by Kate Kisset
ChiChi resolutely shook her head. “No, no, no. That will absolutely not do. Jake, dear.” She gave him a loving smile and then pulled a one-eighty. “You will not be staying at the Napa Grand. There is no need to provide you with a room and reduce income the family would otherwise receive from a paying customer.”
“Scarlett, Regan offered you accommodations.” At the sound of her name, she bolted upright, giving ChiChi her full attention. “I’ve seen you in diapers, dear. I remember, because you had unusually heavy legs. Nevertheless, you are like family to Regan.”
ChiChi shifted her position, and the enormous rocks on her earlobes caught the light. “Regan’s family is my family. Therefore, Scarlett will stay on one side of the cottage.” ChiChi pointed to the hall leading to the bedroom where Scarlett had unpacked. “Jake, you will stay over there.” ChiChi nodded to the other side of the house.
“I can’t.” Scarlett straightened. “I wouldn’t feel comfortable.”
“Now you are bordering on insulting me,” ChiChi leveled. “Is that your intention?”
“No.” Scarlett picked at an invisible speck of lint on her yoga pants, feeling ChiChi’s eyes burning a hole in the top of her head. “No, ma’am. I don’t mean to—”
“Insult your host? Insult Regan and my grandson? No, you don’t mean to insult me, Jake, his mother, and my sister, Charlotte Contessa Liliana Ryo? The entire Ryo-Martelli-DeLuca family? Because that is what you will do if you leave.”
“I would, indeed, be insulted.” Cha-Cha’s pale blue, twinkly eyes darkened, matching the color of her outfit. She shook her head, making her gray curls jiggle. “No, I’m sure Scarlett wouldn’t want to offend the family.”
ChiChi’s penciled eyebrows shot up higher. “Can you imagine what Deidre Potter would do with the information if she found out we threw a guest out on the street?”
Noticing ChiChi’s hands shaking, Scarlett backpedaled. “I don’t want to cause any problems.” Her head pounded while she scrambled for the right words. “It’s just—”
“The men in our family are very, very attractive. Is that what makes you so uncomfortable, darling?” The robed, geriatric majesty pursed her lips.
The words hung in the living room like an invisible fog, seeping into Scarlett’s brain and rendering it useless. Waves of heat crept from her neck to her face and wound around to her ears, which were now on fire. Her brain went blank. After eight years of college, including four in graduate school, the only word that came to mind was towel.
The sisters Ryo sported identical smirks, as if they knew they’d caught Scarlett lusting after Jake. All eyes (including Jake’s) were glued to her, and the uncomfortable silence stretched to eternity.
“Trust me,” ChiChi said, leaning across the couch, startling Scarlett with a pat on the knee. “Cha-Cha and I know how overwhelmed women become around the DeLuca and Martelli men.”
When ChiChi turned to Jake, whose face was now a lovely shade of crimson, Scarlett cautiously angled her face and mouthed “help me,” to the fireplace.
ChiChi clapped her hands, as if she needed any more attention from her captive audience. “Here’s the plan. Scarlett, you are a grown woman. Jake is an adult. This cottage is thirty-eight hundred square feet. I should know, because I designed it.”
“And I selected all the fixtures, appliances and flooring.” Cha-Cha interlocked her fingers and clasped a knee while perusing the room, seeming pleased with the results.
“The cottage has two en suite master bedrooms, one on each side of the house,” ChiChi continued. “Can you honestly say you're afraid my grandnephew will accost you?”
Cha-Cha’s eyes blazed.
“Well, no.” Scarlett grabbed the pillow again.
“It’s settled, then. Jake is here to assist with an extremely urgent family matter. You are here to become St. Helena’s next veterinarian when Dr. Huntington moves to Willamette Valley. Poor man has no idea what he’s getting into with Nanette Barbara, married thrice and three dead husbands, but that’s not our concern. The family project is our number one priority. So you two will share the house…
“…and Jake?” ChiChi dropped her chin, narrowing her eyes at him. “You will wear clothes whenever you’re in a public area.” ChiChi swiveled to Scarlett. “You also will dress appropriately.”
