A Taste of Romance

by Rhonda Laurel

  She figured Marco would have fancy digs, but she didn’t expect that his place would look like a museum. The console table and mirror looked like a Tuscan 17th-century Italian replica. She knew that thanks to helping Charisma study for those interior decorating classes she’d taken when she’d started Reed Designs. Marbled tile accented the crimson red walls that led to the living room that was furnished with lavish antique furniture. The dining room was elegantly set for a party of eight. Beautiful local landscape photos in gilded frames lined the foyer halls.

  “Nice photos.”

  “Those are a gift from the talented Peyton.” He set her suitcases down by the steps.

  “She truly has a photogenic eye.”

  “Venire. Let me show you the rest of the house.”

  “Who’s your decorator? The art department of the Louvre?” She took off her shoes.

  “A lot of the things you see are family heirlooms and a mixture of embellishments I’ve picked up along the way.”

  She walked around the living room. There was a striking painting on the wall. “Is that a Picasso print? It’s an excellent reproduction of a Picasso.”

  “No.”

  “What do you mean, no? I know my art.” She put her hand on her hip. She’d taken art classes as electives as a lark in college and discovered she liked it. She loved visiting Channing and Cassidy’s home. They were art lovers who had an extensive art collection.

  “Picasso, yes. Reproduction, no.”

  “Oh.” She moved closer to get a better look. “Wow.”

  “It’s been in the family for generations.”

  She looked at another framed picture. “Are these your parents?”

  “Yes. That’s my madre e padre. Massimo and Paloma.”

  “Ah.” She smiled. Her heart warmed at the tenderness in his voice. “The vineyard is named after your mother.”

  “My father loved her dearly.”

  “Loved? He’s no longer with us?”

  “He passed away. It’s been about ten years now.”

  “My dad passed away too. A long time ago too. But I was very young.”

  “Something like that can define a person at such a young age.”

  “It can, and it did.”

  “I was an adult when he passed away, but it still had a profound effect on me. Suddenly life wasn’t so carefree anymore. It was time to grow up.”

  She looked at another photo. It was Marco, his parents, and a younger guy that looked like him. “Who’s that?”

  “My brother Matteo.” He sighed.

  “Sounds like there’s a story there.”

  “There is, but nothing I’d like to discuss right now.” He gave her a knowing look.

  Touché. She noticed his tone changed. The look in his eyes said he really didn’t want to talk about it, which made her more curious. It could have been her natural inquisitive nature, but she wanted to know more about Marco. He was an interesting man who happened to be smoking hot.

  “Family is the most important thing.” She smiled. “Well, family and good wine.”

  “Amen to that.” He laughed. “Let me show you the kitchen.”

  “OK.” She followed him into the kitchen.

  He stopped at a room with a closed door. He opened it. She could immediately smell a pleasant scent of rose water. It definitely had a feminine touch, with frilly pillows and a table with creams and perfume bottles. There were a bible and rosary on one of the nightstands.

  “This is my mama’s room.”

  “She stays downstairs?”

  “It’s better for her hips. And she likes to roam around a lot at night. She says it’s because she’s old.” He laughed. “She roams freely without waking me.”

  “Ah. My Grandma likes to stay up late too. She says she’s had enough sleep for a lifetime.”

  He continued on to the kitchen, which was a chef’s dream. It was spacious, had two double ovens, stainless steel appliances, a slew of cooking devices, and a refrigerator with a transparent door. The center island had a sink and a row of copper pots suspended above it.

  “It’s fully stocked, but if you need something, I can go to the market and get it for you.”

  “You do a lot of cooking?”

  “I enjoy cooking for friends, and I find it therapeutic.” He walked over to a door and opened it. “This is the wine room.”

  Trina couldn’t believe her eyes when she walked into the wine room, which was more the size of a studio apartment. It was a temperature-controlled cool room and had wine racks on every wall. It had subtle lighting like the winery’s main room, and there was a tall table in the center with chairs surrounding it.

  “You are serious about drinking wine. This is bigger than the Wine Barn I shop in back home.”

  “What vintner isn’t?” He smiled.

  “I know a group of women who’d probably drink every bottle in this place,” she mused. “We have an unofficial wine club.”

  “Oh, really?”

  “Nothing fancy. We drink until we get schnockered, then gossip and munch on junk food.”

  He laughed. “Feel free to drink anything you like.”

  “You might regret showing me this room.”

  “Come.” He motioned for her to follow. “I’ll show you to your room.”

  She followed him as he grabbed her suitcases and headed up the stairs to the second floor. He made a right and continued down a long hallway. She peeked inside each open door as they passed by. He had tons of space, and the rooms looked like bedrooms, a study, and a gym. He finally opened the last door at the end of the corridor. It was a lovely guest bedroom that had soft neutral tones like beige and baby blue.

  “There’s a bathroom attached.” He set the bags down on the bed and went over and turned on the bathroom light. “There are fresh towels and toiletries, but let me know if you need anything else.”

  She looked around. The room was set up like the way she kept her things in her apartment. “It’s more than adequate. It’s actually homey.”

