by Chloe Blake
The room setup was similar to her guest room, except the bed was an oversize canopy. Rich oak furniture dominated the room, with black leather seating in front of the fireplace. A pipe lay on the dresser, along with a watch and a few coins. Pictures of landscapes adorned the north walls, but the south wall held only the window overlooking the vineyard. Other than that, there was nothing. No pictures of friends or family, no messy paperwork, no television or plants. Not even a mirror. Her gaze settled on the massive armoire in the corner. She opened it and was taken aback by the smell of cologne.
A full-length mirror covered one door, while a smaller one was on the other door. Suits and shirts were lined up in blues and grays, with a perfect row of leather shoes and boots underneath. Everything was pristine and color coordinated, somewhat like her own closet. Well, at least now she knew where her obsession with order came from.
The other door held small wooden pockets filled with toiletries and aftershave, and one held a plastic baggie. She pulled the plastic from the pocket and recognized old worn pictures. Carefully she pulled them out. She recognized him as a young man with another man about his age. They both held shovels, and a single stake stood between them. She flipped the picture around, but there was no writing on the back. Maya walked to the window and held up the picture. The horizon matched. She looked closer and saw a thin vine on the stake. He had planted a vine. Her gaze held the face of the other man, and she knew it was Nic’s father.
The next picture was again taken in the field. This time a small boy was carrying a stem of grapes. She flipped the picture around and saw smudged writing that read: Nicky 1987.
She turned to the next picture, and her heart stopped. Her four-year-old face was staring at the camera as if she didn’t know who was taking the picture. She wore a little red jumper and held a half-eaten sandwich in her hand. A woman’s hand was visible behind her: her mother’s.
Her heart raced as thoughts flew through her mind. She gathered the pictures in the same order, and then pulled out the last picture one more time. Stone walls were in the background and there, cut off high in the corner, was part of Bacchus’s face. Impossible.
Her phone buzzed, making her jump and scramble to get the pictures back into their plastic sleeve. Reaching for the doors, she glimpsed her face in the mirror and was surprised by the watery rims of her eyes. She looked like him around the mouth and cheeks. Swiping at her face, she grabbed the other door and stopped when she noticed a black garment bag hanging flush against the inside. She found the zipper and pulled it halfway down, revealing a sparkling silver dress adorned with crystals. She ran a hand over its satin front, closed the armoire, then pulled her phone from her pocket. The office number flashed. Quickly she tiptoed her way back to her room and walked to the window to get better reception.
She called the number back and was greeted by Jen’s hushed voice.
“Something is going down here. When are you coming back?”
“I took two weeks off. Why?”
“Rick has scheduled a meeting. He’s restructuring the account lists. You’re no longer on SuperFoods.”
“What!”
“He claims he spoke to you about it, and you were fine with it.”
“I haven’t heard from him at all!”
“There’s something else. He’s claiming you tried to kiss him while you were in New York.”
“On my life, Jen. He followed me into my hotel room and tried to get it on with me. I slapped him in the face.”
Maya heard Jen’s defeated groan. “Why didn’t you tell me? Human Resources reports to me.”
Maya paced. “Because he’s my boss and we dated and I know how it looks.”
Jen sighed. “What are you going to do?”
“I’m going to call Dave.”
“You can’t tell him I called you.”
“I won’t tell him how I know. I promise. Thanks for the heads-up.”
Maya hung up and stared out at the beautiful colors of dusk. Los Angeles seemed so far away. Not because of the distance, but because in a matter of days, her life had seemed to change. No longer did her whole world center around proving to everyone that she was worthy to have a seat at the table. Now she just wanted to find out who she really was.
She dialed Dave’s office number, and Carol, who of course already knew why she was calling, whispered good luck before immediately transferring her to his phone. Dave was jovial when he answered, but Maya knew that under that grandfather-like exterior, Dave was a businessman, and that was all he cared about.
“Maya, you miss us already?”
“Actually, I believe it’s the office who misses me, Dave. I hear I’m no longer running SuperFoods.”
Dave cleared his throat. “Uh, good news must travel fast. Rick was going to wait until you got back to restructure, but he’ll be in New York with them when you get back.”
“And why would I think this was good news?”
“Because we need you on the consumer pet accounts. If anyone can build that division, it’s you.”
“Pets, Dave? You want to put your A team on pets?”
Dave sighed, his facade already cracking. “Look, Rick told me you tried to kiss him in New York. It’s probably not a good idea for you two to work together.”
That mother—“Rick is a lying, scheming snake. You know me better than that.”
“I know you were upset that I passed you over for the promotion.”
“I was upset. But now I’m glad I didn’t get it. I don’t want to work for you anymore.”
Dave’s voice got softer, his facade back on. “Maya, maybe we should talk when you get back in the office.”
Maya watched the sun hide behind the hills. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d even watched a sunset. “I’m not coming back into the office. Have my associate pack my things.”
“Maya, you’re upset. Think about this. You need a job.”
“I have a job.”
“Where? One of our competitors?”
