Remy left the nurse’s station after filling out paperwork that took longer than necessary and then returned to Cassidy’s hospital room. She was pulling green socks back on and then wet tennis shoes—she seemed so small, so vulnerable. He could have easily lost her and that had made him question his own feelings. “Cassidy? Are you ready?”

She nodded, her face scrubbed free of all the makeup she’d had on earlier, though her hair had the unnatural waves of being up and pinned. She must have put the pearls in her pocket because the girl he knew all his life was always practical and tried to never lose anything. Cassidy jumped off the bed with a relieved smile. “The doctors cleared me, but I want to check on Alexandre before we head home.”

His stomach knotted. She’d called the man her hero. He ignored the tight pit in his stomach and motioned with his head. “He’s conscious and making a full recovery.”

She walked over and took his arm, leaving a trail of desire in her simple gesture. “That’s good to know, but I’ll feel better if I talk to him first.”

“Did you like him?” His throat was tight. If she said yes, he had no idea what he’d do.

She let out a laugh and walked down the hall with him. “Remy, you will never believe this, but he is Chelsea’s true love according to my computer program. He needs to come to Avce and meet my sister.”

His heart beat easier as his muscles relaxed. Cassidy hadn’t found another guy on him in the hours since he’d lost her. He walked her toward the other man’s room. “Lucinda told Chelsea you left because you believe in love more than anything else.”

Her sigh sounded like a brush-off. “That was the old me.”

If only he believed that. Something about her suggested that she wasn’t happy with him, but he didn’t know how to fix whatever was wrong.

She knocked on the grape grower’s hospital door and smiled as she walked in. “Alexandre, you’re looking well.”

The other man sat up and smiled at her as he tugged his ruined t-shirt on that had cuts and blood stains on it. “What happened after the blonde shot me?”

Cassidy pointed to the door behind her with her thumb. “She’s been arrested, though she might still be in the hospital if you want to see her. She needed stitches.”

Alexandre winked at her, but stood from the examination bed. “I’m good. I need to get back to my vineyard, mademoiselle.”

Cassidy met Remy’s gaze briefly, like she thought he understood her, and then said to Alexandre, “When you’re well and sure of your crops, please come to Avce and stay as our guest. We’d love to have you. I can return your clothes.”

Alexandre walked over and kissed Cassidy’s cheeks in the European fashion. “Thank you, mademoiselle.” Remy’s stomach churned by how nice these two were being to each other. Then Alexandre stepped away from Cassidy and shook Remy’s hand. “And you must be the lucky man marrying this lovely lady.”

Remy stood taller. “I am. Thank you for helping her. My wife and I would be thrilled to have you visit us.”

The Frenchman nodded and Remy placed his hand on Cassidy’s lower back to lead her toward the door as she said, “Goodbye, Alexandre.” They walked together and she told him the moment they were in the hall, “I’m ready to go home now. I know Donna kept talking about Paris for her honeymoon, but if we go on one, I’d prefer someplace warmer, like the Azores or even a visit to Southern Cal again, where we grew up.”

“We can go wherever you like, Cassidy.” Remy’s mind instantly recalled Cassidy in her one piece blue bathing suit weeks before they returned to Avce. They’d been sixteen. He’d not seen her that open and smiling in years, and he’d like to. They passed a waiting area where Prince Marco was speaking to local police. He lifted one hand in a wave and they did the same. Remy explained, “Prince Marco is dealing with the authorities, so we’re heading back alone.”

She walked with him to the waiting limo he’d hired to take them to the private airport. Once she was inside, and the limo took off, she turned toward him and asked, “How was our wedding?”

His heart nearly stopped as he met her gaze, but he scooted closer to her and left his hand right next to hers on the seat between them. “Terrifying. I wanted to see you. Your sister scared me when she said you were gone—by choice.”

Cassidy looked down. “I don’t know why Chelsea chose to believe Lucinda about me. She should know better.”

His being felt off kilter, like he needed to make sure that Cassidy understood why they’d gone through the ceremony by proxy. “Her reasons sounded logical.”

She blinked and stared at him with a blank expression. “What could they possibly be?”

There was a buzz in his skin as he reached out and took her hand. “That you believe in love and happily-ever-afters and that’s all you ever wanted in your own life. Creating the computer program should have convinced us all of that.”

She rolled her eyes at him like she thought he was a fool. It was that look of hers that she often gave him as she said, “That’s part of me, sure, but I’m also practical and logical. When we get back, I’m curious about your plans to revitalize the property without enriching my father.”

Cassidy was not interested in being in love with him. A chill raced through him as he released her hand and tried to understand how they’d live together in peace. He wasn’t sure what he wanted from her either right now. “Tomorrow or the next day. First you need to rest and Grannie told me to tell you she’s feeling up for a walk in the gardens.”

“I miss her.” She met his gaze, her eyes shimmering with emotion.

“We’ll be home soon.” He lowered his head as the limo came to a stop. His gut ticked that something was wrong and he needed to fix the situation. But his mind wasn’t clear on the answer. The limo driver opened his door and he slid out and waited for Cassidy.

She joined him on the tarmac and they moved toward his white jet with the family seal painted on the back. She walked up the stairs with him and went to a small couch where she sat. She took his hand and pulled him next to her. “Remy, thank you for coming for me. I was so scared when I woke up in the back seat of Lucinda’s SUV.”

“Don’t thank me.” He leaned closer to her. “This was all my fault. You were right about me all along. I cared about looks more than quality and that almost got you killed—Lucinda told me her reasons for kidnapping you.” A beautiful pair, she’d said. To make beautiful heirs.

Cassidy placed her hand on his cheek. “I’m fine.”

Nothing would move him from this spot. His forehead met hers. “It’s still all my fault.”

“Lucinda said she had cameras in your bedroom,” Cassidy said.

He sat straight and his spine became like iron. “What? I’ll search every corner and clean the room.”

She kicked off her tennis shoes and rested one sock-covered foot on the couch as the pilot started the engine. “We. I’ll help. We both said we’d create an heir to our houses and I’d like to know that no one is watching me, well, except you.”

Cold raced through him. Now even his ears buzzed that something was off that he needed to fix but he couldn’t figure it out. Remy ignored the sensation and patted her hand. “Cassidy, your grape grower was right about me. I am a lucky man. I just don’t want to hurt you.”

She brought her knee up to her chin, wrapping her arm around her shin. “Continue being honest with me and we’re good Remy. We’ve always been good.”

He needed to voice the buzz in his veins. “I want more than what we had. Cassidy, don’t close off on me like you are, being all polite.”

She reached out and brushed his cheek again. “I’m not. Remy, I’m happy we’re together. I’m just sad I missed our wedding.”

A huge sigh of relief escaped his throat. Of course. She wanted a wedding with the white dress and to walk down the aisle. Their wedding ceremony by proxy had been awful, but a do-over was already being planned. He smiled at her. “Gigi is planning a repeat next week, where you’ll be the bride. We can make it as big or as small as you want.”

She nodded, her eyes wide. “I’d like for everyone to see that I chose to marry you and this wasn’t because of a business deal, like Lucinda and everyone thinks, where you are stuck marrying the nerdy girl who works at the palace.”

He relaxed and traced her leg now wearing his gray gym shorts that lay between them, and noticed the goosebumps in his trail while her face turned pink. “Fair enough, but only if you kiss me.”

She lowered her leg to his lap and scooted closer to him. “Remy, I’ll be kissing you for the rest of your life.”

“Starting right now.”

Her lips then met his and he forgot everything else. She was here and in his arms, right where she was supposed to be.