She set her empty glass down on the bar. “I have an early morning meeting with the heads of the departments. It’s a busy week for me because we’ve got annual audits coming soon. And I’ll be late tomorrow night. I’m meeting with some film producers who are thinking about shooting a movie here. Don’t get excited. It’s why I don’t announce these things. It’s not the first time we’ve had Hollywood take a look around. They usually run once they see Otis. Or Herve in a Speedo. That really happened once.”

He needed to get her schedule from Gertie. It might give him a clue where he could slide in and help her out. If she saw how helpful he could be as a husband, perhaps she might weigh that against all the bad things that came with the family name. “Where are you taking them?”

She shrugged. “I’m catering in some food in the largest of the conference rooms. Guidry’s is too loud for a meeting like this, and the only other place that’s close is the Fillin’ Station, and I can’t take them to a place where they can get both chicken-fried steak and unleaded petroleum.”

He might be able to salvage the evening. “Bring them here. I’ll have Chef cook whatever you like, and my wine cellar is completely open.”

Sylvie frowned. “I can’t put that on you.”

“It’s your home, too, Madam Mayor. You should use it. For the last couple of years it’s been me and Mom. Once a year we have a big party, but that’s it. It would be good to start using this house for what it was meant to be used for.”

“And what’s that?”

He gestured around the room. “To impress and intimidate all who enter. I’m not half bad at persuasion myself, you know. If I expect you to deal with my relatives, shouldn’t you get to use me as arm candy? I’ll wear my best suit.”

“I thought you didn’t want me dealing with your relatives.”

He stood and moved toward her. “I didn’t think throwing you to the wolves would help make my case.”

She wasn’t backing away. “Your case?”

He moved in closer and put his hands on her arms. “You think I only brought you in because my aunt respects your mother?”

Her chin tilted up. “That seems to be what your cousins think.”

“Because they don’t think I have any other needs. They don’t think I have a heart. They view me as an emotionless robot in a good suit. They don’t understand that my plan involves more than getting through the next vote. I don’t want to use that prenup.”