White Wedding: A Christmas Romantic Comedy (Blackwood Cellars Series Book 3)

by Carla Luna

  If he wasn’t careful, he’d fall for her all over again. Not that he could let himself. No matter how much she shared with him tonight, he didn’t belong in her world, and they both knew it.

  He poured the frothy candy-cane-flavored beverage into two martini glasses and passed one her way. Not to his taste, but the mocktail version used cream soda, and Missy seemed like a cream soda type.

  She took a sip and stuck out her tongue. “Yuck. Too pepperminty. And creamy. But Missy might love it.”

  “That’s what I was thinking.” He took their glasses and dumped them out. By now, the back counter was lined with used glassware. But since he’d only consumed the mojito and half of the old-fashioned, he still felt sober.

  Victoria stood and wrapped her arms around herself. Facing away from him, she kept her voice low. “This is the part where everything went south. When my semester in France ended, I moved back home. I planned to spend the summer working at Blackwood Cellars until it was time to go back to UCLA in September. But two weeks later, my father called me into his office. He showed me an envelope full of photos, sent from France. Nude photos.”

  Rafael’s stomach plummeted. That sick fuck.

  Her voice shook. “I was so humiliated. Especially since my father insisted I tell him everything. That wasn’t even the worst part. Henri wanted my father to wire him a hundred thousand dollars. In return, he’d send us the negatives. If we refused, he’d make copies of the photos and send them to the tabloids. Or post them online. I might not have been a celebrity, but I was still the daughter of a rich, powerful CEO.”

  “I’m sorry.” The words seemed inadequate, considering what Victoria had endured. He couldn’t imagine how devastating it must have been.

  “I felt so betrayed. Right from the start, I’d told Henri who I was. He even teased me about my family’s company because he had such a low opinion of American wine. But I never thought he’d use it against me.” She hunched her shoulders together, drawing in on herself. “I begged my father not to pay him. Even if there was a scandal, it would blow over eventually. And we had no guarantee that Henri wouldn’t ask for more money later on.”

  “He could have easily scanned in the photos before he sent them to you.” Not that Rafael wanted to make Victoria feel worse, but the situation was heavily weighted in Henri’s favor.

  “I said as much. But all my father cared about was our family’s reputation and his political connections.”

  “He didn’t try calling the cops? Or hiring a private detective to track this guy down?” With all his money, her father could have hired an entire fleet of detectives.

  “No. He couldn’t stand the thought of letting anyone else know. So he wired the money to Henri. Two weeks later, the negatives arrived.”

  Rafael clenched his hands. Now he definitely needed to visit Paris. Not just for the pastries, but to find Henri and kick his ass. “Did it end there?”

  “That was the last we heard from him. But my father still hasn’t forgiven me. Nor has he forgotten I owe him a hundred grand.” She sighed. “That’s why I gave you a fake name when I met you in Baja. I wanted to trust you, but I couldn’t. Not after the way Henri used me.”

  “I don’t blame you for hiding the truth.” He came around the bar and enfolded her in his arms. Even if he couldn’t fix the past, he could be here for her now.

  She sniffed back tears. “I wish I could take it all back. Except…if I hadn’t been so miserable, I never would have run away to Baja. And if I hadn’t gone there, I wouldn’t have met you.”

  “Oh, Victoria.” Cupping her face in his hands, he kissed her gently. Softly. To console her and nothing more.

  But she pressed her body against his. “Can we take a break from making cocktails and go to my bedroom?”

  More than anything, he wanted to make love to her and banish all her fears. To make her realize she wasn’t a cold fish or a prudish schoolgirl. She was a sexy, magical woman who’d touched him in a way no one else ever had. But he didn’t want to take advantage.

  “You sure? I know you’re feeling vulnerable right now.”

  “Please? I need this. I need you.”

  How could he resist a plea like that? He swept her up in his arms, intending to carry her off to her bedroom. But before he could whisk her away, he set her down. “Hang on. I brought condoms in my overnight bag, and I should grab them first.”

  Her mouth curved up in a sly smile. “Perfect. Because we’re definitely going to need them.”

