Lucia (The Bonaveras)

by Paris Patricia

  “The idea seemed like a good way to meet the stipulation, get the distribution, and be done with their contract once and for all. I’m not wealthy, but I have enough money that I figured with my share I’d be able to repay my grandfather and be done with it. It never would have worked, though.”

  “What wouldn’t have?”

  “My plan. It had a major flaw.”

  Lucia tilted her head. “Aside from the possibility I might have turned you down, which was unlikely, what part of it was flawed?”

  He looked across at her and grinned. “I was already in love with you. If you’d agreed to marry me, I never would have been able to give you up.”

  Lucia melted. “That’s nice to know, and a good thing, because I don’t think I would have let you.”

  “Marry you?”

  She chuckled. “No, Antonio. Give me up.”

  THEY DIDN’T HAVE too much more to drive before they’d get back to the winery when Lucia looked at Antonio and was surprised to see him frowning.

  “You’re grimacing. What’s that about?”

  “What? Oh.” His hair fell over his forehead and he pushed it back. Lucia smiled. She loved his habit of doing it. It was such a simple thing to find endearing, but she did…and that was the all of it.

  “You’re not going to believe what my grandfather told me when I went into his room to get his suitcases this morning.”

  She waited, and when he didn’t elaborate, she said, “Okay, what?”

  “He saw Rosa.”

  “What!”

  “Rosa…your ghost aunt, he said he saw her. Told me she appeared in his room when he was waiting for me to stop by for the bags.”

  “He saw her! Wait, I didn’t know he knew about her, but he told you he saw our dead aunt?”

  “Not exactly, he didn’t know who she was. He asked me if you and your sisters knew you had a ghost in residence.” Antonio looked over his shoulder and then merged onto the John Mosby Highway. “He was all packed, sitting on the bed waiting for me, and he said he looked up and she was just standing there, watching him.”

  “And that didn’t freak him out? I mean, was she a solid woman…or see-through…or…what?”

  “No, he didn’t seem upset by it at all. He said she seemed serene. Supposedly, she was smiling at him. I didn’t think to ask him if he could see through her, but he did say she was only there for a few seconds and then she disappeared, which is why he thinks you have a ghost living in the family house.”

  Lucia stared across the front seat, incredulous. It wasn’t that she didn’t believe Vincenzo’s story, but in all the years when she’d been growing up or since she’d moved back home, their dead aunt had never chosen to make her presence known to her until recently. And she’d never appeared.

  “So, and don’t take this the wrong way, but why do you think Rosa would choose to materialize in front of your grandfather when she hasn’t done so with any of us? I mean, she’s our relative, right?”

  She saw him grin. “Are you jealous, bella mia?”

  “Of course I’m not jealous,” she objected. “I’m just trying to understand why. Doesn’t it seem weird to you she’d show up in his room and smile at him when he didn’t even know anything about her?”

  “Maybe she stopped by to introduce herself before he had to leave.”

  Lucia’s lips parted and she shook her head. “That doesn’t make any sense. Why would she do that?”

  Antonio shrugged. “I haven’t really studied up on ghost motivations, so I can’t say. Maybe she wanted to check him out since you’re going to be marrying into his family, see if she approved.” He shot her a teasing grin. “Looking out for her charges.”

  Lucia looked out the window, the landscape changing as they got further from the city, giving way to more open spaces, more trees, and gently rolling hills. “I think I’d like to do some research and see what I can find out about Rosa. Maybe it’ll help us figure out what her ghost is doing hanging out at the winery.”

  “I’d be game if you want help researching, and your sisters probably would be too.”

  “We should then. As soon as the harvest’s over and things aren’t so crazy. I just hope we don’t stumble upon anything we wish we hadn’t known.” She caught a strand of her hair and twirled it around her finger. “You know what they say, be careful what you ask for.”

  AUGUST ROLLED INTO September with no more ghostly activity and little time to think about it. Everyone was busy. This was the winery’s most demanding time of the year, with harvest in full swing, tourism up, and fall being everyone’s favorite season to do tasting tours and enjoy northern Virginia’s beautiful scenery.

  Liam’s crew was getting ready to break ground, adding to the hectic schedule.

  Lucia and Antonio had set a May wedding date. She wanted to get married in spring. She loved all the seasons, but that was her favorite. Summer would be too hot, winter too cold, and fall, although a lovely time of year, was simply impossible. She had plenty of time to plan for that, though, especially since they decided they wanted to get married at the winery, and Eliana would be handling most of the details.

  The new construction wouldn’t be completed yet. Liam was estimating late August unless they ran into unexpected delays.

  Lucia pulled the pruners out of her garden apron and cut some hydrangea blossoms for the arrangements she planned to make that afternoon, humming as she did. By the time Serendipity opened for business, she and Antonio would already be married. A warm glow of contentment flowed through her as she snipped off a bloom.

  Antonio came out of the inn and jogged down the front steps.

  “Hey,” she said. “I was just thinking about you.”

