by Lee, Nadia
“I want to do another exam in two weeks. Please see the receptionist to schedule your next visit.”
“I will.”
“Again, congratulations.”
Amandine walked out of the office and into the waiting area. Her best friend and personal assistant Brooke de Lorenzo rose from the comfortable white leather couch. She had on an eye-popping outfit, as usual; this one consisted of a sleeveless magenta top, a teal mini-skirt and a golden loop belt. The top was slightly loose, but the skirt was tight enough to show off her butt, the “spoils of the gym” as she called it. Big gold hoops dangled from her ears, her short sassy bob framing a pretty face. Her black platform boots moved silently over the carpeted floor as she approached, two bags hanging from one of her shoulders.
“Everything good?” she asked, her eyes level with Amandine’s. The two of them were the same height, and today so was their footwear.
“No problems.”
“Great. When do you want your next appointment?” She pulled out a tablet.
“Two weeks from now.”
She conferred with the receptionist and nodded. “Okay. Ten o’clock.”
The receptionist tried to hand Brooke a card with the time written on it, but she waved it away. “Got it.” She flashed the fancy tablet and put it in one of the bags.
Brooke and Amandine walked into the elevator together. “I should call Gavin.” Amandine wanted to tell Brooke the news, but of course her husband should be first.
“Okay.” Brooke waited until they reached the lobby, then dialed his number and handed the phone to Amandine.
“You know you don’t have to do phone duty, right?” Amandine said, pressing the stylish gadget to her ear and walking toward her car.
“Gotta earn my keep.”
“I keep you plenty busy with more important things. Like organizing yet another charity function.” Amandine hated fundraisers, but it was something she realized she needed to do as Gavin’s wife. She wasn’t an art teacher anymore.
Gavin picked up on the fifth ring. “Hey, sweetie,” he said.
“I have—”
“I’m in the middle of something. Is it urgent or can I call you back?” he asked, speaking fast.
Did her pregnancy qualify as “urgent?” It might be better to wait until he had some time to digest the news. “Later is fine. Call me.”
“’Kay, bye.”
She handed the phone back to Brooke with a sigh. “He’s busy.”
“He’s always busy. You should’ve told him you want to talk now.” Brooke peered at Amandine. “If you’re calling him, it must be important.”
“It’s okay.” She should’ve known better than to call during the workday.
Brooke took the driver’s seat of the pearly Mercedes coupe Gavin had bought for Amandine on her last birthday and put on a pair of oversized sunglasses. They were shaped like butterfly wings. “I’ll drive. You just relax.”
“Thanks,” Amandine said, shoving some more conservative shades onto her own face. Brooke was one of the best drivers she knew. That was the only reason she’d been able to convince Gavin not to hire a chauffeur.
“So what is it? Not cancer or anything, right?”
Amandine choked, then started coughing. “Of course not. Why would you even think—?”
“Don’t give me that. You looked totally shell-shocked coming out of the doctor’s office.” Brooke’s short but artfully manicured green fingernails tapped the steering wheel. “And you hardly ever call Gavin at work.”
Amandine hesitated, then blurted, “I’m pregnant.”
“Wow! Seriously? Congratulations! I didn’t know you guys were planning to start a family.”
“He wasn’t.” She’d been wanting a family, a couple of children at least to fill their huge mansion, but somehow it had never come up. “I mean, we weren’t.”
“Uh-huh.”
Amandine looked at the semi-congested road ahead and sighed. “I’m just a little worried is all. Gavin’s never said he wanted kids.”
“You should think about what you want, too. That’s what being a couple means, right?” Brooke made a deft turn onto a smaller street with fewer motorists and accelerated. “Anyway, it’ll probably work out.”
“How? Gavin hardly ever has time to spend with me anymore. How will he make time for a child?”
“He’ll figure it out. Children have a way of changing your priorities.” Brooke paused. “You know Sandy and Eugene?”
