“I’m marrying Rene Darois. We’ve been seeing each other quietly for the last couple of months.”
There was a brisk knock on the door she’d left open. Sylvie turned and her mom was standing there wearing a flowy dress and matching headwrap, her dangliest earrings completing the outfit. “She’s saving Rene’s butt is what she’s doing.”
They had talked briefly the night before. She’d stopped by her mother’s place and explained the situation. Before her mother could argue, Sylvie had announced that she had to prep for the movers in the morning and left. She should have known her mom wouldn’t let this happen without registering her opinion.
“Mom, I told you that in confidence. We agreed to keep the truth quiet,” she said with a frown as she packed away the contract.
“Gertie is your assistant, and a trusted one. That means she’s always your coconspirator. Besides, everyone in town is going to know. That cousin of his has been running around telling anyone who will listen that he’s taking over the company. It’s common knowledge that their great-aunt Roberta has a problem with Rene’s unmarried state. She’s been on him to marry since he got out of college. She’s even asked me if I could help.” Her mom strode into the room.
“I forgot she’s into the mystical arts,” Sylvie said with a grin.
“She’s very much a believer in the old ways,” her mother agreed. “Is Quaid trying to get you to sign away all your rights? I can call his mother.”
And she would. Her mother did not mind meddling. “I don’t have any rights, Momma. And mostly that contract is about Rene trying to pay me to help him out. It’s pretty standard. You know he has to protect himself.”
“Not from you he doesn’t.” Her mom crossed to the desk and took the contract out herself.
“Is Charles trying to browbeat Rene into giving him more money?” Gertie asked. “All those do-nothing cousins of Rene’s do it. Why that boy hasn’t walked away, I have no idea. He could. He doesn’t live off his salary, that’s for sure. His mother brought most of the money he has into her marriage. He could walk away from the company and not ever have to work again.”
“I don’t think it’s about money. His great-grandfather started the company,” Sylvie pointed out. “He feels a responsibility to it and to his family.”
When he’d spoken about it, she’d felt the weight on his shoulders. He’d had that weight for years, and then one tragedy after another had added to the burden.
And when she’d told him yes, she could practically feel some of that weight lifted. His eyes had sparkled like she hadn’t seen in years. It should have been a warning to her that this was a desperate man who would say almost anything, do almost anything, to get what he needed—including marrying a woman he could never love.
Instead it had made her want to put her arms around him and hold him close and promise him he wasn’t alone anymore.
“Not to mention the fact that Charles would immediately evict Rene and his mom,” her mother pointed out. “Sylvie is doing this for her, too.”
“He’s trying to kick Cricket Darois out of her own house?” Gertie put a hand to her mouth, her eyes wide.
“I believe the problem is the house technically belongs to the company.” Sylvie glanced down at her phone and Rene had texted her that he was almost to the courthouse, which was right across from city hall.
She was going through with this. She could help her friend. She didn’t have to fall madly in love with him.
“Cricket is the one who truly built that house. The framework might have been there, but it was her money that made it into the jewel it is today. Cricket saved the Darois family back in the early eighties when they needed a big influx of cash.” Gertie proved she knew everything about Papillon history.
“I remember when it was undergoing construction on the east wing,” her mother said, and then her eyes went wide and she looked at Sylvie over the contract. “He’s willing to give you this much stock? Do you understand how much money this is?”
To her mother’s credit, she sounded more worried than excited at the idea of millions of dollars falling into her daughter’s hands. “I do, but that only comes to me if we actually stay married. I think he can figure out his problem in less than three years, and then we’ll decide from there.”
Her mother’s eyes got a bit misty. “I raised you right. There are many women who would stay just to get that money.”
“I’m not one of them. I’m doing this to help Rene.”
Her mother sighed and set the contract down. She moved to embrace Sylvie in one of those big hugs that made her feel like she was a kid again and this woman would slay dragons for her. “You’re also doing this for more reasons than simple kindness.” She pulled back and looked to Gertie. “Could you get that contract back to Quaid for us? I would like a couple of minutes alone with my daughter before she jumps in with both feet.”