by Zondervan
“I’m sure she is,” Paige says as she touches up her makeup.
“And you’re okay with that?”
She shrugs as she reaches for her Kelly bag. “Not much I can do about it.”
“Ben looked kind of put out.”
“I explained to him that it was Eliza who invited him. He seemed to understand.”
“Well, I still feel a little guilty for leaving Blake behind,” I admit as we’re heading back downstairs.
“Don’t worry, they’ll be fine.”
I tell myself that Paige is probably right as we go outside and see Gabin and Dylan waiting for us by the car. JJ and Taylor pull up in the camera crew van and announce that they plan to tag along. “Fran thought I might get some good footage today,” JJ explains.
“And I’m going to be his helper,” Taylor says.
He laughs. “The only help I want from you is to be on the other side of my camera.”
Bordeaux turns out to be an interesting place and Gabin is the perfect guide. Although I’m sure Paige would prefer more shopping, I’m grateful that Gabin insists on taking us to several museums. Then we eat a divine lunch at a very cool bistro. The day slips by quickly and suddenly we’re scrambling to make it back to the chateau in time for dinner.
Paige calls Eliza to explain that we’re running a few minutes late and that Taylor and JJ should be there ahead of us. As Gabin speeds down the winding country road, Paige announces that tonight’s dinner is going to be “formal.” She drops her phone into her bag. “That means we need to hurry and get changed as soon as we get there,” she quietly tells me. “Eliza sounded a bit impatient.”
Gabin makes fairly good time and it’s about 7:45 when we reach the chateau. Paige and I do hurry and, as a result, I know I look slightly thrown together as we head back down. But Paige, as always, is sweet perfection as we join the others where hors-d’oeuvres are being served in the living room. Everyone looks very nice—very grown up, and JJ, still in his street clothes, is there with his camera running.
“Eliza invited me to film part of tonight’s dinner,” he quietly tells Paige and me. “Fran and the others are fixing dinner for themselves in the farmhouse. I’ll join them in awhile.”
I wonder if he feels like hired help now, and if it’s a letdown after having been previously included. I also wonder if Eliza purposely uninvited Fran and the crew and, if so, why?
The dinner party is moving now as Eliza leads us into the dining room, where crystal and silver are shimmering in the candlelight. With fresh flowers and white linen, the table looks as if Eliza is expecting royalty. And, sure, it’s impressive, but I suddenly wish I was with Fran and the crew in the farmhouse.
Not surprisingly, Eliza has arranged the seating again. I’m slightly surprised that she didn’t seat herself with Dylan this time. I’m wondering if she’s taken a shine to Benjamin or even Blake since both of them are seated on either side of Queen Eliza. Not that I care particularly. It’s just interesting. I find my place card between Gabin and Dylan, and Gabin, ever the gentleman, pulls out my chair for me to sit. Soon we are all seated and I think we look like a scene from an old movie. Eight for dinner at eight.
“Did you have a good time in Bordeaux?” Benjamin’s gaze is locked onto Paige. I can see longing in his eyes and I know he’s not happy with the Dylan situation.
“It’s a delightful town,” Paige tells him.
“You should check it out before you go home,” I say as our soup is served.
“When do you go home?” Paige asks.
Benjamin’s brow creases. “Are you trying to get rid of me already?”
“No, of course not.” Paige laughs lightly. “I was just curious.”
As Benjamin reaches for a bottle of red wine, generously filling his glass, I notice Taylor’s brows lift. “So…Benjamin,” she says slowly. “I read about your car accident awhile back. It sounded like a nightmare. I’m curious about how it’s all shaking down.”
“It’s pretty much history now,” he tells her. “My attorney got the Renwicks to settle out of court and I’m scheduled to do a special episode on Malibu Beach that should put the rumors to rest.”
“Rumors?” Taylor questions him.
“You know how the media can be. The sooner the press forgets about this whole thing, the happier everyone will be.” Benjamin flashes his famous Hollywood smile at her, then lifts his wine glass as if to make a toast. “In fact that’s the main reason I decided to come over here—to celebrate.”
