Falling For His Unlikely Cinderella (Escape To Provence 2)
“Yes!” Cami cried excitedly. “You know that word and are so smart.” She leaned over to give him a hug. Though Raoul’s thoughts were on Jerome, he watched her take Alain on a little walk, talking to him the whole time. Her tenderness with his son touched him to the core.
In a few minutes they walked back to the car and got settled. He turned to Cami. “Let’s take him home and start a fire.”
“I won’t be able to stay. Maman and I have an early cleaning job.” She was trying to act unaffected, but he saw the little nerve throbbing in her throat.
“How about my coming by for you tomorrow at five thirty? I won’t press you about getting married, but I’d like an explanation of why you can’t even talk about it. If you’re no longer interested in me, I have to know the truth, whatever it is.”
“I have a better idea. I’ll come to the villa so you don’t have to leave Alain. We can talk, but I won’t be able to stay long.”
“Thank you for that.”
When they reached his house, she got out first. Maybe it was a trick of light, but he thought she’d lost some coloring. “Au revoir, petit,” she called out to Alain before shutting the door.
CHAPTER NINE
THIS AFTERNOON CAMI’S world had been completely transformed. She’d been with Raoul and Alain. It had felt like they were a family. He made her want things that were impossible, increasing her pain. She was in turmoil by the time she entered the apartment Sunday evening.
“There you are. I wondered when you’d get home.”
“I went to the cemetery with Raoul and Alain. He wanted to put flowers on his great uncle’s grave. I had the time of my life, and no, I still haven’t told him about my heart condition. Please don’t remind me it was a mistake.”
“I wasn’t going to say anything.”
“I keep making them. Tomorrow I’m going to make one more and see him after work.” He worried that she wasn’t attracted to him anymore. If he only knew the truth.
All she could do was tell him she wasn’t ready to talk about marriage. She had to be sure before she could make a commitment like that, and hoped he could deal with it. “But it will definitely be for the last time.” At least until the operation was over and she knew anything concrete.
“Since you’re getting so attached to the boy, it’s probably better for him that you won’t be there after tomorrow.”
For him and for me.
Her mom knew she’d fallen fathoms deep in love with Raoul and his son, but she’d chosen the right words to bring her back to earth in a hurry.
“That’s what I’ve been telling myself.” Cami poured herself a drink of water. “How was your day?”
“We cleaned a house that had been damaged by a flood.”
“We’ve done ones like that before. I hope it didn’t hurt your shoulders too much.”
“I’m fine. It’s you I’m worried about. I’m not going to let you go to work on Tuesday. You need a day’s rest before you go into the hospital.”
Her love for Raoul wouldn’t let her rest, but the surgery wouldn’t be long now. Then what. Oblivion?
* * *
When Raoul saw Cami’s car out in back, he got up from the table to open the back door for her. She’d come in jeans and a tan sweater, this time with her hair put back in a chignon. She was gorgeous no matter how she did it.
Alain called out to her from his high chair when she walked in the kitchen. Cami hurried over to the table and sat down by him.
“There’s my boy,” she said, giving him a kiss. “It looks like you’ve eaten all your dinner.”
Just then an older woman came in the kitchen. She looked at Cami. “You must be la fameuse Cam.”
“Delphine LaVaux?” Raoul spoke up. “Let me introduce you to Cami Delon.”
Cami chuckled, enjoying the woman’s sense of humor. “It’s very nice to meet you, Delphine. You have charge of a very precious little boy.”
“You’re right,” the Parisian woman smiled. “We’re slowly getting acquainted.”