able to walk in and get busy cooking her specialty of escalope de veau and roast potatoes.
She was still smiling over her mother’s surprised reaction to the candied violets she ate and loved when she heard the doorbell ring. It was probably a delivery of some kind for Raoul. She wiped her hands on a towel and walked through the villa to answer the door.
A stunning auburn-haired woman probably late twenties, dressed in a designer suit stood there scrutinizing Cami who was wearing jeans and a pale yellow crewneck pullover. The woman carried two wrapped packages hanging at her sides.
“May I help you?”
“I’m here to see Raoul Fontesquieu.”
“I’m afraid he’s not here, but I expect him later.”
“Will you see he gets these as soon as possible?”
“Of course.”
She handed her the packages and left before Cami could ask the woman’s name. Cami suspected she’d just met Sabine.
After she disappeared down the steps, Cami shut the door and carried them to the kitchen where she placed them on the counter. No sooner had she put their dinner in the oven than the phone rang.
It was Raoul. Her pulse raced as she clicked on. “Hi!”
“Hi, yourself. I dropped off Alain at his grandmother’s and I’m driving home from La Gaude, but there’s been a traffic accident. I may not be there for another ten minutes.”
“That’s no problem. As I’ve got you on the phone, you should know a woman came to the door and left two packages for you.”
“Interesting. Will you do me a favor and open them?”
“All right.” She walked over and undid the paper on both of them. “They’re framed oil paintings of a vineyard. Oh! Your great uncle Jerome’s signature is in the lower right-hand corner of both. I didn’t know he was an artist too!”
“He was a Renaissance man and did them when he was in Bordeaux. I thought I’d seen the last of them. They’re one of my treasures. I can’t wait to see them and will be home soon.”
They hung up and Cami set the table. Before long Raoul walked in the kitchen. His dark gleaming eyes found hers. He kissed her long and hard. “Something smells wonderful, ma belle. You didn’t have to do all this.”
“I wanted to, and I have to tell you how impressed I am by the way you’ve put your kitchen together. No more boxes.”
“Nope. Alain helped.”
“That I would have loved to s
ee. Which brings me to the burning question. What’s the verdict from the doctor?”
He washed his hands. “My son is in perfect condition and is taller on the chart than most children his age.” She noticed him examine the paintings.
“It would be a shock if he weren’t,” she quipped. “Come sit down and I’ll serve you.” As she put a plate of food in front of him, she said, “You seem particularly happy. What else is going on?”
“A lot of things. When I was out of town before, I made my cousin Jean-Pierre the official head of Sales and Marketing at a meeting. It’s an enormous relief, but more importantly, I’ve found a nanny for Alain.”
“Really?” She served herself some food and sat down, looking excited for him. “What’s she like?”
“Delphine LaVaux is older and solid as Natalie said. She was a nanny in Paris for three years. Best of all, Alain didn’t act shy around her or fuss like he did with the other women.”
“Sounds like a good sign. You must be ecstatic.”
“It’s a start. She’ll be over tomorrow to spend the day with him. Things are slowly falling into place. By the way, I love this veal dinner. You’re a wonderful cook.”
“Thank you. It was fun to prepare with all the new kitchen equipment.”
“Since Nathalie will be bringing Alain home in a few hours, I thought we’d sit in front of the fire.”
“I’ll do the dishes first.”
“Leave everything. I’ll take care of things after you go home.” But while they were talking, his phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID and flashed her a frustrated look. “I have to take this call. Excuse me for a minute.”
After he left the kitchen, Cami had time to clear the table and start to load the dishwasher. When he returned, he looked preoccupied. The happy expression he’d brought in to the villa was no longer in sight.
“I have to go to the office and meet Jean-Pierre. It’s an emergency.”
Cami’s heart sank. “I totally understand.”
“There’s no one like you.” He brushed his mouth against hers. “I’ll walk you out to your car. You have no idea how sorry I am, but I’ll make it up to you. Since tomorrow is Saturday, I want to spend the whole day with you. I’ll call you later tonight to make plans.”
A whole day with Raoul? Nothing could sound more divine, but it disturbed Cami to see he was upset right now though he tried to hide it. He helped her on with her coat and walked her out to the Citroën.
“Drive home safely, mon amour. I couldn’t bear it if anything happened to you.”
His words and endearment haunted her all the way home.
It had never occurred to Cami that in cleaning other people’s houses, she’d meet Raoul Fontesquieu, a man who had the power to make all other men melt into insignificance.
The results of her heart operation would determine if she ever saw him again. It frightened her that she could finally count in hours how long it would be before she checked into the hospital. Right now she couldn’t comprehend life without him.
CHAPTER EIGHT
ON HIS WAY to the office at the vineyard, the conversation with Jean-Pierre went through Raoul’s mind. Something was wrong. His cousin wanted help dealing with the Frères Oliviers in Aix, but that didn’t make sense. They’d come to the meeting in Fréjus and there’d been no trouble. To Raoul’s dismay he heard a trace of panic in his cousin’s voice and knew he needed to get to the bottom of it.
The call couldn’t have come at a worse moment. He’d needed time with Cami tonight, but it would have to wait until tomorrow. To walk out on her after the marvelous dinner she’d made crushed him, but it couldn’t be helped.
