by Susan Meier
They had the limo to themselves because his parents and Nanna had gone to the vineyard an hour earlier to spend time with Julia’s parents to discuss last-minute details of the wedding.
He said very little on the drive, satisfied that he had her thinking about how she would miss working with him and Riccardo. If he gave her some space to really ponder that, she might recognize keeping her current job was the right thing to do.
They arrived at Julia’s parents’ vineyard, and as she stepped out she gasped. “Oh, my goodness. It’s so homey.”
He laughed. “Is that another way of saying small?”
“You may not notice this, mister,” she said, following his lead when he gestured with his hand that she should walk around the side of the stately stone house to the back patio. “But your family’s estate is a little commercial.”
“We do sell wine there.”
“And I think that’s all you ever think about.”
“Sometimes I think about selling golf balls.”
She laughed and shook her head. “You’re incorrigible.”
“But you like me.”
She stopped. Her gaze crawled up to his. “Yes. And I’m not sure what that says about me.”
He started to laugh, but he remembered he wasn’t supposed to flirt with her when they were alone. It was so easy to romance her that he had to remind himself to fight the impulse.
Then her words soaked in and his mouth turned down. She didn’t want to like him? That was more than a little insulting. Especially since he wasn’t sure if she was talking about liking him romantically or liking him as a boss.
She walked away and he scrambled to catch up with her.
“Why did you say that?”
“What?”
“That you didn’t know what it said about you that you liked me.”
“You’re a very demanding man. Yet that doesn’t seem to bother me.”
Good. Sort of. He didn’t want them to be flirting, but how insulting was it that she didn’t want to like him as a boss? Especially when he was trying to keep her as an employee.
“You’re my assistant. You’re supposed to do what I ask.” They walked into the crowd of about a hundred well-dressed people, milling around a beautiful blue pool. Waiters served appetizers and drinks. He hailed one who brought a tray of champagne.
He took a flute and said, “A glass of club soda for my fiancée, please.”
Lila turned to him with a smile. “Let’s not fight about how bossy you are. Let’s enjoy the evening.”
She was back to being logical Lila, ace assistant, who didn’t like him.
He studied his champagne, brooding because he’d never guessed she didn’t like his bossiness—because he was her employer. He was supposed to be bossy.
Apparently, none of this bothered her because she studied the crowd like Cinderella at her first ball.
“So is that why you want to leave Ochoa Online?”
She faced him. “No. Not really. There was never a time when I didn’t think I could handle you.”
The waiter came with her club soda. Mitch took it from the tray, handing it to her just as Julia’s parents spotted them and raced over.
Rosa kissed his cheek first, then homed in on Lila. Taking her hands, she said, “I am happy to see Mitch has finally met his match.”
Lila smiled gracefully, then glanced up at him lovingly. “I am too.”
The joke wasn’t lost on Julia’s dad, David. He laughed and hugged Lila. “I’ve heard you’re a firecracker.”
From Julia, no doubt, who’d already criticized Lila’s choice of clothes for breakfast and kept her away from home so long she barely had time to dress for the first gala.
“Where are the bride and groom?” Mitch said, not caring if either of her parents caught that he knew it had been Julia who’d been talking about Lila.
“Milling about,” Rosa said. A flood of people had accumulated behind them, so she added, “Go. Have fun. We’ll work our way back to you once all the guests have been greeted.”
He smiled and nodded, but as he directed Lila away, he said, “You know what? I should be thanking my lucky stars Julia picked Alonzo. I never had the warm fuzzies for her family.”
Lila laughed. “Warm fuzzies?”
He waved his hand. “Or whatever it is you Americans say.”
“We say warm fuzzies. I’ve just never heard it coming from you.”
“Maybe I’m changing.” Or maybe he needed to. She’d said her reason for wanting to leave his employ wasn’t his bossiness, but it certainly couldn’t hurt to be a more diplomatic boss.
She shook her head. “You don’t want to change.”
He looked into her eyes. Soft, gray orbs that were always filled with emotion. Right now, they oozed warmth. Why had he never noticed that? “Really?”
“No. You’re good just the way you are.”
Then why do you want to work for someone else?
He wanted to ask her. He really did. He wasn’t afraid of the answer until he realized that he would fix whatever she said. He’d totally change the way his office ran—
To keep an assistant?
Or to keep Lila?
Because he was beginning to like her?
Really like her?
They finally reached the table where his mom sat with Nanna while his dad stood beside them, talking to another vintner.
Lila immediately walked to Nanna and leaned down to hug her. “You look stunning.” Nanna’s pale blue dress enhanced the gray in her salt-and-pepper hair but somehow made her look years younger.
“Doesn’t she?” Mitch’s mom said.
Nanna batted a hand. “With money, even an old coot can look good.” She motioned for Lila to take the seat beside her, and she did.
Then Nanna glanced up at him. “Oh, Mitcham. I’m sorry. I didn’t see you.”