  “Why don’t you get comfortable? I’d normally fix you something to eat, but you should relax and get some sleep. How would like some biscotti and a pot of tea?”

  She gave him a curious look. “Why do you think I’m tired?”

  “Well, you were dozing off a little when we watched the sunset.”

  “I did, but I feel much better now.”

  He moved closer to her and looked at her face so long it became unnerving. “Your eyes are not shining so bright.”

  “I see.” She laughed. Damn, he was attentive. Was he reading her mind? The hours cooped up in the car were coming down on her hard, but she didn’t want to admit it. She had to get a second wind to return emails and texts, see what the latest gossip was about her meltdown, update her social media feeds and make sure at least one relative in Philadelphia heard her voice. “Tea sounds great.”

  Trina watched as Marco closed the door behind him. It had been quite a day. She’d started her morning running away from Los Angeles after the terrible night she’d had, thinking she would take a road trip across California and spend time with the family in Harper’s Grove. Now it was time to check into reality. What could she possibly say to anyone she knew without feeling like some naïve, insecure rube who ran away? She just wasn’t sure she wanted to be jaded so quickly about the entertainment industry.

  Next, she opened her contacts and dialed Charisma. It was eight o’clock west coast time, which meant most of her relatives in Philadelphia were getting ready for bed. Sisters Dana, Beverly, and Melina kept an early schedule because of work and kids but had been texting them all day. Charisma did too, but she’d been staying up later working on her big project and helping Theresa with wedding plans after the kids were down for the night. Her cousin did say to call her no matter what time she made it to Harper’s Grove.

  Charisma answered on the first ring.

  “It’s about time you called,” Charisma huffed. “I was just about to call yo
u and read you the riot act. You were supposed to call when you arrived in Napa, not text.”

  “I know, but I know when you and Derek get home with the kids it’s your private time.”

  “Nonsense. I always have time for my family, especially when they’re mid-crisis,” Charisma said in a soft tone. “I saw the article about you and that music producer. What happened?”

  “It’s a long story, but the bottom line is that it’s false. He and I are not dating.”

  “OK. Didn’t believe it. You would have told me,” Charisma replied.

  “Thanks for believing me without a thousand questions.”

  “Hey, I know all too well about misleading headlines.”

  “Well, it’s been a pretty strange and adventurous day. I’m exhausted.”

  “Give me the highlights. Alexis and Derek Jr. are sound asleep. You have my full attention. How was the road trip?”

  “I got lost a little bit, but I eventually made it to the vineyard. Found Marco, and now I’m in his guest room.”

  “In his guest room?”

  “It’s a long story. I was a little tired after the drive, and I had a big lunch and wine. Marco didn’t want me to take a chance on driving the rest of the way in that condition.”

  “Smart thinking,” Charisma agreed. “How do you like the winery?”

  “It’s breathtaking. The staff is so friendly. The food in the restaurant is excellent. The wine is fantastic.”

  “So?”

  “So, what?”

  “What do you think of Marco?”

  “He’s a great host.” She’d omit the Giuseppe debacle in the interest of letting it go. Even though it was funnier now than it had been a few hours ago. Marco had disarmed her into forgiving him pretty easily, and she was known to hold grudges.

  “And he’s gorgeous.”

  “I hadn’t noticed,” she said as deadpan as possible.

  “Were you blinded while in Los Angeles? Because you should have noticed.”

  “Aren’t you a married woman with a hot husband of her own?”

  “You think he’s hot, eh?” Charisma chuckled.

  “OK, he is attractive, and shame on you for not telling me about Marco. You know the rule. You give full disclosure on any hot man I may come into contact with. Thank goodness I was having a good hair day.” She fluffed her hair.

  “It slipped my mind. I was too busy worrying about you drifting around California like a beach bum while you cleared your head,” Charisma said. “Isn’t he a sweetheart?”

  “Yes. He’s many things.” She sat on the bed. “I was talking to one of his employees, and some chick came in with a present for him.”

  “Oh yeah?”

  “Portia says the interest is one-sided. Apparently, Marco entertains the staff with his busy love life. What’s Marco’s story?”

  “According to Alex, he’s been married twice. There was some chick Graciella that comes and goes, but they never seem to be in sync.”

  “Let me guess.” She rubbed her foot. “She’s ready, but he’s not?”

  “Not sure.” Charisma sighed. “A man like that is bound to have a past.”

  “Well, presently women are coming to the winery looking for him like love-struck school girls.”

  “It’s not his fault if women chase him.”

  “Yeah, but is he leading them on?”

  “You sound rather interested,” Charisma fired back.

  “I’m the nosey one in the family, remember?”

  “Oh, I remember. But it’s a passing nosiness. You are full-on getting ready to write his biography.”

  “Am not,” she shot back. Goodness, she was behaving like a teenage girl. “It’s just mild curiosity. He seems like just the kind of man who breaks hearts and doesn’t look back.”

  “Too bad all these questions are just for research purposes. I thought he’d be just your type.”

  “How so?”

  “Drop-dead gorgeous. Successful. And the accent. I’m surprised you two didn’t start flirting right away.”