Then, as if orchestrated ahead of time, the sisters simultaneously clapped their hands, rose, and sashayed to the front door. Jake caught up with them and opened the door. He dropped a loving arm around his grandmother and kissed her on both cheeks. Cha-Cha beamed. “Don’t forget to wear your dancing shoes, darling.”
ChiChi reached up and patted his jaw. “We paid good money for you in February, dear. Time to pay up.” They both tottered out the door.
ChiChi paused and turned back from the walkway, shaking her finger at them. “And not a word about this to anyone. That piece of work is going pay.”
***
Jake Martelli stood outside his designated bedroom and thumbed through his text messages. Nothing. Then he swiped to his Twitter account. Damn it. Still? There were another twenty-eight retweets. Mark Bloom, AKA @Channel7WeatherGeek, posted the original message on February 14th. Making a total of twelve thousand, thirty-six tweets featuring Jake and the message:
@JakeMartelli forced Granny on date 2 rig Sweetheart Auction #Eww
Shit. After all this time? He thought the story would have died down months ago. In a way, he’d gotten used to the harassment and handling the blowback. Still, it pissed him off. Jake hovered over the type pad with his thumb, trying to come up with a stinging counter-tweet. And came up with zilch.
Who was he kidding? How could he concentrate with Scarlett in the house? Then again, the Sweetheart Auction was what brought him to St. Helena in the first place. Anything placing him in the vicinity of sexy Scarlett Halle couldn’t be all bad. Jake closed the Twitter app and shoved the phone into his pocket.
Scarlett Halle. He knew her. Not well, because he went to the private Catholic school in Napa, and she went to public school in St. Helena. Scarlett probably didn't even know his name back then. But he knew enough about her that his stomach tightened and his heart raced whenever he saw her.
He'd botched his one chance with Scarlett at Gabe and Regan's wedding. By the time the reception came around, they were inseparable. But when they said good-bye, he blew it, and let her leave without getting her number, or asking if they could see each other again. He’d run into her over the years, but every time one or the other of them, or both, were dating other people, and the window of opportunity remained closed.
Jake opened the bedroom door and heard the familiar rattle of tags on his best friend’s collar.
“You missed all the action, buddy, but guess who’s here?” Jake squatted beside Brady, and the big yellow Lab flopped onto his back for a belly rub.
“Good boy,” Jake said, rubbing Brady’s soft underbelly. Brady lurched up and nailed him with a tongue kiss, his tail swishing back and forth on the carpet. Jake hadn’t expected to leave him in the bedroom for so long, even if it was the size of their entire San Francisco apartment.
“Let me introduce you to Scarlett.” Jake stood and slapped his thigh. “Come on, boy.” Brady, still in belly rub position, hoping for a second massage, flipped to his tummy and stared Jake down.
“Come.” Jake clapped his hands, and Brady got to his feet and trotted out of the bedroom.
“Scarlett…” Jake waited a few beats for a response. Did she leave? “Scarlett…” Jake called down the hall. “There's another guest in the house.”
“I know. We’re in here.” Her lovely voice rang out from the kitchen, and damn if his heart didn’t beat faster.
Jake rounded the corner and found Brady turning on the charm. His head rested on Scarlett’s knee at the table. Unfortunately, she’d changed into a supersized sweatshirt. The fuzzy fabric buried the luscious curves he’d been eyeballing since she whacked him in the head.
“That’
s Brady,” Jake explained, sure he was grinning like a goofball, but couldn’t stop himself. Scarlett had gotten rid of the ponytail, and her long, dark caramel hair gleamed. The tension from the living room grannies-gone-wild inquiry was gone, her face relaxed and smiling. She gets prettier every time I see her. “I knew you’d like him.”
“We're in love,” Scarlett cooed, burying her delicate fingers into the folds of Brady’s neck. “He’s a sweetheart.”
“I had him stashed in the bedroom in case ChiChi minded.” Jake filled a bowl with water and placed it on the floor. “It’s easier to ask for forgiveness than beg for permission.”
He opened the cabinet and searched for something to tempt Scarlett into staying on this side of the house for a while. He needed to thank Gabe for setting this up. Scarlett Halle didn’t just accidently drop out of heaven and land in the guest house with him…did she? “Glass of wine? Ryo Syrah?”