“So you’re celebrating not going to trial?” Taylor asks him.
“Partially.” Benjamin’s glass clinks against his plate as he sets it down. “But more than that I’m celebrating getting my life back, as well as my movie deal.”
“Benjamin was telling me about that today,” Eliza says quickly. “It sounds like it’s going to be a hit.”
“I notice you’re drinking,” Taylor says to him.
“Taylor,” Eliza warns. “Benjamin is my guest.”
Ben gives Taylor an easy smile. “Hey, this is a winery. You know what they say…when in Rome.”
Taylor picks up her glass of water. “Not for everyone.”
I decide to show my solidarity with Taylor by holding up my water glass too. “Cheers!”
Blake chuckles as he holds up his water too. “Here’s to sobriety.”
Eliza sighs loudly. “Thanks a lot, Taylor. It was so nice of you to divide the table like this. Bon appetit, everyone.”
“Hey, you can’t blame me for being honest,” Taylor protests. “I’m a girl who likes to speak her mind.”
“So what is it you’re trying to say?” Benjamin challenges her.
She looks evenly at him. “Just that you might want to rethink some things.”
“What sort of things?” I can tell by his tone and his smile that he’s hoping to charm her. But I can tell by her expression that it’s hopeless.
“Well, from what I’ve heard and read about the accident, as well as some articles related to your TV career and personal life, I’d say you have a serious drinking problem, Benjamin.”
“Oh, Taylor.” He chuckles. “Please, tell me you’re not the kind of person who believes what the tabloids say. I’ll bet they’ve said some sensational things about you that aren’t true. You know how they treat celebs.”
She laughs. “Actually, I don’t think the tabloids are terribly interested in me.”
“Not yet anyway.” Dylan winks at her. “But it won’t be long.”
“And if that ever is the case,” she continues, “I hope to be an open book. I’ve never made a secret of the fact that I needed rehab treatment for my own alcohol addiction—or that I still attend AA meetings. I’ll tell anyone who wants to know.”
“That’s a fact,” Eliza confirms. “And, take it from me, it can be pretty embarrassing too.”
Benjamin looks at Taylor with surprise. “You were in rehab?”
Taylor nods. “Yep. A good friend confronted me after a particularly bad binge in Las Vegas. I will always be thankful for her intervention.”
With a slightly thoughtful expression, Benjamin nods. “My congratulations to you, Taylor. But just because you needed rehab doesn’t necessarily mean that I or anyone else does.”
“But it doesn’t mean that you don’t either.” She smiles graciously at him. “It’s nice to see you’re not offended by me bringing it up.”
He lifts his wine glass. “Not at all. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions.” He takes a sip, pausing to savor it. “Excellent vintage, Eliza. My compliments to the wine master.”
Eliza starts talking about one of their elite wines. “It’s an amazing Marguax that was bottled the year after my parents bought the chateau,” she explains, “and it’s already gaining some great international attention.”
“Do you mind saying what a bottle like that would go for?” Benjamin asks her. “I’m just curious.”
She gives him a sly smile, then whispers somethi
ng in his ear, and his eyes get wide. “Seriously?”
She nods and chuckles.
“Okay, share with the group,” Dylan tells her. “How much?”
“Just under a thousand a bottle right now, but it’ll go up each year.”
“No way!” I stare at her. “How can one bottle of wine possibly be worth a thousand bucks?”
She makes a catty smile. “If you were a connoisseur you would know, Erin. As it is you don’t even drink wine. How could you possibly understand?”
“Maybe if I was crazy I would understand,” I shoot back at her.
“Did we taste any of that on our tour?” Benjamin asks.
She laughs then shakes her head. “No, that’s not usually available for sampling…that is, unless you’re a very serious shopper.”
“Maybe I am,” he tells her. “It might be fun to bring something like that home for my parents.”
