I’ll come by your house and pick you up at seven. No excuses, Nathalie. Alain’s existence changes things for all of us. One way or another we’re family now.
This was only the beginning.
She texted back.
You’re right. Let your cousin know that tomorrow Maman will come to the park too so she can meet him.
Raoul would be thrilled.
He texted her again.
Parfait! A demain, ma belle.
* * *
Ma belle...
Dominic had never used that endearment with her before.
Nathalie looked down at Alain, who’d just fallen asleep in his crib holding the bateau. Too much was happening too fast, but it was the result she’d wanted, even if she hadn’t realized it until now.
Today the world had shifted. There’d be no adoption. Alain belonged to Raoul. At the pond, his rightful papa had claimed him. In a millisecond, he had become a true Fontesquieu. Nathalie knew in her heart her stepsister would be overjoyed to see her son and the man she’d loved together forever.
But now Nathalie had to make a drastic decision about what to do with the rest of her life. Her mother had done the heavy lifting after Alain had come into their lives. She would always want to live near her grandson and Raoul.
The question for Nathalie was how to get through the rest of her life when she would be Alain’s tante from now on rather than his adoptive maman. She and her mother would have to help Raoul with the transition once Alain went to live with him. But Dominic and Raoul were closer than brothers. Dominic would always be around. Nathalie couldn’t imagine how that would work.
She couldn’t bear the pain of living this close to Dominic’s orbit. Though they hadn’t made love, it was what had been in her mind and heart that counted. She’d pushed thoughts of Antoinette away when she’d been in Dominic’s arms. If he had thoughts of marriage, she feared his reaction when he learned she couldn’t give him a child.
That meant she needed to leave La Gaude and start a new life in a place where there was no danger of running into him. Nathalie owned her car and had saved enough money to rent an apartment. She should be living on her own now anyway. It would have to be close enough to still be able to visit her mother without difficulty. They could plan times together when Alain would be there with her.
For the rest of Tuesday afternoon, Nathalie got on the computer to look for jobs available for pharmacists in the greater Provence area. Before her mother returned from work, she’d found an opening at a privately owned pharmacy in Menton, a city of twenty-five thousand on the French Riviera. The hour’s drive from La Gaude would be perfect. They needed a pharmacist full time and the pay sounded good.
Nathalie applied for it online. She believed her mother and Denis would get along just fine without her, and they could always hire another pharmacist to help out.
Knowing she’d done this much to plan out a new future for herself helped Nathalie to find the courage she’d need to face Dominic with the truth about her condition when he came by for her this evening. It was time to get ready. She’d watch for his car and hurry outside. One day her mother would meet Dominic, but not tonight.
CHAPTER TEN
DOMINIC PULLED UP in front of the Gilbert home. Today the stakes had changed. Their lives were about to be transformed forever.
Even before he shut off the engine, Nathalie came walking out to his car wearing a stunning gold-on-green print dress. His breath caught at the shape of her gorgeous figure. Her hair caught the fire of the setting sun. No other woman matched her beauty inside or out.
He leaned across the seat and opened the door for her. She climbed inside, bringing her delicious floral scent with her. “Thank you, Dominic.” She wouldn’t look at him.
Without telling her his plans, he drove down the street.
“Where are we going?”
“I’m taking you to Vence. There’s something I want you to see. It won’t take long.”
“I’d rather we didn’t. Can’t we stay here? All I want to know is if your cousin is truly happy.”
He darted her a glance. “You already know the answer to that question. But tonight I don’t want to talk about Raoul. You and I have other business that’s only important to us.”
“No, we don’t!” she cried, turning to look out the passenger window.
“That’s what you think.”