Page 15 of Recipe for Love (The Andrades 0.5)
“ ‘Love’ is a word I don’t use easily,” Richard said, but his tone held a sadness Maddy couldn’t understand. “I didn’t want to say it until I knew you were the woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.”
Maddy covered her eyes with her hands and took a deep breath. Her emotions were in a tangled mess. “I’m going to need a minute to absorb this.” Although she heard his words, she couldn’t ignore what she’d seen in his eyes. She looked up at him, confused. “If this is a proposal, why does it feel like a good-bye?”
Richard didn’t deny it, and Maddy’s stomach lurched again. “You’re not going to like what I’m going to tell you, but please hear me out.”
Maddy turned away. “I don’t want to hear whatever you’re leading up to. Listen, maybe I should spend the night in town. Maybe you’re upset that Gino ended your night at work early. I don’t know, but I can guarantee that you should rethink whatever you’re about to say.”
Richard walked up behind her and laid a hand on her lower back, talking softly into her ear. “There you go, Maddy, running away from what you don’t want to see.”
She spun on him angrily. “Hey, I’m not the one who just delivered a marriage proposal that sounded like a eulogy.”
Richard held her eyes. “I didn’t ask you to marry me.”
Maddy’s chest tightened painfully. “I can see this conversation isn’t taking a turn for better.”
Richard took both of her arms in his hands and held her before him. “Do you love me, Maddy?”
Angry tears filled Maddy’s eyes. “How can you ask that after all this time we’ve been together? Do you think I would be here if I didn’t?”
His hands tightened on her arms. “I don’t want to lose you, but you can’t stay here with me anymore, Maddy. You need to go home to your family. It’s time.”
Maddy’s knees buckled in shock beneath her. “What are you saying? I don’t understand.”
He held her against his chest and tucked her beneath his chin. Maddy heard his heart thudding loudly in his chest as he said, “I want you with me because you love me and you don’t want to be anywhere else. I don’t want you to be here because you don’t want to be there. You need to go home, Maddy, and sort things out with your family.”
Maddy tore free from his embrace. “Wait, let me get this straight, you love me so much that you’re telling me to leave?”
He nodded sadly.
“Will you come with me?” she demanded.
“Non,” he said, his expression unreadable. “I would distract you from what you need to address—the reason you came here in the first place.”
“I came here because I was sick and tired of the lies. I thought you understood that. But I don’t care about them anymore.”
“You do. And they stop you . . .”
“What is it that I haven’t done, Richard? I thought what we had was perfect. I get along with your family, your friends. I’m learning your damn language. Tell me, which part of this are you not happy with?”
Richard tucked a wild hair behind Maddy’s ear. “I am happy. You’re not. And you won’t be as long as you hide here with me. Go home, Maddy. Face whatever drove you here. And then, if you still want to be here, come back to me.”
“Wow, no wonder they say the French are smooth. You make breaking up with me sound like the screenplay for a B-rated chick flick. Let me give you the American version of what you’re saying. It’s not you; it’s me. I’m not ready for something as wonderful as you. Only in your speech, you’re ending it because I’m not ready for you.”
“Maddy—”
He reached for her and she smacked his hand away. “No, don’t touch me. You want me to leave. I’ll leave.”
She raced toward the door and opened it. She was halfway down the stairs when Richard caught up to her, swinging her around by the arm. “We’re not done with this conversation.”
Gino appeared beside them. Ever present. Ever protective. Maddy had never been so happy to see him. “Tell him to let go of my arm, Gino.”
Gino stood directly beside them and said, “Richard, I don’t want to hurt you.”
Richard didn’t let go. “I respect you, Gino, but this is between Madison and me.”
Gino put his hand over Richard’s in warning. “I’m sorry, Richard.”
Richard looked from Maddy to Gino’s hand and released her. “Maddy, hate me if you want, but I’m right, and I do love you. I hope someday you understand that.”
Maddy rushed away from the two of them, stopping only when she reached the street. Gino was beside her in a heartbeat. He said, “My car is across the street.”
In a state of shock, Maddy followed him silently. She couldn’t believe that Richard didn’t want to be with her. She was angry and ashamed of how easily she’d given him her heart. How could I have been so stupid? “Take me to the airport,” she told Gino.
“Would you like to stop in town for anything?”
Maddy looked back at Richard’s house and tears filled her eyes. “No, everything I care about is in there.” She wiped away a tear and swore. “Shit, Gino, I forgot my purse and my phone in there.”
“I’ll be right back,” Gino said and strode toward the house. He returned a short time later with both.
Not surprising, Maddy thought, why would Richard hang onto either when he wants me gone?
Gino started the car and asked, “Where should I tell the pilot we’re going?”
“I don’t care,” Maddy said, watching the French countryside pass in the window. “I officially don’t care about anything anymore.”
Chapter Seven
Of course, Gino took her to her parents’ home in New York. Her parents hugged her and kissed her until she pleaded reprieve, blaming jet lag and fatigue for why she wanted to go directly to her room. The truth was she was speaking and interacting on autopilot.
She retreated to her suite of rooms and stayed there well into the next day. Her mother stopped by several times to ask her if she wanted to have breakfast together, go shopping, or simply talk. Maddy declined each time. She closed the heavy curtains in her room, turned off all the lights, and embraced the oblivion of sleep.
There was only one word she could think of to describe how she felt inside: shattered.
Her excuses bought her a day alone, but on her second day home her father came into her room, turned on all the lights, and sat on the edge of her bed.
“Your mother is worried about you, Maddy,” he said with forced sternness.
Maddy turned away from him, hugging her blankets to her. “I’m fine. I’m just exhausted.”
He touched one of her curls lightly. “If you’re afraid your mother and I will find out you were living with that Frenchman while you were in Sablet, we already know. Gino is not the only one who watches out for you.”
Maddy closed her eyes. “Thanks for trusting me, Dad.”
Her father gave a grunt of displeasure. “I shouldn’t have to hire people to tell me what my daughter is up to. She shouldn’t be lying to me.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t realize our family was above lying now.”
“You’re still angry with me about Stephan?”
“Did Uncle Victor tell him the truth yet?”
Her father remained silent.