Maya almost laughed at the desperation in his voice. Dave couldn’t handle the humiliation of losing an employee to another firm, something she could leverage if she wanted to, but sticking it to him felt too good. Going to a competitor? SuperFoods did boxed wines, so—“Yep.”
She hung up. Then she laughed, her shoulders already feeling lighter, picturing the look on Dave’s face.
Her laugh faltered a little as she realized what she had just done. She’d thrown away her career. Shit.
Luckily, Nic’s offer to make her a rich woman was still on the table, but now Mama didn’t just need a new bag, Mama needed a new life. If she was going to get the maximum price for her shares, the earning potential of the company was more important than ever.
Chapter 8
Maya was seated at the dining room table when Nic walked in wearing a slim-cut black tux. “Wow, don’t you look special.” He was carrying a black satin eye mask and wore an irritated look on his face. He tossed the mask on the counter too hard and found his engraved invitation lying under his car keys.
“Are you going to be all right here?” Nic said to Maya.
Her eyes darted around dramatically. “Is Nathan dangerous?”
“Of course not. I just meant that I could cancel if you felt uncomfortable. Nathan will be heading home in a bit, leaving you here alone.”
“As if Daphne would go for that.” Nathan chuckled. He entered the room carrying two dishes of herb-roasted chicken. “And I’m happy to stay over if needed.” A look passed between the two men that Maya couldn’t interpret.
“That smells like heaven,” Nic said, picking up a fork to dig in. His dark brows slashed over his eyes when Nathan snatched the fork from his hand.
“You’re having dinner at the ball.”
Nic turned his scowl to Maya, who had put his mask on her face.
“I’m Batman,” she said to Nathan, then smiled up at Nic, who tried to stifle a grin. “What is it with the French and masks?”
“It makes the wealthy feel like seventeenth-century royalty. They’ll spend more money,” Nathan joked. Nic’s phone went off, and everyone saw Daphne’s name appear on the screen.
“You wouldn’t want to keep Daphne waiting,” Maya said.
Nic’s jaw clenched. “Then may I have my mask back?”
She slipped it off her head and held it up. “Have fun.” She felt those tiny fingers of jealousy tickling her brain. Did he make love to Daphne the same way he made love to her?
“She’s just a friend,” he murmured, taking the mask from her fingers.
“I didn’t ask.”
He looked away, then back to her. “I was just explaining why she wouldn’t mind if I stayed and had dinner with you both, but Nathan is right, dinner will be served. Bonsoir.”
He looked really sexy, Maya thought as she watched him walk out of the room.
“Daphne is in love with him,” Nathan said around a mouthful of mushrooms. “He isn’t interested, but they are clients.”
“So he plays nice to keep their business.”
“Something like that. They were your father’s clients, though, and now he’s trying to pick up where Albert left off.” Hmm. If she’d read the contract correctly, and she had, all of her father’s clients went to her effective immediately. She tapped her fork on the chicken.
“Was that them in the house today?”
“It was.” Nathan explained how Monsieur Rhone was looking to use the tempranillo they’d planted last year for a new rosé.
“Daphne is very pretty. Nic could do worse.”
“She is, how do you say in English, a brat?”
Maya smiled at the thought of Daphne torturing Nic all evening. “Well, I’m sure they’ll have a nice time. It sounds fun. Have you ever been?”
Nathan’s gaze dropped to the floor, then he shrugged. “Yes, it’s the same every year. I’d prefer to stay and keep you company.”
“I hope you didn’t cancel a date to stay with me. I’m a big girl.”
“Actually, my date was going to be your father. He liked the auction.” A sad smile appeared on Nathan’s face, then he busied himself opening a bottle of wine. Maya watched him, feeling awkward that she wasn’t the one grieving. But how could she when she didn’t know him?
“What was he like?”
“He was personable. Funny. Everyone liked him. He was the one who solved the problems.” Nathan poured her a glass of wine and held it out. “He preferred red wine over white. Was a bit of a foodie, although he was allergic to peaches.”
“So am I,” Maya murmured, taking the glass. “Actually, I take antihistamine pills every day. It’s like I can’t even breathe the air sometimes.”
“He saved my life once,” Nathan said around a mouthful of chicken.
“What happened?”
“After a particularly hard storm, your father and Nic did some reconstruction on the back deck. I walked outside and knocked over a beam holding up the floor. It almost came down on top of me, but your father pushed me out of the way and held it up while Nic put it back in place.”
“Whoa, that’s pretty heroic.”
“He was fearless like that. You remind me of him a little.”
Maya straightened. “I do?”
Nathan nodded shyly. “You’re fearless, too.”
Maya smiled. “And also allergic to peaches.”
Nathan paused, then gave Maya a solemn look. “Are you really going to sell your shares to Nic?”
Maya blinked. “Probably. I mean, I haven’t decided, but it doesn’t make sense for me to keep the business. My life is in LA. At least...it was.”
“What do you mean?”
“Nothing. I mean, this is a shock for me, you know? This man that you were so fond of didn’t want to have anything to do with me, but he left me his life’s work. It’s so strange. And because of that, I’m not ready to just sign everything over to Nic. I’d like to learn a little bit about what I’m giving up. And about the man I never knew.”
