Falling For His Unlikely Cinderella (Escape To Provence 2)

She liked the other woman on the spot.

“I’ve come in time to put you down for the night and read you a brand-new story I know you’re going to like.”

Raoul nodded. “He’s all fed and ready.”

Cami got up to undo the tray and pick him up. But when she went to hand Alain to the nanny, he let out a loud “Non—Non—Cam—” and hugged her around the neck.

Raoul came closer to intervene. He pulled his son out of Cami’s arms and handed him to Delphine. “It’s time for bed, mon fils.”

“Come on, Alain,” the older woman coaxed him. But he didn’t like it and protested. Cami could hear him crying all the way through the house and up the stairs.

She glanced at Raoul. “Oh, dear.”

“He’ll get over it,” Raoul reminded her. “These are early days.”

“He’s adorable.”

“I’m biased and agree.” He sat down. His penetrating black eyes studied her for a long moment. “You said you’d tell me the truth. I want to hear it.”

Unbelievably his cell phone rang, interrupting them. This time he let out what sounded like a curse before he checked the caller ID. In an instant his brows furrowed and he clicked on, then jumped to his feet. After a short conversation, he hung up.

“That was Dominic. He says there’s trouble at the winery and wants to pick me up. He swears it won’t take long. I pray not because I need to talk to you before the night is out. Will you wait for me? Please?”

The urgency in his voice kept her planted there. “Of course. I hope it’s not serious.”

“You never know, but I’ll be back as soon as I can.” He raced through the villa and left out the front door.

A few minutes later the doorbell rang. Was it Raoul? Had he forgotten his key?

Cami hurried to the foyer. When she opened the door, she came face-to-face with a dark-haired attractive woman who had to be Raoul’s mother. She was shorter than Cami would have supposed, but she and her son shared certain facial features around the nose and mouth you couldn’t mistake.

Had she come because of the trouble and wanted Raoul’s help? She’d come with a package she held in her arm.

“May I help you? I’m Cami Delon.”

“How do you do. I’m Madame Fontesquieu and I’ve come to see my son.”

A second visitor. “I’m sorry, madame, but he isn’t here. You just missed him. I don’t believe he’ll be long. Would you like to come in and wait for him?”

“I would. Thank you.”

She’d dressed in a three-piece light green wool suit, the epitome of high fashion, and wore her hair in a becoming short style that revealed streaks of silver near the temples.

Cami showed her into the sitting room off the foyer. “May I bring you coffee while you wait?”

“That would be fine.”

“I’ll be right back.” She hurried to the kitchen and poured her a cup, which she brought back to the sitting room. His mother was wandering around examining everything.

“Here you are.”

The older woman turned around and sat down on the love seat to drink it. “Who are you exactly?”

“I’m a friend of Raoul’s. We met while I was helping clean the villa. I work for Nettoyage Internationale here in Vence with my mother. We’ve been cleaning houses for seven years.” His mother deserved to know the truth.

Her brown eyes narrowed on Cami. “Do you live here?”

That said it all. Raoul had warned her about the talk surrounding him. Sabine must have added her own assumption after coming to the villa. “Non, madame. I live with my mother.”