by Leanne Banks
“Right.”
“Oh, somebody’s with you. I won’t hold you up. I just wondered if you could stop out at the winery. I need to go over a few things with you for the bachelor auction. Marissa’s planning the setup, of course—table linens and decorations. She’s so good at planning events. But the truth is, I need more bachelors. Besides the bachelor auction, I also want to talk to you about the trip that Jase and Amy and I will be taking to Alabama. It’s for literacy’s sake, that’s true, but we might come across some medical situations. I thought maybe you could write me a checklist of things to look for with the kids.”
“That’s probably a good idea. I’d be glad to do that.”
Kaitlyn glanced into the kitchen at Adam, and she had an idea. “Is Jase going to be there within the next couple of hours?”
“I think so. He’s making sure all the renovations are finished, and everything’s shipshape for when his dad returns home from his European winery trip.”
“I might bring along a friend who knows Jase. Is that okay?”
“That’s fine. Come whenever you can. We’ll be here.”
After Kaitlyn ended the call, she went into the kitchen and stood beside Adam, who was rinsing dishes and setting them on a towel.
“How would you like to take a field trip on the way back to the condo?”
He glanced toward his niece. “I don’t know how long she’s going to sleep.”
“I know. But I’m going to stop at Raintree Winery, and I thought you might like to visit, too. I don’t think Sara will mind having a baby around, and you can reconnect with Jase.”
“Are you thinking I have cabin fever?”
“It’s just a suggestion,” she said mildly, knowing it would probably be far better if she went to Raintree alone and Adam went home. Just standing here with him, she could feel such a pull toward him. His aftershave was an enticing reason to breathe in. His green eyes seemed to see into places she wanted to keep secret.
When he took a step closer to her, he admitted, “And it was a sound suggestion. When I’m working, I have a good relationship with the guys on my team. When I’m back here, I miss that camaraderie. It would be great to see Jase again.”
“Not many women on your teams?”
“A few, but usually, it’s all guys. I’d like to see our schools encourage girls to pursue science more vigorously, not just in geology, but in chemistry and biology. Women think differently than men.”
“Doesn’t that create controversy?”
“It can, but instead of controversy, the new ideas can often complement each other. It’s the way science advances. You know that.”
Yes, she did. “So education is important to you?”
“I guest lecture now and then. In fact, I’ll be giving a lecture soon at Wilson University here in Sacramento.”
“So you’re a professor, too.”
“As I said, a man of all trades.”
“Many talents,” she murmured, his exact words.
“Many, many talents,” he assured her, bending closer.
She should move away; she really should. But if she did, he’d say she was running again. So she didn’t run...she stood her ground. But she braced her hands on his chest. “Adam, I can’t.”
“It’s not as if I didn’t expect that,” he said a little wryly. “But you can’t blame a guy for trying.”
“Trying to do what?”
“Damned if I know. Maybe I’m just trying to convince you that the chemistry we felt that night didn’t end there.”
She couldn’t break eye contact. “Why does it matter?”
His brows arched. “Because you seem dead set on denying anything happened. Are you avoiding the effects of chemistry?”
“I know the consequences.”
“Believe me, so do I.”
“Because of what happened when you were twenty-one?” she guessed.
He ran his hand through his hair and shook his head. “You don’t want to go there.”
“No, you don’t want to go there.”
He took a step away from her and crossed his arms over his chest. “You already know what happened.”
“I know what was reported.”
He cocked his head. “There’s no need to go into it further.”
For some reason, she felt he was hiding something. What could he possibly be hiding? His reputation had been tarnished that night, and he’d probably worked since then to change it. He seemed to be that kind of man. But there was a reason he wouldn’t discuss it, and that made her even more curious about him.
“What are you going to do about Tina?”
“I found an address book in her desk. She must have kept it from when she was little. I’m going to contact the names in there and find out if she’s contacted anybody.”
A little cry came from Erica, and they both went into the living room to check on her.
“That new formula seems to agree with her,” he said.
“If she couldn’t digest the other one, she was uncomfortable every time she ate. No wonder she fussed.”
She checked Erica’s diaper. “She really should be changed. If you want to start making some of those calls, I’d be glad to do it.”
“She’s my responsibility,” he said, ready to take over again if he had to.
“I know.” She waited for him to make a decision.
“I feel as if I should be paying you for your time,” he said gruffly.
“My Mommy Club work is all volunteer.”
“I don’t like to owe anyone.”
“You don’t owe me anything, Adam.”
“I’m going to owe you at least one very expensive dinner when this is all done.”
After a last look at Erica, he picked up the address book on the table. “I’ll make those calls, then we can see if returning to Raintree Winery brings back memories for both of us.”
Before she could comment on that idea, he took the address book and his phone to his sister’s bedroom for privacy.
Kaitlyn couldn’t decide if she wanted to remember that night at the winery, or if she didn’t. Returning to Raintree Winery with Adam was certain to resurrect something other than thoughts of wine tasting.