  Chapter 22

  Victoria lay in Rafael’s arms, basking in the warmth of his body. Recounting the incident with Henri had left her hollow and vulnerable. With anyone else, she might have regretted baring her soul. But Rafael had not only listened to her, he’d done so without judgment. By trusting him with her most painful memory, she’d crossed another line in their relationship.

  When he’d taken her to bed, all she’d wanted was a steamy diversion. Something to forget the pain and the humiliation of the past. But he’d given her so much more. His gentle touch and soft words of affection had melted her heart.

  Now, he nuzzled her hair. “I hate to say it, but we still have four cocktails left to try.”

  “Do we have to? It’s so warm and cozy in bed.” She placed soft kisses along his collarbone, feeling pleased when he groaned in response.

  “You’re distracting me,” he said.

  “Really? I hadn’t intended to.” She burrowed under the covers, trailing her lips further down his body.

  He pulled back the covers, letting in the chilly air. “Focus. How many drinks do we have on the shortlist? The cranberry mojito. The cinnamon rosemary old-fashioned, because it showcases Valois Brandy.”

  “The candy cane martini makes three. We did it.”

  “Our bartender might flip his shit if he has to make candy cane martinis all night.”

  “All right, fine.” She sat up in bed with a huff. “Let’s try a few more cocktails. You’re spending the night, right?”

  “You promise your father won’t be back until Wednesday? I don’t want him catching us in bed and threatening to throw me through a plate glass window.”

  “Hmm. Sounds like you’re speaking from experience.”

  “Maybe? But I’d rather not risk it.”

  She kissed his cheek. “You’re safe, I promise. Just to be sure, I changed the password at the entry gate. I’ll change it back right before he arrives. But this way, I’ll have plenty of warning if he shows up unexpectedly.”

  He grinned at her. “How very devious of you.”

  Devious? Yes. But she couldn’t be too careful.

  By Wednesday morning, Victoria was running on fumes. Rafael had slept over at her place on Monday and Tuesday night, and they’d barely gotten any sleep. Even her daily cup of French roast had little effect on her foggy brain. By eleven, she was reduced to closing her office door and stealing a catnap on her desk.

  Not that she had any regrets. Spending the past two nights with Rafael had been well worth the sacrifice, and not just for the amazing sex. She loved drifting off to sleep in his arms, cocooned in his embrace. Or talking with him while they lay together in the darkness. Now that they’d opened up to each other, she no longer had to hide anything from him. She’d had a hard time heading off to work this morning, not knowing when they’d get another chance at intimacy.

  But after they said their goodbyes, a nagging feeling settled in. That—like it or not—she’d fallen back in love with Rafael.

  She’d fallen for him in Baja, but she’d chalked her feelings up to a lot of factors—her fragile emotional state, the exotic location, the thrill of escaping her home life. But this time, their fling wasn’t just about wild sex on a beach or drunken nights of passion. They were both responsible adults, trying to balance work, family, and romance. Because of this, their fling had the potential to turn into something real.

  But how could she consider a relationship with Rafael? Her father would never approv
e. She’d worked so hard to win back his respect that she dreaded the thought of losing it again.

  A knock on the door roused her from her stupor. She grabbed a compact from her purse and checked her appearance. Ugh. Even her strongest concealer was no match for the bags under her eyes. After touching up her lipstick, she called out, “Come in.”

  The door opened to reveal her brother’s girlfriend, Jess, dressed in jeans and an embroidered peasant blouse, with a messenger bag hanging from her shoulders. “Hey, Victoria. You busy?”

  Victoria straightened up. “Jess? What are you doing here?”

  “I’m drafting a write-up on holiday events for the Temecula Valley Wine Growers Association, and my boss asked me to showcase your open house. I just finished talking to June.”

  Victoria grimaced. “I’m so glad she’s in charge this year. The whole thing is a giant pain.”

  Jess laughed. “That’s what she told me. She said you got off easy because of the Cavendish-Macalister wedding.” She rolled her eyes. “Like you haven’t been busting your ass, trying to please the world’s nastiest bridezilla.”

