“Here you go,” Nyla said as he put his phone back in his pocket.
Payne took the paintings from her. “Thanks for everything. My sister’s lucky to have you.” He gave her a hug before leaving the house with a precious treasure.
After he got to the office he would leave a note for his secretary to mail them to Rainey. They were her creation. She had the only right to them. If she decided to get rid of them, he didn’t want to know about it.
“Andy? Take me to the Wylies’.”
Payne intended to follow Rainey’s advice to the letter. He’d lost faith in his own instincts, but he believed in hers. She was the one gifted with second sight. Maybe she knew something he didn’t.
Two days later he wrapped up a conference early with some of his engineers and returned to his apartment near the Place Vendôme. Thanks to the time Rainey had spent with him on the Paris map, he’d been able to give the men enough work to put them ahead of schedule.
“Diane? I’m back and ready to take you shopping for your wedding dress.”
“I’d rather stay in so we can talk.”
Payne frowned. Since Sunday when he’d surprised her, she’d been in better spirits than he’d seen her since the shooting. He didn’t think he could handle it if she told him she wanted to go home. It would mean she’d slipped back into that immobilizing depression he dreaded.
He put down his briefcase. “You don’t sound like you’re feeling well.”
When he walked in her bedroom, he found her seated in her wheelchair wearing a new two-toned pink suit.
“I like your outfit. You look very attractive.”
“I believe you actually meant that. Thank you.”
“I’ve never lied to you about your appearance,” he said as he sat down in one of the chairs next to her. “You were a pretty teenager who turned into a beautiful woman.”
She eyed him directly. “I realize you’ve never lied to me. I’m afraid I’m the one who takes the honors in that department.”
Her comment shocked him.
“When I told you I wanted to come to Paris with you, it was motivated by the lie I told myself about wanting to show an interest in your work. I’ve told myself a lot of lies, but that’s all over.”
“What’s going on, Diane?”
“This.” She held up Manhattan Merger.
Surprised he said, “Catherine was looking for it. She asked me if I would find out if you’d seen it.”
“I put it in my purse when she wasn’t looking because I wanted to read it.”
Amazing. “Were you able to get through it?”
“Don’t make a joke of this, Payne.” Tears welled up in her eyes.
He reached for her hand. “I’m not. It’s just that I know you prefer more meaty types of reading material.”
“I do, but my curiosity was piqued. Little did I know the contents of this book would force me to see myself as I really am. It was a horrifying experience,” she said in a tortured whisper. “Can you ever forgive me?”
“For what?” Payne was dumbfounded.
“For saying yes to your proposal. I placed you in an impossible situation. Ever since I read the last page of this book I’ve been waiting for you to come back to the apartment so I could do this.”
She took off the diamond ring he’d given her and folded it in his palm. “I’ve robbed you of six months of your life. What’s worse, you’re such a good man, you were willing to sacrifice the rest of your life for a woman you’ve never loved and never could love. Not the way I want to be loved.
“The whole time I was reading this novel, I kept confusing the story line with our lives, Payne. Yours and mine and Rainey’s.”
He lowered his head.