From the set look in his eyes, that was it. No point in arguing anymore.
“Let me show you the inside.” He led her up the steps into the interior of the jet.
It was all cream and the palest opalescent pink. A table with matching ivory chairs and couches dominated the area closest to the door. Panels that together formed her favorite painting, Renoir’s Le Déjeuner des Canotiers, made up the ceiling, Sistine Chapel-like. In the back, she found a bedroom with a king-sized bed complete with silky gold-striped linen, and a walk-in closet full of brand new clothes in her size. The bathroom sported a double-head shower and double vanity. Again, stocked with her preferred brand of toiletries.
Gavin spread his arms. “What do you think?” His eyes twinkled as he waited for her answer.
“It’s…grand. I don’t know what to say.” I don’t know what to make of the fact that you keep giving me these extravagant things. She and Gavin now owned two jets, one for her and one for him. Had she celebrated too prematurely? He must’ve thought she’d take on more duties or something at the various charities and fundraisers. Why else would he give her a jet?
“You could say, ‘thank you’.”
“Of course.” She pulled her lips back in a smile, though her cheeks felt rubbery now. “Thank you, Gavin.”
“You’re welcome. Now that we’re done here, let’s—” The vibration from his pocket interrupted him. He looked at his phone and scowled. “Excuse me. I need to take this.” With a flick of his wrist, he gestured at the rest of the plane. “Why don’t you look around? I’ll make it quick.”
* * *
“Yes?” Gavin said when the cockpit door closed behind him.
“Sorry to bother, but can you come?” said his oldest brother Jacob’s housekeeper Bee. It wasn’t her real name, but not many could pronounce her Vietnamese name correctly, so everyone called her Bee.
Gavin frowned. Why was she calling him from Jacob’s house phone? “What’s going on?”
“I feel worried. Mrs. Catherine acting strange.” Her accent thickened as she grew more agitated. “The other wife came, and Mr. Jacob left with her.”
What the hell? “What other wife?”
“Mr. Jacob has other wife. Number One Wife.”
“Bee, there’s no ‘other wife’. Jacob only married once.” To Catherine.
“Yes, yes, he never divorce. So Mrs. Catherine is Number Two Wife.”
“Okay, slow down. Who is this Number One Wife?”
“Number One Wife from Las Vegas. Did…uh…sexy shows, and I think Mr. Jacob liked…” Bee cleared her throat. “Anyway Mrs. Catherine will not stop crying. She fire everyone and throw things!”
Gavin could hear the housekeeper’s breathing. Maintaining the giant Houston mansion was her pride and joy. Gavin had seen how spotless his older brother’s place was.
But the idea of Catherine throwing things was surreal. She was one of the most perfectly mannered high-society women he’d ever met. He couldn’t imagine the circumstances that would cause her to lose control to the point where she’d actually throw things.
Although he had to admit, if he understood correctly what Bee was saying, bigamy might very well do it.
Shit.
“She very angry,” Bee said. “Please, somebody need to come. I can’t stay, you know? I’m fired, too.”
“What about Jacob?”
“Not answer his phone.”
Damn it. “Fine. I’ll take care of it.”
He hung up and considered his options. In her current state, Catherine would never let a stranger come inside her home, so sending someone from the concierge services firm he kept on retainer would be useless. For somebody like her, who liked being surrounded by staff who catered to her every whim, firing everyone meant that only family would do in this crisis.
What to do? Ask Ethan to go? No, he was swamped with work. Besides, Ethan wasn’t the warm and fuzzy type, and he thought poorly of Catherine. Mom was out—she despised her daughter-in-law, even though she’d never said a single ungracious word to Catherine. She’d killed all the yellow roses in her garden when she’d learned they were Catherine’s favorite. And Catherine’s own mother, Olivia Fairchild, was about as maternal as a piranha.
That left Gavin. Damn it. He didn’t want to go. He’d planned to spend the day with Amandine, but Catherine was family, and his mother had taught him better. No Lloyd turned his back on a family member in crisis.