The Billionaire’s Baby: Chapter 9

SIX DAYS LATER, Amandine put on her best pale blue blouse and black slacks. Incredibly, Gavin had gotten an appointment for both of them at Jones & Jones in less than a week. She’d spoken with Samantha Jones over the phone a couple of times, and the woman sounded like the nicest person ever—the kind who’d help out at a church bake sale to benefit the homeless, not a barracuda of a lawyer who ate her opponents for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

“Are you going to be able to drive?” Brooke asked, looking at Amandine’s shaky hands. “I can go with you.”

“No, it’s all right. You take some time for yourself.” Amandine wiped her palms on her pants. Get a grip , girl . She was just going to a lawyer’s office, where she and Gavin were going to discuss their differences and figure out what to do about the baby. Gavin probably wasn’t still thinking about reconciliation. More likely it had been some spur-of-the-moment gambit on his part. She was sure he’d regretted it the instant he’d dropped her off. Otherwise, he would’ve sent a truckload of flowers—no, a space shuttle to top the anniversary jet—or done something similarly over-the-top to convince her to come back.

After an hour of fighting the Los Angeles traffic, Amandine parked her car at the glittering high-rise that housed the main offices of Jones & Jones. She stepped out and shrugged into a conservative black blazer as she walked toward the lobby. Samantha had advised Amandine to adopt a tough and untouchable demeanor, and she hoped what she had on would be enough.

She bumped into Gavin and Craig Richmond just outside the front entrance. So. Gavin had brought his own high-powered lawyer. Just as aggressive as Samantha, Craig was one of the most popular divorce attorneys in the state. Everyone in the country knew what he looked like after one of his Hollywood celeb clients had a divorce that turned into a huge media circus last year. It had more to do with drugs, groupie orgies and binge drinking than irreconcilable differences, but had served to turn both of the lead attorneys into stars. In his late forties, Craig had silver-streaked brown hair that was cropped short in an inoffensive style. His lined face was light olive, and he wore a black Armani suit with a tie the color of a shark’s fin.

Amandine’s mouth twisted into a bitter smile as Craig held the door open for her and they all went in. His presence said everything she needed to know about Gavin’s intentions. Craig’s specialty was squeezing every penny from the other side, not reconciliation.

Amandine waited, hoping that some indifference would surface. It’d be easier if she no longer cared about Gavin. She could treat him as though he were just part of the furnishings. But quietly confident in his usual custom-tailored three-piece suit, he was as irresistible and arresting as he had been when she’d first met him at Catherine’s party.

On the other hand, the melted chocolate eyes had dark circles under them now, and he looked a little bit…vulnerable. Her first response was to wonder if he was all right, but she caught herself before she did something stupid like push back the errant hair that fell on his forehead.

In any event, he beat her to the punch. “How are you feeling?” Gavin’s eyes searched her face, then dropped to her belly. “No ill effects, nausea, feeling sick?”

She shook her head. “I’m pregnant, not diseased.”

She went ahead before he could throw any more questions about her condition. Why should she bear his sudden solicitousness? It’d only make the inevitable more painful.

Unfortunately, they ended up sharing an elevator. She stood to one side, staying as far away from the two men as possible.

“There’s nothing wrong with civility, you know,” Gavin said.

“Like standing me up on a special anniversary dinner without calling?” She raised her index finger. “I know. Family emergency, halfway across the country. Because Catherine needed you.”

“I won’t argue with you in an elevator.”

“Too bad. I don’t need Samantha to win this one,” she said sweetly.

Craig coughed discreetly; Gavin shot her a dark glare.

The elevator opened with a soft ping, and she stepped out as quickly as possible and marched straight for the receptionist’s desk.

Amandine didn’t have to say a word. The receptionist recognized them immediately and led them to a conference room in the center of the floor. Leather-bound books crammed built-in bookshelves, and figurines and objets d’art took up space in recessed nooks. Warm and inviting, the room looked like something out of a home decoration magazine rather than a lawyer’s office.