When he arrived at his old office and walked inside, it was his graying father who was waiting for him. Heavy lines marked his face.
Today had been full of surprises! First Sabine. Now his father.
There was no sign of Jean-Pierre, which meant this meeting had been concocted to force the inevitable confrontation. Poor Jean-Pierre who now had to function under Raoul’s father.
At last the moment had come Raoul had been waiting for. He was ready.
His tall, thin parent stood there on the verge of exploding. “What do you mean putting Jean-Pierre officially in charge?”
“My cousin is perfect for the position and has earned it. I told you the day Gran’pere died that I didn’t want the CEO position, nor would I continue to be the head of Marketing and Sales. I’ve quit.”
For once Raoul knew he’d shocked him, and took advantage of the silence.
“Since I’ve developed my own company, I’ve resigned my position and have separated myself completely from our family business.
“By now you should have received my official resignation in an email. I sent it before I left for Fréjus. I expect you to correct the announcement you made to the media. If you don’t, it will bring you more headaches, not me.”
His father’s cheeks went a ruddy color. “Sabine told me she met your illicit lover earlier today. I’d hoped that news was a piece of fiction.”
Raoul knew it. Sabine’s visit to the villa where she’d met Cami had ignited his father’s wrath to the exploding point. It made sense this was confrontation was happening now.
“Knowing how you feel about me, let’s agree it’s much better I’ve separated myself from the company and will follow my own path from now on.”
Lines broke out on his austere features. “What about Sabine and the child you lost?”
Raoul refused to go there or expose her lie. “Celine will always have a place in my heart, but my divorce is past history. We were never suited. It’s another fact you need to make clear to the media. I’m building a new life.”
“With your mistress and bastard son?”
Raoul wasn’t surprised his father knew about Alain, but he wasn’t going to explain about Antoinette or Cami.
“You mean Alain Fontesquieu? Has your source also learned that Alain’s other grandfather died several years ago? But Alain still has a living grandfather in his gran’pere Matthieu Fontesquieu. If you ever want to visit and get to know your grandson, you’re welcome at the villa. Is there anything else? If not, I’m leaving.”
He started for the door but his father followed him. His hands had formed fists at his side. “You’re going to give up everything?” he bit out incredulously.
“If you mean money, I already have, and never took a sou of Sabine’s. But I am a Fontesquieu. You don’t give up your heritage, and I’ve had a good life to this point, but times are changing. I’m embracing those changes to make new memories and would hope you and Maman are a part of them. That’s up to you.”
With nothing more to say, Raoul turned on his heel and walked out of the office, leaving his stunned father to his own devices. For the first time in his life, Raoul actually sensed a crack in his papa’s demeanor.
After getting in the car, he was so relieved to have thrown off the yoke that had bound him, he felt liberated and wanted to be with Cami. Unfortunately she wasn’t available, so he hurried home. Nathalie would be arriving with Alain. Raoul wanted to put him to bed. Then he’d phone the woman he adored.
* * *
After Cami got back to the apartment, she found her mom talking to her aunt and uncle on the speakerphone. They were making plans for next week after Cami’s operation was over.
Not wanting to think about it, she hurried into the bedroom and got ready for bed. While she was brushing her teeth, her cell rang. She jumped and picked up after the first ring.
“Raoul?”
“I’m glad you answered so fast. I’ve needed to hear your voice.”
“Are you all right?”
“I’m fine, but I have news we need to talk about. Tonight it was my father, not Jean-Pierre, who was waiting for me. We had the confrontation predestined for a lifetime, and I officially
resigned from the company.”
A gasp escaped. “Was it terrible?”
“No. I’m rid of a great burden, but I won’t bother you about it right now. What I’m asking is that you go sailing with me tomorrow. We’ll have the whole Saturday to ourselves.”
Thrilled, she clutched the counter with one hand. “What about Alain?”
“Delphine will be here. They need time together and I have to get away. Please come. There’s a lot I want to talk to you about. By tomorrow the whole family will have heard this news. The reaction will be ugly. Sabine told my father about her visit and seeing you at the door. He was upset by that news.
“I’m hoping this doesn’t touch you in any way, but I can’t promise that it won’t, or show up in the news. We need to discuss it, but not here. I’ll pick you up at eight if that’s all right.”
“Eight is fine. Bonne nuit, Raoul.”
* * *
Saturday turned out to be cold, but not freezing. An hour after leaving Vence, Cami and Raoul reached the port in Nice beneath a semisunny sky. They bought some food at a Chinese bistro, then Raoul drove them to the dock where they boarded his thirty-eight-foot state-of-the-art sailboat.
He helped Cami on board and handed her a life jacket to put on. Soon they went downstairs to the living area that included the captain’s console. Above and below it was luxury personified. Within a few minutes the air was toasty and comfortable.
Raoul had given her startling news over the phone last night. He’d hinted at repercussions that could reach the media. Since his divorce she knew he didn’t put anything past his family.
No one was kidding anybody. A new nightmare could be starting. She didn’t want to be any part of it, but recognized she’d needed to come with him today so they could talk.
Raoul undid the ropes and started the motor to edge them out to the bay beyond the buoys. Through the windows belowdecks she had a spectacular view of the Mediterranean. A few boats skimmed the calm, dark blue water.
Falling For His Unlikely Cinderella (Escape To Provence Book 2) Page 10