Scarlett moved her sexy little body to the kitchen island and plopped on the stool in front of him. She leaned over the counter and propped her chin in her hands. “Please.” Her big, chocolate brown eyes latched on to his. “Fill it to the rim.”
Chuckling, he peeled his attention away from her and pulled two glasses and a bottle from the cabinet. “You’re impressive in the hot seat,” he said, pulling out the cork with a pop. “But you weren’t going to win the argument with ChiChi. Not with my nonna backing her up. I’m just happy their other sister isn’t here. My aunt GiGi lives in Santa Barbara. But even with just the two of them, it was over before it started.”
He poured a glass and offered it to her. “I’m sorry if they made you uncomfortable.” Gesturing to the living room, the site of the granny showdown, Jake ran out of things to say. He respected his family too much to ever apologize for them. “They can be a little intimidating, especially with my parents out of the country, and no one around to run interference.”
Come to think of it, Jake wouldn’t put it past his grandmother and great-aunt to have waited until his folks left for Italy. The whole Sweetheart Auction nightmare started right around the time his parents decided on the dates of their European vacation. What an amazing coincidence.
Slipping onto the stool beside Scarlett, he swirled the burgundy liquid in his glass. He knew his nonna meant it as a compliment, but did she have to go on and on about the guys in the family being attractive? “Now the grannies have left, I want you to be honest with me.”
“Sure.” Scarlett shifted and brushed the hair off her shoulder.
Like vanilla and sunshine. Her hair smelled incredible, giving him the urge to reach over and touch it. Jake forgot what was he was going to say. He waited a beat to clear his head, because he needed to get this right. “If I make you feel uncomfortable by staying here, I can take off. No problem.”
Scarlet narrowed her eyes, and their gazes locked. And as much as he didn’t want to admit it, he held his breath, waiting for her answer.
“No.” She cocked her head, deliberating. “I wouldn’t feel good about making you leave your family home.”
“I don’t want you to worry about me,” he explained, hoping she wasn’t just surrendering to pressure. “I have plenty of places to crash in the valley, and my grandmother and aunt don’t need to know about it.” He sneaked another look.
“I’m fine with staying here tonight.” She bit her lower lip, and her eyes flashed up, nailing him again. “And thank you for asking.”
It wasn’t precisely the answer he wanted, but he had the whole night to talk her into staying longer. He tipped his glass against hers. “To roommates, then.”
“Roommates.”
CHAPTER TWO
Wearing a white skirt and black short-sleeved tee, Scarlett adjusted the knot in the scarf she just splurged on at the Napa Grand Hotel boutique. Although the ten-story masterpiece Marco DeLuca resurrected from ruins was a members-only resort, locals knew the gift shop was open to the public.
Her meeting with Dr. Huntington hadn’t lasted the whole two hours. But it went so well that, after checking in with her mother, Scarlett spent the rest of the time shopping. She'd spent forty-five minutes trying on shoes and earrings before finally settling on the scarf.
Worried she’d be late for lunch with Regan, Scarlett dashed out of the store. She scurried through the hotel’s magnificent reception area and pushed through the revolving door. The sunny warmth on her skin made her want to skip next door to the Sweet and Savory Bistro.
She entered the cafe and combed the crowd for Regan, and then grinned. Some things never changed. The David Hasselhoff cardboard cutout was still here. David stood by the register, displaying the day’s special—chocolate éclairs.
Scooting around chatty customers, delicious scents of coffee, sugars, and cheeses making her mouth water, she spotted her friend.
Contact. Regan's pretty floral sundress set off her brown hair and blue eyes. She leaped up, waving Scarlett over, looking stunning as ever.
“Regan!” Scarlett hurried across the room to her, and melted into the familiar comfort of her friend’s arms. They’d been best buddies since their first season on Oregon State’s softball team. And even though Scarlett ended up transferring into UC Davis, they’d kept in touch with phone calls every week. When Regan moved to St. Helena and married Gabe, they’d become even closer. Scarlett caught up with her every time she visited her family.
“So happy you’re here.” Regan tugged her into the seat next to her. “Across the table is too far away,” she explained, giggling. “So, tell me how it went.” She placed a napkin on her lap and straightened it. “Please say you’re moving here.”
