by Pamela Aares
No, she was doting. She was the worst sort of doting mother. And damn proud of it.
Chapter Twelve
NATASHA SURE LEFT IN A HURRY,” COCO SAID as she tossed one of the baseballs in the air. “Didn’t you invite them to lunch?”
Adrian eyed his wily sister. “How do you know her name?”
“What do you mean? You’ve talked about her.”
“I didn’t even know her name until the night of the ballet.” He grabbed the ball out of the air on the next toss. “That date for the ballet was a colossally bad idea, by the way. You should have gone and I should’ve done something a whole lot more low-key. People could have fawned all over you. It was embarrassing for me and uncomfortable for Natasha. She must think I have an ego the size of LA.”
“No one could ever consider you a snob.”
“Coco, spill. How did you know her name?”
“She lives at Inspire—the homeless shelter I’m crafting the fundraising calendar for. But you have to keep that confidential. I shouldn’t have told you. I only know all this because I’m on the board of directors.”
“You mean she lives there like a sort of chaperone?”
“As a guest.”
“Define guest.”
“She was homeless.”
“But she has a son.”
“Adrian, did it ever occur to you that homeless women have sons? Daughters?” Coco planted her feet and fisted her hands to her hips. “Maybe now you’ll help me with my calendar. They need money for the Work in the World program. That’s the program that landed Natasha at Casa del Sole.”
“You hired her?”
“Goodness no. I just told Mary—Mary’s the director of Inspire—what sort of person we were looking for. I had no idea at the time that you’d be dating Natasha. Besides, once you did start seeing her, all Zoe and I knew was that you were dating some mystery woman. If you recall, you didn’t share much information.”
“I didn’t have much information.”
“But we knew from what you told us that you were falling for the woman you were seeing. And when Mary mentioned to me that Natasha had gone out hiking on the very same mountain you told me you’d been to, I put it together. I invited her and Tyler here today. I popped by the bake sale the boys were having and gave them an invitation.”
He kissed her. “For that, you get my undying love.”
“I thought I already had that. What I want is for you to help me with my calendar.”
“I can’t believe you’re negotiating at a time like this.” He kicked at a rock in the path leading up to Trovare Castle. “There shouldn’t be homeless women with children. There shouldn’t be homeless people at all. It’s crazy. Especially in a place like this. In a country as wealthy as this.”
Coco put her arm around his waist. “You know why I love you?”
He shook his head, still steaming that he’d been so clueless about Natasha and the facts of her life.
“Because you think the world should be a better place than it is. Because you do the work to make it a better place, Adrian.”
“Are you sure you weren’t left on Mama’s doorstep by an alien? You’re way too young to be so darned wise.” He paced a circle at the foot of the Trovare drawbridge. “None of this changes how I feel about Natasha.”
“I think you might have a hard time convincing her of that.”
“You know where she lives.”
“Inspire is off limits, Adrian. House rules. No visitors and no exposure. Some of the women are on the run from very nasty men.”
“I invited her to Ryan’s place tomorrow. Well, I invited her son to Ryan’s.”
Coco raised a brow. “You baited her boy?”
“I just told him about the batting cage. And the donkeys. And the boogie boarding Alex told me was nearby. What’s a boogie board, by the way?”
Coco ignored his question. “She isn’t going to like that.”
“I’ll apologize. I need to talk to her and I don’t feel right doing it at the vineyard. And since you won’t tell me where this Inspire place is, apparently it’s a good thing I invited them.”
“There are laws in this country about harassing employees.”
“For God’s sake, this is not harassment.”
“Only if she feels the same about you as you do her. You need to make sure she feels the same.”
“That’s exactly what I want.”
“Can I offer you some sisterly advice?”
“Why do I have the feeling that I’m going to regret saying yes?”
“You have no idea the effect you have on women; I don’t think you have a vain cell in your body. It’s another thing I love about you. But give her some space, Adrian. I can only imagine the shock she must be feeling. She’s likely to be unmoored by finding out the extent of your wealth.”
