by Joleen James
"You're sitting on pure gold." Lance ran a hand over his bald head, a head so smooth she was sure he shaved it on a daily basis. About thirty-five, he looked too young to be totally bald. A dark black goatee completed his Howie Mandell look. "Germaine Cellars is interested, and they'll pay top dollar. Whitney Vineyards can provide them with everything they need, including built in customers."
Danielle glanced up from the paperwork. "They've called several times the past week, wanting to set up a meeting with me, but it's Nico I want to sell to."
"Meet with Germaine Cellars anyway," Lance said, his dark eyes filled with the promise of a hefty commission. "Let them woo you, enjoy the attention, but don't talk price, that's my job. We want to get top dollar for the vineyard."
"Okay, I'll think about it." Danielle closed the market guide, her body alive with excitement and dread. Could she do it? Could she sell and walk away? "Can I take this with me? I'd like to go over it again when I have more time."
"Of course." He smiled. "It's yours. Take your time, study it. Selling is the best option. If you invest right, you may never have to work again."
Never have to work again? After spending the better part of the last year living as the working poor, Danielle was ready for a comfortable life. What would it be like to live free of money worries? She could find out. She only had to agree to sell once Whitney Vineyards passed to her. With money the possibilities were endless. Money would mean a better school for Kaiden, a nice home, shopping without looking at prices. And best of all, she wouldn't be dependent on a man for her survival.
She'd come from an overbearing, cheating father, straight to an even more overbearing, liar of a husband. She'd drawn one important conclusion: a man said whatever he thought a woman wanted to hear. From this point forward, she vowed to be in charge of her own destiny. The money from the sale of Whitney Vineyards would help her get there. Boy, did she like the thought of that.
"Thanks for all your hard work." Danielle stood. She extended her hand. Lance shook it, his grip firm and business-like. "I've got a lot to think about."
"I'll look forward to hearing from you."
Lance escorted Danielle to the door. On her way out, she slipped the market guide into her purse.
Danielle started down the street to where she'd parked her car. The rich scent of fresh-brewed coffee pulled her attention to a coffee house on the corner. Deciding to treat herself, she went inside and ordered a latte. Buying quality coffee was yet another luxury she'd be able to afford without guilt when she sold the vineyard.
Coffee in hand she left the store, but didn't get far before Nico's big black truck pulled up beside her. He rolled the passenger window down.
"Hi," she said, surprised to see him.
"What're you doing in town?" His wind tossed hair made him look wild and sexy. Unlike Peter, Nico didn't use hair spray. He didn't need it. Why mess with perfection?
"It's my lunch hour and I had some errands to run." She didn't tell him about the visit with Lance Fox. He'd flip out. A tiny ping of guilt dinged her, but she pushed it away. She had every right to check out all her options.
"Have you eaten? We could grab a bite? I've got an hour to kill before I need to pick Maria up." His brows lifted as if to coax her into saying yes.
"I can't," she said with regret. "My errands took longer than expected. I should probably get back." She moved closer to the truck, to the air conditioning seeping out the open window. She leaned forward, catching the cool air.
"You're the boss," Nico said. "No one will care if you take a long lunch. Get in." He reached across the seat and opened the door.
Did she want to have lunch with Nico? For whatever reason, he was making it his business to spend time with her. A part of her wanted to enjoy the attention, but the saner side of her brain said, Beware. He wants you to sell to him. He has his own selfish reasons for keeping you happy, reasons that aren't even remotely romantic.
A car drove up behind Nico, honking.
"Get in," he urged.
Ignoring her internal ramblings, Danielle got into the truck, quickly closing the door.
"Ricardo and Rita's?" Nico asked, keeping his eyes on the road.
"Sure." She hadn't been to Ricardo and Rita's Diner since she was a teenager. Ricardo and Rita Sanchez were the parents of her childhood friend, Jazzmyn. A warm feeling of nostalgia for Jazzmyn rushed through her. How good would it be to reconnect with her old friend? "Is Jazzmyn still around?"
Nico gave her a sideways glance. "Haven't you stayed in touch?"
