reason, right?”
“I told her what was happening with my family,” Rene explained. “I didn’t lie to her. She helped me with a couple of business problems I was having.”
“Yes, she’s good at strategy. And you’re real good at lying to yourself. So why are you going to lose your job if you married Sylvie and Roberta is going to vote your way because she wants to breed my mother’s psychic abilities into your family bloodline?” Dre’s eyes widened. “Damn, did Sylvie say she doesn’t want kids? Because I can tell my mom. It might actually be good for me. Deflect attention off the bullet thing. I like the way you think.”
“Andre, I used your sister.” He was ready for a beat-down. Maybe the physical pain could make him forget the emotional ache of losing Sylvie.
“Sure you did.” He moved past Rene. “We need some snacks in here. I feel like this is going to be a long night. You are in full-on woe-is-me mode.”
He was going to have to push the issue. “I slept with Sylvie and I’m going to divorce her.”
Dre stopped. “I doubt she’s going to let you do that. Sylvie tends to get her way when she wants something. Did you tell her someone threatened her and you got all freaked out?”
It was Rene’s turn to be surprised. “How did you know that?”
“It’s not a big leap. There’s only one reason you go this loony tunes. You’ve been crazy in love with my sister since we were kids. There’s no way you divorce her without giving the marriage a real chance unless you thought she would be better off without you.”
“She will be.” He couldn’t get around that logic.
“You’re looking for a fight from me, but you’re not going to get one.” Dre’s voice had gone soft. “I know who you are. You took a crappy situation your family put you in and used it to try to make the family you actually want. Whoever is challenging you . . .” Dre stopped in front of the sofa and seemed to think for a moment. “Charles?”
Rene nodded.
Dre’s dark eyes rolled. “I told you he would be trouble. He always hated you. Anyway, you put Charles in check, and Charles came back over the top like the jerk he is. He figures out the only real way to get to you is to go through Sylvie—your supposedly fake wife who everyone knows is pretty much the love of your life. You flip your shit because, again, you’ve loved Sylvie since you were a kid. You decide the only way to save the world is to sacrifice the one relationship you’ve waited on all your life. Do I have it right?”
Sometimes he hated the fact that Dre knew him so well. “Or I’m ruthless and I understood Sylvie had a thing for me. I knew she suited me and she would make life comfortable for me. Why not kill two birds with one stone.”
Dre moved in, putting a hand on his shoulder. “You never killed a bird in your life, much less by throwing a stone at it. You’re a good man, Rene. No matter what your cousins and aunts and uncles say. You do right by people, and you’ve always done right by Sylvie. Even when it cost you. And you’ve been taught to sacrifice your own happiness for the needs of others. Now tell me if I’m right.”
There was no other way to answer but the truth. “Yes.”
“Good, then call and order us a pizza. I’ll go put on some pants.” Dre frowned. “The delivery driver will probably talk. Maybe you better pick up the pizza because if Sylvie figures out where you are, she’ll show up here and then she’ll tell Momma where I am because she’s cold that way.”
“Dre. We should talk about this.” He didn’t understand how Dre was so calm. “I married Sylvie and I didn’t bother to tell you I was going to do it. I wouldn’t have called you even if I thought you would be able to pick up.”
Dre shook his head. “I’m cool with it. I wish I’d been able to come to the wedding, but I always figured there would be one. Treat my sister well. Be a good husband to her and we won’t have any trouble.” Dre pointed to his own chest. “And I’m going to be the coolest uncle ever. Sylvie will relent on the kids thing. She’s going to want them eventually, and I’ll