“If you thought that, then why didn’t you talk me out of taking her to the ballet?”
“I thought she’d really love it. And besides, I didn’t say unmoored was a bad thing. Natasha was going to find out who you are one way or another. And last I checked, the boat has to leave the dock to get the journey started.” She poked him in the ribs. “Just go slow. And follow your heart.” She poked him again, harder. “And get Matt and Alex to agree to pose.”
He put his hands to her shoulders. “Ah, you’re back. I was afraid the forces of life had replaced you with a woman with integrity. I see I have nothing to worry about on that front.”
But he had plenty to worry about on every other. He shouldn’t have dangled the lure to the boy. As he’d opened his mouth to extend the invitation, he’d known it was a devious tactic. He wouldn’t be surprised if Natasha decided to never speak to him again. But it was his best shot. Maybe his only shot.
Natasha pulled up in front of the brick mansion where the Exeters lived. The broad street was lined with other houses just like it. Big, impressive and old. According to Mary, these were the homes the wealthy owners of poultry farms had built at the turn of the twentieth century. Now they housed software moguls and people Mary referred to as “Silicon Valley escapees.”
Brandon dashed out of the house toward Natasha’s car, looking every inch like an escapee on the loose.
“Brandon Exeter!” Monica yelled as she followed him at a reserved pace. “No running.”
Brandon pulled up to a fast walk. When he reached the car, he threw his gear bag into the back seat and hopped in after it, slamming the door as if to keep his mother from spoiling any more of his fun. Natasha could only imagine the arguments he’d had to make to gain permission to go on the outing with her and Tyler.
Monica came around to Natasha’s window.
“Happy weekend,” Monica said with an uncharacteristically warm smile. “I still can’t believe the players are making time for our boys on a day when they have a night game. You’re so wonderful for inviting Brandon.”
Natasha’s defenses went on high alert. Monica had never been so cheery toward her before.
“Henry and I had a romantic brunch planned and then our sitter canceled. You are my new savior. It’s rare that Henry’s in town for a full weekend.” She peered into the back seat. “Please mind Mrs. Raley, Brandon.” She turned back to Natasha. “We’d like to have Tyler over tonight for a sleepover if you’ll let him. Henry rented the Ken Burns Baseball series and since there’s no school tomorrow because of the teacher in-service day, the boys have a marathon viewing session planned.”
Natasha took in a breath. All she needed right then was Monica Exeter mixed up in her life.
“Ken Burns!” Tyler’s excited voice had her shoving down her misgivings.
“I’ll have the boys back here around three.”
“I know this is last minute,” Monica said. “Tyler can borrow PJs from Brandon, and I have a stash of new toothbrushes.”
“You’re sure about this?” Natasha looked at Monica. Saw the lines etched in her face that had softened when she smiled. She’d never really looke
d at Monica before. She’d always seen what Monica represented—wealth and the prejudices that went along with it. Natasha began to wonder what else her own prejudices had prevented her from seeing.
“They’ll have fun.” Monica sounded like she meant it. Maybe she wasn’t the dragon lady her reputation made her out to be.
“I’ll pick him up at eight thirty tomorrow,” Natasha heard herself say.
The boys cheered their approval, and Monica practically ran back into her house. Maybe a day without a child around was a rare chance for Monica to have a romantic connection with her husband. Imagining Monica and erotic energy in the same sentence had Natasha smiling. The world was a mysterious place sometimes. Lately, too darned much of the time.
Luckily for her, Brandon and Tyler yammered about baseball stats and players and team standings as they passed through the rolling hills leading out to the coast.
Her thoughts turned to the meeting ahead and to the carefully rehearsed speech she’d prepared for Adrian. He’d invited them by leaving a phone message, or she would’ve given him a piece of her mind over the phone. But he deserved face to face even though she wasn’t sure she could trust herself to deliver her speech with any conviction.
