It’s time to play Family Feud!!!!!
Lessons for Solange
Setting: Family Gathering at the Chevalier Family Country Estate
Solange and Angelique have issues. Angelique thought it started with her cousin conspiring with her fiancé to steal money from her father; Solange contents their beef goes farther back than that. Way, way back.
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“Why didn’t you call? I was worried sick!” Angel threw out as soon as Therese left the room, closing the door behind her. Knowing her she was probably guarding the door.
Solange sighed heavily and sat down. Before now she hadn’t been sure how honest she should be with the younger woman. Now she knew. Nothing less than the complete truth would do.
“I really didn’t know what to say, other than I’m sorry at first,” she answered honestly. “And I was too ashamed to do that.”
“And your marriage? And children? How could you not tell me, Sollie? Did you think I’d still be mad?”
“Angel, how close would you say we were?” Solange asked her. “I mean, honestly? I know we hung around together a lot, but were we ever really friends?”
Angel blinked at her as if she’d never given it a thought. Perhaps she hadn’t.
“I – I thought, think, we’re very good friends. At least until you disappeared.”
“And blackmailing your former fiancé? Encouraging you to marry a man you couldn’t stand? That is all what? Water under the bridge?”
“Look, Sollie I’m not going to lie and tell you I understand, because I don’t. You betrayal hurt like hell, but you’re family. You may be surly and disagreeable, but you aren’t vicious and you’re a long way from being selfish or greedy. I’ve been waiting for a damn explanation!”
Angel wasn't as naïve as Solange had originally thought. She’d give her cousin props for that.
“The reasons really don’t matter. I should have never done it.” She would be honest yes, but she wasn't about to tell Angel everything. “I am truly sorry.”
“And marrying Thierry’s father? Why did you do that? What happened? How did it happen?”
Okay, that she wasn't willing to share. And Angel really didn’t have the right to know. She just shrugged, shaking her head.
“It happened. How did you fall in love with Thierry?”
“So you love him then?”
That was too much, even for her. Yeah, she owed Angel an apology, but what the hell did the woman think she was doing with Beau since she knew Solange wasn’t greedy or selfish. Standing she closed herself off, refusing to allow Angel the power to hurt her. Let her cousin think what she wanted. She was going home.
“I came to say I’m sorry. I hope you can really forgive me one day. I’ll see you around okay?”
She didn’t wait for a reply. Opening the door she had to smile at Therese, who was staring at whoever had just disappeared back into the large drawing room everyone else was still assembled in.
“Thank you, Therese. I’ll call you later and you can come by and see the girls.”
“But of course,” the French-Canadian woman gave a huge genuine smile back. “I cannot wait to see them. Their pictures are so precious!”
“Sollie, wait.”
Solange grit her teeth at the hurt that was back in Angel’s voice. Funny, but she didn’t feel the inadequacies she used to feel around her younger cousin. Nor did she feel the least bit jealous. She felt sad they would probably never really be friends, but they were just too different. Too much had happened. And for the first time in her life, she really didn’t feel she had to be her friend. They could be family, good family without it.
“I’m sorry I didn’t mean anything by what I said.” Of course Thierry appeared at the sound of his wife’s voice looking all thunderous.
Like that was supposed to scare her?
“Of course you did, Angelique. But it’s fine really.” She wasn't even mad about it. It was what it was. “You don’t really know me that well not to ask.”
Hopefully this excerpt will get you over the Wednesday hump! Want to read more introductions, click on the author links below: