Cassidy finished packing her suitcase and gathered her twelve pairs of glasses in various colors that sat on the top of her dresser. She slipped them into the color coordinated cases and tucked them carefully into her backpack that she used for work.

Chelsea threw open her bedroom door and stormed into the bedroom, reminiscent of a fire-breathing dragon. “You’ll be the worst Countess! I can’t believe you said yes.”

Was she supposed to have said no, so that Chelsea could have Remy? Her stomach knotted at the idea of the two of them together. Her sister needed to see this as positive for all of them. She zipped her backpack. “Well, now I can afford to send you to Paris for the year, like you wanted.”

Chelsea rolled her eyes. “You want me gone so I don’t make trouble.”

Well true, but Chelsea would have to be at the wedding, at least if Cassidy wanted her parents to stay calm about this whole thing. After the wedding, perhaps her sister would be more reasonable, though unlikely. Chelsea had just lost her chance to marry a duke, and now an earl. She kept her head down, her hair falling forward. “You can’t do anything to me, sis. I know Remy almost better than I know you so there is no surprise in what I’m getting.”

Her sister wrinkled her nose and glared at her. “Don’t you want to attract a man on your own?”

Why bother? She’d have to pretend to care what she looked like all the time and do that stupid fake laugh her mother and sister were clearly exceptional at, but it grated on her nerves. Cassidy shook her head and tugged the bag on her back. “Not your way, Chelsea.”

Her sister put her hand on her hip. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

An argument wouldn’t help Chelsea land another duke. Cassidy’s computer program said Chelsea’s true love was a man named Alexandre who grew wine in the South of France. Somehow, she needed to get her sister near that man’s farm, as he never left, and then Chelsea wouldn’t bother her anymore.

She pushed her hair out of her face at the sound of the front door creaking open. Cassidy wheeled her suitcase out of her room. “Dad is home and I need to talk to him. Gotta go.”

Chelsea didn’t bother to reach out and help. Instead she crossed her arms. “We’ll all be more peaceful when you’re not here.”

Cassidy turned around and stared at her sister. They had nothing in common except their parents. She saluted her and said, “Right. Well, good luck with everything Chelsea.”

Without waiting for another word, Cassidy made her way toward the elevator and lugged her suitcase inside behind her. Chelsea hadn’t followed, so the doors closed. Unfortunately, no one had fixed the light in the elevator so she rode down in the dark. Once she reached the first floor and exited the elevator, dusky light filled the room. Cassidy wheeled her bag out and found her father in the living room, with her mother.

They must have already talked about her. Her mother wiped another tear from her face.

Cassidy brought her bag to the door, left it and turned around to face them. “Father?”

“You finally agreed to marry?” He held his arms wide open to hug her.

She couldn’t remember the last time either of her parents had hugged her as an adult before today. She walked toward him and accepted the offer. They meant well. And as he hugged her, she promised herself she’d pay maintenance with her next paycheck to fix the elevator. Her current check had gone for the kitchen repairs.

The hug ended and she scooted backward. “Yes, and I’m moving in with Remy, tonight.”

He lifted her chin and she was bemused at the wide grin on her father’s face. “Good girl. We’re proud of you.”

If only they’d cared when she accomplished things on her own—like keeping the roof from falling down. Her heart skipped a beat, but she adjusted her backpack. “You’ll be at my wedding?”

Her mother pressed her hand on her heart. “Of course. Why wouldn’t we?”

She didn’t roll her eyes and instead glanced at her mother. “You skipped my graduation.”

Mom dropped her hands to her sides. Her father stood next to her mother, as always. “We had the date wrong,” he said, “but I’ll happily give you to Lord Burke. Your mother will be over tomorrow to discuss the dates with the Queen of Avce.”

Details she didn’t want to think about. She released a sigh. “Good, because I’ll be at work. Let me know whenever it’s decided. I’m sure it will be this week.”

Her mother’s face lost color. “You won’t have to work at the palace anymore.”

She clutched the black shoulder strap that hung under her arms. “I like my job. It makes me happy.”

Her mother rubbed her arms. “But now you’ll have an estate to run.”

Seriously? She felt cold inch down her spine and she shook her head. “You mean another estate to run. Though with two, perhaps I can cut this one some better deals.”

Her father walked with her toward the door, but he made that sound in his throat that meant she’d gone too far. “The contract will help your mother and I run the place.”

Money filtered out of their hands like more was easily obtained. Whatever the contract price was truly didn’t matter. She reached for the handle of her suitcase. “For a year, maybe, before you gamble the cash again. Look, I’ve got to go.”

Her father stepped in her way with his face down, though his gray hair was still perfectly coifed. “I’ve always provided a roof over your head, young lady.”

Now they were insulted? No one offered to help when she’d literally jumped in the gardener’s path to beg him to stay on though he’d not been paid in a month because her father had siphoned the cash she’d left for him. Her shoulders slumped and she took a deep breath—then exhaled. Cassidy released her death grip on the handle of her bag. “I’m nervous about moving in there tonight. Just give me a hug and wish me luck, Dad.”

He hugged her again with warmth. For once they approved of her. “You’ll do well once you take your place as a true lady.”

Like she was less than she was right now? She dragged her suitcase out the front door. “I’m going.”

Her father walked her out. “I hope he gets you a better car.”

The Renault had been her first thing to buy for herself, and she’d had it for years. Cassidy patted the roof of her dented and sometimes unreliable baby. “Reynoldo and I get along fine, Dad.”

Her father scoffed but helped put her bag in her trunk.

She waved as her mother came out and her father left her side to join Mom—they painted the perfect portrait of a team.

She turned the ignition and Reynoldo purred. Whatever had been wrong yesterday was hopefully over now. With a honk and last wave, Cassidy drove toward Remy’s house.

Once there, she parked near the livery and took her bag from the trunk when one of Remy’s servants walked over to her, horrified.

“Ma’am?”

“Sorry.” She let him take the suitcase, though at her own home, she’d had to release most of the staff go years ago, but she kept her backpack.

She didn’t knock but then she never did here. The large Maplewood foyer was empty so she called out, “Honey, I’m home.”

Remy peered out of Gigi’s favorite sitting room, so Cassidy assumed she must still be inside. Smiling, Remy walked toward her. “Very funny. Dinner will be served soon.”

Her heart stopped. It was one thing to marry him in theory and another to spend time with him. She felt a zip in her pulse that wasn’t normal as she clutched the strap of her backpack. “You want to have dinner with me?”

He nodded and motioned with his head back where he’d come from. “In Grannie’s room. She wants to talk about the wedding.”

A huge sigh of relief washed through her. Gigi was good company and the main reason Cassidy was here. “Okay, sure. Let me set up a few things in my room, which is?”

He motioned for the stairs and they both walked up as he said, “The countess’ room, of course. Cassidy, there is another thing about our marriage that you and I need to discuss.”

The thump in her chest meant they were going to have that conversation, on the steps. She swallowed. “Sex?”

When he nodded, his dark brown hair fell perfectly into place. “Yeah. It’s expected for us to have an heir.”

Her heart sped up, fast. She pressed her lips together while they walked to the second floor. She couldn’t think of what to say. She hadn’t had a boyfriend in years really and no one had excited her enough to even think about hopping into bed with. That couldn’t be said for Remy, however. Cassidy knew the names of every one of his ex-girlfriends. She’d thought he’d marry Lucinda until the supermodel had moved out of his estate last week.

He opened the door to a large room with a queen-sized bed covered with a light sea foam green comforter—there was other furniture in the room, but thanks to the conversation, that’s what she focused on. Cassidy pushed her hair out of her face and met his gaze. “Sex with you is going to be awkward, Remy.”

He sighed, as if she’d spoken out loud what he’d thought, though that hadn’t happened since they were children—before their teens they’d been very close. “I feel the same. Look, I won’t ever hurt your reputation or force myself on you. You’re like my sister, so I don’t want to hate myself either.” He moved to create distance between them.

Her pulse jerked. She wasn’t his sister or related in any way. She turned away and stumbled toward a white nightstand. Needing something to do, she unzipped her bag and started unpacking her glasses collection. “We’ll figure it out with time.”

He joined her and picked up the green frames. “Fair enough. And since we are having this very awkward talk, I have one more thing to request.”

“Yes?” She prayed he didn’t put them on his face. She didn’t actually need glasses but they’d been part of her everyday wear for years. Cassidy couldn’t be called out now, not by Remy.

He put the glasses down. “Get a haircut before the wedding. I’d like to see your face—from what I remember of it, you’re pretty. I’ll make the appointments if necessary. And have you considered contacts? Or laser surgery to correct your vision? We probably couldn’t get that done before the wedding, though.”

Marry him without her glasses? No one had ever questioned why she wore them so there hadn’t been a reason to lie. “I’ll take care of the appointments myself. I promise I won’t be an ugly bride and ruin your reputation, Remy.” What had he meant by saying he would protect hers? That he wouldn’t take a mistress? “I know you’ve always cared about looks.”

He winced as if she’d hit him. “That makes me sound shallow.”

A small laugh escaped her as she finished with her glasses and she shook her head, glancing at him over her shoulder. “You’re not anymore?”

He reached for her hand. “I hope not.”

Her skin grew hot and pulsed with awareness. She took her hand back and zipped her bag. “Perhaps this is our chance to be friends again.”

He stepped back but crossed his arms. “That’s a good start,” he agreed. “I want a wife in every way, Cassidy. We need to be on the same page, willing to try.”

“I won’t disappoint you on purpose.” She hoped that was enough. He could ask her family to see that she tried and yet she still managed to disappoint. And she wasn’t ready to talk about sex, not now, not ever.

Remington dropped his arms and walked to the door to allow her privacy. “Meet you downstairs in a few minutes?”

She nodded. Maybe Gigi’s presence at dinner would stop her gut-reaction to pull away from Remy. Tomorrow she’d spend her day at her desk at work so she’d be safe. She’d take the wedding and marriage one day at a time. It was the only way she’d get through this.