Authors: Letty James
Chapter 17
Snow swirled across the garden as Gérard locked the greenhouse. Even surrounded by his plants, he couldn’t find peace. And his rooftop sanctuary only reminded him of making love to Nikki in the pool. Joan Jett bounded in front of him and flopped down on the mudroom floor for a belly rub.
“Shameless hussy.” He rubbed her rabbit-soft fur and envied her nightly perch in Nikki’s bed. How could he have screwed up so badly?
Keeping the truth from her had been a major mistake. She could have helped him corral her sister, contain the bad press, and deal with the whole Milk for Africa problem in an orderly manner. His suspicions of her had been groundless. Jessica had admitted Nikki hadn’t known the story until the day they met in the café and McGowan had corroborated her. It was probably the only time Jessica had told him the truth.
Gérard sat down heavily on the Moroccan leather-covered bench he’d brought back from one of his television travel stints. His celebrity status had not fazed Nikki, except to make her mad when their encounters showed up in the tabloids. He hoped she could stand the fallout from what would happen at their dinner tomorrow. Running his hands through his hair, he stared at the ceiling. He had to let her go—for her own sake. Decision made, he yanked off his boots and massaged his aching feet. Too much time avoiding the inevitable.
With a sigh, he stood up and made his way to his study, because he couldn’t go to bed. He would lie in the dark and want her again. Instead, he poured out two fingers of Green Spot and sipped it as he worked.
Nikki looked at herself in the mirror and didn’t recognize the beautiful woman who stared back at her. The snug bodice and the low back of the blue gown emphasized her attributes in a way that was sure to get attention, but the only attention she craved was Gérard’s.
The silver-spangled overskirt made her feel like she’d captured a piece of the midnight sky. She slipped on silver stiletto sandals, wishing they had wings to carry her away from this dinner. A dinner honoring Gérard, so their fake engagement continued. The press would have a field day if they knew the background of their story. One reporter had shown up at the bakery, trying to spin a story of peasant girl and lord of the manor. That one had hurt, being so close to the truth.
Madame
Guiscard had sat him down for tea and within the span of two slices of chocolate marble cake convinced him it was more of a Prince Rainier and Princess Grace match.
“We have to tell
Madame
the truth,” Nikki had pleaded with Gérard.
“Emmaline wears her heart on her face. We tell her nothing about our relationship. Not even when this whole sordid mess is straightened out. You will go your merry way in pastry training and I will let her down gently.”
A hired mistress. A fake engagement. When would it end?
She was so tired of nothing around her being real. Except her feelings when she was in his arms. Maybe if she could get back into the office, they could work together to settle this Milk for Africa fiasco and he would realize she was indispensable. And he would fall in love with her. And they would live happily ever after. Nikki gave an unladylike snort and smiled ruefully. If she didn’t smile, she’d cry.
As Nikki came down the stairs, her beauty dazzled Gérard. The dark blue dress cinched around the slender waist he could almost span with two hands. He held out his hand to help her down the last step, just for an excuse to touch her.
He turned her hand over to kiss her palm. Little did she know, that’s where she held him. Each day, she drew him in deeper and deeper. This week had been agony with her only steps away. But he dared not touch her until she knew what kind of man he truly was.
Her eyes sparkled and she bit her lower lip. He drew one finger over her cheek.
“Nervous?”
“A bit. Won’t the press be there?”
“Not many. Normally this isn’t a big news-making event.”
She stiffened beside him. “Normally?”
He ran his hand down her arm, wishing they could go upstairs and forget about everything. “They’ll ask you about our relationship.”
“What do I tell them?” Her gaze met his, warily.
He chuckled. “How can we possibly describe it?”
She looked away, studying the pattern in the rug as if it were of vital importance.
He tucked her hair behind her ear and kissed her softly on the cheek, inhaling her fragrance. Something different this time, smokier, more womanly.
“Tell them I can’t keep my hands off you.”