“Glad everyone’s here on time,” Samantha said as she walked inside with an accordion folder and a purse. Almost the same age as Craig, she was a tall woman, almost six feet with her pumps. Short dirty blond hair framed an angular face with wide-set brown eyes and plump lips that seemed more appropriate for a pin-up girl than a lawyer. She wore a slim and well-fitted black skirt suit that showed off toned legs.

The receptionist brought drinks for everyone and left.

Gavin and Craig sat closest to the door, with Samantha and Amandine on the other side. The oak table between them felt like a DMZ.

“Before we start, I want to make it clear I’m interested in reconciliation,” Gavin said. “I don’t think it’s a good idea to divorce, especially when we don’t have any hard feelings toward each other.”

Samantha pursed her mouth and studied her French manicured nails before saying, “You need more than ‘no hard feelings’ for a marriage to work.”

No kidding .

“We made a baby together,” Gavin said. “Doesn’t that mean anything?”

“Does it to you?” Amandine asked.

Before he could respond, Samantha put a hand on Amandine’s wrist and said, “What would my client get out of agreeing to a reconciliation?”

“Avoiding personal defeat.” Gavin leaned back in his seat and steepled his fingers. “A divorce is a failure.”

Amandine bit her lower lip. The muscles around her neck tightened. Still no mention of love. Just not having any hard feelings and avoiding defeat. Failure.

But then success—at any cost—was the main driver for Gavin. He’d made twenty billion from risky bets, each leveraged at least hundred times. At first Amandine hadn’t understood how he could do that without getting an incurable ulcer. But now she knew; he was convinced that he could never fail, never make a mistake large enough that he couldn’t somehow recoup the loss in another way. The idea that his marriage would end like this was unacceptable to his psyche.

“How long would this attempt at reconciliation last?” Samantha asked.

“A year,” Craig responded.

Amandine’s jaw dropped. “That’s absurd.”

Samantha squeezed Amandine’s wrist.

Gavin smiled. “I deserve at least that much since we’ve been married for three years.”

Amandine pulled away from Samantha’s hold. “Three weeks is plenty. One week per year.”

“Each year is worth at least a month, and there’s the jet.” Gavin leaned forward. “Four months.”

“Three, and you can keep the damn jet. Since I haven’t flown it, you might be able to return it and get your money back.” Amandine gave him a thin smile.

“Don’t be unreasonable, Mrs. Lloyd,” Craig said.

“Don’t call me Mrs. Lloyd, for god’s sake,” Amandine snapped at the lawyer and turned her gaze to Gavin. “If you can’t change my mind after three months, you aren’t going to change it by hanging around a month longer. I’m not some blue chip you can hold onto, hoping I’ll rise in value.”

Samantha coughed into her hand. “She has a point.”

Gavin shot her a dirty look. “Everyone out except Amandine.”

“I don’t think it’s a good idea to talk to her alone,” Craig began. “Legal—”

“Quiet, Craig. I’ll let you know when I want your opinion,” Gavin said, not even bothering to look at his lawyer.

“I’m not letting you talk to my client without me present,” Samantha said.

“I can’t leave if she” —Craig gestured at Samantha— “is staying.”

Gavin’s jaw flexed. “I’m paying you to be helpful, and it’d be helpful if you shut up.”

Amandine sighed. “Gavin, stop and say what you want. I’m not going to ask Samantha to leave just to make you feel comfortable.”

Gavin narrowed his eyes. “Fine.” He tapped the table once. “For the four months—and no, the duration is not negotiable—you are to be a loving, agreeable wife.”

She squinted at him. “You want a Stepford Wife?”

“I didn’t say brain-dead and mindless,” he said testily. “Just agreeable.”

“Oh excuuuuse me.” Amandine waved her hand. “Do go on.”

“I will also want sex.”

She choked. “Sex is not the cause of our problem.”

“But it can help solve it.”

“Forget it.”

His eyes grew hard. “Don’t push me on this point. You won’t win.”

She clenched her hands and forced her jaw to relax so she could get her question out. “What position and how many times a month?”

“It’ll be my job to ensure you’re interested. You just need to be receptive to my advances.”

“Like a prostitute?”