He would have teased her, except he sort of understood. This new version of Lila seemed to always steal the show. Not because she was exceptional, but because she was kind and warm. She didn’t overdress, wanting people to notice her. She didn’t laugh too loud, edge her way into conversations.
She was just easy to be with.
He suddenly realized why the charade was working so well. She fit. She fit into his family. She fit with him.
He took a step back. The collar of his white shirt got unbearably tight.
Oh, dear God.
Had he actually met his match?
He didn’t want a match! He liked being single. Being free.
Julia and Alonzo strolled over. Wearing a pale pink cocktail dress, with her black hair piled on top of her head in an array of curls, Julia was stunning. When she reached Mitch, he hugged her, but the familiarity of the hug drove a tsunami of memories through his brain. The strangest truth rumbled through him, surprising him. Julia had been his girlfriend forever, but Alonzo had been able to swoop in and steal her because he’d been the crappiest boyfriend under the sun. He’d gone on business trips, leaving her behind. He’d constantly canceled dates because of work. Eventually, she’d had it with him and had taken up with his brother. A man who treated her very, very well. Who didn’t put the business before her. Who wasn’t trying to conquer the world. A man who wasn’t selfish.
A man who only had to run one vineyard—he didn’t have to assure the financial security of his entire family.
The thought brought him up short. He wasn’t a bad boyfriend because he was inconsiderate. He’d been a bad boyfriend because as Alonzo, Riccardo and he grew into adulthood and had a right to a share of profits, he’d seen the family finances first strain, then begin to fail. He’d worked his tail off to sell more wine, but he hadn’t fixed their money troubles until he got the go-ahead from his dad to sell the
family wines online. And he would continue to work his tail off to make sure the family would never have to worry about money again.
All this time, he’d been thinking he would be the one to break up with Lila if they got involved. But Lila was a hundred times smarter than Julia. She’d figure out he wasn’t a good bet as a boyfriend the first time he put work ahead of her. He would always put work ahead of everything because no one else in his family did.
Then he’d be dumped.
Again.
Because he’d deserve it.
Julia caught Lila’s hand. “Boys,” she said, looking first at Alonzo, then at Mitch. “You’re going to have to excuse me and Lila. There are a few people I’d like her to meet.”
Mired in his own confusion, Mitch absently said, “Sure. I’ll wait here with Mom and Nanna.”
“Great.” Julia slid her hand beneath Lila’s elbow to guide her away. “You look lovely, Lila.”
Mitch’s brow furrowed. It was rare for Julia to give a compliment. Though another person might have thought it was nice that she had, Mitch knew it wasn’t. The urge to drag Lila away from Julia roared through him, but they were already walking across the grassy lawn.
“Isn’t that last year’s gown?”
And there it was. That compliment Julia had given Lila had only been a way to get her guard down so she could insult her.
The very second before he would have raced across the yard to rescue her, Lila laughed. “You actually care about those things?” She batted a hand. “I don’t have time.” She glanced down at her pretty yellow dress. “Besides, beauty is beauty.” She smoothed her hand down her skirt. “I think it’s a sign of someone who doesn’t really have her own style when a woman likes something based on a calendar year or a designer.” She smiled at Julia. “Don’t you?”
Julia’s mouth opened, then closed, then opened again. For once she had absolutely no comeback.
Smothering a laugh behind a fake cough, Mitch glanced at Nanna, who winked.
His bad feelings about Julia’s motives morphed into warmth of approval for Lila. She was so much more than he would have ever guessed she was.
Still, being with Julia might bring out the best in Lila, but hugging Julia had not brought out the best in him. It had reminded him of what a bad boyfriend he was, right after Lila had told him he was a demanding boss. But he also suddenly saw what had been right in front of him all along. He didn’t have a choice. Though everyone in his family worked, it seemed no one but him knew how to make money. And they needed money. Lots and lots of money to keep up the lifestyle to which they’d become accustomed.
That meant no getting involved with Lila. If he wanted to keep her as an employee—wanted to help her if she was pregnant—he couldn’t hurt her. If they took this charade into reality, she’d figure out she came second, and she wouldn’t stay on as his assistant. Then he wouldn’t be able to help her.
No matter how sassy and strong and really, really fun she was, he had to keep their relationship strictly professional.
Looking at her in the sexy yellow dress, with her sleek hair and her bright smile, he held back a groan. When it came to pretty girls, he was not known for his self-control. Plus, he still had to play the part of loving fiancé—hold her hand, kiss her.
This was not going to be easy.
CHAPTER SEVEN
LILA NOTICED THE minute Mitch changed. When he’d hugged Julia, the expression on his face had flattened, as if he’d thought of something terrible. He didn’t say anything, but he didn’t have to. She could read him very well and she had a bad feeling about this. He was finally noticing her—Real Lila—and they were communicating with her being her. Then he’d hugged Julia and gone quiet. He’d shut down. He’d even let Julia sweep her away from him.
He might be attempting to be a good best man, a good Ochoa, who gladly accepted Julia into their clan and didn’t mind her spiriting Lila away. But maybe when he’d hugged Julia he’d remembered how much he’d loved her—
No. He’d said a million times that he was over her. She’d seen him happy. He did not still love Julia.