  “No kidding. On top of that, I have to spend Saturday and Sunday at the Holiday Open House, helping out.” She was still irked that she’d given in so easily to her father’s demands. When would she ever have the courage to stand up to him?

  “Need a break?” Jess asked. “It’s so nice out. That’s why I’m doing my research in person instead of making a bunch of phone calls.”

  Victoria had a slew of emails to deal with, but the fresh air might revive her. She grabbed her blazer from the back of her chair and tucked her phone in the pocket. “Sure. Let’s grab some coffee first.”

  In the break room, she fired up the Nespresso and found a couple of Blackwood Cellars tumblers to hold their coffees. She pointed to a pair of festive tins sitting on the counter. “Help yourself. April and Brody did a huge holiday bake-a-thon over the weekend and brought in a bunch of Christmas cookies.”

  “They asked me if I wanted to join them, but I’m useless in the kitchen.” Jess took out a gingersnap and a shortbread cookie and wrapped them in a napkin. “Want one?”

  “I’d better not. I’ve been indulging a lot.” Monday night’s cocktails had no doubt packed a truckload of calories, and she hadn’t worked them off with her usual punishing run. “Cappuccino okay?”

  “Definitely.” Jess bit into one of the cookies. “Mmm. Buttery shortbread goodness. I knew I made the right call coming here in person.”

  Once the cappuccinos were ready, Victoria handed Jess a tumbler. They walked down to the main floor of Blackwood Manor, then out the back entrance, toward the gardens. A few visitors were out, savoring the cool, sunny morning. When they reached an empty bench facing the pond, Victoria sat and gestured for Jess to join her.

  Jess tilted her face up to the sun. “To think, the high in Chicago is only supposed to reach twenty degrees today. With an eighty percent chance of snow.”

  “You don’t miss it?” When Jess first moved to Chicago, Victoria had envied her for breaking away from Southern California and trying something new. But Jess’s luck had been so bad she’d lived there less than a year before retreating home.

  “I loved my job, but the weather sucked, and my ex was a total jerk. Moving back home wasn’t easy, but I’m glad I did it. Things with Connor are going great, and in three weeks, I’ll finally have a place of my own.” Jess brought out her phone. “Want to see?”

  Victoria took the phone and scrolled through the pictures. The tiny apartment barely looked big enough for one person. A small living area. A cramped galley kitchen. And a bedroom the size of her walk-in closet. Still, if Jess was excited about it, she could feign enthusiasm.

  “Nice. Looks…um…cozy.”

  “If by cozy you mean small, then you’re right. It’s barely six hundred square feet. But it has hardwood floors and a big picture window in the main room. Besides, I won’t be spending much time there since it’s ten minutes from Connor’s place.” Jess took her phone back and tucked it into her messenger bag.

  “Not to be nosy, but why didn’t you move in with Connor?”

  Jess leaned back on the bench. “He asked me the same thing. But we’ve only been dating—like actually dating—for two months. And I’ve never lived on my own before. I’m psyched to have a place I can decorate any way I want. I can’t wait to hit up IKEA for some cute furniture.”

  Victoria could see the appeal. Not of the IKEA furniture, but of a place to call her own. A place where she could invite guests to spend the night without worrying about the repercussions.

  “If you’re interested, they had another unit on the third floor. Same layout as mine—one bedroom, utilities included.” Jess gave her a cheerful grin. “We could be neighbors.”

  “I don’t think I’m ready for that step.” Victoria smoothed her hands over her skirt. Even if she disliked being under her father’s thumb, she couldn’t imagine dealing with a move right now.

  “I probably wouldn’t leave either if I lived in a mansion. One day, I’ll have a house of my own. Like, if my book ever becomes a best seller.”

  Victoria could vaguely remember Jess working on a novel when they were kids. One of those sprawling, epic fantasies like Lord of the Rings. “Is this your fantasy novel?”

  “God, no. I abandoned that years ago. I started writing a murder mystery in March, set at Big Bear. Right now, I’m working on my revisions. Leaving clues is harder than I expected.”

  Murder mysteries were Victoria’s catnip. The twistier, the better. “Can I read it?”

