Oh, god, what had he done? Remy had shown up last night looking grim, and Rene had taken him into his office. When she’d asked about what Remy had needed, all Rene would say was it was business and she shouldn’t worry about it.
“How would you know that?” Cricket strode up to her son. “Did you have someone investigating him? His finances are private. You had no right.”
“I had every right when his finances involve yours, when he decides he can retire off our family money,” Rene shot back.
“Again, Rene, my money. I know I allow you to do the budgeting and pay the bills and spend what you like, but your father left the money to me, not you. I am not a child,” Cricket proclaimed.
“You are acting like one right now. You are acting like a teenager who knows better but can’t quite help yourself.” Rene’s arms crossed over his chest.
She’d had enough, and they had an audience. It had not escaped Sylvie that Lila and Mabel were caught at the reception desk. They were politely trying to be invisible, but they had nowhere else to go since Louis was standing in the hall that led to the exam rooms and Lila’s office.
She got in her husband’s space. “Rene, stop. I mean it. You need to walk away and cool off. We should all go back to the house and have this conversation there. You are airing our dirty laundry in public.”
“Ours? Honey, you just proved to me there is no us, and my mother doesn’t mind galivanting around with her lover, so I think there’s no real need to go home,” he said implacably. “After all, it’s not truly mine, is it?”
Cricket took a long breath. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have talked to you like that.”
“Oh, no. I think honesty is absolutely the best policy.” Rene’s words had lost their heat, and his expression had gone cold. “I apologize. I thought I was protecting you. I can see I don’t need to do that now. It’s Louis’s job. Be careful with your money, Mother. He really is almost broke.”
Rene turned and started out the door.
What the hell had happened? Sylvie raced after Rene. “Hey, you don’t get to walk out like that.”
He didn’t stop, merely kept moving toward the Land Rover he drove. “And yet, I’m doing it. In a few days I’ll call you and we can discuss how to dissolve our marriage. I guess I didn’t need that prenup after all.”
“Are you kidding me?” She put her hands on her hips, utterly shocked at how he was behaving. She’d known he could break, but this was beyond what she was willing to put up with. “You pull me into all of this and now you’re walking away? We’re supposed to meet with your aunt tomorrow. You’re going to let that go?”
“It’s been pointed out to me now on several occasions that none of this is actually mine,” Rene said, pulling his keys out of his pocket. “And if I’m not going to fight for my job or my mother’s home, then I don’t need you, do I?”
She barely managed not to roll her eyes. “You’re feeling mean. I get that. But I did nothing wrong here except try to smooth things over for you. Don’t take this out on me.”
He went still for a moment, and she almost thought she had him. Then he beeped his SUV to open it. “I’ll stay at a motel tonight and I’ll handle my aunt tomorrow. I’ve decided to do this without involving you. It’s better this way. Stay with my mother tonight, please. I know I don’t have the right to ask you.”
He nodded back toward the clinic and she realized Cricket and Louis had followed them out. Cricket stood on the sidewalk looking like her world was ending. Sylvie turned back to Rene.
“What is going on?” Her heart ached because she didn’t buy this in any way. He might play poker well, but she knew his tells.
He shook his head. “I told you. I married you because I wanted to save my mother’s home. She doesn’t want my help therefore our marriage is no longer necessary. I’ll contact you soon and we’ll get the legalities handled.”
She heard the door whish closed behind her and heard Cricket crying as Rene slid into the driver’s seat.
“And you’re fired, Louis,” Rene said. “Maybe next week you can petition Charles to get your job back.”
Cricket put her hands over her face as she sobbed.
Rene drove out of that parking lot like a bat flying away from hell.
“I’m so sorry,” Cricket said as Louis gathered her in his arms.
Sylvie shook her head as she watched Rene flee the scene, leaving her with his crying mother and the man who’d been family to him.