Lexi said nothing.
After another moment, Asha said gently, “You don’t belong in Paris, Alexis. You belong in Atlanta with Quentin. Or have you already forgotten my New Year’s toast?”
That startled a laugh out of Lexi. “I haven’t forgotten it,” she said dryly. “I doubt that any of your guests have.”
“Well, darling, I hopethey’redoing a better job of fulfilling it than you are.”
Lexi’s smile faded, and she let out a shaky breath. “It’s complicated.”
“Love always is.” Asha took a languid sip of wine. “How’s your mother doing?”
Lexi swallowed. “I don’t know. I haven’t spoken to her in months.” She’d ignored all her mother’s attempts to reach her, even when Carlene had left tearful, rambling messages begging Lexi to return home. She wasn’t ready to let her mother back into her life. She didn’t know if she ever would be.
Watching the play of emotions across her face, Asha murmured, “Your mother is a bitter, ignorant woman—”
Lexi bristled defensively. “Now hold on—”
“—who happens to love you very much,” Asha finished quietly.
Surprised, Lexi stared at her.
Asha smiled ruefully. “We’re not so very different, your mother and I. We both made the mistake of trusting the wrong men, and we allowed our mistakes to define the type of mothers we would become.” She paused. “Someday you should ask Samara about the history of our relationship. Ask her how she found it in her heart to forgive me for abandoning her.”
Lexi regarded Asha for a long moment, then nodded slowly. “I will.”
“Good.” Asha touched her cheek. “Have you been back to Burgundy?”
Lexi shook her head. “I can’t,” she whispered.
Asha gave her a gentle, intuitive smile. “That’s the thing about memories,chère. They follow you wherever you go. But not just the bad ones. The good ones, too.”
Chapter 21
His was the first face she searched for when she arrived at the party.
When she found him, her heart skidded to a complete stop.
He was playing with Savannah, gently hefting her into the air and making goofy faces at her. The baby’s delighted gurgles and squeals blended with his deep, rumbling laughter, a sound that was pure music to Lexi’s starved ears.
Drawing a deep breath to shore up her courage, she started across the crowded room, which was filled with friends and family members who had gathered to celebrate Sterling’s sixty-seventh birthday. Even as Lexi exchanged smiles and greetings, she kept her gaze trained on Quentin.
As she neared him, he turned and gently handed the baby to his mother, who’d been standing beside him awaiting her turn to hold Savannah.
From across the room, someone called out a boisterous greeting to Lexi. Quentin glanced up sharply, his gaze sweeping over the crowd. When he saw Lexi, those hazel eyes widened in surprise.
They stared at each other for the space of three breathless heartbeats before his expression grew shuttered and he glanced away.
As Lexi approached on rubbery legs, Georgina Reddick beamed a smile at her. “Alexis! Welcome home!”
Lexi smiled warmly. “Hello, Mrs. Reddick. It’s good to see you.” She hugged her, then kissed the top of Savannah’s curly head before meeting Quentin’s remote gaze.
“Hey,” she said softly.
“Alexis,” he murmured.
No smile, no hug for her. She might as well have been a stranger.
Seeking to cover the awkward moment, Georgina grinned at Lexi. “I know this is your goddaughter, but I’ve been patiently waiting to get my turn to hold her, so you can’t have her yet.”