“I wouldn’t know. I’ve never had to pay for sex.” His gaze was steady, and his voice was firm and clear as he said, “I’ve always been faithful to you.”

Amandine swallowed. “We aren’t here because I thought you were cheating on me.”

She was certain he’d never slept with anybody else since they became an item. Two-timing was never an issue. Emotional unavailability was.

“I just wanted you to know that.” Gavin’s voice was terse.

“Well, that’s touching, but my client needs more than just avoiding a failure if she were to agree to this outlandish proposition,” Samantha said.

“If we reconcile, she will have unlimited access to my assets,” Gavin said.

Before he could say more, Craig leaned forward. “If not, she’ll get what she’s legally entitled to. It’s no loss to her.”

“Really? I’m to give up four months of my life for something I’m already entitled to?” Amandine said. “You think I’m stupid?”

Gavin raised a hand. “I’ll pay for all your medical bills. It’s not cheap to have a baby in this country. Plus I’ll set up a sizable trust fund for the child. No strings attached. He can pursue whatever his heart desires without ever having to worry about money.”

“Oh.” Amandine blinked. Mired in her immediate worries, she hadn’t thought about how she’d pay for hospital bills or the child’s future. She thought about her brother Pete, and how highly he valued making as much money as possible. If he hadn’t been so obsessed with becoming rich, he might have pursued something he liked more.

Her stung pride goaded her into saying, “I have money, too.”

Gavin snorted. “The ten thousand from your mother’s life insurance? You can’t even buy a closet with that, much less maintain the kind of life you’re accustomed to.”

“You have no idea what kind of life I want.” It never included a fortune in clothes she’d never choose for herself just to fit in with his family and friends, or a man who was hardly ever home.

“Enlighten me.”

“If I have to stay with you for four months, I want everything you just offered plus I expect you to give up all parental rights to the baby if things don’t work out.” Amandine put a hand over her belly. “Since you’re so confident about the outcome, surely you can gamble that much.”

“Hold on a minute!” Craig leaned forward over the table. “The child deserves to know his father.”

“I never said he couldn’t come near the kid. Just that I want full—and sole—custody.”

“Fine,” Gavin said, the word clipped and final. “Have it your way.”

“Great ,” Samantha interjected. “Draft a document with all these items and send it to my office for review, will you?”

“Expect it in the next two hours.” Gavin rose and started to leave with his lawyer. Then he paused at the door and lowered his voice. “You just raised the stakes to the point where I’d lose more than I could afford.”

Her mouth dry, Amandine watched him walk away, his limbs loose and relaxed. Had she pushed him too far? He might as well have said, “I’m going to nuke your world, baby.”

“You okay?” Samantha asked.

“Yes. I’m fine,” Amandine lied.

Did it matter how Gavin felt about the reconciliation conditions? He wasn’t the only one who was risking more than he could afford. If she let him charm her for four months, got into a situation where she fell even more deeply in love with him but still couldn’t stay, then she’d be the real loser.

* * *

“That went well,” Craig said in the elevator.

“Nothing I hadn’t expected,” Gavin said flatly.

“Why do you want to salvage the marriage so much? Your wife seems eager to leave with the baby. You could’ve gotten rid of her without paying a penny. She would’ve taken the deal if she could keep the kid,” Craig said. When Gavin shot him a hard look, he raised a hand, palm out. “I’m not saying you’re wrong. I just want to understand where you’re coming from so I can help you better.”

Gavin considered. Amandine was kind, sweet and patient. Most importantly she was loyal, and loyalty was everything. “She’s a good wife,” he told Craig. “Do I need any other reason?”

Craig’s brow creased but he didn’t ask any more questions, which was a relief. It wasn’t his job to understand. It was his job to make sure Gavin got what he wanted.

Gavin had hoped Amandine wouldn’t insist on sole custody of the child, but if he hadn’t agreed to it, she would’ve walked.

Why couldn’t he himself, as a man, be enough?

Gavin hadn’t been exaggerating when he’d told her the stakes were too high for him. People thought he was reckless with his trades, leveraged to the point of suicide. But he never bet more than he could afford on any trade.

