“Amen,” Paul chimed in.
“That was very poetic for you,” Josette teased her younger brother and held up her glass. “To a new friend I like very much.”
Their father kept his hand around his glass, but Abby knew he was going to say something. “This is good. To my family.”
Raoul had to be overcome. She waited while he cleared his throat. Then he stood up with his glass. “As you all can see, with Abby in my life... I’ve been reborn.” He kept swallowing. “Thank you,” he whispered.
Please, please, let this last, Abby prayed while they ate together, amused by Maurice’s antics.
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Toward the end of the meal his mother stood up. “We’ll have dessert with the grandparents now. It’s your favorite, Raoul, my crème brûlée.”
Raoul clung to Abby’s hand. She knew he was still in disbelief that any of this was happening. She could hardly believe it herself. They moved as a group to the other end of the second floor and gathered around the salon with the grandparents.
“This is divine, Hélène-Claire. I want the recipes for everything you’ve made tonight. A wife wants to be everything to her husband, but there’s no way she can compete with his mother’s cooking.”
Raoul’s grandmother nodded. “You are very wise for one so young.”
Josette broke in on them. “I’ve got to get Maurice to bed.” She eyed Abby. “We’ll talk soon.”
“Please.”
“It’s time for us to leave too.” Raoul got up to kiss his grandparents and parents.
Abby turned to everyone. “This has been one of the most wonderful evenings of my life.”
His mother followed them to the entrance of the suite. “We’ll do it again with the entire family after your church wedding. Let us know when you want to plan it.”
“Merci, Maman.”
He whisked Abby down the hall to the other end of the château where the car was parked outside. Silence reigned during the drive back to the cottage. She found herself savoring this night. When he took her inside their house, she grasped both his hands and kissed them.
“Your heart has to be so full. After we get in bed, I’ll tell you what happened after you left for Paris. I thought it was a miracle. Tonight, I know it was. I really like your family. All of them. Because they love you, they’re trying to like me. I can’t ask for more than that as long as you love me.”
“Jean-Marc said it best. You are the fresh breeze blowing through the vineyard, casting a spell on everyone, including your husband who adores you.” He picked her up and carried her into the bedroom. “Get ready to be loved tonight like you’ve never been loved before.”
EPILOGUE
FAR INTO THE night Raoul came awake and reached for Abby. Since their marriage four months ago he still awoke with anxiety at times, in case this was all a dream and she wasn’t really there.
“Mon amour,” he whispered, rubbing her arm gently until she turned to him.
“Raoul—” His loving wife gave him a kiss of such desire, he was breathless as they lost themselves in each other for the next few hours. He’d never dreamed marriage could be like this. He hadn’t thought it possible. “No man could be as happy as I am.”
“I hope that’s true,” she spoke against his lips. “But to make certain of it, I have a gift for you I know you’re going to love.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes.”
“Are you going to give it to me now?”
“Not quite yet.”
He raised up on one elbow. “That’s not fair.”
“I know, but I love teasing you.”