“We’re leaving early this evening,” Andre replied.
“A short trip then.” Jim Gordon pretzeled his arms over his chest. “It’s too bad you have to leave so soon. I’m sure Nola could’ve whipped up something marvelous for dinner.”
“Next time.” Andre felt Tasha stiffen and cuddled her closer to him. “Would you like to tell them, mon trésor?” he whispered the words against her ear. “Or shall I?”
“I will,” she said with far less confidence than she typically had. She sucked in a breath and blew it out between her closed lips. “Mom. Dad. Andre and I are getting married.”
“Married?” Jim repeated in a crumbling voice. His gaze drifted from Tasha to Andre and back to Tasha again. “I had no idea you two were that serious.”
“Well I think it’s wonderful!” Nola beamed with pride. “I couldn’t be more pleased.”
Huh? That was the last thing Tasha expected to hear from her mother—the consummate stage mother.
“Will you be getting married here in the States, or France?” Nola took over the conversation, effectively cutting off Tasha’s father.
“Both, actually,” Tasha said. Her father went stone-faced and cleared his throat. No matter what she said from here on out, she doubted her father would be happy. But it mattered little. She and Andre were getting married. She was pregnant. Once she revealed that, then and only then would her father jump reluctantly on board. “Mom. Dad. We’re getting married this afternoon.”
“What?” Her father’s objection was clear in his tone.
Andre took his arm from around Tasha’s shoulder and scooted to the edge of the couch. “Mr. Gordon, Jim…I love Tasha very much. And I promise you that I will always take care of her. My only goal in life will be her happiness.”
“Of that, I have no doubt.” Her father had plastered on his poker face, but Tasha knew, inside he was steaming. “But I can’t help but wonder if you two should take a little more time to consider this.”
“We can’t, Daddy.” Tasha dropped her gaze to her lap.
“And why not?”
“Because…” Tasha paused and pushed her gaze to Andre. “We’re gonna have a baby.”
Normally, being stuck in the back room of a hotel suite, alone with her mother would set Tasha on a track that led to the far side of distress. But today, the day she would become Mrs. Andre de Laurent, Tasha found her mother’s presence somehow comforting.
Nola Gordon wasn’t doing anything particularly useful, other than sitting on the edge of the bed while Tasha touched up her make-up. But seeing her mother’s reflection in the mirror gave her some peace.
Maybe it was the approval thing. All her life, Tasha had wanted nothing more than her mother’s approval, for her mother to be proud of her.
“Mom, please say you’re happy for me. That you’re not disappointed…even if you don’t mean it.” Tasha paused, holding the eye shadow brush next to her face, and looking at her mother’s reflection in the mirror.
“Tasha, of course I’m happy for you.” Nola beamed with a bright-eyed smile. Tasha thought her mother might be about to burst. “You’ve really hit the jackpot with Andre.”
While she’d hoped her mother would add something like, “Andre is a wonderful man, and very deserving of my little girl.” But Tasha knew that was more likely to have been something her father would have said. Nevertheless, Tasha was happy. And she was determined to not let her mother’s lack of pride in her spoil the day.
Tasha finished her eye make-up and as she swabbed on some blush, she said, “I just didn’t know if you’d think I was giving up on acting to marry Andre, and be disappointed in me.”
Nola pushed herself up from the bed and latched on to Tasha with a boisterous hug. “Honey, you’ve landed the biggest role of your life. And I’m banking that everything I’ve taught you will help you turn in an Oscar-worthy performance.”
Gawd, Mom, this isn’t an act. This is my life. Your grandchild’s life that we’re talking about. Tasha reminded herself that she’d silently vowed not to do or say anything to offset the balance of this day. A day that she was determined to remember as perfect. She sucked in a deep, and hopefully cleansing breath, looked up at her mother and smiled. “I’m glad that we’re in agreement. Marrying Andre is the right thing for me to do.”
“And more than that—” Nola’s biting tone ripped through Tasha. “See to it that you don’t do anything to muck it up.”
A quiet breeze drifted past Nola Gordon as she and her husband stood at the entrance of the Shoreline Hotel with their daughter and her new husband. The ceremony had been quick, but legal. Nola couldn’t have been prouder of her new son-in-law.
A limo pulled up to the curb, stopping in front of the party. It would transport Andre and Tasha to the airport for the lengthy flight to Marseilles, France—Tasha’s new home.
Tasha hugged Jim first. “Daddy, I’m so glad you and Mom could come today.”
“We wouldn’t have had it any other way.” He smiled at Tasha.
As Tasha moved toward Nola, Andre offered his hand to Jim. “I’m eternally grateful that you and Mrs. Gordon could come out today. It means as much to me as it does Tasha.”
“The pleasure was ours, Andre.” Jim gave him an approving nod. “I trust you’ll take excellent care of my daughter.”
A nervous chuckle reverberated from Tasha as she reached for her mother. Nola pulled Tasha to her and hugged her tightly.
“Mother, I’m so glad you and Daddy were with me today.” Tasha embraced her a little tighter than usual, which surprised Nola. Tasha kept her arms entwined loosely around Nola. “Promise me you’ll come to France when the baby’s due.”
“Tasha…” Nola hugged her again. “Of course I want to be there for the last weeks of your pregnancy and the first weeks of my new grandchild’s life!”
“Any time you want to come over…” Tasha paused and glanced at Andre, asking, “You will send a plane for them, won’t you?”
“Of course, we will.” Andre stroked Tasha’s arm lovingly. “In fact, we’ll send a jet for them later next week for the wedding in France.”
Excitement stirred in Nola’s stomach as she shared a quick glance with Jim. His slight nod indicated he understood that she wanted to go. “I’ll make time for it.” Jim looked at Andre. “Just let us know the flight details.”