Falling For Her French Tycoon (Escape To Provence 1)

He kissed the base of her throat, then her mouth. “I know a justice of the peace whose funds I’ve managed on the side since my return from Paris. Andre Godin is now a wealthy man. When I ask him to marry us at your house, bypassing the usual waiting time, he’ll do it.”

She hugged him harder. “I’m convinced you can do anything you wonderful, wonderful man.” Nathalie could cry for joy over what was happening.

He gave her another long, hard kiss. “I’m thinking that while we furnish the villa, we’ll stay at a hotel in La Gaude so you’re close to Alain during the transition and can go on working at the pharmacy.”

“Maman will love that.”

“When Raoul’s divorce is final, we’ll have a big party for all our families and friends. Whether my family shows up or not will be up to them. After that we’ll take a honeymoon. For now it will be enough to be your husband.”

It sounded like heaven on earth. Beyond words, Nathalie covered his mouth with her own. Again they were lost in the thrill of knowing they would become one in just a few days. Nothing else mattered.

“I know you need to get home,” he eventually whispered against her lips. “I’ll drive us to the chateau for my car and follow you home.”

“I’ll be fine.”

“Let me be the judge of that. You’re the most precious thing in my life. If anything were to go wrong now, I wouldn’t survive. Do you hear what I’m saying?”

“Yes. Oh, yes!”

CHAPTER TWELVE

r /> ON THE RIDE home from La Gaude, Dominic made a few important phone calls and constructed a list of all the other things he had to do before Sunday. Near midnight, he let himself in the apartment so euphoric over the miraculous outcome at the Guinguet, it took him time to realize Raoul wasn’t there.

Eager to share the news of his impending marriage with his cousin, he texted him. Within a minute his phone rang. He clicked on. “Raoul? I just got home. Where are you?”

“I’ve been in Nice, but I’m back on the estate. See you shortly.” He clicked off fast.

His cousin didn’t sound at all like himself. Raoul’s jubilance of earlier had vanished. Worried about the change in him, Dominic went to the kitchen to make them coffee. They had a lot to talk about.

“Dom?”

“In the kitchen.”

His cousin walked in. “I can’t tell you how happy I am for you, Dom. I knew Nathalie would come around.”

“You had a lot more faith in her than I did.” He put their coffee on the table, but when he glanced at Raoul, he saw a man in pain. “Sit down and tell me what’s wrong.”

“Horace contacted me after I left the bistro and told me I’d better come to his office in Nice because there was a problem.”

“Has Sabine demanded more money?”

“She’s demanding that the two of us go to counseling to try to save our marriage, claiming she still loves me. Her reason is that with professional help we could start over again.”

Dominic sat back in the chair. “Counseling? That doesn’t sound like Sabine.”

“No. It sounds like both sets of parents have gotten together to try to stop the divorce. Hell, Dom!” He shot to his feet, raking a hand through his hair. “No amount of counseling can make me love Sabine. That’s what I told Horace.”

“Does he know about Alain?”

“Not yet.”

“What’s he going to do?”

“Respond with my answer to the judge. But Horace imagines she’ll come back with possibly a hundred million dollars in damages since our family has billions. Horace said he’ll hammer out the best settlement he can.”

“Whatever the judge decrees, you know I’ll help.”

“You’re the best, Dom, but it’s my problem and I’ll have to solve it. One good thing did come out of tonight’s meeting. He’s still asking for the same court date that was set.”