Then what had caused that horrible expression to come to his face?
Julia walked Lila across the gorgeous yard of her family’s home. The stunning view of the mountain backdrop was enhanced by rows and rows of grapes. A warm sun beat down. Smooth, sweet air enveloped them.
As they headed toward a grove of trees, Julia said, “So how did you meet Mitcham... Oh, wait, that’s right. You’re his assistant.”
Lila smiled, wishing they’d get to the people Julia wanted her to meet so she could go back to Mitch and figure out what was going on with him. “Yes. We work together.”
“Long nights together caused you to talk?”
That certainly wasn’t a lie. Though they’d been discussing work, they’d still talked. “Yes.”
Julia stopped walking and pressed her fingers onto Lila’s forearm. “Come on,” she cajoled. “No one’s really heard details, and I for one am curious.”
She supposed she should have expected this. The former girlfriend wanted the scoop. She’d seen the way Julia gazed at Alonzo. She didn’t have feelings for Mitch. She was just snooping for some juicy gossip.
“Don’t be curious,” she said with a laugh. “We’re sort of boring.”
When Julia smiled triumphantly, Lila’s heart thumped. That wasn’t the expression of a woman looking for gossip. It was the victorious glow of someone who’d caught her in a lie. As a woman who’d dated Mitch, Julia would know time spent with him would never be boring. Lila’s flip answer had just taken the first step to ruining the charade.
Thinking quickly, she added, “If going to restaurant openings, clubs and New York’s wonderful theaters are to be considered boring.”
Julia frowned. “Oh. So you were...teasing me?”
Relief skittered through Lila. She took a second to compose herself before she said, “Not teasing. Making a joke. Of course our courtship is exciting. We live in the most wonderful city in the world.” Even though she knew she was digging her and Mitch into a pit, one she’d have to explain to him so he could confirm everything she said, she realized it was necessary. If Julia was poking around to find something wrong in Mitch’s engagement, they would have to step up their game.
Julia took her arm again and led her in the direction of a gaggle of women clustered by the trees. She introduced them as her bridesmaids. Lila happily said hello, accepted congratulations on her engagement and then excused herself.
Because there was no reason for Lila to meet the bridesmaids, it was abundantly clear Julia had used that excuse to get a private minute with her. She was definitely looking for a crack in their relationship. She had to talk to Mitch. Now.
But the conversation at Nanna’s table was bright and lively as most of the party guests came over to greet Nanna. There was never an opening for her to ask Mitch to walk around the grounds with her so she could tell him about Julia. When Julia’s parents offered a congratulatory toast for Julia and Alonzo, Lila tried leaning into Mitch to make it look like she was love struck, in case Julia was watching, but it was as if he didn’t notice. He didn’t put his arm around her, pull her close or even talk to her. Later, when Alonzo and Julia came over to chat with the people at the table next to Nanna’s, Lila tried holding Mitch’s hand, but he slid it away to use it to make a point.
And she clearly saw what Julia saw. Two people who really weren’t in love. She had no idea why Julia thought she had to expose them, but if they didn’t fix this, Lila had no doubt that she would.
It was almost the end of the evening before she could lure Mitch away from the table. She deliberately led him to an empty spot under two huge shade trees. Glancing around to make sure there was no one near enough to overhear, she whispered, “Julia is onto us.”
<
br /> He laughed. “Are you kidding? You’ve been handling her beautifully. I think we’re fine.”
“We are not fine,” Lila began. The last thing she expected was that he wouldn’t believe her. How could she explain that he never looked at her with love in his eyes? Or touched her automatically? Or, worse, that he’d pulled his hand out of hers when she tried to make the charade look realistic?
The only thing she could think to say was, “It wasn’t merely what she said. It was the way she used a weird excuse to get me alone, as if she was angling for a chance to find something wrong.”
“Did you ever stop to think that that’s because she doesn’t like you?”
Lila gaped at him. “If that’s true, then you’re making my point. She’s watching us. We need to make this engagement more believable.”
Mitch awkwardly stepped closer. “Okay.”
Lila’s heart jumped to her throat. His awkwardness made things worse.
But her nervousness about being so near didn’t help either. Cuddling up to each other was exactly what they needed to do—look like two people in love, stealing a private moment. Except after this past twenty-four hours of ditching her persona and being only Real Lila, it wasn’t quite so easy to be Lila, Fake Fiancée. Especially not when she wanted this to be her moment, her chance to get him to like her. But he was awkward. As if he’d forgotten he’d kissed her—for real—the night before.
She resisted the urge to shake her head. He could not have forgotten that kiss. The man was interested.
She gingerly put her hands on his lapels. Regardless of what Julia said, Lila loved this man. And he had begun to more than notice her. There were a million reasons he could be nervous now. A million reasons he could have gotten a weird expression on his face when he hugged Julia. Including the fact that he might not like her. The woman had betrayed him.
“If we were really engaged, you’d probably look more comfortable doing that.”