“Sure. They had a girl last year.” Amandine had sent a large basket of baby goods, with the help of her shopper, Josephine, who’d gone wild in various boutiques, selecting all sorts of cute little things. The woman knew quality, and Amandine had wanted the best for Brooke’s older sister’s first-born.
“Okay, you can’t tell anybody, but…they were thinking about separating.”
Shock shot through Amandine. “Are you serious? They seem so in love.”
“Sandy’s not the type to air her dirty laundry in public, but believe me, they were having problems. Fighting about all sorts of stupid stuff all the time…they’d just about decided it wasn’t worth it, even though a divorce would’ve killed the parents.”
“It must’ve been pretty serious for Sandy to risk disappointing your father.”
Brooke glanced heavenward. “Oh my god, you have no idea.”
Brooke and Sandy’s father had raised his two daughters alone after his wife’s death, working himself to the bone to provide for them. Amandine had spent some time with him when all of them were younger. Though he was one of the nicest people she knew, in some ways he was also one of the most conservative. He wanted his family to be together and happy, and for his elder daughter to divorce would have been a huge blow. Amandine had a feeling that Eugene’s parents were similar.
“Anyway, the pregnancy changed everything. All of a sudden all the little stuff just didn’t seem that important in comparison to this new life and they, you know, kind of re-set their relationship for the sake of the child. And it worked out.” Brooke’s lips twisted in a wry smile. “I imagine they took their counseling and stuff more seriously too, once there was more at stake. So Gavin might do the same, feeling all responsible and fatherly. Which of course means he’ll be home more.”
“Or he’ll just hire an army of nannies.”
“He’ll probably do that too, but his family’s really big on children. All those family gatherings? I can’t imagine Gavin being any different. You see how he treats his nephew, making time for him no matter what.”
“That’s true.” Gavin adored his nephew and spoiled the boy rotten whenever he got the chance. Why would he love his own child any less?
“Who knows? Maybe he’ll indulge the kid so much you’ll end up wanting to kill him for undermining your authority.” They both laughed as Brooke brought the coupe to a stop in front of the heavy wrought-iron gates that marked the entrance to Gavin and Amandine’s estate. She entered the security code into a number pad and placed her thumb against the fingerprint scanner. The gates slid open as the security system accepted her access credentials, and the Mercedes started the long winding drive to the main door of the mansion.
Amandine thought, Wouldn’t that be great? She’d rather have Gavin be a doting, overindulgent father than a neglectful one. That way their child would know it was loved unconditionally. She wouldn’t mind playing bad cop and taking responsibility for disciplining the kid.
“Smile and have happy thoughts.” Brooke stopped the car in front of the pale cream marble steps that led up to the main doors. White ionic columns topped by Corinthian capitals stood sentry on either side. “I sent Luna a text, so I’m sure she’s got something nutritious already made. I’ll put the car in the garage and meet you in the dining room. Don’t forget; you’ve got a meeting with the Art4Kids Foundation board at 2:30.”
* * *
Around midnight a black Bentley pulled to a stop in front of the mansion and Gavin emerged from the rear. “
Thanks, Thomas.”
“My pleasure, sir. Good night.”
Gavin watched as the car traveled along the long looping driveway and disappeared around the curve that led to the garage in the back. Thomas worked a hectic schedule to accommodate Gavin’s even crazier one. But in the eight years he’d been on the staff he’d never once complained about the hours. Fortunately for everyone, Thomas had an understanding wife who appreciated the generous pay and benefits that allowed her to be a stay-at-home mom.
Gavin remembered that the youngest of their three children was autistic. Thomas should get a big Christmas bonus and raise for the next fiscal year. He’d earned it, and his family would put it to good use.
Only one lamp was lit by the door. There used to be more lights in the evening, but Amandine had thought it wasteful.
“Darling, we can afford it,” Gavin had told her.
“Still… Let’s not be frivolous with electricity.”