Nathan stared at her a moment, then jumped from his seat and hurried from the kitchen.
“Are you okay?” Maya said to his back.
He was gone for less than a minute, reappearing with an envelope addressed to her father, along with a medium-sized box.
“What’s this?” She opened the box to reveal two masks: a larger solid one and a smaller delicate one with sequins.
“Mademoiselle, maybe you’d like to get to know your father by accompanying me to one of his favorite events?” Then Nathan’s face fell. “Although, you don’t have a dress.”
Maya clapped her hands together. “Oh, I think I can find something suitable.”
* * *
Dinner had been tolerable. The man to Daphne’s right had kept her occupied, talking about the thing she loved the most: herself. Claude and Daphne’s mother were seated at the table directly behind them. Then the empty seats to his left, Albert’s seats, allowed him to enjoy his meal in peace.
But with peace came thoughts—Maya smiling up at him, Maya’s soft lips, Maya naked underneath him, Maya at the table with Nathan. Nic speared a green bean and shoved it in his mouth. The young man was already half in love with Maya. If he so much as touched her arm, Nic would—
“Nicky, you’ve been very quiet.”
He hated that nickname. “I’m just thinking about what to bid on at the auction.”
“Well, I know what I’m bidding on.” Her hand had made its way to his thigh. He covered it, wishing he could crush it. Instead, he held it and placed it back on her lap.
“Your parents are right behind us,” he admonished. Her pout was exasperating.
“I’m going to bid on the Dechamps bath for two.”
Nic tried not to sigh. “If you wanted a spa day, I could have just asked my uncle for you.”
“But this is for a good cause, and it’s for two.”
In an effort to save his business from debt, Nic’s uncle had partnered with a wellness group offering wine tours, spa facilities and spiritual healing workshops. Armand Dechamps had donated a full day of wellness services, including the famed red wine spa bath. Soaking in a Roman bath filled with red wine, while drinking red wine.
“I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.”
“We’ll enjoy it.”
Servers refilled drinks and cleared the plates, then distributed auction markers for each guest.
“We’ll take two, please. Merci,” said the soft voice to his left. His head snapped up. It couldn’t be. All he saw was silk: silver silk dress, silken skin, silky red lips. “Fancy meeting you here,” she said with a teasing lilt, sitting next to him.
He realized his jaw was open and clenched it shut. Her pink eye mask was shaped to look like flowers around her dark eyes. Her smile was breathtaking. He pulled his gaze away to briefly scowl at Nathan, who was looking nervously at him through his mask. Nathan wore his tux well, making them a striking couple. Nic didn’t like it.
The audience buzzed with their arrival, and Daphne had already begun whispering in his ear. “Is that Nathan? Who is that woman with him?”
He was saved by the start of the auction and the booming voice of their moderator, but his peripheral vision caught both Daphne and Maya sneaking glances at each other. This wasn’t good.
* * *
Maya leaned in toward Nic. “Which one are we bidding on?”
“We?” he whispered.
“The company. Which one are we bidding on?” While most left their masks on, his mask was on the table in front of him. Maya noted it and put it in her mental Nic file: stubborn and possibly rebellious.
“We’ve bought a table. I think that should suffice.”
&
nbsp; “That’s not very charitable. Plus, it’s a tax write-off for the company.”
“I’ll remember that when you sell me your shares.”
Maya shifted her gaze and smiled at Daphne. “Aren’t you going to introduce me?”
Nic shifted, blocking her view. “After the auction.”
“You should have told me you had a girlfriend.”
He gave her his full attention. “I do not have a girlfriend.” His gaze dropped to her dress. “You’ve been snooping.”
“Guilty.”
“You look beautiful.” They looked at each other a little too long, then turned back to their dates as the bidding began.
“She doesn’t like me, does she?” Maya said to Nathan, who had greeted Daphne with a bow of his head.
“Daphne doesn’t like competition. She’s usually the most beautiful woman in the room, but not tonight.”
“Why, Nathan, I had no idea you were so romantic.”
“I am French, mademoiselle, I was born romantic.”
“Oh Nathan, if only I were ten years younger.” She chuckled. “Now, which one should we bid on?”
“Your father liked to bid on the paintings. Several hang in the hallway.”
“Hmm.” The list was in French but she could make out a few of the words.
“What’s the Le Bain Rouge?”
“It’s a red wine bath at the Dechamps spa.”
“Seriously?” She looked at the price. First suggested bid was five hundred euros. She glanced at Nic from the side of her eye and gripped her marker tighter.
* * *
“And now we’ll move on to our next item. Le Bain Rouge. Donated by the Dechamps winery. The starting bid is five hundred euros.”
Daphne’s marker went up confidently.
“Do I hear six hundred? I’m told you’ll be luxuriating in the award-winning Cabernet Franc while receiving a shoulder massage. Wondering if I should bid on this myself. Oh, merci to the man in the back. Six hundred. Do I hear seven hundred?”