A server interrupted them with two quiches, and filled their water glasses.
“I ordered two classics the second I sat down,” Regan whispered. “I hope it’s okay.”
“Perfect.” They tucked into their lunches, and even with her mouth full, Scarlett couldn’t stop grinning. The thought of getting a fresh start away from her ex and moving home to St. Helena made her light-headed.
“Did you call your mom?” Regan asked between bites.
“I did,” Scarlett nodded. “She understood why I wanted to keep the meeting with Dr. Huntington private until afterward. I’m going to see her after lunch.” Not wanting to count her chickens before they hatched, Scarlett tried to keep her bubbling-over level of enthusiasm at bay. If she got too excited and then her plan didn’t work out, the disappointment would crush her.
“So, Dr. Huntington is a smitten man.” Scarlett put her fork down. “He can’t wait to…and I’m paraphrasing…start the next chapter of his life with his new love.” She beamed. “The only thing holding him back is his practice. He doesn’t have any kids, or anyone to pass it on to. He seemed very receptive to my ideas this morning.”
“He’d be an idiot if he wasn’t,” Regan said, immediately taking her side, which Scarlett always appreciated. Regan broke off a hunk of sourdough bread. “Can you believe it? We meet at Oregon State and both end up here.” She popped a bite into her mouth.
“There’s still a lot of work to do on my end. I don’t have the budget to jump in on my own, and even if I had the money, I wouldn’t want to. I like the group setup we have in Davis. With three of us on board, we have the flexibility to cover all day shifts, and we take turns with on-call nights, weekends, and holidays. That way we can all take a little time off, and I can still do volunteer work.”
Scarlett picked up her glass. “Wait a minute.” She set the water down and frowned. “You said you’d bring Sophie.”
“Gabe has her.” Regan glowed. “He knew how much I was looking forward to seeing you and thought we’d appreciate a little girl time. He’s picking Holly up after school, and they’re all making dinner for me.”
“What a life!” Scarlett winked, giving Regan a little pinch. “It’s sooo good to be you,” she teased.
“Stop it,” Regan playfully pushed her hand away. “So, you’re not mad about Jake staying at the cottage with
you?” She raised a brow.
The question caught Scarlett with her mouth full. She swallowed quickly. “Well, I did throw a Styrofoam cup at him.”
“Not your fastball.”
Scarlett nodded. “Modified for short distance.”
“So… you hit… Jake—”
“—on the forehead. He had his back to me, and I didn’t recognize him.”
“Ohmygod.” Regan burst out laughing and buried her face in her hands. “I’m so sorry,” she said through her fingers.
“So, let me get this straight.” Scarlett pulled Regan’s hands from her face, and she straightened, giving her full attention. “You weren’t setting me up with Jake?”
“Absolutely not.” Regan grabbed her hands and looked directly into her eyes. “I wouldn’t do that to you.”
Scarlett scrutinized her friend for her telltale sign of fibbing. Surprisingly, Regan’s nostrils weren’t flaring.
“I cleared the date with Gabe,” she explained. “And he checked with his brothers and Abby. I had no idea ChiChi recruited Jake and offered him the place. I tried calling you, but your cell wasn’t on, and I couldn’t get to the house because it was my day for soccer carpool. Didn’t ChiChi and Cha-Cha stop by?”
Scarlett blew out a sigh. “Oh, yes, they did.” She decided not to complain about Regan’s in-laws. “And Jake”—she couldn’t help but smile— “Jake was great about the whole thing.”
Regan let go of her grip. “So you’re staying.”
“Actually, I’m not. I’m stopping by Mom’s after lunch. Then I’ll run by the guesthouse, pack up, and go back to her house. Now the Huntington interview is out of the bag, I don't have to stay in hiding.”
“You can’t do that to me.” Regan folded her arms. “You can’t.”
“Not you, too.” Scarlett wiped her mouth with the napkin and placed it on the table. “I don’t understand why your family cares where I stay.” Scarlett rubbed at the tension in her forehead. “I don’t get it.”
“Look.” Regan dropped her pitch and glanced at the tables around them. Which made sense. Everyone knew sticking your nose into other people’s business was in the St. Helena’s bylaws…the rule, not the exception.