  Jess beamed. “If you want, you can read this draft once I’ve finished revising it. I’d love some feedback. I need to know if the killer’s too obvious and if the clues make sense. That would be great.”

  She looked so enthusiastic Victoria experienced a rush of guilt. Why hadn’t she asked Jess about her writing before? She needed to work harder at responding to other people’s needs.

  When her phone pinged, she took it out, if only to keep up the illusion of working.

  Her father had sent a text. Headed home from Napa. Back by 2. Briefing meeting at 3.

  Ugh. Briefing meetings with her father were the worst. She shoved her phone back into the pocket of her blazer. “Sorry. That was my father. He’s flying back from Napa today, so he wants to meet this afternoon for an update on the big wedding.”

  Jess sipped her cappuccino. “It’s going okay, right? Connor said you roped Rafael’s family into working on the decorations.”

  “They’ve been a huge help. When Missy foisted all her craft projects on me, I wanted to drive off a cliff, but Rafael came to my rescue. He’s been so helpful.”

  As soon as she said it, she wanted to take the words back. Because the grin Jess gave her was so smug that heat rose in Victoria’s cheeks. She suddenly wished they’d chosen a bench in the shade.

  “Soooo…” Jess drew out the word. “When did it happen?”

  “I’m certain I don’t know what you mean.”

  The schoolmarm act might have worked on Missy, but Jess wasn’t buying it. “Don’t bluff the bluffer. You know damn well what I mean.”

  Victoria let out her breath, then glanced around to make sure none of her coworkers were in earshot. The only person nearby was a gardener, trimming the bushes near the pond. “Monday. Up until then, we’d behaved ourselves.”

  Jess grinned. “How was it?”

  Victoria glared at her. “Just because you and my brother have no filter doesn’t mean I feel the same way.” Still, she couldn’t stop a satisfied smile from crossing her face. “But since you asked, it was fucking incredible.”

  “Damn. It’s not every day Victoria Blackwood drops an f-bomb.”

  As the gardener moved to a closer set of bushes, Victoria lowered her voice. For all she knew, the man could be listening in. “You can’t tell anyone. I mean, I know you’ll tell Connor, but otherwise, you have to keep it quiet. My father would be furious,
and Rafael doesn’t want his brothers to find out. Besides, it’s just a fling. No strings, nothing serious.”

  Jess snorted. “A secret fling? With no strings? Where have I heard that before? Oh, I know. In Maui when Connor and I tried the exact same thing. Have you learned nothing from our mistakes?”

  When Jess’s voice caught the attention of the gardener, Victoria broke into a sweat. “Keep it down. This isn’t the same.”

  “Isn’t it, though?” Jess gave her another of those knowing looks.

  No. Victoria could not, under any circumstances, delude herself into thinking that her fling with Rafael could turn into something more. Unlike Jess and Connor, she didn’t have the luxury of dating whomever she wanted.

  Not as long as she lived at home.

  But if she moved out, she’d have a lot more freedom.

  She allowed herself to consider the possibility again. Wasn’t it time she grew up and took charge of her life? What could it hurt to make a few inquiries?

  She brought out her phone. “Jess, can you give me the number of that apartment complex? I might give them a call.”

  Chapter 23

  Six Days Until the Wedding

  On Sunday mornings, Rafael, his brothers, and their families usually joined Mamá for eight o’clock mass at Our Lady of Guadalupe. Though none of them liked getting up early, the morning service was their only chance to squeeze in their weekly obligation before brunch prep at Tres Hermanos. Skipping mass wasn’t an option. On the few occasions Rafael had been too hungover to drag his ass into a pew, Mamá hadn’t let him forget his sins. Every chance she got, she’d remind him she was praying for his soul.

  After the morning’s service ended, Rafael convinced his brothers to beat a quick exit. Though the women wanted to stay and attend the parish’s Holiday Craft Fair, he’d had his fill of crafts, thanks to Missy’s wedding. After stopping at the bakery to pick up donuts for everyone, he and his brothers headed over to Martin’s.

  Martin sent his two boys into the living room with a couple of donuts. “Go play. No getting crumbs on the couch, or your mom will kill me.”