Passionate Harvest (6 page)

After a tour of the small but well-stocked shop, Dominic took her through a door marked ‘private’ and up the stairs to the offices. This proved to be a large airy open-plan room with three modern glass and chrome desks and a selection of filing cabinets. A tall, slender brunette woman immaculately dressed in a short fitted navy skirt and crisp white shirt was seated at one of the desks.

“This is Jo, she deals with all the admin for the company.” Dominic performed the introductions and Lucy wondered if she’d imagined the brief look of cool dislike that the other woman gave her.

“It’s nice to meet you.” Lucy didn’t recall seeing Jo at Nick’s funeral, but then again, quite a few people had already left by the time she arrived.

“Lucy may be coming to work in the company.” Dominic appeared oblivious to the stiffening of Jo’s shoulders.

“Really?” The other woman definitely didn’t sound happy.

“Yes, really.” Lucy answered mildly.

“Jo will be able to show you where everything is and help you to go through Nick’s files.” Dominic picked up a pile of messages and flicked through them as he spoke. The expression on Jo’s face told Lucy that she hadn’t been wrong with her first impression. For whatever reason, Jo didn’t like her.

The other girl swiftly rearranged her features into a smile that didn’t reach her eyes when Dominic looked up from his messages.

“I’ll be glad to help. Have you any experience in this business, Lucy?” Jo asked.

“I’ve office experience and I’m a fast learner, I’m sure I’ll pick it up quickly.” Lucy enjoyed seeing the tinge of pink appear on Jo’s cheeks. 

“We’d better leave then Lucy, if you’re going to get to your appointment on time.” Dominic dug out his car keys from the pocket of his jeans.

“Will you be back later, Dom? Only there are a few things you need to deal with.” Jo asked.

It was pretty obvious to Lucy from Jo’s body language that the girl had a bit of a thing for Dominic and she wondered if it was reciprocated.

“I’m not sure. There’s probably nothing there that won’t keep till Monday.” 

From his brusque response she guessed not and couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for Jo. Dominic’s cottage had struck her as being very much a bachelor pad. A woman would have added ornaments, cushions, flowers and other small homely touches to the house. He still could have a girlfriend of course, and Lucy didn’t want to think too deeply about why that idea should somehow be upsetting.

“Will you let me know when you’ve made your decision?” Dominic asked as he stopped the car outside Mr Fullwood’s offices in a leafy road situated behind the high street.

“Of course. You’d better give me your number.”

He took her phone and added his number to the contacts before adding her number to his phone.

“Thank you for showing me around and explaining everything. I really appreciate it.” 

His fingers grazed against hers as he passed back her mobile and she hoped he hadn’t noticed the slight tremor of her fingers when he’d touched her.

“You needed to see everything before you could decide if working at Oakdale for a year would be a viable option for you.”

She couldn’t read his thoughts. “What would happen to the vineyard if the shares went on the open market? What would happen to you?”

She felt rather than heard him sigh. “Then I could end up with a conglomerate, a pension fund or a bunch of enthusiastic amateurs as my partner or partners.” His tone was as bleak as the arctic colour of his eyes.

“What would you do then?” Her godfather had invested so much time and love into building up Oakdale, and after her tours she knew how much the company meant to Dominic.

“I don’t know.”

Her heart twinged at his words.

“Lucy, you have to make your choice based on what’s right for you. Whatever happens I’m sure Oakdale would survive.” His gaze locked with hers making her pulse skitter.

“You know I’m probably no better as a business partner than an enthusiastic amateur.” She ran the tip of her tongue over lips that had suddenly dried.

“Nick believed in you. You’d better go or you’ll be late.” His lips brushed hers and she tasted coffee, sweetness and pure, hot male. “Good luck.”

Lucy freed herself from her seatbelt and left the car without looking back. 

* * * 

Dominic stayed motionless in the car for a moment after Lucy’s hasty exit, his head bowed forward and his eyes closed. What in the name of Hades had possessed him to kiss Lucy? He could still taste her on his lips, sweet and soft with that hidden trace of heat. It would serve him right if she decided to walk away from the vineyard and catch her flight back to Tenerife on Monday.