  “The accent comes and goes.” She rubbed her other foot. “Nope. Everything was above board.”

  “I’d give it a few days. I bet—”

  “Listen.” She let out a big fake yawn. “I am going to take a shower, then go to bed. It’s been a long day, and it’s all starting to come down on me.”

  “That was subtle.” Charisma laughed. “We’ll talk again tomorrow. I have an early meeting, but then I’ll be free to talk.”

  “OK. I should be leaving for Harper’s Grove by mid-morning. I’ll call you when I get on the road.”

  “It’s a date.”

  “Thanks, Charisma. For everything. The encouragement, the comforting shoulder, everything. I feel a lot better just having gotten out of Los Angeles. I’ve hardly thought about humiliating myself on Entertainment Now.”

  “Don’t beat yourself up. You’re going to shake off the stage fright and go back out there and knock people’s socks off. You’ll get your mojo back after the album release party.”

  “Thanks for saying that. Kiss Alexis and Derek Jr. for me. Goodnight.”

  She ended the call and dug into her bag for her phone charger. She still had more texts to send, but her battery and her energy were getting low, so she’d call it a night. Marco was right. That surge of adrenaline she’d felt on the veranda was temporary. But talking to her cousin was just what she needed.

  She’d headed to California with big dreams of a becoming the next big thing in the music business, but she’d been overwhelmed after only a week. How was she supposed to have this star-studded career and fame? People like Lana made it seem so easy, but there was still a lot of mania around her. A hundred people giving her updates, styling her hair, dressing her, and telling her how fantastic she was. It looked fun at first, but it quickly became annoying when she realized life inside the glitzy vacuum was so chaotic. Music brought such joy to her heart, but when she was asked to sing unexpectedly, it was like someone had wiped her memory of her talent. She felt small, like she was on display, and it made her feel vulnerable. Had she marketed herself enough? What if no one bought her album? Would it crush her? She had to steel herself to the reality of the fickle world of music fans. She felt like she was losing herself.

  The road trip had done wonders for her in such a short amount of time. Never in a million years did she think that along the way she’d meet a handsome Italian vintner with an infectious smile and a way of making her feel like the spiral she was in when she’d arrived had stopped.

  She cruised along mulling over her options if she decided to put the brakes on her budding career. And while she was on her adventure, she ended up here at Paloma Vineyards. She felt the sparks flying between her and Marco, who’d she thought was Giuseppe, immediately. There was something in his eyes that made her feel desired. They were doing that slow dance people did when they were interested, but now that was out of the question. Still, she couldn’t help but feel an invisible pull toward him.

  Too bad she’d only be staying a short time. She felt safe with him.

  * * *

  Marco hummed a song as he walked around the kitchen and took out the items he needed to serve tea to Trina. It was something his mother hummed when she milled around the kitchen making pasta. The tune would pop into his head at the oddest moments. He missed his mom, but he hoped she was having fun with her sisters.

  Maybe it was good his mother was away. She would have made a big deal out of Trina staying the night. Paloma was a wise woman and always had a way of seeing right through him. She would have honed in on his attraction to Trina in an instant.

  It had been a while since there had been a woman in the house. He entertained so rarely these days. With getting his business running again after the forest fires and tending to his mother, there simply wasn’t too much time left to date. Which was a shame, because he loved being in the company of a beautiful, witty, confident woman like Trina. Meeting her today was lik
e a breath of fresh air had been infused into his life. That smile and sassy attitude definitely perked him up. He’d been so enthralled, he’d let his Giuseppe deception go on a little too long. But he had to admit it was nice for someone to flirt with him and not know he owned the place.

  There was always a shift in the conversation once that fact became known. He knew it was just a person’s way of showing they were impressed that he was the purveyor of fine wines, but at the same time, did it matter? Loading trucks was just as noble as owning a vineyard. He wished people didn’t put so much stock into titles. He’d met plenty of presidents of companies who were complete jerks just because they knew they were the boss and could get away with it.

  Trina didn’t feel that way. She reacted to him based off pure attraction, and he responded in kind. She was beautiful and dressed like a star with her fancy sunglasses and her pretty outfit. She was too damn pretty, and he couldn’t see himself refraining from flirting with her no matter how they’d met. He liked to believe he could control his impulses, but one look at Trina and he’d thrown all that out the window.

  He opened a cupboard and took out a box of chamomile tea leaves and placed them in the steeper. This tea was something he used when he couldn’t get to sleep. He would’ve loved to eat dinner with her and share another bottle of wine, but he could tell the day’s travel was hitting her like a ton of bricks whether she realized it or not. It would have been great to sit on the veranda and chat the night away with her. But alas, she needed her rest so she could get ready for the next leg of her journey.

  He opened another cupboard door and retrieved a bottle of Cognac and a small shot glass. If the tea didn’t work for her, he was pretty sure the Cognac would do the trick. The serving tray set, he carefully dashed up the steps and knocked on the door.

  “Katrina, è l’ora del tè.”

  She opened the door. “You got the tea prepared rather quickly.”