Part of her wished she were less of a realist and could ignore the facts—just enjoy the man and the moment. That part of her made it hard to string her thoughts and arguments together and make them sound convincing. But she needed her job. And any further romantic involvement with her boss could jeopardize that. Laws or no laws, she couldn’t work at Casa del Sole if she dreaded seeing him. Okay, so maybe he and Blair really were just friends. But there’d be more gorgeous, wealthy women coming through the place. On his arm. In his bed.
Caught up in the anxiety of her rehearsal, she missed the turnoff for Ryan Rea’s ranch. She drove on, looking for a safe place to pull off and do a U-turn.
“That’s the town that has the great boogie-boarding beach,” Tyler said.
The vast Pacific Ocean spread out in the distance, its water sparkling in the late-morning light. A small town hugged the coastline, looking every inch like a photo out of a tourist bureau postcard.
“Albion Bay has rad waves,” Brandon said, leaning to peer out the window. “But we can go boogie boarding anytime. We might never get another chance to hit in a real player’s batting cage. Your mom rocks.”
“Ryan hit three thirty last season,” Tyler said.
Natasha caught the happy smile on Tyler’s face. She’d never had much of an opportunity to provide him with special experiences. That a chance meeting at a masked ball had made this one possible only added to her growing sense of discomfort. By the time she reached the drive to Ryan’s ranch, her stomach was in knots.
Two enormous barns and several fenced fields flanked the ranch house. She saw lots of animals in the fields. She squinted into the sun and made out the shapes. Donkeys. Adrian had told Tyler that Ryan had donkeys. Why anyone would have that many donkeys was beyond her.
They pulled into a drive at the west side of the house.
Tyler whistled. “A Bugatti,” he said almost prayerfully.
“Red,” Brandon said. “If I had one, it’d be yellow.”
“Bet it can hit eighty in six seconds.”
The thought of Tyler hitting eighty miles an hour in any vehicle stopped Natasha’s heart. But she had years before she had to add that worry to her list.
She didn’t expect to see Adrian riding up on a horse with a woman who could’ve been his twin. In tight-fitting riding pants and gleaming black boots, he looked like a hero out of a period film. Pride and Prejudice came to mind. But he was cheerier than Mr. Darcy. Maybe Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights. But it’d been years since she’d seen that film and didn’t remember the hero too clearly. No, Adrian looked like the hero of his own story. A story that all the wishing in the world couldn’t make her fit into with any more than a bit part.
And though she’d battled with her feelings in the early morning hours, she’d made up her mind—he was going to have to find another heroine to chase down.
Not that she didn’t want to be his heroine. It was just that she knew that nothing ever turned out as it did in movies and books, and she wasn’t going to subject Tyler to another of her bad decisions. He’d already asked way too many questions about Adrian. And Adrian had led her son on with his promises of a fun-packed outing. They’d enjoy the day and then part ways.
Except for when she had to see him at work.
The staff had informed her that Adrian rarely came down into the kitchen garden area. Her heart would break, but she’d stop the damage and get on with the business of reestablishing a life for her and Tyler. That much she could control.
She had little confidence in her ability to shut down the yearnings of her heart, but fortunately she was better at ignoring the wanting he’d fired in her body. She’d had years of practice denying all that. Years when she’d sworn off men and focused on being the best mom she could be.
She’d manage.
Maybe.
Adrian waved as he leaped down off the horse. The boys ran to greet him and he introduced the woman as his sister Zoe. She dismounted with the same power and grace as her brother had. Natasha had no experience with horses. Or any animals for that matter. Over staff lunches Natasha had heard of Zoe’s prowess on the polo field, of her love of horses, but seeing the woman in action was like watching a creature from another world. Adrian handed over his reins to her, and Natasha reminded herself that they were from another world. An astonishing and intimidating world.
Adrian strode over, the shine on his riding boots near blinding in the noonday sun. But not nearly as blinding as his smile.
“Natasha, meet my sister Zoe.”
“Adrian’s told me so much about you,” Zoe said as she extended her hand.