"No." She set her coffee in the drink holder between their seats. "And it's my fault. I let Peter influence me. I totally lost my backbone during my marriage to him. He didn't want me to stay connected with anyone in Sun Grove. And I guess a part of me didn't want to be connected to anyone here either." She gave him a sad smile, a smile filled with regret. "It will be great to see Jazzmyn again."
Nico smiled as he turned the corner and parallel parked on the street. He exited the truck before coming around to help Danielle down. She took his hand, and when her feet were safely on the ground, Nico continued to touch her, his hand on the small of her back.
The man was definitely sending her signals; she just wished she knew if they were real or manufactured as a way to keep her happy until the sale went through.
Together they walked into the diner. The scent of Monday's special, roasted turkey, filled the air. Danielle's stomach rumbled.
"I can't believe they still have hot turkey sandwiches on Mondays," she said.
"Small town, slow pace," Nico reminded her. "Some things never change."
"I guess not."
"Hey, Rita," he said. "Got a table for two?"
Rita whirled around. She hadn't changed at all. Her black hair was still pulled back into a tight bun at the nape of her neck. A rose-patterned apron rode low at her waist, her order book stuffed into the front pocket.
"Oh, my gosh, is that you, Danielle?" Rita cried. The pitcher of water she'd been holding met the lunch counter with a solid thunk. "For heaven's sake." She bustled around the long counter, making a beeline for Danielle, her arms held wide.
"Hi, Mrs. Sanchez." Danielle let the older woman hug her, surprised by how good it felt, how right.
"Ricardo, Jazz, come see who's out here."
Ricardo poked his head out of the kitchen, giving her a wave, but it was Jazzmyn who nearly ran her father down to get to Danielle.
"Dani," she cried. "Oh, my God."
Something inside of Danielle broke free. Jazzy, her old friend, the girl she'd traded confidences with all through school, the one person who knew about her infatuation with Nico and the truth about the day Nico's parents had died.
"Jazzy." Danielle hugged her friend tight.
"Tell me you're here to stay," Jazzmyn said, her hands still gripping Danielle's arms. "Tell me you've finally come to your senses and decided to come home."
"I'm here for a few months," Danielle said, suddenly wishing her stay could last longer.
"Hey, Nico." Jazzmyn tossed him a smile. "Nico's a regular here."
"I am." Nico glanced around. "I'll snag a table near the window." He pointed to a vacant table.
Jazzmyn put her arm around Danielle. "Dani, you have to catch me up on everything."
"I will," Danielle promised, surprised to find she wanted to share the past years with Jazzmyn. "And I want to know all about you, too."
"Let's meet for dinner one night this week," Jazzmyn suggested, her dark eyes shining.
"That sounds great."
Jazzmyn leaned close, and whispered in Danielle's ear, "Isn't Nico as dreamy as ever?"
Danielle smiled. "I haven't noticed."
"You liar!" Jazzmyn laughed, the sound infectious. "Seriously, let's get together. Friday night? We could go to O'Leary's for burgers and beer. I'll ask Mac, he's my husband, to watch the kids. I've got two, Sadie, she's four, and Max, he's seven."
"Wow," Danielle breathed. "Two kids? I
've got one, Kaiden. He's ten."
"Jazzmyn, order up," Ricardo called from the kitchen.
"Rats, I need to get back to work, but I'll see you Friday?"
"Sounds good." With a final squeeze of Danielle's hand, Jazzmyn headed for the kitchen. Danielle made her way to Nico.
"Sorry," she said as she slid into the booth opposite him.
"No problem." He gave her a slow grin, the kind that made her heart skip a beat. "She was definitely excited to see you."
"The feeling is mutual. I'd forgotten how much I loved being with her." Danielle watched Jazzmyn as she worked the lunch counter. She was as open and friendly as ever. Jazzmyn winked at her. "We had so much fun together when we were kids.
Rita came over and took their order for turkey sandwiches. Danielle's cell phone rang. She snatched the phone from her bag.
"Hello?"