He toyed with the idea of following after her to apologise before deciding it would probably make the situation even more embarrassing for both of them. Before he could put the car into gear ready to pull away, his mobile rang. A quick look at the screen showed him a foreign number. His heartbeat speeded as he pressed the button and waited for his brother to answer. Jake never called unless there was a problem. 

“Dom?”

“Is everything okay? Are Mom and Dad alright?” He usually spoke to his mother at least twice a week but with the family still living in California, his visits home were few and far between. Even more so since Jake had married Sasha.

His brother chuckled. “Everything’s fine. I have the chance to come over to London next week for business. I thought maybe Sasha and I might stay with you for a couple of days vacation before we go back home? That’s if it wouldn’t be putting you out?”

“If you don’t mind being a bit cramped, the cottage is quite small.” Much as he wanted to see Jake, he wasn’t sure how he would cope with having his sister-in-law in the house too. He couldn’t imagine how he would cope with having Sasha at such close quarters. 

“It’ll be fine. It’ll be great to see you.” 

“Maybe you should check with Sasha? She might prefer something more upmarket than my cottage.” He should have suggested they stay at the hotel where Nick’s funeral tea had been held. 

“Really, it’ll be cool. We’re looking forward to seeing what you’ve been doing with Oakdale.” Jake laughed, clearly happy at the thought of the visit.

“I should know by then what’s happening with Nick’s share of the business.” He hadn’t intended mentioning his uncertainty over the future but news of his brother and sister-in-laws impending stay had shaken him more than he cared to admit.

Jake’s tone immediately sobered. “Why? Is there a problem?”

Dominic resisted the urge to sigh. “Hopefully not. Nick’s god-daughter, Lucy has inherited his shares but there are a few things to iron out.”

“Well, I’m sure you’ll soon have it sorted. Sasha and I will see you on Friday, all being well.” He chatted on for a few more seconds before ringing off.

Dominic returned his phone to his pocket. It sounded as if Sasha and Jake were back on track again at the moment. His parents had been concerned about the couple the last time Dominic had spoken to his mother. 

He took a final glance at Mr Fullwood’s offices before finally driving away and wondered what Lucy would decide. He hoped that whatever she chose to do she would do soon. It would be better for the business. They couldn’t stay in their current state of limbo for too long. Whatever she decided though, it looked as if the next few weeks were going to be tough.

* * *

Lucy turned down Mr Fullwood’s offer of a lift back to Maggie’s house. The rain from earlier had stopped leaving a damp early evening but she needed some time on her own to think. Hopefully a brisk half mile walk in the fresh air might help her to get her thoughts together.

Dominic’s kiss had shaken her to the core. She had been half-way through the meeting with Mr Fullwood and the accountant before she could focus on what was actually being said to her. Her mind had been too busy reliving the feel of Dominic’s lips on hers, the brief, tiny taste of his tongue and the restrained passion in his kiss.

The accounts had been perfectly in order, as she had been certain they would be. They had however given her a better picture of the overall assets of the company and why Mr Fullwood had claimed her half share was worth so much when he’d first told her of her inheritance.

She picked her way around the few puddles that remained on the rapidly drying pavements and headed through the town centre. She called in to the shoe shop and bought a pair of black Converse’s and a cute pair of pale pink sandals. Her next stop was the small department store where she melted her credit card a little more by acquiring more underwear, a couple of dresses and some new smarter clothes suitable for office wear.

Satisfied with her purchases, she made one more stop at the florists to buy a bunch of flowers for Maggie before trekking the rest of the way home. Her arms ached by the time she reached the house but her head felt clearer and she’d made up her mind about what she needed to do.

“Lucy? Is that you?” Her aunt called to her as soon as her key went in the lock.

“Yes, sorry I’m late. I stopped off and did some shopping on the way home.” She dropped her carriers down with a sigh of relief at the foot of the stairs and shook the cramp out of her arms before presenting Maggie with the flowers she’d bought.

“You missed a call from your parents.” Her aunt beamed at the blooms and took an appreciative sniff at the scent coming from the freesias.

