Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 74220 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 371(@200wpm)___ 297(@250wpm)___ 247(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74220 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 371(@200wpm)___ 297(@250wpm)___ 247(@300wpm)
“Mom.” Bastien quickly wiped the crumbs from his face before he greeted her, kissing her on each cheek. “Love the canapés.”
She chuckled as she patted him on the arm. “You love food.”
“You look nice, as always.”
I watched his interaction with his mother, seeing how gentle, kind, and respectful he was toward her. The last thing I’d expected him to be was a momma’s boy—and I loved it.
Bastien came to me, his arm moving around my waist as he showed me off with pride. Affection was in his eyes as he regarded me, like he wasn’t the least bit nervous about the two of us meeting each other. “Mom, this is Fleur.”
I extended my hand to shake hers. “Lovely to meet you.”
She smiled, but it wasn’t the same warmth she gave to her son. “Delphine. It’s lovely to meet you as well.” She pulled her hand away first and regarded me with a shrewd stare. “When Bastien told me about you, he said how beautiful you were—and he did not exaggerate.”
Bastien smirked as his hand inched closer to my ass, his mother unable to see because she faced me head on. “I didn’t need to.”
“Are you two hungry? I haven’t eaten all day.”
We entered the dining room, a table big enough to host at least fifteen guests, and she took a seat at the head while Bastien sat across from me. The moment our asses touched the cushions, the staff emerged to pour our water and wine and provide our first course, a small salad with grapefruit, prawns, and tarragon sauce.
The initial meeting had passed so I wasn’t as much of a mess, but my heart still palpitated with unease.
Bastien inhaled his salad then sat there and waited for the next course. “How are things, Mom?”
“Same.”
“And Pierre?”
Pierre seemed to be a name of significance based on the way he said it.
“He’s been well,” she said.
Bastien looked at me and addressed the confusion he must have known I felt. “Pierre is her boyfriend.”
“Not my boyfriend,” his mother said quickly. “He’s this gentleman that I’ve been seeing.”
“Then he’s your boyfriend,” Bastien said.
“I’m too old to have a boyfriend, Bastien.”
He rolled his eyes. “Not true, Mom. You’re a very beautiful woman.”
And just like that, Bastien made me fall for him even more.
His mother tried to hide the smile that wanted to creep into her features. She covered it up by taking a drink of her water.
“You should have invited him to join us,” Bastien said.
“I didn’t want to detract from the purpose of this dinner—meeting your girlfriend.”
Bastien did not look like a man who had a girlfriend, but he didn’t reject the label his mother gave. “Then next time.”
“Perhaps,” she said noncommittally.
I noticed she didn’t eat much. She’d said she hadn’t eaten anything today, but she still picked at her salad like she didn’t have an appetite. The next course was a soup, and she only took a couple bites of that too, ignoring the bread in the center of the table. She was as thin as a rail and so petite, it was difficult to picture that she’d given birth to Bastian.
Instead of interrogating me, she talked about music and having tea with her friends and her favorite bakery. All the stress I’d had when I walked in here started to fade away when I realized she was a lovely person just like her son. Hard to believe she’d been married to a drug kingpin who exploited underage girls for free labor.
“I’m glad that my son’s career choice hasn’t deterred you.” The tone of the dinner seemed to shift when the main course arrived, roast chicken with fingerling potatoes and sauteed kale.
I tried to gather my response, debating on telling her the truth or saying what she wanted to hear. “It’s not ideal…but I know it’s a package deal.” Bastien told me he wouldn’t give up his lifestyle for anyone, that if a woman didn’t accept it, then she wasn’t the right person for him. I wasn’t sure what kind of future we had, but I didn’t want it to end before it had to.
I kept my eyes on my chicken so I wouldn’t have to see Bastien stare at me. I could certainly feel his look.
“Why does it bother you?” she asked.
Did she really just ask me that? “Well…wasn’t your husband killed because of his work?” I looked up from my dinner to see her guarded stare.
Like she was surprised I’d asked that.
“I didn’t mean to offend you,” I said. “I just…that’s something that scares me.” I didn’t tell her what had happened with Bastien in the restaurant a couple days ago. Didn’t want to frighten her when she’d already been through enough. “Honestly, I’d rather be with someone with a more…traditional lifestyle, but…” I’d dug myself a hole, and I didn’t know if I should try to go back or just keep digging deeper. “Bastien is the man I want.” I kept my stare focused on her because I didn’t want to see Bastien’s face. I was dancing close to the sun, and I knew if I got any closer, I was about to get burned.