She gave a faint smile as Didier announced the car was ready. Gérard swept up a cashmere wrap and draped it over her shoulders.
“No more fur,” he said teasingly. He closed the car door behind her. The smile dropped from his face.
Nikki, touched by Gérard’s thoughtfulness, fingered the soft wrap. She steeled herself for the night ahead. The only way to get through it would be to enjoy the time they had left.
He settled next to her, his thigh touching hers. Her skin tingled where they touched. The long night ahead would be agonizing if she didn’t clear the air between them. He pulled up files on his electronic tablet and she realized how seldom he stopped working. Maybe he
did
need someone to help him escape from the world. Lightly, she touched his knee to get his attention, and he looked up, one brow raised.
“I’m sorry about all this.” Nikki waved her hand in the air, trying to encompass the entire scope of mess between them. “I should have told you when Jessica called so you could have gone with me. And I should have talked to you before going into your office.”
His hand tightly clasped hers. Once again, he raised it to his lips.
“Merci.”
A shadow of concern passed over his face before he released her hand and placed the tablet aside. Clearly, he doubted her sincerity. He didn’t trust her and she hadn’t proven herself to be worthy of his trust. Why had she ever listened to Jessica? Because she loved her sister and wanted to help her. And, she loved Gérard, too. Everything blurred as she tried to get her emotions under control.
“I must tell you what happened.”
Nikki looked up, startled at his insistent tone.
“Jessica is the one who found out about the problems with the foundation. I wrote the checks, without doing sufficient due diligence. The local aid distribution group assured me they would take care of it. That didn’t happen.” His jaw clenched and he looked down at his hands gripping his knees. Nikki took one hand in hers and squeezed, trying to let him know he was safe with her.
“I fired Jessica, knowing her reputation for drama.” Gérard shook his head. “I should have let her run with it.”
“Often the cover up is worse than the crime.”
He dropped her hand and turned to her. “There was no crime! Not on our part. It’s when it got down to the bottom level—bribes, payoffs, theft, black market dealings. All this showed up during an audit.”
He rummaged in the drink cabinet, then closed it and sat back. “I need to keep a clear head. I need to be able to explain this.”
He wouldn’t look at her, simply stared at the floor. “I started damage control, but kept it quiet, doing what Beauvais Investments could afford on its own. If Beauvais Investments’ backers found out I’d made such a critical error with a charity, I’d lose them all. The cascading effect of one bad decision could be disastrous. I could survive, but what about all my employees? The companies we’ve invested in? I tried to get the other Milk for Africa investors to cooperate and re-organize the effort, but they wouldn’t put any more money into it. I couldn’t turn on them. Many of these people have helped me from the very beginning.” His gaze met hers. “Greed won out with the majority. So, I covered it up, hoping they would eventually step up and help me.”
Nikki sat stunned. No wonder Gérard had been so angry every time he talked about this. It could ruin everything. She had been so naive. The pressure on him was tremendous with the investments, the charities, the television show, and everything else. He needed her support and she had betrayed him. Would he ever forgive her? “I’m sorry for the trouble Jessica and I have caused.”
He gave her a small smile. “I should have listened to both of you.” He took a piece of paper out of his pocket. It was their contract. He took out a pen, slashing the word VOID on it, with his signature, before he handed it to her. “You don’t deserve this mess. Whatever you need, I’ll help you. Pay your salary to work with
Madame
, go to
Le Cordon Bleu
, let me know. I’ll help you get an apartment.”
“Oh.” Nikki took the document and folded it into her purse, her link to Gérard cancelled like a damn business arrangement. All she could think of was how to salvage her pride. Because he didn’t want her anymore. “I’ve decided to go back to the States.”
“What about your job with Emmaline?”
