Page 57 of The Marriage Auction 2: Part 2

Emily looped her elbow with Maia’s. “Don’t worry about it. My dad has loads of cash. He will buy you all the clothes you need and more. I get him to buy me new stuff all the time. All you have to do is—”

“Em!” Rhodes cut her off. “Please don’t encourage my girlfriend to manipulate me.”

“And now you see the stick in the mud, responsible side. I’ll show you how to get past that side too,” Emily whispered.

“God save me from beautiful women that have me wrapped around their little fingers,” Rhodes called out to the heavens.

“Anyway, your room is on the first floor. We’re on the top. Do you want me to show you? Oh, and Dad, Aurelie made an American breakfast,” Emily called out, taking Maia up the steps at a quick clip.

“What? I was looking forward to crepes,” he grumbled.

“Right?” Emily said. “Uncle Christo apparently hasn’t had enough American breakfasts even after being in Las Vegas for like, ever!”

“Ma douce,” Christo called out to his niece. “Nothing is better than American food.”

Emily rolled her eyes. “If you’d rather have crepes, I’ll bet we can get Aurelie to make some. She did last night, and they were fab-u-lous.”

Maia nodded. “Um, yeah, okay. Whatever everyone else wants. I’m not a picky eater.”

“Really? My mom doesn’t eat much of anything. She says air makes her fat. Isn’t that weird? How can air make you fat?” Emily prattled on.

Rhodes looked at me, then at Maia and Emily. All three of us were shocked at how nice Emily was being to his new girlfriend. Somehow, Maia had won over the teenager within the span of a few minutes.

The two of them disappeared into the house. “Holy shit!” I heard Maia say as Emily responded. “Dope, right?” I needed to look up this meaning of the word “dope” so I knew what exactly she meant. I thought it meant drugs.

“How did that just happen?” Rhodes said, his voice low enough so only Christophe and I could hear. “I expected tears and a tantrum.”

I shrugged. “Maybe your little girl is growing up?”

He shook his head. “Something is up, and I’m going to get to the bottom of it. I know my kid, and that wasn’t her.”

“Well, Maia did play along a bit more than I would have expected. Our little pickpocket has picked up a thing or two. At least enough to win over a teenager,” I agreed.

“And what about that part about Emily knowing I couldn’t be happy vacationing without her. It was like she wanted me to miss her so much that I’d come running to France to be with her.”

I offered my thoughts. “I don’t know. Maybe it’s because her mother doesn’t miss her at all?”

“That’s a good point. Terrible and true. I’ll think about it. She did just find out her mother wasn’t going to marry Pablo. She was excited about her mother settling down. And she liked the guy. He was decent in his own way. Then again, Emily has liked all of Portia’s men. Hmmm. Maybe that’s what it is. The first time I’m bringing someone around.”

“Maybe,” I pressed my lips together, pondering the oddity.

“I just…I thought it wouldn’t go well between Maia and Emily,” Rhodes continued.

“Let us not look a gift horse in the mouth,” Christophe added with a clap to his shoulder.

“You’re right. And I could really use a hot meal and a nap.” Rhodes said.

“Come, darling, let’s get you and Maia settled.”

Christophe broke off to have Aurelie make two more plates and redo ours as I followed Rhodes and the sounds of two girls cackling like hyenas.

When Rhodes and I entered the downstairs suite, we found Maia and Emily sitting cross-legged on the bed laughing.

“Dad! Did you know that Alana and Maia met years ago when she tried to steal Auntie’s watch? But Auntie caught her!”

Rhodes and I both looked at Maia. Who smiled sweetly.

“Uh…Maia shared that? It’s news to me.” Rhodes’ voice cracked and I could see his jaw tighten.

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