Page 46 of Marcel

Nikki nodded as shelooked over the proposal.

“And youmentioned that some big organization has been pressuring you to sellthe place.”

The woman nodded witha scornful sniff. “They want to build some damn apartments onthe property and spoil the whole natural beauty of the area.”

“You want us torepresent you and stop that corporation from constantly trying totake you over.” Nikki leafed through the document she hadcompiled. “You own fifty-five percent of the business.”She pointed out.

“Yes. We had togo public to acquire the money to expand.”

“You expandedrapidly over the last three years.”

“And you thinkthat was a bad idea.” Carolyn clasped her hands on top of thetable. “Mary-Ann, my sister, thought adding stables and horseswould be more profitable.”

Nikki lifted her headand looked at her. “And did it work?”

“Somewhat,”Carolyn said with a sigh. “What can you do for me, my dear? Ido not want to think that I will lose the place. I feel like Davidfighting Goliath.”

“You have toremember that David came out victorious. Oh, here is my husband now.He is more of an expert than I am.”

“Oh my.”The woman whispered as she turned to look at Marcel. “Oh my.”

*****

“I think we goteverything we need.”

“Good, becauseI am absolutely exhausted,” Julia admitted with a laugh. Theyhad spent an hour shopping and were now seated at the outdoor cafe,sipping long glasses of strawberry lemonade. “Truthfully, Ihave been exhausted ever since the engagement.”

“Your weddingday is fast approaching,” Nikki murmured as she sipped herdrink. She had taken the rest of the afternoon off to go shoppingwith her sister-in-law and to get ready for the gallery opening shewas attending with her husband.

“Please don’tremind me,” Julia said with a rueful laugh. “Mother is inher element. It won’t be as fabulous as yours, but the guestlist is starting to be problematic. And I am not employed.”

“I would notcall you idle. Aren’t you and Wendy responsible for more than adozen charities?”

Julia nodded with agrateful smile. “I often wondered if Dad is disappointed that Iam not a lawyer.”

“I am certainhe is proud of you,” Nikki assured her.

“As theyoungest in a family of lawyers, I wanted to do something different.Mother used to be an assistant district attorney before she startedhaving children. Both Matthew and Marcel have carried on the familytradition and-”

“You decided tobe different,” Nikki said gently. “Nothing is wrong withthat, honey.”

“And Gerrald isalso a lawyer,” she added, rolling her eyes. “Was thatwhy you were drawn to him?” She had seen the quiet andlaid-back Gerrald around the firm and at the few dinners she had beento at the manor.

He did not talk muchbut, from all appearances, seemed to adore his fiancé. Nikkiwondered if he was intimidated by the family he was marrying into.

“I met him whenI went to the firm for a meeting a year ago and was bowled over firstby his looks and then by the fact that he did not seem to care who Iam. He is from a middle-class family, and at first, we had to hidethe fact that we were seeing each other.” Julia finished herdrink and reached for her glass of water.

The subdued sound ofthe traffic was a pleasant if intrusive setting to the place, but thediners did not seem to mind. “I was afraid of how Daddy andespecially Marcel would react.”

“Marcel?”

Julia looked at herwith a smile. “Your husband happens to be very intimidating.”

“Is he?”Nikki grinned wryly. “I hardly ever noticed.”

Julia glanced at her.“How are things going between you two?”

“We seem to begetting along.”

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