Amandine wanted to be convinced to stay married to him? She’d get some convincing. For the next four months he’d devote his full attention to the matter, until she couldn’t remember why she’d wanted a divorce in the first place.

Adrenaline pumped through his veins, his body tight like a boxer before the bell. He’d win, by fair means or foul.

But first, he needed to make a call. He dialed as soon as he was in the privacy of his car.

“Uncle Tony.”

“Hey there, favorite nephew!” came a booming voice.

Gavin chuckled. “You say that to all of us.”

“Not all of you.” The voice became cool. “Not anymore.”

He winced. “Well…Jacob screwed up.”

“Should’ve thought about his mother before marrying that stripper. Poor Stella. Catherine too, of course.”

“Yeah.” They shared a moment of silence. “Listen, I need a favor.”

“I’m listening.”

“I heard you were going to stay at the family vacation home in Thailand this month. Is that true?”

“Yup. We’re on the Betsy Doll . Her maiden voyage. We’re already in Asia.”

Aw, shit. He’d forgotten about his uncle’s new yacht. There was nothing Uncle Tony loved more than cruising in style. “Do you mind delaying your arrival by…say, about six weeks or so? I’m thinking about staying at the vacation home with Amandine.”

“The place is plenty big enough. I don’t see why we can’t share.”

“She and I have some delicate issues to work through. She might not feel comfortable with relatives around.”

“You in trouble with your wife?”

“Sort of.”

“A jet couldn’t get you out of jail for free?”

“How do you know about the jet?”

“Some of us bet on what you’d give to top the pink Mercedes, so we checked with Hilary.”

Though she usually kept her mouth shut, Gavin’s trusty executive admin probably saw no reason to keep that information secret from his family once the anniversary was over. “Who won?”

“No one. None of us came even close.” He laughed. “I’m just glad you weren’t around when I was young. Martha loves pricey toys.”

“I can imagine.” Tony had married a woman who loved to spend money as much as he did.

“Anyway, how come you’re in trouble with Amandine? A jet isn’t enough to make up for whatever you did wrong?”

“I gave it to her before the…incident.”

“Bad timing.”

“Uh-huh,” Gavin said noncommittally. Amandine would’ve been even more furious if he’d given it to her after . The situation needed a delicate touch…which reminded him, he needed to tell Hilary to forget about the yacht. “I wouldn’t normally ask this of you, but there’s no way I can rent out an entire resort on just one day’s notice. And a resort full of other guests won’t work.”

“Too many people, too little privacy.”

“I’m glad you understand. Even if I could somehow manage to book an entire resort to myself, it would mean some families would have their vacations ruined.” A total dick move he didn’t intend to make. He might have achieved “more” status in life—more money or whatever—but that didn’t mean he had a license to be an asshole.

“Gotcha. Well, I suppose we could stop by some other places for a while. I hear the Maldives are nice this time of year.”

“They are. Thanks, Uncle Tony. I owe you one.”

“No problem. Just remember—getting out of trouble with women is all about the approach. Taking Amandine to a private tropical paradise? Great first move. You’re a smart kid, Gavin. I’m sure you’ll be able to work it out.”

* * *

Amandine sighed when she was alone in the room with Samantha. “Four months of pointless attempts. He won’t be able to change anything.” It’d be just like before. Him working, her staying home, and more crews and people hovering over her in case she needed anything. “Did you notice how he didn’t have his wedding band?”

“Yes, I did,” Samantha said. “But he seemed…sincere.”

“He threatened to take the baby last week. I’m sure the sincerity he felt at that time carried over.”

“Well.” Samantha leaned closer. “Listen, things look bad now because you didn’t immediately get the divorce you wanted, but consider a few things. One, your husband didn’t cheat on you, he didn’t beat you or verbally abuse you, he doesn’t drink or do drugs, and he’s always been very generous. Two, with the kind of resources and connections he has, he can make the divorce proceedings extremely unpleasant, costly and time consuming. But instead of fighting you, he’s trying to reconcile. Rejecting his offer outright may work against you, so I want you to think about it. It’s only for four months. If he’s as busy as you say, he’s probably not going to do anything except send you more presents, which you can keep as per your prenup. After the four months are up, we’ll have solid proof that he’s too busy and unavailable for what any wife would reasonably expect in marriage—even after he promised to convince you otherwise—and we can go from there.”

