“Thank you, my friend.” Bijou gave her a little bow. “You always boost my confidence. Have you gone to one of Arnaud’s shows? Lots of press. He’s very famous and the critics and very wealthy buyers turn out in droves.” She knew she sounded proud of him—she couldn’t help it. “He really is a genius when it comes to his work. Some of his sculptures are on display in the Louvre. That is an amazin’ achievement.”

“Poor Remy,” Saria said, a cheeky grin on her face. “He’s goin’ to take one look at you in that dress hangin’ on that hot Frenchman’s arm and he’s goin’ to go completely ballistic.”

“No, he won’t,” Bijou denied. “I told him I was goin’ and he was fine with it. He knows I’m friends with Arnaud.”

“Knownin’ it and likin’ it are two different things,” Saria pointed out. “He’s very territorial where you’re concerned. He always has been. No one could ever say anythin’ about you even when you were a teenager or he’d get upset.”

Bijou’s heart jumped. “Umm, sweetheart. I love you, I really do, but Remy was gone most of the time when we were teens.”

“Most of the time, but he visited once in a while and he always asked about you and how you were doin’. Gage and the boys thought you were a little stuck-up and Remy didn’t like that.”

“Everyone thought I was stuck-up except you,” Bijou said.

It was strange how the memories of those days still hurt. She knew she was partially to blame. She hadn’t wanted anyone to know just how awful her father and his bandmates and groupies really were. She was embarrassed by his behavior. She didn’t dare take a friend or teacher home for fear Bodrie might seduce them—which of course he had on more than one occasion. She was always the one blamed when he’d refuse to see the person again—not Bodrie.

“Remy never thought you were haughty,” Saria denied. “He always seemed to be your staunchest supporter.”

Bijou tried not to react to Saria’s disclosure, but it was nice to know Remy had remembered her even during her teenage years. She’d felt very much alone during that time. Only Saria had ever really been a friend to her. Saria had no desire to meet Bodrie. She understood the concept of growing up on her own. Her brothers were grown and mostly out of the house and her father had stayed drunk most of the time. It seemed natural for the girls to gravitate toward one another.