Passionate Harvest Page 5

  “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,

  “I’m sure you’ll prefer having your own transport. I erm, I’m sorry if I made you feel awkward at all this afternoon.”

  Heat sizzled through her skin, “No, it’s fine, honestly. I think we were both emotionally rather stressed out by the whole will thing.”

  Way to go, Luce, she thought, now you sound like a complete ninny. The worst thing was that she didn’t know if she wanted more of Dominic’s kisses or if she wished it had never happened. After all she knew nothing about him, if he had a girlfriend already or anything. She’d thought she’d known everything about Christopher and she’d still been wrong to the point where both her heart and her trust in men had been completely broken.

  “I’ll see you tomorrow then, ten o’clock.”

  Lucy’s hands trembled as she rested the phone down on the bed after he’d rung off. She should have said she’d make her own way over to see the car. Frowning, she wondered where the car was, Nick’s parking space outside the offices had been empty. She hadn’t even asked what kind of vehicle it was. It would serve her right if it was a big 4X4, the same as Dominic’s.

  * * *

  The next morning dawned bright and sunny once more. Lucy slipped on one of her new pretty floral sundresses and her new sandals in readiness for Dominic’s arrival. If the car turned out to be suitable she intended making the most of the sunshine to get out and about reacquainting herself with the town and surrounding countryside. Her resignation email had been sent from her Uncle Nick’s computer and Anna, her flatmate had agreed to pack up her few belongings to send back to the UK.

  She danced happily around the kitchen singing along to the radio while she waited for Dominic. Maggie had gone out early on an outing with her friends from her church group and Lucy was revelling in having a little time on her own. With the sun pouring in through the open windows and her favourite song blasting away on the radio she was oblivious to Dominic’s presence in the kitchen until she heard a cough by the open back door.

  Lucy froze in mid shimmy from where she’d been cleaning the crumbs from the counter top.

  “I rang the bell but you didn’t hear me so I came around the back.” Dominic leaned against the door jamb, his eyes twinkling with amusement at her discomfiture.

  She walked across to the sink to rinse out her dishcloth. “You frightened the life out of me,” she said, as she turned off the radio.

  “I did knock and I rang the bell.” He didn’t look apologetic as she finished drying her damp hands on the towel.

  “I’ll get my bag.” She shot him a glance designed to quell the amusement that still sparked in his eyes.

  He waited, his hands jammed into the front pockets of his jeans while she collected her things and checked she’d turned everything off. Satisfied she’d got everything she locked the back door behind them and they crunched along the gravel path that led around the side of the house to where he’d parked his car on the road.

  “It’s a beautiful day today.” She stepped up into her seat and smoothed down the floaty cotton fabric of her sundress.

  “You look very beautiful and summery too.”

  Her cheeks warmed. “Thank you.” She couldn’t read his thoughts as he’d slipped on sunglasses ready for the drive to the vineyard, but the curve at the corner of his mouth told her he was still amused.

  “I didn’t ask you what kind of car it was?” She settled back into her seat.

  “It’s only a small hatchback. Nick didn’t use it all that much. You know how fond he was of cycling. He used to use his car mainly to take samples out to some of the wine merchants when he was on a sales trip.”

  “Sounds ideal for me then.” The kind of car she’d choose for herself anyway. Maybe when she’d picked up enough knowledge about the business then she’d be able to do those trips to the wine merchants and stockists.

  “Did you have a car on Tenerife?” Dominic asked.

  She shook her head. “No, my apartment is, or rather was, in the centre of the resort so it was easy to walk to work and to the shops.”

  “Will you miss your work out there?”

  “I love the children, and of course the weather, but it was long hours and this bequest from Uncle Nick kind of came at a good time for me.” She focused her attention on the passing scenery.

  “Do you have a lot of belongings out there to pack up and ship home?”

  Lucy laughed. “No, it was a rented apartment which I shared with another children’s rep. I have some shoes and clothes, CD’s and books and that’s it really. I’d only been there for a couple of months. Before then I’d been in Cyprus, you soon learn not to accumulate tons of stuff when you’re always moving around.”

  “Rolling stones gathering no moss kind of thing, huh?”

  “I suppose.” She didn’t like to think too much about that. It concerned her sometimes that she might have inherited her parent’s wanderlust.

  To her relief he didn’t ask anything else and before long they were pulling into the vineyard car park. A combination of sunshine and the weekend meant it was much busier than it had been the day before. Dominic pulled into his space and in the place reserved for Nick stood a small dark green hatchback with the vineyard logo painted on the doors and tailgate. Lucy was sure that it hadn’t been there yesterday.

  Dominic opened her door for her to climb out. “What do you think?”

  “It looks lovely.” She tried to ignore the heat from his touch as his hand held hers to help her down.

  He released her and dug in his jeans pocket to pull out the key. “You’d better take it for a run and see if you feel okay with it. When did you last drive?”

  “About a year ago.” She accepted the key from him. It might even have been longer than that. A wave of panic washed through her when she realised how long it had been since she’d driven.

  “Do you want me to come with you for this first run?” He seemed to sense her uncertainty.

  “If you like. Just so I can get the hang of driving again. I suppose it’s like riding a bike, you never really forget when you’ve learned.” She forced a smile. She was being stupid; of course she could drive this car.

  Dominic appeared to fill the front passenger seat, his long legs were still bent under the dashboard, even with the seat pushed right the way back. Lucy inserted the key and adjusted the mirrors before selecting reverse gear.