Her eyes opened, then widened. “Oh my god, Gavin. What happened to you?”
Her reaction cracked something inside him, and he burst out laughing. “Me? You’re the one who fainted.”
“But you look…” Her voice softened, and she raised a hand. “Were you crying?”
That hand was a lifeline, and he went forward and folded it into both of his. It was still too cool for his peace of mind. “Don’t ever scare me like that again.”
“Who found me?”
“I did. I went to the house.” For you. “Brooke said you’d fired everyone.”
“Oh.” She frowned. “I didn’t really fire them. Just gave everyone a two week-long paid vacation.”
“Why?”
“You wouldn’t talk to me.”
“I’m here now.” Tell me you changed your mind. Tell me you want the whole package—me included.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were closing your funds?” she asked.
That’s it? His limbs seemed impossibly weak now, and it was all he could do to remain propped up against her bed. “I’m not really closing them. I’m cutting back.”
“Whatever you call it. Why didn’t you tell me?”
He sighed. “It never came up. You decided you wanted to divorce me, no matter what, the day I made the decision.”
“Why…?”
“I don’t need a twenty-first billion.”
Her upper teeth bit into her soft lower lip. What was she thinking? Did she feel like she’d made a mistake by asking for a divorce after all? He recalled the painting she’d been working on when she fainted. If she saw him like this even now, he might still have a chance. “Amandine—”
“Gavin—”
They both stopped short and stared at each other. Her eyes flickered with so many emotions, but at the end, she simply said, “I missed you.”
Then she sat up and hugged him. His arms went around her in hot relief and gratitude. She felt so good, so perfect. Had he really taken her for granted? Not come home early enough to hold her before going to bed? He’d been the biggest idiot ever. “Not as much as I missed you.”
“Mark said you bought a penthouse,” she said, her voice muffled against his chest.
“I thought that’s what you wanted. You told me you’d do whatever it took to be free of me.”
She sniffled. “I didn’t mean it. In the end I just couldn’t give you up.”
“I know that now, but when you told me you’d rather be divorced than have a family with me, I thought…” He swallowed. “It took me a long time to figure it out, but what I really wanted was to provide for you, make sure you had the world at your feet, and pamper you so you’d never have anything to worry about and know that you’re loved.”
Her eyes shone with something that looked suspiciously like tears. He kissed them and tasted salt and love.
He continued: “The money was supposed to be a means to an end, but I don’t need another billion to do that. My work was competing with my time with you, and I let it win. I gave you things, but I wasn’t there for you.”
Pulling back, she tilted her head so she could look at him better. “Then why did you agree to divorce?”
“Because of what Catherine and Mom said.”
“What?”
He told her then about what both women had said. “If it had been one or the other, I might not have given up so easily, but Catherine and Mom have very different motivations and points of view. When they both said similar things, I figured maybe they were right.” He took a stool and pulled her on his lap. “I’ve been a selfish bastard and didn’t make you happy. I knew instinctively that you needed me, but I couldn’t let myself believe it.”