Page 32 of Hayes

"Hayes–"

"No." He shook his head. "I have to get it out of the way."

"I was just going to say: I love you."

His eyes darkened. "Good, because I love you too."

*****

He had offered to meet her at the museum, somewhere public where he would not be subjected to a scene. The fact that he was not looking forward to it should have warned him of what was coming.

On top of that, his mother had met him as he was going upstairs to get ready and insisted on having a conversation.

"I don't have time."

"I would appreciate it if you would." She led the way into her private sitting room. "I might have done something terrible in your opinion, but I am still your mother. I take it you were with Camelia last night?"

"Yes," he responded shortly, refusing to sit on one of the plush blue and white chairs.

"I see." Taking a seat around her Louis IV desk, she clasped her hands and stared at him. "So, it's official. You are together?"

"It's unofficial for the moment. She wants time."

"And you don't."

"No, Mother, I want to shout it to the world that I am with the woman I love. But I agreed to give her the time she needs."

"Have you considered the implications, the repercussions?" she demanded. "You have a company to run–"

"And I have to think about my personal life."

"What of children, Hayes? Don't tell me you will be satisfied with a woman who cannot produce an heir."

His eyes darkened. "I cannot think about that. I will do everything in my power to see if the situation can be rectified."

"And if it can't be? If she will never be able to give you children?"

"Then we damn well adopt!" he bit out. "I am not doing this with you, Mother. I love her."

"She clouds your judgment! Always has. you are obsessed–"

"I am." He smiled grimly. "And I feel no shame about it. I love her completely and am willing to be with her, no matter the cost."

"Hayes–"

"Enough! Accept her or don't, but it does not matter."

"And poor Simone? She called here last night, you know, trying to find you."

"And what did you tell her?"

"I had to lie. I told her you were probably at the club."

"I never asked you to." He turned toward the doors and stopped. "You never approved of her, did you? She said something of that nature to me, and I brushed it away. Her parents were not our social equals, and you didn't like that." He turned to look at her.

"And I was right," she admitted angrily. "Look what that awful man did to his wife? And she was a tramp–"

"Mother–"