“Rene.” His mother was at the bottom of the stairs.

“Mom.” He handed Lady over and strode down to wrap his petite mother in a hug. “I’m sorry. I should never have spoken to you that way. Please forgive me.”

“Of course. I’m sorry, too. Oh, Rene, I didn’t mean any of it.” Cricket held on to her son, tears in her eyes. “I was scared to tell you about Louis because I worried you would think I didn’t love your father.”

Rene stepped back. “I know you married him for similar reasons to why Sylvie married me.”

He understood nothing. Sylvie moved down the stairs and joined them in the living room, catching sight of her mom in the kitchen. “I married you because it gave me a good excuse to not do all the stressful dating stuff. I always knew I was going to marry you.”

His jaw had dropped, likely at her audacity. “Really?”

That was her story and she was sticking to it. She would tell their kids that, yes, she always knew their daddy was the one. “Absolutely.”

She glanced over and her mother was standing in the kitchen, a smile on her face. Her mother liked it when her plans came together, and her daughter marrying the man she’d always loved had definitely been in her momma’s plans.

“That’s my baby,” her mother said, a spatula in her hand. “You rewrite history to suit yourself just like I taught you.”

Cricket had taken her son’s hand and led him to the couch. “It’s completely different. You and Sylvie have a long history. I married your father because I couldn’t have the man I wanted and my life was slipping away. I wanted a family. I wanted children. I wanted you. Sylvie didn’t marry you to have a family. She married you because she loves you. That came later for your father and me.”

Sylvie moved to the coffeepot and poured out two mugs. She looked to her mom, her voice going low. “Maybe we should give them some privacy.”

Her mother turned a bacon strip. “No. You need to sit with your husband and hold his hand. He needs you with him, and honestly, Cricket does, too. I think this conversation has a lot to do with you.”

“You loved Louis?” Rene asked quietly.

Sylvie set the mug down in front of him, holding her own in her hand. She felt Rene’s hand reach for her free one. Yes, her mother was right. He needed her to be here in this moment with him.