Raoul flashed Nathalie another glance. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Dominic walked him to the door. After his cousin left, he turned to her, but he looked like a different person. The lines around his compelling mouth had disappeared, but he didn’t say a word to her, making her uncomfortable.
“Dominic, I wouldn’t have come if I’d known you were busy.”
“I asked you to come. My cousin only dropped by for a minute.”
“Why are you staring at me like that?” She didn’t understand.
“Because you’re even more breathtaking than when we swam in the lagoon.”
So was he. She swallowed hard. “You said in your text that you had some information for me I’ve been wanting.”
Nathalie heard his sharp intake of breath. “You don’t have to believe me, but until just a little while ago I thought I might have found the man you’ve been looking for. But my source was mistaken.”
“I believe you because I know you wouldn’t make that up.”
“Thank you for that,” he said in a thick-toned voice. In the next breath, he walked over to his desk and handed her the envelope with her paycheck. She put it in her purse.
“How are things going with your cousin?”
“It’s a waiting game until his court date. His wife is fighting to stop the divorce.”
“That’s awful.”
He grimaced. “Other things are worse, like not being able to see you anymore. Are you really planning to go through your whole life putting your personal life on hold while you wait to find the man who disappeared without a trace?”
Don’t.
“I—I shouldn’t have come and need to get home.” Her voice faltered. “Thank you for the check.” She started for the door.
“Just know that when you leave, there’s a man here who’s aching for you. That ache isn’t going to go away.”
She knew all about the pain he was describing. Nathalie hurried out of the building to her car. The situation had become impossible.
To add to her turmoil, there was the shocking realization that Raoul Fontesquieu could have been Antoinette’s lover. The thought wouldn’t leave her alone.
On the way home, she went over the conversation with Dominic when he’d told her about Raoul’s unhappy marriage.
“I’m so sorry. Did they love each other before they got married?”
“He’d been seeing her, but hadn’t proposed marriage. Both their families wanted it desperately. One night he met a girl and overnight fell deeply in love with her, wanting marriage. But by then Sabine was pregnant.
“Raoul only slept with her once, but he did the noble thing and married her. Sadly he had to cut everything off with the girl he loved. Then their baby died. He buried his heart with his little girl. Since the funeral there’s been an emptiness in him that worries me.”
“I can’t imagine so much pain.”
“You’re not a Fontesquieu.”
The same looks ran in some families. Sometimes it was astounding. The Fontesquieu men were incredibly handsome in a similar way that made them unique. But she had to be realistic. Although Alain had many of their traits, he might not belong to any of them and probably didn’t.
It was imperative she put all this behind her for good.
What her family needed was a vacation. They hadn’t been anywhere since her stepfather died, and ought to go someplace far away with Alain.
When she arrived at the house to discuss it with her mother, she discovered Tante Patrice and Oncle Tommaso had dropped in for a visit. They were playing with Alain. He laughed so hard he got the hiccups.
Nathalie loved their extended family and got into the mix, spending a wonderful evening with them. She caught up on their news about her two cousins who were married and had children. One of the little girls named Angelique had just had her second birthday. She and Alain could play together.