“My only regret is that I let men ruin what friendship I had with Amandine. I wasn’t the nicest person to her, but I didn’t have to let things get this awkward and uncomfortable. However, that’s my issue to deal with. No need to concern yourself.”
She walked off, looking like a goddess in the late afternoon sun, climbed into the Miata and drove away.
Chapter Twenty-Two
AMANDINE SAT ON THE BED, looking at Gavin’s ring. After a time, someone placed a hand on her shoulder. Startled, she looked up.
“You okay?” Brooke said, settling next to her.
“Yeah. No. Maybe.” Amandine buried her face in her hands. “Damn it.”
“What did she say?”
Amandine told Brooke everything. As she went through it, she realized Catherine was right. Amandine would never know the true reason Gavin wanted to keep her. He was always so busy, and babies took a lot of time and effort. Countless children grew up with divorced parents. Meredith hadn’t even bothered to get married before having a kid, and no one from his family seemed to care.
So why was he insisting on staying together? “Avoiding personal defeat” seemed like a feeble excuse, something he’d made up on the fly so he didn’t have to give her the real reason.
And if it weren’t, why should she care about his personal defeat? Catherine was right. What about Amandine’s future? What about what she wanted? She needed more than “avoiding personal defeat” to stay with Gavin. If he hadn’t figured out that nothing less than love would do after three years and three months…
“I hate to say it, but Catherine has a point,” Brooke said. “You deserve a man like the one she talked about. You shouldn’t stay with a guy who doesn’t love you just because you’re pregnant.”
Amandine rubbed her temples. She’d been content, even hopeful, until Catherine had shown up. If only she could erase everything her cousin had said from her memory…
Eighteen more years. Did she want to spend that much time with a man who didn’t love her just because they had a baby together? What would she do if she realized her situation was really hopeless? Would she have the courage to start over?
Even if she did, would it be possible in her mid-forties?
Gavin stalked inside, his face dark and grim.
Amandine forced a smile. “How was your visit? Everything go well?”
He nodded. “As expected. Mother sends her regards.”
“Luna’s making dinner.”
“I don’t have time.”
Of course.
“I have to return to the office soon,” he added.
No surprise there, either. “I’ll ask her to pack something for you then.” When she started to rise, Gavin stopped her.
“Brooke, can you give us a moment?” he asked.
“Sure.” She left.
Gavin sat next to Amandine. “What did Catherine say?” His gaze bore into hers, like he could will her thoughts to surface on her face.
“This and that.” She shrugged. “She wanted to return your wedding band.” Amandine handed it to him. “So now you have two.”
“That I do.” He stared at the original ring, then took the replacement off and put it in his jacket pocket. He threaded the original ring onto the finger.
“I thought about what you asked me last night and… I’m wondering why you married me.” She looked at him, at the old ring now back on his hand, hoping and waiting.
He looked back at her, his dark gaze shuttered.
“Why, Gavin? You could’ve married anybody. It didn’t have to be me.”