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Charlotte rolled her eyes. “Ivy is five. She won’t have a boyfriend for quite some time, and while women's things will come faster than you’d like, you still have a lot of time. You don’t need a wife. You need a few books.”
“I panicked and told her I was engaged and that my fiancée was more than willing to step in and help.”
That sounded like something Charlotte would do; she was often known to act quickly without considering the consequences, so it was easy to envision and empathize with that situation. Her sympathy for Bastien was growing deeper, along with her affection for him. He was less and less a stranger, and she couldn’t help but like him more and more.
“And now you need a wife,” she said.
“Well, a fiancée. It would be better if I didn’t have to go through with the marriage, but I will if I need to. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep Ivy with me.”
“Again, why not hire a bunch of lawyers?” She snickered. “Probably cheaper than a wife. Obviously, this isn’t a long-term deal, and divorce is expensive and messy.” She understood why an army of lawyers wasn’t the best first move but thought lightening the mood with a joke might take the edge off a little.
He leaned back in the antique wooden chair, its frame creaking in protest against his athletic body. He clasped his hands behind his head and fixed her with a stare. “It’s not a real marriage,” he said, “just a marriage of convenience.” His muscular arms and strong chest created a pleasant view that did not escape Charlotte’s attention, along with his fixed gaze. She redirected her focus to the conversation.
“That sounds pretty inconvenient,” she said as she pondered what it meant to be in a sham marriage. Was it only for formality and on paper, living separately, or was it a marriage in every sense with a fast expiration date and a hefty payout? Would he be willing to pose naked for prospective wives? Should she try him first so she could offer an actual endorsement?Focus, Charlotte!she admonished herself silently. No more wine for tonight.
“It’s not ideal, but it’s for Ivy, and I’d do anything for her.”
She suddenly loved that about him. From what she could see, Bastien would make a great husband. “Why are you so against marriage?”
“I’ve never seen a happy one.” A growl rasped from his throat. “Can you believe she’s using her marriage to my father—a man who didn’t even show up to his daughter’s funeral—as a selling point to take Ivy?”
Charlotte hadn’t even thought about Bastien and Chloe’s father. She supposed it was good he wasn’t hovering to take Ivy away, too. “How long have they been married?” Charlotte asked.
“Fifty years,” Bastien replied grimly.
“That’s commendable.” Fifty years of marriage was something to be admired. While she couldn’t understand why Bastien’s mom was so adamant about taking Ivy, she could appreciate her desire to keep their family together.
“Look, my mom isn’t a horrible person; truth be told, she wasn’t even a horrible mother, or at least that wasn’t her intention. She was the product of upper-class self-absorption, and so-called values that forced her to marry at a young age after a ski trip to St. Moritz led to a romance which led to a missed period and then me and a shotgun wedding.”
“But they stayed married for fifty years, so it must have been okay.”
“I’m sure she thought she could love my father. It worked out on paper, but not in real life.”
Charlotte thought about what marriage had looked like for Bastien’s mom. Fifty years ago, women didn’t have children out of wedlock—not nice, refined women. “She’s a product of the times.”
“Maybe. All I have to say is she figured it out mighty fast and forged a future for herself. She hired nannies and followed my father around the world to keep their fragile alliance together.”
“And you felt abandoned?”
“I was abandoned, but maybe she and I aren’t all that different. Maybe she did what she did for what she considered the greater good. I’ll do the same for Ivy.”
Charlotte had seen a lot in her fifty years. She’d seen families like the Browns destroy their children’s lives in order to continue the family fortune. She’d seen relationships ruined for property, money, and appearances.
“Did she ever try to get close to you and your sister?”
“Early on, she was on the high-speed train of endless social engagements, charity work, travel, and high society fundraising events to save everything from whales to lost masterpieces. Holidays, semi-annual family vacations, and school visits afforded the semblance of being engaged in our lives, but we didn’t see it that way. It always seemed like Chloe and I only had each other.”
Charlotte thought about living in a home where she didn’t feel loved and couldn’t imagine it. She’d been the apple of her parents’ eyes.
“One thing is certain. You both learned how to be independent.” It was the single fault she could place on her parents. As an only child, they’d doted on her and ensured she always had enough, but she rarely had to do anything for herself. She’s never learned to be independent. Even after their deaths, they’d set her up for success, and she’d messed that all up.
“We learned our place early on, and it wasn’t sitting on mommy’s lap.”
“But they’re still married. That says something.”
“I suppose it does,” he said. “It speaks to their stubbornness to give up anything, including a failed marriage. My parents haven’t seen each other in years. Theirs is a different kind of fake marriage. I’m fairly certain my father believes it’s cheaper to keep her. Maybe my mom is in the camp that it’s better to stay with the devil you know.”
She’d never understand that. Her parents were married for over forty years before her father passed. She couldn’t remember when they were apart except to go to work and run to the store.