  He walked over, took a moment for a kiss. “How you can never get enough of me and no other man will ever be able to make you as happy as I do?”

  “Something like that.”

  He chuckled. “I’m going over to the site to meet with Liam. They started the digging for the basement. I’d like to see how that’s going, plus there are a few things he and I need to go over.”

  “Thought that’s where you were off to considering what you’re wearing.” Lucia looked him over, trailed her eyes down the denim shirt, jeans, and the Wolverines she’d helped him pick out last week for when he was on-site.

  “You know I think you’re gorgeous. You’ve got this amazing style without even trying, but I’ve gotta say, I’m kind of digging this rugged, hunky, worker-dude look you’ve got going right now.”

  He pinned her with his sexy cobalt blues and gave her a suggestive grin. “Maybe I’ll rub some dirt on my face while I’m over there and search you out when I get back. We could sneak up to your room, and I can throw around some construction terms.”

  Lucia patted her chest. “Be still my heart.”

  “So it’s a date?”

  She laughed at the hopeful tone in his voice. They’d both been so busy lately they’d had little time alone the last week. She missed the comfort of his arms, of making love to him and then lying together in the aftermath, in their own small cocoon, content to close out the rest of the world for a brief time and just savor each other.

  “Yes. But don’t bother with the dirt; you know I’m not really into that whole mud thing.”

  He left her with the delightful prospect of an afternoon tryst, something she wouldn’t normally consider but felt wickedly satisfied she’d agreed to.

  LUCIA KEPT BUSY the rest of the morning making sure everything was in good order. Three of the six guest rooms were occupied, but she’d seen and spoken to all of the guests when they’d come down to take advantage of the inn’s breakfast and knew they all had plans to be gone for the day and wouldn’t be returning until sometime after dinner.

  Antonio got back just after noon. “Are we still on for this afternoon?”

  “Yes. The guests are all out and about for the day, so it looks like we can actually pull off a couple of hours together.”

  �
��Why don’t I run out and pick up lunch? We can have a picnic in your room.”

  “That sounds like fun, and since neither of us has eaten yet, that’ll give us a little more time together.”

  “We can eat naked if you want,” he suggested, “be even more efficient with our time.”

  Lucia winced. “Nyeah, naked and pass the truffle spread don’t really go together that well for me. Let’s eat first, then we can get naked.”

  “Okay, as long as there’s going to be some nakedness in there somewhere.”

  Caterina interrupted their banter when she came in a moment later.

  “Hey, Cat,” Lucia called over to her. “Antonio and I were going to try to have lunch together since all the guests are out. Are you going to be around for a bit?”

  “I don’t have any plans. Did you want me to hang out down here until you get back?”

  “That’d be great. Say in twenty minutes? There shouldn’t be anything happening, so you can just check in and out if you want.”

  “Okay. I might take a book out to the porch. That way if anyone comes by, I’ll know. It’ll also let me telepath screw you messages across the vineyard and down the road to that ill-tempered builder we hired.” Cat gave a light snort. “I don’t know how the two of you put up with that attitude of his.”

  She didn’t give either one of them a chance to answer. Turning on her heels, she walked toward the hallway, calling over her shoulder, “I’m going to go wash this dust off my face and get a book, and I’ll be back down in a few.”

  Lucia glanced up at Antonio. “Was she over at the site when you were there?”

  “Yes, she stopped by on her way back from somewhere. Parked on the road and picked her way across the lot in her heels to see what was happening.” He reached up and rubbed the back of his neck.

  “Did something happen with her and Liam?”

  “I wouldn’t say something happened, but I don’t think he liked her poking around an active site. She was walking the perimeter where the foundation will go, checking things out. He went over to her and made some kind of comment about appropriate attire. I couldn’t hear exactly what he said, or her response, but neither of them looked too pleased with the other.”

  “I don’t understand it. Cat’s not that hard to get along with, and Liam seems fairly easygoing to me, but she insists he doesn’t like her for some reason. On the few occasions I’ve seen them together, the air does seem to get a little thicker.”

  “Well, I hope whatever issues they have with each other, they’ll figure a way to work them out.” He pulled out his keys. “I don’t plan to worry about that right now, though. I’ve got to go pick up some lunch for a hot date with my fiancé.”

  Caterina came back down ten minutes later, and Lucia went into the kitchen to get a bottle of Viognier. When she walked back through the reception area, Cat said, “I thought you two were going out for lunch.”

  “Antonio’s picking something up and we’re going to have a picnic up in my room.”

  Cat raised her brows. “Sounds kinky.”

  Lucia shot her sister a sideward glance and grinned. “Hopefully.”

  And think not you can direct the course

  of love, for love, if it finds you

  wirthy directs your course.

  Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet

  Lucia spread a blanket on the floor, some of the throw pillows from the bed. She took the small vase of roses and hydrangea off her bureau and put it in the middle, set out some candles because even more than she, Antonio was a romantic.

  Whenever she thought about their relationship, she still had to shake her head over the irony. Even in her wildest imaginings, imagining that when he showed up at the winery that night almost five months ago it would change the course of their lives wouldn’t even have made the wild imaginings list.

