Page 137 of Angel Eyes

“I know,” I said, unable to keep silent anymore. “I already know all of this because I—”

“You were with me,” Marcel interrupted, his expression smooth. “That day I was scheduled to meet with a wine seller in Provence, and I brought you along with me. You always had good taste in wine, and with your keen negotiating skills, I insisted you join me. Unfortunately, due to inclement weather, we had to cancel our appointment halfway through our journey, but it wasn’t a complete waste of a trip. We stopped by a lovely restaurant near Saint-André-les-Alpes and shared a dinner of filet de turbot rôti au beurre. I remember it well. As soon as I tasted their white wine sauce, I insisted we had to have it on our menu.”

I stared at him, surprise hitting me square in the chest. What was he talking about? Marcel had gone on that trip alone, and we both knew it.

“But why?” I croaked, unable to draw a full breath. “Why would you—”

“There is a time for everything, Lucien, a season for every activity under the heavens. A time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.” His lips tipped up. “The words of King Solomon, the wisest man to ever live.”

A time to tear and a time to mend.

Was this why he and Gabriel had decided to cover for me?

He pushed to his feet, folding his hands behind him as he crossed the room. He paused in front of a framed picture of the restaurant from thirty years prior, its bright red awning swaying in a sea breeze, the name Marcel’s painted in gold letters across the front window.

“You know, you’ve always been so dedicated to the restaurant, ever since you were a teenager. Always eager, always reliable. I never had to worry about whether you would show up for work on time or whether I could trust you to handle your responsibilities. Perhaps it was for this reason I was less vocal in my appreciation and even took you for granted.”

I dropped my gaze as a rush of blood pressed beneath the surface of my skin.

“A common flaw in human nature, I think,” he went on. “Ignoring all the abundance we have in favor of seeking the thing we lack.” He turned to me. “I owe you an apology, Lucien, for not telling you how much I have valued you all these years. I realize I paid more attention to Gabriel, but it wasn’t because he was my son. It was because he was the one that I was most at risk of losing. Still, I should have expressed my appreciation to you. If I had, maybe you wouldn’t have felt you needed to work to gain my approval.”

He moved back to the desk, coming to stand in front of me.

“This family has seen enough division, wouldn’t you say? Now that the dust has finally settled, I hope we can put a bookend on this chapter and move forward together.”

Together.

“That sounds—” Like more than I deserve. “That sounds good, sir. And what of Gabriel?”

“I’ve learned my lesson about exerting my will over him. Ultimately, it will be his decision as to how much he wants to be involved in the restaurant’s management.”

A trickle of discomfort slid down my spine. “When you say management, do you mean as …” My throat bobbed. “As the owner?”

Marcel blinked at me, and I immediately wished I could pull back the words. Gabriel was his son, and Marcel had every right to pass his business on to him.

“Yes,” Marcel said slowly, his eyes searching mine. “As co-owner. With you.”

“Co-owner?” I rasped.

Marcel nodded, the ghost of a smile passing over his features. “Much as I’d like to, I can’t go on forever. Perhaps I have another ten years in me, but eventually I will have to slow down. And when I do, it will be with the knowledge that my legacy is in the capable hands of my sons.”

My throat thickened as he placed his hands on my arms. “You are my son, too, Lucien, in every way that matters. You never needed to earn my love. You have it, now and always.”

I cleared my throat to push away the emotion clogging it. “Thank you, Mar—Uncle.”

“Well, don’t thank me just yet. With mercy comes responsibility. From here on out, I expect you to conduct yourself with integrity, understand?”

I nodded as a rush of energy pulsed in my veins. A second chance. A fresh start. It seemed too good to be true, and I might have suspected the entire thing was a fever dream if not for the steady weight of Marcel’s hands on my shoulders.

“Good,” he said with a note of finality. “And I expect you to be a team player from now on. No more solo missions. You and Gabriel will have to learn to work together.”

“What is it I’ll have to do?”

I jolted, swiveling to find Gabriel in the doorway, looking rather worse for wear.

“Gabriel,” Marcel said, a deep valley forming between his brows as he too took in his appearance. “Is everything all right?”

Gabriel shook his head, his eyes flying to mine. “I need to speak with Cristian.”

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