The Unexpected Bride (Montana Born Brides) (17 page)

A couple of days later, and it felt to Emma as if her world had completely changed.
She was taking a huge risk, agreeing to marry Laurent, yet it seemed like a great weight had lifted. She’d acted on her gut, and maybe her instinct had been true.

Evie and Jerome were delirious with joy when they heard that she wasn’t leaving.
Evie, ever prescient, piped up immediately. “Are you going to be our new mommy?”

Emma smiled broadly and said, “Yes!”
She was rewarded by both children flinging their arms around her. “Are you Bobo’s mommy?” Jerome asked tentatively.

“I’m Bobo’s auntie,” Emma replied, and Jerome put his thumb in his mouth while he thought about that.

Emma had been a little concerned how the rest of Laurent’s family might react, but she needn’t have worried: Pascale and Robert appeared delighted, and Ren congratulated her and Laurent with genuine pleasure. Pascale began planning the wedding, the date for which was set in June, and took Emma into town to Married in Marietta, the bridal salon on Front Avenue, to choose her wedding gown.

They entered the salon and Emma took in the charming décor—soft, neutral-colored walls, a plush pink blush carpet, ornate French-style, velvet upholstered chairs, tall vases filled with flowers, all lit by a large crystal chandelier—and the racks of gorgeous dresses in pale satin, tulle and lace. Lisa Renee, a slim, middle-aged woman behind the store counter who was dressed smartly in black, gave them a welcoming smile.

It didn’t take Pascale long to home in on the dress she felt was right for Emma. “
Parfait
!” she exclaimed, holding up the frothy white creation in front of Emma, who eyed it a little warily; she’d had something a little plainer and simpler in mind. But she didn’t want to offend her mother-in-law-to-be, so she took it and headed for the changing room. Pascale waited excitedly outside while she wriggled into the gown, then allowed Lisa to do up the tiny pearl buttons that ran up the back of the bodice. She looked at her reflection in the changing room mirror and was astounded: though the design was not what she would have chosen, she had to admit the dress looked amazing, its strapless fitted lace bodice hugging her body beautifully and revealing her pale creamy-skinned shoulders, the tiered and ruffled skirt flowing out into a romantic fishtail train. She turned and the salon owner held back the curtain for her to step outside onto the shop floor.

“
Magnifique
!” Pascale clapped her hands together and rushed to embrace Emma.

“It’s just gorgeous on you,” Lisa pronounced sincerely.
“And I think I know just the headdress to go with it.” She went off and returned with a large sample book, flipping it open under Emma’s nose. “We can have this made with fresh flowers for you,” she said, pointing to a picture of a simple tiara twined with white, cream and pink roses. “We’ll be using Risa Grant, the florist at Sweetpea Flowers on Main to do it. So may I suggest that you get Risa to make up a matching bouquet for you, too.”

Emma caught sight of herself again in a nearby full-length mirror.
Pascale had judged it exactly right. She turned to the older woman. “Thank you,” she said softly and, noticing that Pascale had tears in her eyes, hugged her again.

With the hullabaloo about the upcoming wedding, the stream of congratulations from well-wishers, arranging for her family to travel over from England and continuing to look after Evie and Jerome to deal with, Emma was busy enough that she was able to push the fact that Laurent seemed a little distant and aloof again to the back of her mind. It wasn’t that he was entirely withdrawn from her; he was affectionate and tactile, and chatted to her about arrangements.
But that was as far as it went. He was bothered by something. She noticed that he was in his workshop a lot once more and heard him go along to his bedroom in the early hours of the morning. There was no talk about
them
, how their married life would be. She knew that something was troubling him, and that she must talk to him soon. No longer would she hang back and wonder what was eating him. A practical relationship such as theirs needed to be nurtured and managed, when there wasn’t quite enough love to cushion the bumps. For a moment, she felt a pang, but then galvanized herself. That was the deal…

Late that evening she came downstairs to get some water before she retired for the night, and saw the light was on in the living area. So, after filling a tumbler from the water cooler, she decided to seize her opportunity. She padded across the hall then stopped.
Laurent had his back to her, sitting in one of the big leather recliners, but she could see that he held a glass of brandy in one hand and held up a photograph frame in the other. It housed the picture of Brooke on her wedding day. He drew the photograph towards him and pressed it to his lips. She felt a punch full of shock and hurt hit her chest. She gasped for breath and the water glass in her hand shook slightly, spilling some of the liquid onto the wooden floor. She turned and quietly fled to her bedroom.