“You’d buy a case?” she asks.
He looks uncertain. “Well, maybe not a whole case.”
“A case would be twelve thousand dollars,” I proclaim.
“Oh, you little math whiz,” Eliza teases.
“I’m just saying that’s a lot of money.” I lean back as an entrée is set before me. “Do you realize you could care for four thousand African orphans for a whole month with that much money—and I’m talking food, clothes, medicine, and school.”
“Wow, you really are a math whiz,” Taylor tells me.
“Again with the African orphans,” Eliza says in a bored way
“Sorry,” I tell her as I see my sister giving me a warning look. “I suppose that’s not very polite dinner conversation.”
“I don’t know,” Taylor says as her entrée is set down. “I think people like us—you know, the ones who can afford it—we need to talk about those kinds of things.”
“Maybe so,” I agree. “But not at dinner. Not as a guest anyway.” However, as I pause to remember which fork to pick up, I’m thinking…after dinner I can talk about it. And if anyone will listen to me, maybe I will.
Chapter 17
After we finish dessert, Eliza quietly speaks to Henri about something, and he nods then leaves. “I have an idea,” she tells everyone. “I’ll take you down to Daddy’s private wine cellar for our fromages.”
“That sounds delightful,” Dylan says.
“And perhaps we’ll do some tasting as well,” Eliza says with a twinkle in her eye.
“In that case, I’ll pass,” Taylor announces.
“I will too,” I say, and then Blake chimes in.
Eliza frowns at us. “I can understand why Taylor wants to pass, but Erin and Blake too? Why would you pass up an opportunity to taste a real Bordeaux Marguax?”
“Come on,” Paige urges me. “Eliza is right. You should at least sample it.”
I roll my eyes and just shake my head.
“Do try it, Erin,” Gabin says. “This is your opportunity to expérience France. Is échantillon.”
“Taste it for Mom,” Paige tells me. “She’ll get a kick knowing we tried such an expensive wine.”
I consider this.
“Is it because you’re a Christian?” Eliza presses me.
I shrug. “That’s not really it. Mostly it’s because I don’t like the taste.”
“Have you tasted Bordeaux Marguax before?” Dylan asks me.
“I really don’t see what the big deal is,” I protest. “Why all this pressure?”
“You know…” Eliza directs this to both me and Blake. “I’ve heard that Jesus turned water into wine. According to my mom it was his first miracle.”
“So?” I look at her.
“So, maybe there was a reason for it,” she tells me.
“Come on, Erin,” Paige tugs on my arm. “Just have a tiny little taste.”
“Fine.” I hold up my hands. “If it means that much to you, I’ll try it. It’s not like it’s a sin to drink wine.”
“It is for me,” Taylor admits. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that it’s wrong for everyone.” She looks at Benjamin. “But it is for some people.”
“Okay,” Blake says. “If Erin tries it, I will too.”
“I don’t want to be a bad influence,” I tell him.
He laughs. “I’m a big boy, Erin. I can make up my own mind. Besides, the drinking age here makes it perfectly legal anyway.”
We trek down the narrow stone steps and into a spacious cool room with low ceilings. Candlelight illuminates the bottle-filled wooden shelves along the walls. Comfortable leather chairs are arranged around a large wooden table, which is already set up with a large cheese and fruit platter and an opened bottle of wine and sparkling glasses.
After we sit down, Eliza pours a small bit of red wine into each glass. She shows us how to properly sample the wine by swirling it around in the glass, looking at it, smelling it. But when I smell it I’m still not sure I want to drink any. I’m worried that I’m being pressured into something against my will. As the others are sampling, I set my glass down.
“You’re not going to even try it?” Eliza demands.
I shrug. “Does it really matter?”
Her expression tells me that maybe it does matter. “Let’s make a deal,” she says suddenly.
“What?”
“If you sample the wine, I’ll contribute to those African orphans you keep talking about.”
“Really?”