“Where are they?” Lucy had left messages for them at some of the places they had told her they might be calling as well as texts and emails.

Maggie headed into the lounge to collect one of the crystal vases she kept on the bay window sill. “Bogota, I think your Dad said. He’d just picked up your email when they called into the internet café.”

Lucy trailed after Maggie as the older woman bustled into the kitchen with the vase ready to fill it with water from the tap. “How were they? Are they planning to call again?” She doubted if they would. She usually only heard from them once every few months when she’d get an email or a video posted of their latest location and exploits.

“He didn’t say. They were only in the city to pick up fresh supplies before heading out again to one of the missions.” Maggie’s voice sounded disapproving. She had never hidden her opinion of Lucy’s parents.

“What did they say about Uncle Nick?” Lucy picked at the edge of the worktop with her fingernail, her gaze fixed on the rigid column of Maggie’s spine where the older woman busied herself at the sink.

“Your father sounded upset. They’ve been friends for a long time. He asked how you were and if you’d come back for the funeral. I told him you had a home here for as long as you wanted one.”

Lucy swallowed back the lump that rose in her throat and crossed the room to place her arm around her aunt’s shoulders. “Darling Maggie.”

“Get away with you. You’ll start me off again.” She drew the back of her sleeve across her eyes and shooed Lucy away.

“I’ve decided to give the vineyard a go. It’s what Uncle Nick wanted and I’d be foolish to simply walk away.”

Maggie beamed at her. “Oh love, I’m so glad. It’ll be so good to have you here. I always worried about you rocketing around the world.” She dashed another tear from her face. She didn’t add, ‘like your parents’, but Lucy knew that was what she’d been thinking.

“I need to let Dominic know. I’ll have to spend a few days getting things tied up at the Tenerife end. I’m sure my flatmate will pack my things up for me. I need to get a car too and get my paperwork straight.”

Maggie squashed her to her in a big bear hug. “Oh it’ll all work out fine. Dominic will be delighted to have you working with him, I’m sure, and you’re to come and go as you please here. I’m so glad you’re home.”

Lucy hugged the older woman back, a little scared at how much smaller and frailer her elderly aunt felt beneath the layers of wool she usually wore. “I’m glad to be back.”

She excused herself a few minutes later to put away her new clothes and to call Dominic from the privacy of her room. Her heart thudded in her chest as she scrolled for his number on her mobile. Should she mention the kiss or simply chalk it up to the emotional stress they had been under ever since they’d learned the terms of the will.

She selected his number and pressed the button, her pulse accelerating as she listened to the sound of the phone ringing out.

“Hello Lucy.”

Even though she was expecting him to answer, the low, husky timbre of his voice, curiously intimate in her ear sent a rush of heat through her body leaving her flustered.

“I, um, had my meeting with the accountant and Mr Fullwood. I’ve decided to take up Uncle Nick’s bequest, so it looks as if you’re going to be stuck with me for the next twelve months.” She tried to keep her tone light.

“That’s good.”

She couldn’t decide from his voice if he really did think it was good or not.

“I need a couple of days to sort out my contract with the tour company and to get my things sent back from Tenerife.” Sending a text to her flatmate was her next job, followed by a resignation email to her manager.

“That’s fine. We’ll need to sort out some sort of induction programme for you at the vineyard.”

She thought she detected a hint of relief that she didn’t plan on diving straight in.

“I’d thought maybe if I worked in each aspect of the business for a few days it would help me find my role in the company,” she suggested.

There was a slight pause as if he were considering her suggestion. “Okay, that sounds reasonable. When do you think you’ll be ready to start?”

“I thought perhaps Wednesday. I have to buy a car too.”

“You don’t need to do that. There is a company car which Nick used to use. If you’re free tomorrow I’ll pick you up and you can take a look at it. It’s insured through the company so it’ll be easy to get you added to the policy.”

“Oh, that’s great. Thank you.” Not having to spend her meagre savings on a car would be fantastic. Sitting next to Dominic in his car after the unexpected kiss outside Mr Fullwood’s offices might be a little uncomfortable for both of them. As if he could sense her thoughts down the phone Dominic added,