“I was never fully confident that you’d go along with my original plan to begin with. Let’s face it, asking a girl you love to marry you for one year is rather audacious.” A muscle quivered at his jaw. “I knew the odds weren’t in my favor when I devised the plan.” He shrugged. “But I had to give it a try. If I had to marry someone, you were my first choice.”
Tasha had to work to block out the charm Andre was showering over her. She was a fool for that man, but her feelings were beside the point. “Okay, so you found out I was pregnant and that changed everything.” She gave him the hardest stare she could manage. “Why?”
“Well, like I said…I already had the fear that you’d say no to my offer.” He looked at her with pleading eyes. “I couldn’t bear the thought of leaving you alone with a child to take care of. My child.” Andre sucked in a breath, and maybe a little courage. “That’s the moment I knew I wanted to marry you, for real. That I’d never want to marry anyone else. And most of all, I wanted you to be the mother of my children.” Andre looked down at his hands and latched his fingers together. When he looked back at Tasha his eyes had moistened. “I acted hastily and foolishly and I’m sorry. I just didn’t want to risk losing you and our baby.”
Tasha loved Andre, but up until that day when he’d suggested they get married, she’d thought that was an unattainable goal. She’d never figured herself for rich people material. And it’d taken a will with strict guidelines for inheriting and a baby to convince Andre of it. Tasha wished she knew what the right thing was, if she really belonged in Andre’s world or if she was just kidding herself. One thing she was sure of, Andre had hurt her. Badly. She knew he was sorry, and one day she hoped she could forgive him. Sadly, that day, she feared, was far, far away.
Regret swelled inside Tasha’s chest and crowded her lungs, making it hard to breathe. She sucked in several breaths, trying to compensate. Tears misted her eyes.
How could she deprive one child of something she hadn’t dared take from another?
Tasha began to hyperventilate. How could Andre have done this to her? She leapt to her feet and ran from the room.
Tasha scolded herself for running out on Andre in the middle of his explanation, but she just couldn’t help herself.
Sitting on the bench in the hidden grove in the garden, she stared at the memorial stone Andre had erected for their sweet little Angel.
Tasha swiped at the trail of tears dripping from her eyes. “Sweetie, I promise you…” She leaned in and touched the face of the stone. “We’ll never forget you. Not me. Not daddy.” She caressed her stomach. “And not your little baby brother or sister.” Tasha gazed around the hidden alcove and sucked in a deep breath in hopes of choking back the urge to cry uncontrollably. “I feel like you’re here, tied to this stone. I’m just sorry that I can’t take you with me.”
The sound of his throat clearing behind Tasha startled her. Even so, she didn’t have to look to know it was Andre.
“I wanted to give you some time by yourself.” He moved around in front of her and stood beside the stone, hands in pockets, gazing down at her. “I hope the time was adequate, and I didn’t come in search of you too soon.”
“I do understand why you did what you did.” She avoided looking at him. “And someday I hope to be able to forgive you.”
“But you don’t see that happening anytime soon.” His voice cracked with regret.
Finally, she looked at him. “No. Sadly, I don’t.”
“So where do we go from here?” He sat down on the bench, leaving some space between them, trying not to crowd her. “Are you leaving?”
“Do I have a reason not to?” She blinked, but it didn’t help clear the teary haze.
“Yes, you do.”
“You need two more months.” The bite was back in her tone. “How could I forget.”
“I’m not talking about the money.” His voice was fragile and shaking.
“Well, you should be,” she said matter-of-factly. “Because it’s what’s between us.”
“So that’s it then…you’re going to leave.” His tone sounded final. “I guess I’ll let Julian and Lecie know…” He stood, his head hanging down and stepped back. “I don’t suppose you’ll let me help you?”
“Not so fast.” She patted the empty spot on the bench he’d just vacated. “As uncertain as I am about you and me, the one thing I won’t abide by is letting a woman like Cecily Mason claim a fortune that my child should rightfully inherit one day.” Tasha looked up and stared deep into Andre’s eyes. “I’m pregnant.”
He was on the bench with his arms around her before she had time to even blink. But when she didn’t reciprocate the embrace, he backed off. “Whether you believe it or not,” he said. “I’m very happy about that.”
“We will divorce. Eventually. Just not now.”
“Are you sure?” he asked. “Tasha, I love you. You love me.” His tone was apologetic. “Why are we doing this?”
“Because I can’t get past it. I want to forgive you. I do.” Her voice broke miserably. “I want to be able to feel in my heart that you didn’t marry me for the money. But it’s there. It’s a wedge between us, and I don’t know how to dislodge it.”
“How do you wish to proceed?” he asked somberly.
Tasha was glad he wasn’t pushing her. She didn’t think she could take that right now. “Well, for starters…” she said, “we are going to carry on as if nothing has happened. We’re not going to tell anyone about the baby.”
“We can’t hide that forever.”
“No, but we will hide it for now.” She cut her eyes toward him. “I want this part in writing. Upon our one-year anniversary, I want the money you were originally going to offer me for helping you. I also want to know that this baby—” She patted her stomach. “—no matter whether it’s a boy or a girl, will always be your lawful heir, no matter how many other children you might have in the future. I want this child to be your heir apparent.”
“I want to be part of your life, Tasha. I want to be part of our child’s life.”
“That’s why I’ve decided I’ll stay in France. These next couple of months will give me time to find a suitable house.”