silence. Was she being too pushy? After all, he hadn’t socialized with any of the other vineyard owners in the months since he’d lived in Aqua Blanca.
“Tomorrow what?” Etienne leaned closer.
“I thought you might come with me to meet some of the other owners. We could visit their vineyards and sign up your vineyard as an attraction on the established tours.” Bella’s gaze flickered to his and she held her breath.
He leaned forward and trailed a feather light kiss over her mouth. “Let’s do it.”
Heat spread through Bella’s body from the point where their lips met. She pulled away, needing the distance before she tossed away her plans for the afternoon to pull him close and intensify the contact. “Tell me about France.” She reached for her glass again and held it before her like a shield. “You worked in the family vineyard?”
Etienne’s mouth tightened and his eyes darkened to pitch. “Yes.”
In the moments of silence that followed, a telling kaleidoscope of expressions flickered over his face. A frown creased between his eyebrows as though reliving unpleasantness. Perhaps, like her, he battled difficult memories of life with his family.
Just as she’d decided that it might be circumspect to change the subject, Etienne spoke.
“For years, I expected to inherit the vineyard when my father retired.” With a sudden move, he stood and gazed over the lake. “Until my elder brother Vincent abandoned the world of high finance to claim his birthright.” That said, he turned back and packed the plates back into the picnic basket.
“So you inherited this vineyard?” Bella asked, hoping he’d reveal more.
He looked up and held her gaze. “This vineyard and the chance to build it back into one of the best in America is my second chance.”
And the look of determination blazing in his eyes hinted he had no intention of letting this chance slip through his fingers.
Chapter Six
“H e said what?” Bella’s legs wobbled and she sank onto the swivel chair, holding the phone tightly against her ear. Surely Sue was mistaken. Her father couldn’t really...
“He said Etienne stole the château from him,” her friend reiterated calmly. “After your grandfather’s death, John was due to inherit, but because of a legal technicality he lost out.”
Sue sounded curious.
“Surely you knew? The news spread like wildfire around Aqua Blanca when Etienne arrived.”
She hadn’t heard. No-one had brought the issue to her attention. Probably because they felt pity the evil Durands had forced her family out. Over the past few months, she’d been so busy with Celebrate she hadn’t had time to socialize. The venomous lies were so far from the truth, she couldn’t hold back the words spilling from her mouth. “Oh, Sue. I can’t believe my father has been spreading such lies.” She rested her head in her hands.
No wonder Etienne hadn’t been welcomed into the town. She pulled in a deep breath. “I lived with my grandfather for the last year of his life. He told me the whole story. In the nineties, my father insisted the vineyard be sold. He wanted money, and had no confidence that the vineyard would make it through the bad times. The Durands bought him out. They were even so kind as to insist my grandfather be allowed to remain in his home until he died.”
A harsh laugh tore from her. “So, in fact, they were incredibly generous and supportive. They paid above the market price at the time, and from what I understood, they struggled to raise the money. After Grandfather died, the life interest in the château reverted back to their family.”
“Why did your father lie?” Sue’s soft voice questioned.
“Because he didn’t want to admit he’d made a foolish decision, selling when he did. He’s resentful of their success.” Bella rubbed at the tense muscles of her neck. Money and control defined her father, those items always had. But destroying a man’s reputation was a serious
“Tomorrow what?” Etienne leaned closer.
“I thought you might come with me to meet some of the other owners. We could visit their vineyards and sign up your vineyard as an attraction on the established tours.” Bella’s gaze flickered to his and she held her breath.
He leaned forward and trailed a feather light kiss over her mouth. “Let’s do it.”
Heat spread through Bella’s body from the point where their lips met. She pulled away, needing the distance before she tossed away her plans for the afternoon to pull him close and intensify the contact. “Tell me about France.” She reached for her glass again and held it before her like a shield. “You worked in the family vineyard?”
Etienne’s mouth tightened and his eyes darkened to pitch. “Yes.”
In the moments of silence that followed, a telling kaleidoscope of expressions flickered over his face. A frown creased between his eyebrows as though reliving unpleasantness. Perhaps, like her, he battled difficult memories of life with his family.
Just as she’d decided that it might be circumspect to change the subject, Etienne spoke.
“For years, I expected to inherit the vineyard when my father retired.” With a sudden move, he stood and gazed over the lake. “Until my elder brother Vincent abandoned the world of high finance to claim his birthright.” That said, he turned back and packed the plates back into the picnic basket.
“So you inherited this vineyard?” Bella asked, hoping he’d reveal more.
He looked up and held her gaze. “This vineyard and the chance to build it back into one of the best in America is my second chance.”
And the look of determination blazing in his eyes hinted he had no intention of letting this chance slip through his fingers.
Chapter Six
“H e said what?” Bella’s legs wobbled and she sank onto the swivel chair, holding the phone tightly against her ear. Surely Sue was mistaken. Her father couldn’t really...
“He said Etienne stole the château from him,” her friend reiterated calmly. “After your grandfather’s death, John was due to inherit, but because of a legal technicality he lost out.”
Sue sounded curious.
“Surely you knew? The news spread like wildfire around Aqua Blanca when Etienne arrived.”
She hadn’t heard. No-one had brought the issue to her attention. Probably because they felt pity the evil Durands had forced her family out. Over the past few months, she’d been so busy with Celebrate she hadn’t had time to socialize. The venomous lies were so far from the truth, she couldn’t hold back the words spilling from her mouth. “Oh, Sue. I can’t believe my father has been spreading such lies.” She rested her head in her hands.
No wonder Etienne hadn’t been welcomed into the town. She pulled in a deep breath. “I lived with my grandfather for the last year of his life. He told me the whole story. In the nineties, my father insisted the vineyard be sold. He wanted money, and had no confidence that the vineyard would make it through the bad times. The Durands bought him out. They were even so kind as to insist my grandfather be allowed to remain in his home until he died.”
A harsh laugh tore from her. “So, in fact, they were incredibly generous and supportive. They paid above the market price at the time, and from what I understood, they struggled to raise the money. After Grandfather died, the life interest in the château reverted back to their family.”
“Why did your father lie?” Sue’s soft voice questioned.
“Because he didn’t want to admit he’d made a foolish decision, selling when he did. He’s resentful of their success.” Bella rubbed at the tense muscles of her neck. Money and control defined her father, those items always had. But destroying a man’s reputation was a serious
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