“I can’t believe I have to have a reason to divorce him.” The fact that he didn’t love her wasn’t something she could say. It was too humiliating.

“You don’t. But are you willing to go through the stress of an expensive and messy divorce while you’re pregnant?”

Amandine put both her hands over her belly protectively.

Gavin would do whatever he had to in order to get what he wanted. She couldn’t hope to match what he could unleash against her.

“Gavin was also right about the money. Ten thousand isn’t a lot, especially with a baby on the way. Your child deserves the best opportunities in life, right? I don’t think you should turn down anything Gavin offers just out of spite. We should aim high, and I’m going to see if there’s any way we can squeeze some more from him.”

Amandine rested her face in a hand. “You’re right. I’m not thinking about this very logically. Okay, let’s go ahead and agree to this…farce. I guess I can put up with anything for four months.”

“Great. Okay, so… First thing is, you should move back home. ASAP,” Samantha said. “That way, he can’t say you didn’t cooperate fully.”

She sighed. “Everything has to be done properly, doesn’t it?”

“It does. And we can say that the clock started the minute you moved back home.”

* * *

Amandine stopped by Brooke’s apartment to pick up her things. Brooke searched her face and said, “So how did it go?”

“Not exactly the way I expected.” She told her best friend about Gavin’s attempt at reconciliation.

“At least he didn’t threaten to take the baby outright,” Brooke said. “Although that just proves he’s not a total monster, not necessarily a good husband.”

Amandine sighed, dumped her toiletries and toothbrush into a small bag and went to the living room.

“That’s all you’re taking?” Brooke asked.

“If I need anything else, Gavin’s going to have to buy it. He probably won’t want me wearing any of my ‘hobo outfits’ around his friends and family. Besides, it’s not like I’m going to be with him for that long.”

“You don’t think it’s going to work.”

“Nope. He never has any time for me. But at least this way I’ll have something to show for three years of my life with him.”

“That’s the spirit,” Brooke said, in a sad attempt at cheeriness.

“I have to be practical. I’d rather have his love, but if it’s not meant for me…” She stiffened her spine. “Well, it’s not meant for me, and there’s nothing to be done about it.”

“What happened to my romantic artiste friend?”

“She got pregnant.” She pointed to her belly. “I can’t reject money out of pride. It’s not easy to get a job with a new baby in this economy, and my résumé is a big blank for the past couple of years. I can’t go back to working for Art4Kids as an art teacher since Gavin’s the one funding it, and flipping burgers won’t be enough for me and my baby.”

“Awww…” Brooke gave her a tight hug. “I’m so sorry, but you’ll be all right. You have me, Pete and my family rooting for you and your baby.”

“Thanks,” Amandine said, drawing comfort from Brooke’s support. “Anyway, take today off. Comp time for my mooching off of you twenty-four seven.”

“Pssshh,” Brooke said, waving a hand. “What are friends for? You better run to me even when you can’t afford my rate anymore.”

Amandine smiled. “See you tomorrow.”

“Call any time if you need me.”

The drive back to the mansion was uneventful. Maybe the world was trying to be kind to her today, compensation after her husband had rammed his heavy-handed reconciliation attempt down her throat. He’d promised a lot to get her to stay…everything but love.

Was she that unlovable?

The moment Amandine stepped into the grand foyer, she saw staff bustling about with suitcases. Was Gavin moving out after telling her he wanted them to be together?

Luna appeared, dragging a giant surfboard. Where in the world had that come from?

“Welcome back.” She beamed. “I think I got almost everything you need, but can you take a look in your closet and bathroom and tell me if I missed anything?”

“I’m sorry?”

“It’s so romantic to have a second honeymoon.” Luna sighed dreamily.

Amandine stared at the housekeeper. “Second honeymoon?” she said faintly.

“Uh oh.” Luna put a hand over her bosom, her mouth puckering. “Did I ruin a surprise?”