She lets out an exasperated sigh, then nods. “Yes. I’ll contribute the value of one bottle of wine. How’s that?”
“Do you know that one bottle of wine would take care of one child for nearly three years?”
She seems surprised by this.
“Okay, it’s a deal.” I lift my glass. “Here’s to the child you’ll be helping.” I take a cautious sip and, really, it’s not that bad.
“So?” she asks hopefully.
“It’s fine,” I tell her. “I’m just not that into it, okay?”
“Maybe you should try another sip,” Dylan suggests. “More slowly this time.”
I look at him. “Are you willing to contribute to the orphan fund too?”
He laughs then nods. “Sure, why not?”
So, again, I hold up my glass, make a toast, and take a sip. I’m still unimpressed.
“So?” Eliza asks again. “Any better this time?”
“I’m sure it’s a great wine,” I say as I study the red liquid remaining in my glass. “It’s just not my cup of tea.”
“And if you stop drinking it,” Taylor says suddenly, “I will match Eliza’s contribution to the orphan fund.”
I set my glass down and nod. “It’s a deal.”
“Why don’t we all contribute,” Paige says suddenly. And, to my surprise, everyone agrees and I offer to handle the donations.
“Anyone want to play some pool?” Taylor asks as she stands. “I’m getting claustrophobia down here.”
“Sure,” I agree. Gabin and Blake both say they’d like to shoot some pool as well, so our group splits up as we head for the billiards room. To my relief, Taylor asks to team up with Gabin, which allows me to partner with Blake. But I can still feel a little tension in the air and I hope that Gabin hasn’t assumed that I’m more interested in him that I am.
We’re just starting our third game when we hear raised voices nearby. “It sounds like Eliza’s ready to tear into someone,” Taylor says as she sets her cue down. We all go out into the living room area where Paige and Eliza appear to be facing off.
“I don’t think you understand,” Paige is calmly telling Eliza. “I was only saying that—”
“I know what you were saying,” Eliza shouts back at her. “You were calling me a slut and—”
“I was not.” Paige firmly shakes her head. “I was simply saying that you seem to need a guy by your side, not that you were a—”
“And you’re saying that you don’t enjoy having a guy around?” Eliza demands.
“I enjoy it,” Paige says, “b
ut I can live without it too.”
“That’s true enough,” Ben says with irritation. “You have no problem pushing me away anytime you like.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” Paige asks him.
“You know what it means.”
Dylan steps up next to Paige. “I think that’s a very mature quality. I appreciate a woman who isn’t overly needy.”
“Oh, you mean like me?” Eliza shoots at him. “Am I overly needy?”
“I never said that,” Dylan says calmly.
“You don’t have to say it.” With her hands on her hips, Eliza glares at him with a reddened face.
“I think we should all call it a night,” Paige says as she makes her way toward the door. “I’m sorry if I offended you, Eliza. It’s not what I meant to—”
“Oh, sure.” Eliza steps in front of Paige. “Just stir things up and then run away and hide. Act as if you’re the victim. Right?”
Paige looks evenly at Eliza. “I never said I was the victim. But I am tired and I think it’s time to—”
“This is my house!” Eliza shouts at her. “And you are my guest. And I say when it’s time to—”
“Eliza,” Dylan says firmly. “I think Paige is right. It is getting late. Please, excuse us.” He cuts in front of Eliza, takes Paige by the arm, and appears as if he plans to escort her away.
“You better not take her to your room!” Eliza shouts after them.
“Eliza,” Taylor says as she steps in. “You seriously need to chill.”
“Shut up!” Eliza snaps at her. “This is my house and you don’t tell me what to do!”
“Eliza’s right,” Benjamin says. “Dylan better not be taking Paige to his room.” Suddenly he’s taking off after them.
I nudge Blake and he hurries to catch up with Ben, saying, “Hey, buddy, slow down.”
“What are you staring at?” Eliza demands as she looks at me.
“Nothing,” I say quietly.
Eliza lets loose with some choice words and stomps away.