“What?” Amandine immediately closed her mouth and bit her lower lip. Not everyone at the restaurant needed to hear her outburst.
But she couldn’t believe this. Jacob was the oldest of the Lloyd siblings and headed The Lloyds Development, the family business that provided a steady and generous income to every Lloyd. Some, like Gavin, didn’t need the money from the company, but many depended on it to finance their lifestyles. “What happened?”
“He, uh…” Mark pursed his lips and shrugged. “He turned out to be a bigamist. His first wife showed up in Houston.”
She gasped. First wife?!
“So his marriage to Catherine” —he cut his fingers across his neck— “ended. And he ran off with the real wife.”
“The real wife,” she repeated.
“Yeah.”
“So…who is she? A Vanderbilt? One of the Astors?”
He leaned across the table and lowered his voice. “A Vegas stripper.”
Amandine brought her fingertips to her mouth, at a complete loss for words. What a cliché. It sounded like something from a daytime soap her mother used to watch.
“I’m surprised you didn’t know.”
She cleared her throat. “I’ve been rather busy the past few days.” She winced inwardly at the lame excuse.
She stared at the label on the champagne bottle. The shock still coursed through her, short-circuiting her thoughts. She shook her head to clear it.
Why hadn’t Gavin told her earlier? This was a family matter, and she was family.
Then it dawned on her.
Catherine was free.
Her hands tightened into fists. Catherine was the one Gavin had wanted in the first place. The only reason he’d noticed Amandine was because Catherine had chosen Jacob.
And why hadn’t Catherine reached out to her? After all, they were cousins.
Did Catherine want Gavin back?
Most importantly did he want her back?
Of course he does. Why else would he have gone to Houston on your anniversary?
Amandine put a hand over her belly. Disappointment turned into half-panic, half-apprehension. She’d wanted to let him know about the pregnancy. But now… Would he find the news…their baby…regrettable?
“Are you all right?”
She blinked. “Yes, fine. Just a little…shocked. You know, about Jacob and Catherine and all.”
“Sorry I said anything. I should’ve let Gavin tell you. It’s a family matter.”
“It can’t be that much of a family matter if you already heard.”
He made a sympathetic face. “Bad news travels fast. You know how it is.”
“Of course.” Everyone knew except her.
“Listen, even if Gavin’s not here to celebrate, you should treat yourself. I’ll comp the whole thing.”
“It’s all right.” If her appetite hadn’t already been dead, Mark’s pity would have killed it.