* * *
As Kaitlyn followed Adam’s SUV onto the Raintree Winery property, she thought, not for the first time, that she’d never seen a more serene or beautiful setting. Besides the acres of vineyards with trellises, there were gardens blooming with roses, marigolds and chrysanthemums.
They parked behind the main house across from the guest cottage. No sooner had they exited their cars, than Sara and Jase were there, all smiles, welcoming them into their home.
Seeing Erica, Sara scooped her up into her arms. “She’s a cutie. Do you think she’ll like sitting in the garden?”
“We can try it,” Adam said. “On her new formula, she’s been sleeping and seems more contented. But you never know when she’s going to get unhappy with the world.”
Sara laughed. “That’s the fun of babies.”
The look Sara exchanged with her husband told Kaitlyn volumes. There might be some baby fun at the winery very soon.
Amy came running over to her mom and looked up at Erica. “Can I play with her?”
“She’s not quite as big as Jordan, and I don’t think she’s ready for your kind of play. But she might like one of your stuffed animals. Why don’t you go get one.”
Amy grinned at her mom and ran into the house.
They all went to a covered seating area. “How about a glass of wine?” Jase asked.
Kaitlyn glanced at Adam, and they remembered the last time they had sampled the wine.
Adam said, “Nothing for me.”
Kaitlyn added, “We know y
our wines are great, but Adam hasn’t had much sleep, and I never know when I’ll get a call. But something cold would be good.”
Jase gave Sara an indulgent look. “Since your arms are full, I’ll get iced tea.”
Sara glanced up at Adam. “So this is your niece.”
“Yes, she is. I’m watching her for my sister.”
Kaitlyn knew Adam didn’t want to go further than that, and Sara seemed to get that signal. Erica made a little noise and Sara rocked her naturally, knowing exactly what to do.
She said to Kaitlyn, “Jase tells me the letter you wrote for his column in the paper will be published next week. How do you feel about that?”
Kaitlyn turned to Adam to explain. “Jase is spotlighting members of The Mommy Club and their stories. I told him I’d like to write an open letter to the women of Fawn Grove instead of doing the interview. He liked it and thinks it’s a good idea.”
“His series is the reason I called The Mommy Club,” Adam revealed to Sara.
“I was hesitant for my interview to go public,” Sara explained. “The series is online, too, so people can make comments. You never know what they’re going to say. It can be unsettling.”
“I don’t think Kaitlyn gets unsettled often,” Adam responded.
Not unless you kiss me, she thought.
Now just where had that come from? Sitting next to him was enough to ruffle her for the whole day.
“The Mommy Club’s having a fund-raiser next Friday,” Sara told him.
“Really? I’d be glad to make a donation.”
Sara gave Adam a quick once-over and Kaitlyn shrugged, knowing what she was thinking. Adam would make a terrific “bachelor” for the auction.
Sara opened with, “Jase said you are the kind of guy who likes to have a good time.”
Adam’s expression grew cautious. “I suppose I do.”
“I mean, you’re no stranger to a tuxedo, right?”
“I’ve worn one now and then.” His voice became even more wary.
As well it should, Kaitlyn thought.
“Let me tell you our problem, and then you let me know if you want to help.”
“Fair enough.”
“We’re having a bachelor auction.”
Adam’s brows drew together. “Uh-oh.”
Sara laughed and Kaitlyn had to smile herself. Yes it was definitely an uh-oh moment, but Sara could convince almost anyone to do anything.
“It’s like this,” her friend admitted. “We had enough bachelors, we really did. But two of the businessmen had trips coming up.”
“I’ll just bet those trips were absolutely necessary,” Adam said.
“They were,” Sara protested, humor in her voice. “And another of our bachelors is sick, really sick. He had bronchitis and then pneumonia. So we’re short. Now our chief winemaker, Liam, has finally agreed to do it. But we really need at least one other guy, so we can round it out to an even dozen. This money is important, Adam. The Mommy Club does have a benefactress, but we can’t rely strictly on her forever.”
“You don’t have to convince me that this is a good cause. It is,” he agreed. “But the idea of walking down a runway...”
Sara waved her hand in front of his face.
“Oh, no, don’t worry about that. It’s not like you see on the TV shows. We’re going to have the auction in our events room. It’s just going to be some fake stairs you walk up and then down. Maybe you stop at the top for a couple of minutes. But that’s it. And wouldn’t you love to have an exciting date with somebody new?”
“Right now, my life’s filled with enough newness. And besides all that, I wouldn’t have anybody to babysit Erica.”
Some imp Kaitlyn didn’t know she possessed urged her to say, “I’ll babysit if someone buys you. I’d be glad to do it. That will be my donation. Well, at least part of it.”
At that moment, Jase came back with a tray of iced tea glasses and a plate of sweet rolls made with the winery’s own grape jelly. Amy’s grin spread ear to ear.
“Have they talked you into it yet?” Jase asked.
“You knew your wife was going to try to do that?”
