“Rene is one of the nicest people I know.” Sera turned Sylvie’s way. “Are you sure you’re all right? I know you say you’re over him, but you avoid him like you are absolutely not over him.”

“He asked me.” There. She’d said it, and honestly, she should have said it the minute she’d sat down. Even when she’d been in DC, she’d called in her two best friends when she needed help.

Sera smiled, her eyes going soft. “He did?”

Hallie’s jaw dropped. “He proposed to you? Girl, why are you here? You should be out at Darois House measuring curtains.”

The house he loved, the house he’d grown up in. The house he could lose along with everything else. “I didn’t say yes.”

Sera’s eyes had gone wide. “But you didn’t say no. You played it all cool like, right? I can see that. You told him to give you some time, but tomorrow you’re going to tell him yes.”

Sylvie shook her head. “I told him no because it’s a crazy idea.”

“He’s a unicorn. Do you understand? He is a godawful gorgeous man who takes care of his mom but isn’t a momma’s boy. He’s super rich but doesn’t lord it over everyone. Damn it, Sylvie, I’ve heard he’s even good in bed, and as pretty as he is, he doesn’t have to be. What is wrong with you two? First I have to shove this one into Harry’s arms, and now you’re turning down a superhot, nice millionaire who your family loves? Your mother loves Rene. He’s your brother’s best friend.” Hallie stood up. “I’m getting another drink and maybe some cheese fries because I already married my Prince Charming and I wasn’t stubborn enough to fight it.”

Hallie turned and strode away.

“She is so much more aggressive since she had Gracie.” Sylvie watched her friend go.

“She did kind of have to push me at Harry,” Sera allowed. “I was scared of getting my heart broken again. Is that why you turned Rene down?”

How could she make Sera understand? “I turned him down for a whole lot of reasons. It’s a crazy idea.”

“You’re probably right. It would be better for him to find someone who doesn’t have feelings for him. He can get a prenup, and then after he’s settled back into his job, they can get divorced.”

Sylvie sat back. “I don’t think that’s what he has in mind. He asked if I wanted kids.”

Sera went quiet as though she needed time to process that bit of information.

“He said he wanted to give it a real chance, and he had some logical reasons for why we could work,” Sylvie explained. “And I didn’t even think about saying no. I just said it.”