“You technically didn’t meet me either,” she said.
“We would have. Remy said he invited you to move to New Orleans.”
The words still caused a pang in her heart. She had relived that moment every night in her dreams. Except the ending was always different. She knew that she was still hung up on Remy.
It was what had convinced her that her feelings for him were genuine.
“Yes, but that’s not in the cards now,” she said.
“It could be. I want you to come to New Orleans and work for me when the show is over. Give yourself a chance to get to know Remy again,” Alain said.
She smiled at the older man because she remembered the father that Remy had described and she knew that Alain was here to do whatever he could to ensure his son’s happiness. And she guessed hers as well. But Alain couldn’t invite her to New Orleans. Remy had to.
And it was only then that she’d know if they had been in the right place to meet each other.
“That is a very kind offer,” she said.
“But you are going to turn it down,” he finished for her.
“Yes I am. I don’t want to go there unless Remy and I resolve things. My home is San Diego. I don’t have many blood relatives living there but I have my friends.”
“I understand,” Alain said. “I had to ask.”
“Why?”
“Because our son has never been in love before and we wanted to meet the woman who inspired such devotion in him.”
Alain made to leave. Could this be real?
“How do you know that? Did he tell you he felt that for me?”
“No. He told us by what he didn’t say.”
Staci wanted to believe him but she’d already been played for a fool. Except that if Remy loved her and she knew she loved him didn’t they deserve the chance to be together?
Chapter Fifteen
STACI’SFRIENDANDBUSINESSpartner, Alysse,was anything but sweet or dreamy when she cornered him on the balcony. Remy accepted her hard glare. He knew he deserved it.
“Okay, you had your reasons, Remy, but really, lying to Staci...it was the worst thing any man could do to her. And she thought you were different,” Alysse began. “I told myself I’d be civil. Promised Jay that I wouldn’t threaten you with bodily harm, but I want to. How could you?”
“I’m glad you’re angry on her behalf, you should be. She’s your friend. I didn’t mean to hurt her,” Remy said. “I wish I’d done things differently.”
“You still care about her,” Alysse said.
“Yes, I do. I am not going to let her keep me away. I’ve been giving her some space because of the competition but I intend to convince her that she belongs in my arms as soon as this is over,” he said.
“Fine. I can live with that,” Alysse said.
“You can?”
“Yes. I thought...well, some not nice things about you, but I am pretty good at telling when someone is being sincere and you are,” she said. “Want a brownie?”
“Aren’t those for Staci?” he asked.
“They were but I see now that you and I are going to have to plot and plan and come up with an excellent way for you to make it up to her.”
Remy was surprised at the way she said it. “We’re a team?”