“I knew my wife and Kaitlyn were probably going to tag team you. Why don’t we take a walk and let them discuss a new strategy. I’ll show you our vines.”
“Sounds good.”
Kaitlyn wondered if Adam would even consider being part of the bachelor auction. After all, how would she feel if another woman went out on a date with him? She shouldn’t have any feelings about it at all.
Not at all.
* * *
Jase and Adam walked in silence toward the Merlot vineyard, just enjoying the scent of the fall earth and the beautiful dark blue berries on the trellises. Mountains rose up in the distance. Raintree Winery was indeed a special place. Adam could almost understand why Jase had settled here.
As they turned away from the main buildings and the house, Adam asked, “Do you miss your old life—flying the world, shooting pictures no one else can get?”
Adam knew Jase had won a Pulitzer before he’d gotten shot by bandits in Africa. He’d come back to Raintree to recuperate. That’s when he’d met Sara for the first time, when she was his physical therapist. Two years later, when her house burned down, he gave her a place to stay at the guest cottage. A widow then, that kindness was all it had taken to bring them back together again. Anyone could tell when they looked at each other that they were in love.
In love. Exactly what was that? Adam wasn’t sure he’d know it if it landed on his head.
Jase plucked a grape off the vine and handed it to Adam. “Smell it, squeeze it open and taste it. This is where winemaking starts. I learned the ins and outs of it when I was a teenager. It was the one thing my dad and I connected on. When I returned from Africa, this land, these grapes and finally Sara, made staying more important than leaving, made wanting a real family a goal. It’s not as if I’m tethered here. Sara and Amy both will be traveling to Alabama with me for a literacy campaign. And I’m thinking about something else for the new year.”
“That just involves you?”
“It could, but I’d rather make it a family jaunt. Sara would like to study some methods of physical therapy in Switzerland, and I’d like to get a take on parenthood there. We could blog as we go, or I could try to sell the series with my contacts. It’s just in its idea stage.”
“But it sounds like a way to stay involved in journalism. And I imagine when you go away, now you look forward to coming home.”
“I hadn’t thought about it like that, but I guess it’s true. What about you?”
“What about me?”
“When we met in Africa, you said you were out of the U.S. more than you were in it.”
Adam had told Kaitlyn the same thing.
“So is it the traveling that excites you...or the work?” Jase asked.
“It’s the work that fascinates me, not the traveling. I think that’s a realization I’ve been coming to over the past few years. My last trip really brought it home. I have a commitment in a few weeks in Thailand, but if everything isn’t resolved with my sister, I can’t imagine leaving. Do you enjoy being a dad?”
Jase grinned. “I haven’t been one very long. But when Amy looks at me with those big eyes and asks me a question that she expects me to know the answer to, I feel ten feet tall. Tea parties? That’s another matter.”
Adam chuckled. “You’ve always related well to kids. That’s easy to see from all those photographs you took in the refugee camps. They looked at you as if you could do no wrong.”
“So what’s it like caring for a baby when you’ve never cared for a baby?” Jase wanted to know.
“It’s damn hard. I haven’t really slept since she arrived. I mean, even when
she sleeps, I worry about her not sleeping. I worry she’s going to wake up and need something. With every little sound, I’m practically on my feet, ready to pick up a bottle or a diaper or something.”
It was obvious Jase was trying not to laugh. “My guess is that’s a new-parent reaction.”
“But I’m not a new parent. And when all this is over—” He blew out a large breath. “I’m just hoping The Mommy Club can give Tina the help she needs.”
“They’re an excellent group. They know how to delegate and they have lots of branches, from the thrift store to food drives to babysitting services to day care. It will work out, Adam, but it might take time.”
Time.
Wasn’t that a precious commodity?
He and Jase talked about other things then—the political situation in Africa, the famine in Ethiopia, how bringing water to some areas would mean the difference between life and death. They ended up talking about the winery and new wines that were up for awards. Adam found himself relaxing as he hadn’t in a long time, even before Erica had arrived in his care.
After they returned to the garden, Amy was sitting beside Erica, playing with her toes. Kaitlyn was looking down at them with an odd expression on her face. It looked to Adam like...regret. He suddenly wanted to know her story very badly.
When the women saw the men, they looked up hopefully.
“Did you make a decision?” Kaitlyn asked, and he knew she fully expected him to say no.
To his surprise, what came out of his mouth was something else entirely. “All right. I volunteer to be one of your bachelors on one condition.”
“What?” Sara asked cautiously.
“You let me go first, second or third so I can get it over with.”
Everyone laughed, and Kaitlyn studied Adam with renewed admiration. He really was a good sport. He really is a good kisser, too, that little imp inside of her reminded her. All at once, she thought about what another kiss would be like. All at once, she could imagine his lips on hers, his hands—
“Kaitlyn?”
She’d missed a question.
“I’m sorry. My mind was wandering.”
At Adam’s glance, her cheeks flushed because she had the suspicion he knew where it had wandered.