She had the same charming Italian accent that Adrian did. It made simple phrases sound like invitations to unknown realms. Natasha clasped her hand, wondering what Adrian could have told her. He knew few facts of her life. And she planned to keep it that way.
“This is my son, Tyler, and his friend, Brandon. I hope we aren’t interrupting your ride.”
“Heavens no,” Zoe said. The woman’s smile was as beguiling and transporting as her brother’s. Their sister Coco was also a charming beauty. Maybe the whole family was charmed.
Zoe dangled the reins toward the boys. “Want to help me take them into the barn and brush them down?” She turned back to Natasha. “Ryan and Cara had to run into town. They’ll be back in half an hour.”
Tyler looked to Natasha.
“It’s okay, honey. I’ll wait here.”
With Adrian.
To have the conversation. It was the perfect opportunity to speak with him before her nerves betrayed her and she got pulled into the delicious feeling she had whenever she was near him.
The boys practically grabbed the reins out of Zoe’s hands.
“But do what she says, okay?” Natasha added.
Adrian laughed. “They won’t have a choice in that—Zoe is a taskmaster when it comes to animals. Animals come first with her. Way in front of brothers.”
Zoe grinned. “Animals offer unconditional love. Unlike brothers.”
Natasha watched as Tyler and Brandon walked toward the barn, chattering and gesturing to Zoe. “The boys look like miniatures next to those huge horses.”
Adrian must’ve read the alarm in her eyes. “She’s a safety-first master, or perhaps the word in English is mistress,” he told her. “They’ll be fine.”
Mistress. It wasn’t a word anyone used anymore. Did men still have those sorts of relationships? And what would Adrian think of such a relationship? She shook her head. What was she doing? She must have listened to one too many historical romance audiobooks and her imagination was running away with her. It didn’t matter since she wasn’t going to be any sort of woman except a gardener. That she could handle.
“They won’t be small for l
ong. Children grow up so fast,” she said in a wistful voice that surprised her.
She’d had to grow up way too fast. Her irresponsible foster parents had robbed her of her childhood. That wasn’t going to happen to Tyler.
“You’d think that with lots of younger sisters and brothers I’d have noticed how fast children grow. But I was too busy growing up myself, I suppose. I have little experience with children these days.”
He motioned toward the fenced field behind the ranch house, and the corners of his mouth lifted in a sexy irresistible grin. “Want to see Ryan’s pride and joy?”
How could she refuse? She nodded and felt the sand of certainty begin to slip out from under her.
Adrian noticed that Natasha wore the same soft white cotton shirt and jeans that she’d worn the day they’d hiked Mount Saint Helena. And the same too-small tennis shoes. And the same rush of carnal desire whipped through him as it had that day. He talked it down.
Slow, Coco had said. Go slow.
“Liza’s Ryan’s great love,” Adrian said. “Next to Cara, of course. But I think Liza’s more than a close second.”
Natasha knit her brows, and Adrian cursed his weak facility for English. And for women. They reached the back paddock, and he guided Natasha over to the shade of a large oak.
He pulled a carrot from the pocket of his shirt and whistled. The happy little donkey came trotting over.
“Liza, meet Natasha.” He turned and offered the carrot to Natasha. “Want to give it to her?”
Natasha looked uncertain.
He grasped her hand. And his thoughts stopped. Liza nudged him with her nose. How long he would have stood there with his thoughts stalled by the rush of energy shooting through him, he couldn’t have said.
“Open your palm flat, like this.” He unfolded Natasha’s fingers and laid the carrot across her palm. But she stepped back, away from him and away from Liza. The look in Liza’s eyes was likely mirrored in his own. But he saw fear in Natasha’s.
“She won’t hurt you. Here, watch.” He took the carrot from Natasha and snapped it into two pieces. He placed half in Natasha’s still outstretched hand and half in his. With his palm flattened, he offered the carrot to Liza. Her soft muzzle against his palm reminded him of the warmth that had shot through him when he’d taken Natasha’s hand in his.