"Hey, baby," Peter said.
She hated it when he called her baby. "Peter, what's up?"
"I thought you could pick us up around four. Will that work for you?"
"That's fine. I'll see you then." Danielle ended the call. "Sorry, again."
"Kaiden's safe and sound?" Nico asked with concern.
"I'm picking him up at four."
"Then you can relax and enjoy your lunch." Nico settled back against the black leather booth.
"So it seems." She moved to shove her phone back in her purse, but upset the bag. The market guide fell, landing on the floor. At the same time, both she and Nico reached to pick it up.
"What's this?" Nico asked, the words Fox Realty clearly visible on the front page.
"It's nothing." She snatched the booklet away.
"Why are you really in town, Danielle?" Nico asked, his eyes darkening with mistrust. "Are you talking to Lance Fox?"
Guilt returned, nasty and sharp. Deceit heated her cheeks. "I met with him, that's all. I want to know what my options are."
"I see." The words were so dry she was surprised he didn't choke on them.
"Do you really? Do you know what it's like not to have enough money to pay the bills?" Danielle asked, wanting him to understand. His jaw remained hard, unyielding. "I'm not going to apologize to you, Nico. You know I'm going to sell. I need to be educated about that sale, and Lance is educating me."
"Here you go," Rita said, setting two fat sandwiches on the table.
Glad for the interruption, Danielle busied herself with her food. But the air was strained between herself and Nico. She knew him well enough to know he was mad. He didn't trust her to sell to him. She didn't blame him for feeling that way.
She expected no less from him, but she was equally determined to fight for what she wanted -- independence.
For the first time in her life, she wanted to be happy, on her terms. An inner strength she didn't even know she had raced through her body. When her ninety days were up, she would be in control of her life.
She wasn't about to apologize for that. Not to Nico. Not to anyone.
***
Nico pulled into his parking spot in front of the cottage and cut the engine. Beside him, Maria unfastened her seat belt, opened the door, and jumped from the truck.
"I'm going to Whitney House to wait for Kaiden," she called over her shoulder.
He started to call after her, but bit back the words. Was he doing the right thing dragging her into town for counseling once a week? He'd hoped the visits would open the line of communication between them, but Maria never wanted to talk about what went on during the counseling sessions. The counselor, Mrs. Burns, assured Nico that Maria was coming to terms with the divorce.
He hoped so. For the past year his life had been on hold. He was more than ready to cut all financial ties with Liz, but every time he thought about dividing their assets, selling the home Maria was raised in and the vacation home where they'd spent so many weekends and holidays, he backed off, waiting for Maria to be okay, not wanting to cause his daughter any more pain. It was as if he were waiting for a sign, some kind of signal that would tell him he could finally move forward. If only Liz were in a financial position where she could buy him out.
Instead, she was nickel and diming him to death. Once he finally separated their assets, he'd think long and hard before committing to another marriage. Especially once he had the vineyard. He'd be damned if he'd share the place with anyone. He'd never risk losing half of the vineyard or being forced to sell the vineyard and split the profits. Marriage was not an option, not for him.
Nico slammed the door of his truck, heading to his house. It had been a long afternoon filled with disappointments.
Damn Danielle. He'd thought he'd been making progress with her. He'd been so sure that she understood he was the best choice to run the vineyard. Then he'd seen the buyer's guide, seen the determination in her eyes, and he knew -- she'd sell to the highest bidder. She needed the financial security. Danielle was a woman who'd been jerked around too many times by her ex-husband. He couldn't even blame her for meeting with Lance Fox, for wanting to secure the highest price for the vineyard. He'd do the same in her shoes.
A hard ache started in his gut.
What if she sold Whitney Vineyards to Germaine Cellars? He'd read a book once about writing down your greatest fear, then writing down what the consequence would be if that fear came to pass. Supposedly, making a plan to deal with the consequence eased one's fears, but he couldn't find a way to deal with the loss of the vineyard -- not one he could live with anyway. For so long he'd dreamed of owning Whitney Vineyards.
