“No reason.” He smiled.
She narrowed her eyes. What was he up to?
“So, Francine, do you have a nickname?” Axel asked.
Francine smiled and put her hand on Lucy’s shoulder. “Not exactly, although Lucy used to call me Fancy when we were little because she couldn’t say Francine.”
“She used to call me Deelah,” Ardelia chimed in, making Lucy even more self-conscious.
Can they not all see how much I care for this man?Maybe not. Maybe people only saw what they wanted to see. Francine was apparently relieved that her intended husband wasn’t the same age as their father and Ardelia was helping to point out embarrassing facts about Lucy’s inability to pronounce words at a young age.
Was Axel really flirting with her after being told he had to marry Francine? Was it even possible he was still interested in Lucy? She didn’t care if it was true or not, she decided to hang on to that possible scenario as if it were a verified fact.
The rest of dinner was uneventful until right after the dessert dishes had been collected. Her father stood and invited the Greys into the library for an after-dinner libation.
That meant alcoholic beverages.
Lucy didn’t drink often, as alcohol became a veritable truth serum for her. She certainly wouldn’t be able to keep a civil tongue in her head if she had anylibationsthis evening.
But then her father added, “Axel and Francine can join us, as well? I expect they have quite a lot to talk about.”
Chapter Nine
“Not as much as you might think,” Axel wanted to say, but pressed his lips together, forming a sedate smile that would hopefully keep him from speaking out of turn. He’d promised his parents he wouldn’t embarrass them tonight—a promise that was very difficult to keep since Lucy was in his view, sitting next to the sister he was supposed to marry. It was only a single meal, right? But oh, so difficult.
Axel spent the entire dinner in a funky, uncomfortable place. He wanted to dislike Francine for not being Lucy, but he couldn’t. She was a lovely girl. From what he’d seen of her so far, she was sweet and kind and had a good sense of humor. She just wasn’t the girl he wanted to marry.
Lucy’s mother gave him the stink-eye when no one was looking, but he figured that was because he’d gone on a date with what would now be considered thewrongsister.
While he hadn’t known Lucy long, he had very strong feelings for her. Now he knew who shereallywas—a Duvall sister and not an indentured servant—and he still wanted to spend his life with her and only her.
With the arranged marriage to her sister formally announced, he wondered how on Earth he’d be able to get out of it. His parents had no idea, which became clear as they wrestled with the situation in the parking lot of the Big Bang Truck Stop beside their travel-stained RV. When the same-day dinner invitation had arrived from the Duvalls, they hadn’t had a chance to review the decades-old document.
It hadn’t escaped his notice that Lucy looked as unhappy as he felt. She hadn’t perked up until he winked at her in a silent signal to convey he cared about her regardless of his arranged marriage issues.
Surely she understood he had to go along with the charade for the sake of good manners during the meal. It wasn’t like he could spend the evening hurling insults at her sister to ensure everyone knew his true choice. Unless he could find a way to marry the sister of his choice, he’d be miserable for a very long time. He couldn’t imagine it would be a happy time for Francine, either.
When her father announced the parents would enjoy aperitifs in the library, Axel’s first thought was to palm a note to Lucy, inviting her to meet him later tonight, then hightail it away from this very awkward dinner. Reality set in. He was unwilling to show his butt to Francine when she was an innocent party in their parents’ matrimonial machinations.
When they stood from the dinner table, Axel got around it in time to help Francine with her chair like a good boy should. He then stuck a hand out to Lucy, shaking her soft fingers. “It was good to meet you.” He paused dramatically before adding, “Lucinda.”
She looked happy and miserable at the same time, but then her eyes widened and he knew she’d registered the note he’d slipped into her hand. She slipped it into the pocket of her very fancy dress. She looked every inch the daughter of a wealthy Designer family, but when she smiled at him, he only saw the perfect woman who’d stolen his heart somewhere between the hidden basement convenience store and a local swimming hole.
He hoped Lucy would be able to meet him near the convenience store at midnight. He also wished he knew what he was going to say to her.
Axel wanted time to read through the arranged marriage documents and possibly find some loophole that said he’d be able to marry the sister he wanted.
Francine didn’t seem to notice their byplay and for that Axel was grateful. She smiled up at him and took the arm he offered her. With one quick backward glance at Lucy, Axel pasted a smile on his face and led Francine from the room.
Axel felt like he should try for some polite conversation. Since he couldn’t say, “I can’t marry you, I love Lucy!” he said, “I would understand if you don’t want to marry a stranger.” He kept his tone low enough so both sets of parents, walking just ahead of them into what he assumed to be the library, couldn’t hear what he’d said.
His heart sank when Francine’s smile melted into a look bordering on worship. “We’ve just had dinner together so we aren’t strangers anymore, not really.”
“I guess.”
“Also, I like you very much. I’m proud that you’ll be a member of my family.”