So one light it was. He didn’t mind. Whatever made her happy was fine by him.
He unlocked the door. Their housekeeper, Luna, didn’t come out to greet him. She never stayed past dinner-time unless he or Amandine specifically requested it. He walked up the winding steps to the master bedroom suite on the second level, his dress shoes clattering on the cool marble floor.
The master bedroom suite was what had sold Gavin on the mansion five years earlier. The room was big, with three ceiling fans and windows that looked out to the green and lush garden surrounding the house. He’d had the walk-in closet and bathroom redone before moving in. After the marriage, he’d told Amandine to redecorate if she wanted, but she’d declined, saying everything was already perfect.
A night-light provided just enough illumination for him to see inside the bedroom. Amandine was curled up in bed, her breathing deep and even. She looked so small and vulnerable in sleep. Carrying his shoes, he walked across the freshly waxed hardwood floor carefully, trying not to wake her up. He slipped inside the big walk-in closet, shed his clothes and went into the bathroom to brush his teeth.
As the pungent taste of mint coated his tongue, he suddenly realized he’d never gotten a chance to call Amandine back. He’d wanted to know why she’d called even though she’d said it wasn’t urgent. Damn it. He rinsed his mouth. Too late to talk now. He should’ve stopped the meeting for a few minutes and spoken with her. As his wife, she deserved it.
He wouldn’t have time to linger around in the morning. His first appointment was at seven thirty sharp, and she seemed to be sleeping in these days.
He crawled into bed, and she moved over and curled against him. She was all softness and fresh apple, and his cock swelled. It’d been close to two months since they’d had sex. Damn it, he wished it weren’t so late so he could seduce his wife. And he wished he didn’t have to work so much, so he could spend more time with Amandine, but he needed to watch over everything at work to ensure nothing unexpected happened. Then there were the charities and foundations he supported. Thankfully Amandine had taken over many of them, but that still didn’t free him from the hours he needed to devote to them.
Her left hand rested on his bare chest. The sapphire and diamonds on her finger gave a muted sparkle in the night light. They looked good on her—perfect actually. The ring had belonged to his grandmother, who had been the greatest love of his grandfather, and it seemed apt that Amandine wore it now. Did she have any idea how much he wanted to spoil and coddle her?
A small frown appeared on her brow, and he kissed it, willing it away. Her happiness was paramount to him, yet no matter what he did, he couldn’t help but sense a vague undercurrent of dissatisfaction from her. However, every time he gently probed, she smiled the maddeningly serene smile of hers and said nothing was wrong…while her eyes grew remote and guarded.
One more hectic day for him, then they’d have their anniversary to enjoy. His schedule was insane right now, crammed with so much work. Still, it was worth it to spend the afternoon and evening of their anniversary together, even though it was a work-day and he rarely took time off. As much as he needed to be in the office, he couldn’t dismiss a sense of unease that his wife was slipping away from him.
If you remembered to do things like call her back, she might not be slipping away. You need to figure out how to make up for not returning that call.
How should he make amends? He scowled as he mentally flipped through his calendar—no free slots for a while. Going to a concert or to an art gallery opening was out.
The second-best thing to offer would be a week-long stay in Paris for her and Brooke. Though the latter was her assistant now, she’d been Amandine’s best friend since forever. Gavin had hired her mainly because Amandine trusted her.
An all-expense-paid trip should make up for whatever slight Gavin had caused earlier that day. Women would forgive almost anything for some luxurious girl time and good shopping. And he was certain Amandine would too…especially when she saw her anniversary present.
Chapter Two
AMANDINE OPENED HER EYES and frowned when she realized she was alone in bed. She reached out and touched the indented pillow next to hers. Okay, so Gavin had come home, but not for long. She’d stayed up until around eleven before finally giving up and turning in. The bedside clock said it was eight thirty.
Next to it, she saw a small memo. It read:
Sorry I got home so late. Why don’t we talk later today? I’m taking the entire afternoon and evening off.
