Chapter Thirty-Seven

“So what do you think?”

Tim waited for his taste bud orgasm to subside before he answered Hope’s question.

He patted his hand against his heart. “I can now die happy.”

“This ice cream is really delicious, Hope,” Angelique said.

Hope beamed. “Glad you like it. I have to say I enjoy watching you eat it.” Her smile dimmed a little. “Now, tell me why you’re here. Lucien called me just before you got here and he spoke more French than English, which happens when he’s upset.” She shrugged. “Or pissed off.”

Angelique winced. “Or both. I don’t suppose you could convince him to stay at L’Enfer.”

“What do you think?”

“I’m surprised he’s not here yet.”

Tim shook his head as he licked the last little bit of rose ice cream off his spoon. The two women really thought Lucien could call the shots.

Tim had other plans. Lucien Durand may be able to get women to dance to his tune. Too bad Durand was going to have to deal with him.

“Well, look at this. My two favorite women in the world.”

Bow down, minion. The magnificent Lucien Durand has entered the house.

Hope rolled her eyes, stood, and went on tiptoes to press a quick kiss to her husband’s cheek. “You’re here even faster than I thought you’d be.”

“I hope there’s still some of that ice cream left. I’m dying to try it.” He went to Angelique. “Ma soeur.” He bent and kissed her cheek.

Tim stood. “Won’t you join us?” Nothing like taking charge of the situation, right?

Lucien turned his head slowly, as if he was drawn to Tim’s gaze like the Enterprise caught in a Klingon tractor beam.

“Tim.”

“Lucien.” He sat back in his chair. “So I imagine you have some questions. I’ll let you know if I’ll answer them.”

“Oh, boy,” Hope said. “Should I go get the first aid kit?”

“Of course not, pichouette. Us, we’re not fighting here. We’re just getting to know each other.”

“In the Gospel according to Lucien, sometimes blood shed is a necessary evil,” Hope said, her tone of voice dry as the Sahara.

“He never changes,” Angelique said. “Lucien, I love you and I can never thank you enough for how you forgave me and supported me, but“

“This isn’t about you,” Lucien told her. “This is all about me getting to know Mr. Pulitzer Prize, King of the Photographers.”

Tim suddenly knew where Lucien was coming from. Lucien worried that he was another user photographer trying to make a meal of Angelique.

Knowledge is power. “It isn’t about you, either. Whatever is between me and Angelique is just thatbetween us. Why don’t you just concentrate on your amazing wife and leave the rest of the world’s love lives alone?”

“You don’t scare easy, you. I admire that,” Lucien said.

“I don’t care if you like me or not, but Angelique is special,” more essential than breathing, “and brother or not, I’m not going to let you interfere in our choices to be together.”

Lucien didn’t look at him, but Tim knew he’d taken control of the conversation, no matter what advantage Angelique’s brother thought he had.

“I’m not done,” Lucien said, tapping the forefinger of his right hand on the table. “You understand that you’ve outed her, vrai? That you’re going to be hounded once you get back to Lobster Cove?”

Angelique frowned. “We’ve been careful. No one can figure out about me living in Maine.”

“Oh.” Hope put her hand in front of her mouth. “Katie and Buck.”

“What about them?” Tim didn’t like the sound of anything involving Katie.

“She knows you’re in Lobster Cove and she’s going to be doing a lot of media now that she and her bastard of a boyfriend are engaged. I wouldn’t put it past her to mention it.”

“That doesn’t make sense.” Tim couldn’t see it. “Katie wouldn’t welcome and reference to a connection between Angelique and Buck. It’s all Katie, all the time in Katie Land.”

“I hope you’re right,” Lucien said. “But I wouldn’t count on it.”

Tim cast a glance at Angelique and his heart clenched. Her eyes were focused on the table, her fingers playing with a napkin. The need to protect her rocketed through him. “I can handle anything Katie can dish out.”

Lucien’s lips barely lifted in a dubious smile. “I sure hope you can. You seem like an okay guy.” He grinned. “I’d hate to have to kill you if you let anything happen to my sister.”

“Understood.” No one would feel worse than Tim himself if he couldn’t protect her.

****

“I don’t want you to worry about Katie.”

Angelique sighed as she looked out the window of Tim’s car. They were making the long trip from Addington to Lobster Cove. “I’m not. Seeing Buck was a surprise, but I don’t know Katie from a hole in the wall. I mean, I know about her from Beth but other than that?” She shrugged. “If she’s half as bad as her reputation, then she deserves everything she gets from Buck.” An awful idea hit her. “I feel sorry for Cookie. I hope everything is okay for her.”

“I don’t think much will change. Nelson is on the road with the Rangers for much of the year so he won’t be around her a whole lot.”

“Oh. Yeah, I suppose so.” They’d just crossed the bridge from Portsmouth, New Hampshire into Kittery, Maine. After leaving Hope’s they’d gone back to the Bed and Breakfast and just cuddled together in the big soft sleigh bed in their room.

He understood that she really wasn’t up for sex after seeing Buck, so he’d taken her into his arms and held her close while she slept.

So much of their relationship had been about sizzling hot sex. This new phase seemed from out of a fairy tale, with all the romance and the comfort.

It was so foreign from anything she’d ever known when it came to men.

No. Not true, she admitted. Shane had given her the same kind of attention Tim gave her now. She hadn’t wanted it.

Water under the bridge, she supposed. It had to be. She wished Shane all the happiness in the world. He deserved it.

“It’s a cliché, but a penny for your thoughts.”

She smiled. “Not much. Just that Shane deserves to be as happy as I am right now.”

Tim’s face softened. “You’re happy?”

“Happier than I have a right to be.”

“Me too. Happier than I have a right to be.”

He didn’t play coy and make her admit that he was the reason she was so happy. He was open and honest and didn’t play games with her. She trusted him, trusted him with her whole heart.

For her it was nothing short of a miracle.