Nikki shook her head. “I’ve realized it was our dream together, Mimi’s and mine. It’s not the same without her.” She gave him a wan smile. “You’ve shown me how exciting international business can be. I’d had a taste of it before. After all, I convinced you, didn’t I? I’m going to go to college and study international relations and get a certificate in translation. Maybe one day, I’ll be on the other side of a deal with you.” With each word, it felt as if her heart were being squeezed as she tried to be practical, cheerful, bloodless.
He studied her, his face grave. “The Sorbonne is an excellent school. You could go to school here.”
“It’s not fair for me to depend on you anymore, Gérard. I do appreciate all you’ve done for me.” She touched his sleeve, feeling the muscles tense underneath.
He leaned his head back against the seat and closed his eyes. “I understand.”
The silence stretched for miles, as the car wound through the dark countryside. Nikki spoke up. “I’m sorry, Gérard.”
“I’m sorry, too.” His voice sounded gruff.
Nikki groped for the tablet on the seat. Gerard opened his eyes and she turned to him and pointed at the display. “You wanted to show me something.”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“It does. Let me help you tonight and then we’ll figure it all out later. Now, who are these people?” She tapped a finger and brought the screen to life.
Gérard leaned forward. “Several of them are our investors, and all of them contributed to the Milk for Africa fund.”
Nikki looked at Gérard in surprise. He had sounded vulnerable, pouring out his story to her. And now, he was simply handing the information to her—the gold mine Jessica had been searching for all along. Confused, she blurted out, “I don’t understand.”
“I’m going to be making an announcement about Milk for Africa tonight and we may have to do some damage control.”
“And now you trust me with this information?” She couldn’t believe it.
“Yes.” His gaze met hers, in command again.
“Why?”
“Because eventually all of this will come out. I refuse to leak it-”
“So you want me to?” she interrupted.
“No.” He looked surprised. “There’s no point in keeping you in the dark anymore. I thought it was only fair. I misjudged the situation.”
“So you admit you were wrong?”
He looked annoyed. “Didn’t I just say that?”
Bending her head down, her hand went to her forehead, hiding her slight smile.
So damn pig-headed.
Both of them. She knew he was talking about Milk for Africa, but wondered if any of his remorse extended to their own relationship, if what they had could even be termed that. She couldn’t tell him how she felt, and he certainly was willing to let her go.
She had gambled and lost, telling him about her plans, and he had graciously, damn him, acquiesced. And now they had to solve this Milk for Africa thing, which had nothing, and everything, to do with them. It had brought them together and now it would tear them apart unless they could get beyond it. And she didn’t know how.
Perhaps threatening him would get some kind of response. “I could blackmail you with this information in exchange for Jessica’s release.”
His eyes narrowed. “You could. But she is free to go at any time. I simply made it difficult for her to interfere.”
“You had her shipped to Scotland, for God’s sake.”
He shrugged. “That’s not jail.” He gave a small nod. “I concede she was right on certain points. I shouldn’t have hidden things this long. Something will be done about it tonight. But it will be done my way.”
“And if I don’t cooperate?”
“That is entirely your choice.”
They entered the glittering ballroom and immediately swarms of people surrounded them. Separated by the pressing crowd, Nikki moved toward the balcony doors, letting the guest of honor enjoy his glory for the moment.
A hand pulled her forward.
Colin McGowan
. She tried to wrench away, but he held her fast, hustling her through the tall glass doors.
“Where’s the list, Nikki?”
“You’re not getting it.”
“Fine.” He thrust a cell phone in her hand. “Somebody wants to talk to you.”
Nikki pressed it to her ear.
“Nikkers, don’t be mad. Colin’s trying to help.”
Damn her sister
.
“He’s not helping at all.” Nikki turned her back to the Scotsman. A bonfire blazed in the field below and Nikki had a vision of never ending chaos in the flames. “Jessica, this has to stop. Gérard said he would make an announcement. Be patient. And tell Colin to back off. He’s not going to get anything out of Gérard by using strong arm tactics, much less trying to ply anything out of me. This has gone too far.”