“No, no you didn’t.” More like a…shock .

Walking away from the staff for privacy, Amandine called her husband and steeled herself. He better not tell her he’d talk to her later and hang up like he normally did. Not if he wanted to convince her to stay.

“Yes, dear?” he said on the fifth ring.

“What’s all this about a second honeymoon? What the hell are you doing?”

“Reconciling.”

“I never said I’d go on a second honeymoon with you,” she hissed.

“You never said you wouldn’t.”

“Gavin, you’re supposed to be nice to me, remember? You’re supposed to make me want to stay with you.”

“If you can tell me why taking you on a second honeymoon is not ‘being nice to you,’ I’ll cancel it.”

“I… I…” She clamped her mouth shut. A romantic time in seclusion with her husband was not what she wanted, not when she expected their marriage to end anyway.

“‘I’ doesn’t tell me anything. You’ve never been to the family vacation home in Thailand, and I think you’ll enjoy it. We’ll have the entire house to ourselves. Besides, we can break in your jet.”

“I said you could have it.”

“What am I going to do with a jet with a pink bathroom? It’s yours, no matter what happens.”

She rubbed her temples. “What if Dr. Silverman says I shouldn’t be flying in my condition?”

“Already cleared it with her.”

“You’re kidding.”

“Not for something this important. See you at the hangar. Have Thomas drive you.”

“What about Brooke?”

“Leave her behind. The place in Thailand is fully staffed. We aren’t taking anybody from L.A.”

A soft click and he was gone. She stared at the phone for a long time, trying to process what the hell the point of a second honeymoon was.

She couldn’t think of one. Giving up, she called Brooke.

“Um, about your schedule. You won’t have to come in for a few days. Just stay home and chill until I call you. I’ll make sure you get paid since it’s Gavin’s idea.”

“Uh… What’s going on?”

“Gavin’s insisting on a second honeymoon.”

“That’s pretty sudden.”

“Tell me about it.”

Luna appeared again, making urgent hand-signals that Amandine should go check her bedroom.

“Hold on.” Amandine went upstairs and stared at the empty room. “Good lord, they packed everything.”

“What do you mean everything?”

“All our clothes and stuff. I can’t believe it.”

“Can you load all of them on one jet?”

“I don’t know. Maybe we’re taking two.” Staring at the empty room made the honeymoon even more real. Amandine sat on the bed. “I don’t understand. Why is Gavin doing this? How in the world did he find the time?”

“It is a little weird. You guys’ve had, what, two vacations or something since the ceremony?”

“It’s not just that. He never has a non-working vacation. In the Maldives he spent at least three to four hours a day on business. And that was a planned vacation.” She imagined the most likely scenario this time: him working nine-to-nine, while she sucked down one tropical fruit smoothie after another on the beach.

“Where are you going?”

“Thailand.”

“Well that’s great, right? I thought you always wanted to go.”

“I do. I’ve heard so much about the family vacation home there…everyone says it’s fabulous.” Catherine also had been there a few times and posted some shots on Facebook. Unfortunately, Amandine never had an opportunity to go. Gavin was always too busy, and she’d never felt comfortable going there by herself or just with friends, though Catherine didn’t seem to have any such inhibition.

If she could just be as confident as Catherine that she belonged with Gavin and people like him…

“I know it bugs you that Gavin’s acting out of character, but he’s trying to convince you not to divorce him. So give him a chance. See what happens,” Brooke said.

“You think so?”

“You love him, right? So I’m trying to be open-minded…even though he did stand you up on your anniversary. But who knows? He might surprise you.”

Brooke was right. Instead of thinking about the worst-case scenario, Amandine should wait and see.

But she was afraid a sweet and solicitous Gavin would be impossible to resist. If she fell in love with him even more deeply, how was she going to bear it if their marriage dissolved because he didn’t feel the same way about her? Would she cling out of unrequited love, or have the pride and self-respect to walk away even if he wanted her to stay for reasons other than love?

Don’t think about failures . They won’t happen , Gavin had said once. But she was afraid she wasn’t as confident or worldly as he was.