Laurent heard a noise on the stairs and shifted around in his chair.
There was no one there that he could see. Had one of the kids got out of bed? Placing his brandy on the low table in front of him, together with Brooke’s photo, he hauled himself up and went out into the foyer. His socked feet stepped in something wet and he saw a small pool of water on the floor. Emma? He put his hands on his hips, threw back his head, closed his eyes and sighed. Then he let his head drop forward, opened his eyes and made his way back to his chair in the living area. He sat down, leant forward and picked up the brandy glass, but left Brooke’s picture lying face down on the table. He eased himself back into the leather of the chair and took a large gulp of his drink.

He felt numb when he had no reason to.
He was shortly to marry one of the sweetest, gentlest, most beautiful girls he’d ever seen, a woman adored by his kids, his dog and anybody else who came across her. To have her in his bed at long last would be like winning the state lottery. He was about to get what he wanted, and yet he didn’t feel anything now when Emma was finally almost within his grasp.

He leaned forward again and picked up the frame containing Brooke’s photo.
He stared at her sun-kissed features framed by her bridal veil. He wondered if Emma had seen him looking at Brooke, and if that had upset her. Hell! It was like standing on the edge of a canyon. He so wanted to leap from the precipice, jump across the gap into a new life and into the arms of a bride who unexpectedly had come into his life and turned it upside down…That last thought filled him with a pinball of conflicting emotions that bounced off his insides…because he had to leave his old life, and the woman he had loved, behind.

A sudden, unanticipated rush of feelings stirred him.
He knew what he had to do, but he also didn’t know if he could do it. “I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry,” he whispered to the image of his dear-departed wife.

Nearly a fortnight had passed since Emma had seen Laurent kissing Brooke’s picture, and slowly but surely she was drowning in a sea of panic and fear.
She knew for sure now that Laurent would never love her; his heart was still with Brooke. The ray of hope that had, in part, propelled her to accept Laurent’s proposal was extinguished. She was his solution; the unexpected nanny bride who’d warm his bed and bring up his kids. Thoughts began to nag her which she didn’t like. Tom hadn’t wanted her for herself, but for what he thought he could have her do to make himself feel big; Laurent didn’t want her either, but for what he thought he could have her do to make his life simple and secure. The load of laundry she was taking out of the top loader to hang out in the sunny backyard was heavy, but her heart was heavier; she wanted to run, but she couldn’t leave Evie and Jerome and Copper Creek behind. She hated herself for becoming passive and silent again—she and Laurent should be able to talk about this.

She was in the utility room pondering her dilemma and hauling the laundry basket off the washing machine when two strong hands took it from her.

“Hey,” Laurent said softly. “Need some help?” His whiskey-brown eyes were crinkling at the corners and he gave her a small smile, which melted her heart.

“Thanks,” she let go of the basket and followed him outside to the yard. Together they began pegging out the clothes.
Bobo came out to check what was going on and settled down to watch in a patch of morning spring sunshine and lick the fur on his back.

After a while, from behind a bed sheet, Laurent asked, “Fancy taking a walk with me?”

“What, right now?”

“Yeah.
It’s a fine day and there’s something I want to show you. Linda can mind the kids.”

“Okay,” Emma accepted warily, wondering what on earth Laurent could have to reveal to her. Was now the time that he was going to confirm that he would always love Brooke?

When all the laundry was hung out, Laurent moved towards her and put his arm around her shoulders, pressing her to go with him. She tensed at his touch, but went with him all the same. Bobo got up and trotted behind them.

They walked across Paradise Valley in the warm sun, Laurent’s arm still around Emma’s shoulders.
She couldn’t help leaning into the curve of his hard, muscled torso, loving the feel of his strong shoulder against hers. He seemed to press closer to her, too.

“You went into town again early today,” she commented.

“Yeah. I had something I needed to pick up.”

“Problems with River Bend Interiors?
You’ve been going into Marietta a lot these past couple of weeks.” She didn’t mention the nights when he’d come back from town in a cab, smelling of liquor.