G
She put the edge of the paper to her lower lip and smiled slowly. Gavin seldom took time off, not even for his own birthdays. His job kept him too busy.
The note explained why he’d been working so much over the last two weeks. Well, he didn’t have to know about the pregnancy immediately. She’d gotten a reservation at La Mer, one of the most exclusive restaurants in the city, and would announce the good news at dinner.
Full of happy expectations, she hopped out of bed…then sat right back down when the room spun and her vision dimmed for a moment.
What the…? She’d never felt dizzy like this before. Was it because of the pregnancy? Well, Dr. Silverman could tell her more about what it meant at their next appointment. Amandine didn’t want to ruin the day by calling or going back to the doctor’s office.
She stood up carefully, and everything remained normal. After shrugging into an ivory silk robe and matching fuzzy slippers, she shuffled down to the kitchen. Every appliance was modern, stainless and had more features than anybody could possibly find a use for. Dozens of polished copper pots and pans hung from hooks. She’d never used copper to cook with, but apparently it was the best there was. Not that she’d know—cooking was Luna’s responsibility.
Luna stood over the gleaming marble counter, her tall, sturdy body wrapped in a practical sky-blue cotton shirt and dark capri jeans. Unlike some other households, Amandine and Gavin didn’t ask their staff to wear uniforms, which Gavin thought was a waste of money and Amandine found pretentious. Besides, Luna was like family.
Luna looked up, her practiced hands beating some eggs in a metal bowl. “Good morning,” she said with a cheery grin. “Breakfast will be ready soon.”
“Thank you.”
She dumped the mixture onto a hot frying pan and handed Amandine a cup of organic jasmine tea.
Amandine sat on a padded stool and watched Luna work. The marble island had a big sink and a cutting board on it, but nothing else. Very different from her old kitchen, where bread, cookies and fruit had covered every square inch of the worn Formica counters. The mansion had a proper place for everything.
A young man Amandine had never seen before came in with a vase of fresh-cut daisies. He smiled shyly, placed the flowers on the island and ducked out.
“Who’s that?” Amandine asked as Luna set scrambled eggs and toasted whole-wheat bread in front of her.
“George. He’s new.” A Lazy Susan with almond butter and four jars of jam appeared next to Amandine’s plate.
/> “What happened to Julio?”
“Fired.” Luna’s mouth firmed. “Late too much.”
Poor Julio. Amandine didn’t have the heart to fire anybody, but it was Luna who had to deal with employees who didn’t pull their weight. So she always let the housekeeper take care of staff issues.
“Would you like some juice? Freshly squeezed.”
Her mouth full, Amandine nodded. It still amazed her how much money her husband spent to ensure she wouldn’t have to lift a finger. Her meals were prepared for her, and then everything was cleaned after she finished eating. The house was spotless and dust-free, the garden impeccable. If he could, he would have hired someone to breathe for her.
A part of her wished he’d stop. Granted she wasn’t the kind of woman he was used to, and he hadn’t anticipated marrying someone so…ordinary. He probably felt like he had to do something to ensure she wouldn’t embarrass the two of them among their friends and family, but it’d been three years. Surely he could relax a little?
She should talk to him about reducing the staff and cutting back on her clothing budget. She also wanted to decrease the number of fundraisers she did for his various foundations and charities and spend more time on her art. She hadn’t painted much since their marriage, and was dying to use the studio he’d had built for her.
Gavin should be all right with all of that. Whenever she asked him for something, his general response was, “Sure. Whatever you want.”
Yet something about the answer had always bothered her, like he didn’t care enough to raise an objection. Which didn’t make any sense—she should be happy Gavin was so accommodating…shouldn’t she? Did she want a dictatorial husband who objected to her every wish?
Come on, Amandine. Don’t be contradictory. It’s like you’re itching for a fight.
Brooke would blame it on hormones, if Amandine told her. Which she wasn’t going to do.