  They’d been connected since the day they were born, even if it hadn’t been through any choice of their own. Still, that old pact had been what brought them together.

  Maybe some things were meant to be. So many different pieces had needed to fit into place for them to end up where they were. Was it all just chance, coincidence, or was it possible there really was some greater force at work?

  There was a tap on the door. It cracked open and Antonio poked his head in. “It’s me.”

  “So I see,” Lucia said softly, her eyes roaming over his beloved face. She would never tire of seeing him walk through a door, toward her, to be with her…whether for a moment, an hour, or the rest of their lives.

  He held up two white paper bags. A baguette stuck out of the top of one, and she knew he’d gone to his favorite local deli, knew they’d be dining on cheese and meats, some jam and bread, and if they’d had any, sharing some tiramisu…the man had a sweet tooth.

  Antonio looked across the room to where she’d set up for their picnic, including the pretty plates and wine glasses she’d brought up from the kitchen. She’d lit the candles that were set out around the vase of flowers, and the flames danced and reflected off the crystal.

  He smiled, one corner of his mouth lifting slowly, and then shifted his eyes back to look into hers.

  Lucia extended a hand. “Our table awaits us.”

  Her blood heated as he walked toward her, trapping her in his blue gaze. When he reached her side, he took her hand and brought it to his lips. “I love you,” he stated simply.

  The honest, straightforward feeling in his voice touched her heart, filled it, and she knew it would belong to him, always.

  “I love you too,” she said warmly, and swallowed back the emotion rising up the back of her throat. She tugged on his hand, pulled him toward the blanket so they could sit down and eat before she started tearing up.

  He fed her, took pleasure in doing so, turned it into a seduction, and she let him. He wasn’t the only one who enjoyed it. The way his fingers caressed the corners of her mouth as she took each bite, how his eyes traced the path of her tongue when she ran it over her lips to catch a stray crumb, and the desire she saw there—all touched her senses, turning their little picnic into foreplay.

  When they finished eating, they left everything on the blanket and Antonio led her to the bed. He hadn’t changed his clothes from when he’d gone over to the work site earlier in the day. Lucia ran her hands up the denim shirt, rested them over his chest where his heart beat, strong and fast, making her own race with the anticipation of loving him.

  They undressed each other slowly until all that remained were his boxers, her bra, and matching panties. Lucia ran her finger along the waistband of his shorts. “Navy blue silk with denim and work boots…” She looked up and touched the tip of her tongue to her upper lip. “I do like your style, mister.”

  He reached behind her back and unhooked the lace bra, slid the straps down her arms, and tossed it over his shoulder. “And I like yours, but I like you au naturel even better.”

  Lucia lifted up on her toes and kissed him. “Antonio,” she said, breaking the kiss and angling her head back so she could see his eyes. “After everything that’s happened, do you think our grandfathers might have been right? That we were destined to be together, and no matter what road each of us had chosen to go down in life, that at some point our paths would have intersected…because, well…because they were meant to?”

  He smiled down at her, his eyes blue crystals that shone with affection. “I don’t know what I believe anymore. Did we arrive in this place because we made conscious choices along the way that brought us here, or would whatever choice we made keep throwing us into each other’s path until we ended up where we are? Either way, I like the outcome.”

  “I don’t know what I believe anymore, either. But I’ve been wondering more and more about this, if maybe there is a guiding hand that tries to nudge us in the direction we’re meant to go—the direction that will bring us the most satisfaction and happiness in our lives.”

  Lucia sat down on the bed and he sat beside her. “Maybe,” she m
used, finding she was more open to possibilities than she used to be, “it’s a combination of the two. Destiny and choice. Our lives are a story that can have different endings, each one its own destiny, and depending on what choices we make, that determines which of our destinies we fulfill.”

  Antonio leaned back and pulled her with him. “Do you think making love to you is in my destiny right now?”

  She ran her hands over his chest, up to rest against his cheeks, and smiled. “I think it is.”

  He rolled her over to her back. “Good, because I don’t think I can wait much longer.” He captured her mouth, took it hostage, and struck the match to her blood that set her on fire.

  Lightning quick, he inflamed her and all talk of chance or choice was forgotten. They just were. The two of them, heart, soul, and body, and nothing had ever felt so right or perfect to Lucia.

  It didn’t really matter what had brought them together. All she knew or cared about was that they loved, that she would be sharing her life and growing old with this man, and whether it was by fate or chance she couldn’t be happier.

  The afternoon waned as the sun washed down over the Blue Ridge like liquid gold, and as it did, Destiny smiled—two of her charges had made the right choice—but her work was never done. She turned her gaze toward two others, two who had lost their way and needed a nudge in the right direction.

  It’s your turn, Caterina, my dear.

  Thank you for reading Lucia. Researching northern Virginia, the setting for the Bonavera series, has been a wonderful experience. It’s such a beautiful part of the country, oozing with history and charm, and learning about its flourishing wine industry is proving to be both fun and informative.