Over and over he asked himself why this land, this place, and it came back to his parents. They'd lived and died here. He felt a connection to them, to this vineyard they'd come to with such hope for having a better life. Sure, he could go somewhere else and start over, but he didn't want to lose the connection to his parents, or to Phillip.
In some ways, his life had begun once they'd come to Sun Grove. For the first time, his mother had seemed truly happy. She'd hated the nomadic lifestyle his father had set for their family, his job in the fields taking them wherever the money was. He remembered his mother complaining about the frequent moves, over and over again. In Sun Grove, they'd found a home. Nico's roots were here now, and it was here he wanted to stay, but as the boss, not as an employee.
He'd just have to work harder at convincing Danielle that he was the best choice for the vineyard.
Inside his house, he made his way to the fridge. He popped the top on a cold soda and took a long drink. A knock sounded at his door.
"Nico," Jacques called out. "You here?"
"Yeah." Nico met Jacques in the living room.
"Oh, no," Jacques said when he set eyes on Nico. "You're scowling. Things didn't go well with Maria. No progress?"
"I don't know." Nico shrugged. "She won't talk to me. She just gives me dirty looks when I ask her about the session." He took another sip of his soda. "And it gets worse. Danielle is talking to Lance Fox."
"Damn." Jacques shoved one hand through his hair. "But you thought the plan was working. You said yourself that she admired your work, that's she's impressed by everything we're doing here."
"She is," Nico said. "But is that enough or does it all come down to money?"
"Step things up," Jacques suggested.
Nico frowned. "I'm trying. I've showed her my grafting work."
"I mean personally," Jacques said. "She has feelings for you. Anyone can see that. Use those feelings."
"I can't do that," Nico said. "It wouldn't be right. Besides, a romance could backfire."
"I'm not asking you to make love with her." Jacques chuckled, as if imagining how it would be to bed Danielle, the look of rapture on his face annoying Nico. "Be nice to her. Women love to be pampered, cherished. Flirt a little. Give her some hope."
"Danielle isn't a teenager anymore," Nico said. "She's sour on men right now."
"Then change her mind," Jacques said.
"I want the vineyard," Nico said. "I'm not looking for any ki
nd of romance, real or otherwise. I won't go down that road again. Not after Liz. The vineyard is the only mistress I want."
"Then play the game," Jacques said.
Nico brushed past Jacques, going out onto the porch. He didn't want to play games, not with Danielle. The heat slammed into him, and he paused to draw in a breath of the heavy air, his eyes on Whitney House. While he'd been inside with Jacques, Danielle had arrived with Peter and Kaiden. He could see Kaiden and Maria sitting on a bench in the rose garden. He scanned the place for Peter, but didn't see him. Was he inside with Danielle? What were they doing? The possible answers to that question bothered him more than he cared to admit.
"Company?" Jacques asked, joining him on the porch.
"Her ex-husband is here. I think I'll go over and check on Maria."
"Now you're talking," Jacques said with enthusiasm. "Be Danielle's ally. You said she dislikes her ex-husband. Go, be her champion."
Nico scowled. "Danielle doesn't need a champion. Believe me; she can take care of herself. She's had to, thanks to Peter."
Having enough of Jacques and his ridiculous ideas, ideas that were hitting closer to home than Nico wanted them to, he bounded down the steps, taking the path to the rose garden.
"Hey, you two," he called out to Maria and Kaiden. Kaiden held some kind of electronic game.
Busy playing, Kaiden didn't even glace up at Nico, but Maria said, "Dad, Kaiden's dad just gave him a new game. It's so cool. I want one, too."
Nico wasn't much for electronic games. He'd rather have Maria play outside in the fresh air. He came around to look over Kaiden's shoulder, watching as he appeared to interact/play with a puppy. And the dog seemed to respond to Kaiden's touch.
"Interesting," Nico said, surprised to see a puppy and not some type of car chase or gun scene.
"Isn't it cool?" Maria said, her eyes shining. "I really, really want one."
"We'll see," Nico said, still not sold on the idea. "Did you have fun in town, Kaiden?"