Their New-Found Family by Rebecca Winters

Author:Rebecca Winters [Winters, Rebecca]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2005-12-12T23:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SIX

BY THE time Rachel and Natalie had finished their shopping, a mixture of locals and tourists had started filling the tables of the Deux Couronnes. Luckily she’d been able to secure a spot out on the terrasse where they could watch for Tris and Alain.

A waiter approached. “Vous desirez, madame?”

“Deux Grapillons, s’il vous plait.”

“Bien.”

After he walked away, Natalie looked up from the postcards she was writing to her friends. “Your French sounded pretty good, Mom. I want to speak French like Dad.”

“Under your father’s tutelage, you will.”

“What did you order us?”

“Grape juice. It’s—”

“I know,” Natalie broke in. “It’s what you used to drink. I bet you’re excited to be here.”

“Yes.”

“Then how come you’re so quiet?”

Rachel might have known Natalie would pick up on any change in her mood. Last night Tris’s parting remark had filled her with fresh anxiety. She hadn’t been able to fall asleep for a long time.

“I’m concerned about Alain.”

“He misses his parents, huh.”

“It’s more than that.” There was no easy way to say it, but Rachel had to make Natalie understand the depth of Alain’s pain.

Once their drinks had arrived she said, “Alain has loved his uncle since he was born. Now that he no longer has parents, he looks at Tris as his father. They’ve lived together for a whole year. Do you understand what I’m trying to tell you?”

“Not exactly.”

“Alain’s afraid.”

“Of what?” Natalie took an experimental sip. “Um. This is pretty good, but it needs ice.”

“Most places in Europe don’t serve ice. You have to learn to enjoy drinks without it.”

“How come?”

Rachel let out a sigh of frustration. “Honey—I’m trying to tell you something important.”

“You mean about Alain.”

“Yes. Now that your father has discovered he has you, Alain’s worried Tris won’t love him anymore.”

“Why?”

A simple question deserving a simple answer, but there wasn’t one.

“Because you’re his daughter, and Tris is only his nephew. He thinks his uncle will start favoring you and forget him.”

“Dad wouldn’t do that!”

Total loyalty already. It was astounding. What Rachel found even more amazing was that Natalie exhibited no jealousy of her cousin. She’d always wanted a brother or sister.

“We both know your father loves you equally, but Alain doesn’t.” After a pause, “What do you suppose we could do to help him not be so upset?”

Natalie frowned. “I don’t know. Be his friend?”

Rachel could feel her eyes smarting. “That’s a wonderful sugges—”

“There they are!” Natalie had seen them across the street at the same time as Rachel. She jumped up excitedly from her chair. “I’ll show them where we parked so they can put their fishing poles away. Can I have the key to dad’s car?”

With that fluttery sense of anticipation every time Tris came near, Rachel reached for her purse and handed Natalie the key.

“Thanks.” She dashed off.

More people had congregated outside the café, but Tris’s handsome features and tall physique stood out in the crowd. He looked attractive in anything, but never more so than in the well-worn, thigh-molding jeans and T-shirt he was wearing.

A too

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