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Charles’s laughter billowed throughout the room. “The first time, I got caught kissing Marie Du Clare in her stables. That was a big no-no in my days. Her reputation would have been ruined had the news got out. I was a fool back then. Reckless, arrogant. A damn fool, I tell you. No one could tell me anything. My dad threatened if I didn’t offer for her hand, he’d disinherit me. I told him he didn’t have to, I was finished.” Charles stared ahead, a smile on his thin face. Darkness was etched around his own sunken-in eyes, and his hair was long gone from the treatments.
“I lasted all of fifteen days before I came crawling back. Going from luxury to sleeping in Marie’s stalls was not my idea of being carefree. So, I married her. It was a short marriage, but surprisingly happy. I fell in love with her over those few short months.”
“What happened?”
Green eyes glanced at me, going down to his desk. “She and our child died during childbirth.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“Me too.”
He fiddled with his pen as he went back to staring forward. “The second time I was banished was over a falling out with my father. He’d made some very good investments. The money was rolling in faster than we could spend it. He decided that maybe while the income was good, we should leave France and move to America. I’m not sure how many dinners he’d talk about how this place was the future. I was afraid to take the risk. I was afraid to move. I’d been courting another woman at that point. She mentioned she’d never leave France. I stayed for her, once again being banished. That didn’t last though. She met someone else. A man with money. A man who could afford her expensive taste. I stayed in France another three years before I received a letter from my father. He was making it there, and he wanted me to come to America to help him. I did. But at that point I came with my own new businesses, and my own money. I had to do that, Fay. I had to become my own man, outside of what my father had built. It was the only way.”
“I see.” I sat up slowly, weighing his words—relating them to Aimon and what Charles was goading him to do.
“Ice cream?”
A smile came to my face at Mrs. Emmy. I sat up, taking the bowl as she handed it over. I barely had the spoon in my mouth when Aimon burst through the door.
“Don’t say it, grandfather. I got it. It’s mine.”
“What’s yours?” Charles took a bite, watching as Mrs. Emmy walked past Aimon to leave.
“What do you mean?” Aimon’s head shook in confusion. “The dealership! Don’t you remember me telling you I was going to buy it?”
“Oh, that? I didn’t think you were serious.”
“Well, I was, and now it’s mine.”
I took another bite, looking between them. Charles had the best poker face, and Aimon, well, he was a mix of happy and frustrated.
“Ice cream?”
I stood, holding out a spoonful. Aimon’s eyes grew wide as they lowered to my stomach.
“My Gosh…Lucia.” His lips parted as he walked forward, lowering to his knees like he’d done in the hospital. “What happened? How is she growing so fast? You’re always sitting down or hiding behind a table when I come. Did this just happen?”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Aimon.” Charles took another bite. “She grows by the minute. If you came over more, you’d know that.”
“I come over every day.”
“I wouldn’t call that coming over. You walk in and you walk out. That barely counts for being here.”
Aimon let out a deep breath, turning back to my stomach. “Don’t listen to him, Lucia. I’m here at lunchtime every single day. I notice. It’s just hard to see sometimes through those baggy dresses your mommy wears.”
“Hey, they’re comfortable. I don’t like the pressure against my stomach. Neither does she. She’ll go crazy kicking me. These dresses make her happy.”
“You can feel her kick?”
“Come, sit with me.” I returned to my spot on the sofa, pulling Aimon’s hand to my stomach as we settled in. I continued to eat, not surprised when seconds later, Lucia moved. It was still so new, but I’d gotten good at distinguishing what she was doing. “Right here.” I slid his hand to the side of my stomach, cupping it with mine to add the slightest pressure. Lucia immediately pushed against it.
“That.” His face whipped over to me. “That was strong.”
“She’s a Carmelo.”
Aimon’s stare held mine, and for a moment I was sure he was going to kiss me.
“I want her to be one for real. Fayette…”
