‘Yes.’ The word felt like a dry stone in her mouth. ‘That’s what I want.’
‘Fine.’ He let out a breath that sounded horribly, distressingly like relief. ‘I won’t make any announcements to the press until after Christmas. I don’t want to compromise your modelling contract.’
That was the least of Angelique’s worries. She was already trying to think of a way out of it. ‘Thank you.’ She pressed her lips together as she gathered up her bag.
She would not cry. She would not beg him to let her stay. She would not tell him she loved him only to have him mock her. ‘Will you say goodbye to the others for me? I don’t want to create a scene.’
He gave a rough-sounding laugh. ‘What? No big dramatic exit? You surprise me. That’s not the Angelique Marchand I know.’
Angelique turned at the door and gave him a glacial look. ‘Then perhaps you don’t know me as well as you thought.’
As exit lines went, it was a good one. The only trouble was she could barely see where she was going for the tears that blurred her vision.
But she resolutely blinked them back and walked out of the villa and out of Remy’s life without anyone stopping her.
And she wouldn’t be coming back.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
‘BUT YOU CAN’T possibly spend Christmas on your own!’ Poppy said. ‘Rafe, darling, will you tell your impossibly stubborn brother he’s got to be with us? He won’t listen to me.’ Her bottom lip quivered as tears shimmered in her eyes. ‘I can’t bear the thought of anyone spending Christmas all alone.’
‘It’s nothing to get upset about,’ Remy said, feeling like a heel for triggering Poppy’s meltdown. ‘I just don’t feel like socialising, that’s all.’
Rafe put his arm around Poppy and drew her close. ‘Poppy’s feeling a bit emotional just now, aren’t you, ma petite?’
‘I think we should tell him,’ Poppy said with a little sniff.
‘Tell me what?’ Remy said, looking between the two of them.
‘We’re having a baby,’ Rafe said with a proud smile. ‘We found out a few weeks ago but didn’t want to overshadow Raoul and Lily’s wedding. We were going to wait until they got back from their honeymoon to announce it at Christmas.’
Remy’s smile pulled on the tight ache in his chest that had been there since he had set Angelique free. ‘Congratulations. I’m happy for you. That’s great news.’ He even managed a short laugh. ‘How about that? I’m going to be an uncle.’
‘Will you please come to us for Christmas?’ Poppy pleaded. ‘I know you don’t want to be anywhere near your grandfather just now, but we’re supposed to be a family. It won’t be the same without you there.’
It won’t be the same without Angelique there.
Remy thought of the cosy family scene Poppy was so keen to orchestrate: wonderful cooking smells and warm fires in every room. A fresh pine-scented Christmas tree decorated with colourful bells and tinsel with thoughtfully chosen and artfully wrapped presents for everyone beneath it. His brothers and their wives would be talking non-stop about brides and honeymoons and babies. The photos from Raoul and Lily’s wedding—where Angelique’s absence in them would cause him even more pain—would be pored over and he would sit there being the odd one out—along with his grandfather, of course.
He’d rather be on his own than suffer that.
‘Sorry, but I have other plans.’
‘I wonder what Angelique has planned,’ Poppy said as she handed back Rafe’s handkerchief. ‘Maybe I’ll invite her. Do you think she’d come now that you’re not going to be there?’
Remy frowned. ‘Why would you invite her?’
‘Why shouldn’t I invite her?’ Poppy gave him a haughty look. ‘I loved her the minute I met her. So did Lily.’
‘You spent all of five minutes with her!’
‘Maybe, but it was enough to know she’s a lovely person.’
‘I never said she wasn’t.’ Remy caught his brother’s look. ‘Lately, I mean.’
‘Did you know she’s cancelled the bridal wear contract?’ Rafe said. ‘It will cost her a fortune to get out of. One of the designers is threatening to sue.’
Remy felt his stomach drop. ‘Where did you hear that?’