He cupped her elbow as he walked her to the apartment door. She raised her eyes to him. “Thank you for the private tour of your estate and the delicious dinner. I’ll remember it always.”
“I’ll never forget this Sunday evening either. Expect a call from me tomorrow. We have a lot to talk about.” In the next breath he lowered his head and gave her a lingering kiss she couldn’t help but respond to before he strode swiftly to his car.
Cami stood there shaking from the sensations he’d aroused in her before she found the strength to go inside. Her mom still wasn’t back yet, but it was only ten, which was just as well. Cami wanted to go to bed and savor what had happened this evening.
* * *
Raoul returned to the villa, aching with desire for Cami. He had plans for them tomorrow, but when he sat down at his computer before going to bed, he faced a mass of emails from clients he’d serviced over the years. They were waiting for him to get back from vacation so life could return to normal with him overseeing everything.
Raoul should have anticipated that reaction and realized it was time to clarify his situation. First, he called the Fleur-de-Lis Hotel in Fréjus. After reserving their largest conference room for tomorrow afternoon and evening, he reserved two rooms for Monday night.
With that done he phoned Jean-Pierre to tell him what was going on. It was time to make his cousin’s position official as head of Sales and Marketing.
Between the two of them they sent emails throughout Provence to as many clients who could come. Those who couldn’t make it would hear about it. Though it was short notice, he decided it was better to put out the fire ASAP. The move would be a fait accompli by the time his father heard about it.
On Monday morning he got up early to feed Alain and swim with him. Nathalie had stayed the night and agreed to stay for the day After the three of them had lunch, he packed and left for the thirty-minute drive to Fréjus.
En route he sent Cami a text that he’d gone out of town, but would call her on Tuesday to make plans. She’d be cleaning so he didn’t want to bother her with a phone call. It was hard to have to wait another day to see her, but he needed to get this out of the way.
Jean-Pierre met him and they set up the large room. Before long the clients trickled in. The place was soon filled, which was very satisfying to Raoul. These were men and women he’d worked with for years.
When it was time, he walked up to the microphone. “Thank you for coming on such short notice, but my life has completely changed and you deserve to know what’s going on.
“I have a son named Alain who’s almost nineteen months old. He’s come to live with me for good while I’ve been on vacation. I’ve entered a new phase of my life as a single man and can no longer work for the family business. He needs my full attention. But I know you’re going to approve of my successor. After dinner is served, we’ll both be on hand to talk to all of you.”
He turned to his cousin. “Jean-Pierre Fontesquieu? Come on up here so I can officially introduce you as head of Marketing and Sales for the entire Fontesquieu Company. Not only are we cousins, we’ve worked together for years. He’s been in charge while I’ve been on vacation and is the man who has my backing 100 percent.”
As everyone stood and clapped, Raoul patted him on the shoulder. “It’s your turn,” he whispered with a smile.
No one could know what it meant to have this over and done. He truly was free now to embrace his new life with his son and the woman who was already necessary to his existence.
CHAPTER FIVE
ON MONDAY AFTERNOON Cami received the disappointing text that Raoul was out of town and would call her tomorrow. That must have been a sudden move on his part. She hoped he was all right. Somehow she got through the rest of the day, but couldn’t wait until she saw him again.
Her sense of loss had grown acute by the time she and her mom returned to the apartment at the end of the day. No sooner had they walked inside than their neighbor Suzanne, the widow next door, was at the door.
“These flowers arrived for you. Just a minute. There are more.” She was back in a minute. “Lucky you! Now I have to run, but I want to hear the story behind these later.”
They thanked her and put the flowers on the coffee table. Cami took the paper off the first one. A gasp escaped her lips when she saw a vase filled with a dozen long-stemmed lavender roses, so exquisite they took her breath.
Another cry came from her mother who’d discovered a basket of yellow daisies called marguerites that looked like summer. She looked up at Cami.
“Is there any doubt where these came from?”
Cami smelled the roses with their heavenly bouquet. At this rate, that bad heart of hers needed an operation tomorrow. “No.”
“That must have been quite an evening you had at the vineyard with Raoul Fontesquieu last night.”
“He took me to see the château up close and then we had a meal at the wine-tasting château.”
Her mother smiled. “And on Saturday you helped him clean his study.”
Cami nodded.
“He not only looks the part, he’s every woman’s idea of perfection.”
Don’t remind me, Maman.