St. Helena Vineyard Series: Love In Focus (Kindle Worlds Novella) (The Laffertys Book 2)

by Anna J. Stewart

  Dante shrugged. “Not my place to say.”

  “No.” Arabella’s tears seemed to dry in an instant. “No, it’s my place. I should have seen this sooner. The few times I’ve met Nissa, I’ve really liked her even though it’s clear she can’t stand me. Who can blame her? He left her for me. Woohoo. Jackpot.”

  Dante grinned behind his cup.

  “My parents had a beautiful marriage. And while they wanted a houseful of kids, they only had me. So I was kind of doted on.” She chewed on her lower lip. “Do you know I’ve never had a job? I don’t know that I’ve even thought about getting one. I’m qualified for nothing. I left college because I couldn’t decide on a major. I don’t understand half of what Lance talks about, but now I think he just talks to hear the sound of his own voice. Why on earth is he willing to marry me if there’s nothing in here?” She tapped the side of her head. “Sure he’s this handsome, charming guy who makes me feel like I’m the center of the universe when we’re alone, but he also can make me feel invisible when something else is in his sights. You ever meet anyone like that?”

  “Sure.” Dante almost choked. He was someone like that. “Charmers are, well, they’re disarming. They make you feel special, like you said.”

  “Charm and harm,” she mumbled under her breath. “I think it took tonight to make me see him for who he really is. How can I marry a man who would finish his Crème Brulee rather than meet his sick child at the hospital?”

  Dante could see the storm coming behind Arabella’s now determined eyes and he didn’t, not for one second, feel any sympathy for Lance Drummond.

  “I don’t think Nissa’s going to want to talk to me tonight, so I’m going to head back to the house and get the kids’ things packed. I can have them brought over here if you like?”

  “No.” Dante shook his head as she got to her feet. “No, we can pick them up on our way back to St. Helena. If that works for you? Why don’t you give me your cell and I’ll make sure to call before we head over? I wouldn’t want to wake you.”

  Arabella let out a surprising snort that had Dante grinning again. “Like I’m going to be sleeping any time soon. You’ll say goodbye to Caley and Wyatt for me?”

  “I will. And Arabella?” He stood and picked up her half-empty cup to throw away. “None of this was your fault. Remember that.”

  “Maybe not entirely my fault. But obviously the universe thought I needed a smack upside the head. I’m just sorry Caley was the instrument it used. I think it might be time for me to grow up. Thanks, Dante. This…helped. Nissa’s lucky to have you.” She squeezed her hand on his shoulder before she walked out.

  Dante sat staring at the empty chair across from him, Arabella’s words hitting him like a gut punch. Was he really so different from Lance? Using people—using women—to get what he wanted? And what did he want? Money? He might not cause as much fallout as Lance Drummond did, but was he any better than the man who completely disgusted him? A man who, despite his lack of interest in his own children, threatened to take them from their mother because they’d improve his image.

  He pulled out his cell and dialed Jack. When his boss answered, Dante didn’t hesitate. “Jack. Hey, yeah, those details I said I didn’t want? You need to tell me everything. But before you do that, I want you to do me a favor and dig up everything you can on Nissa’s ex-husband, Lance Drummond. Him, his law firm, his bosses, whatever you can find, I want it.” He pushed up from the table, threw the cups away and headed back to Caley’s room. “I want it yesterday.”

  Chapter Seven

  “What are you doing?”

  Crouched in the small cabinet beneath the stairs of Nissa’s house, Dante looked under his arm and found Wyatt stooped down peering up at him. The kid had been following him at a distance for the last couple of days. Not surprising since Nissa had been a bit over attentive in regard to Caley. As much as Dante didn’t want to get involved any more than he was with Nissa and her kids, it was clear the little boy was starved for attention. “Just reorganizing these boxes your mom asked me to stash in here.” He slipped the lid back on one of the boxes from Nissa’s office and swallowed his frustration. He’d been rummaging around in boxes every chance he could, but he had yet to unearth anything but old camera equipment including an entire box of flash and lens attachments. Dammit. He was running out of time. “Kind of a cool space, don’t you think?”

  Wyatt eyed Dante for a long moment before he crawled forward to lean into the space. “It’s good for hide and seek. Does Caley know about it?” Interest—and a bit of mischief—twinkled in the little boy’s eyes as he glanced up at Dante. The area was just his size, with some shelves where the stairs above them were situated. “It’s even smaller than Harry Potter’s room.”

  “Ah, right.” Dante frowned. “That’s the boy wizard, right?”

  “You haven’t read Harry Potter?” Wyatt gaped. “I’m only on book two so far. Mom and I read a chapter every night before I go to bed. Or we did before we went to Dad’s. Now she’s been reading extra long to Caley. Do you think she’s forgotten about me?”

  Wow. That was a lot of information to take in at once. Dante shifted off his knees and sat on the floor. “I know for a fact she hasn’t forgotten about you because she asked me to stay with you while she took your sister to the doctor.”

  Wyatt scrunched up his face and rotated to stand up in the cupboard. “Maybe.” He dragged his gaze around the room. “This would be a really cool bat cave. You know, like Batman—”

  “Now Batman I know.”

  “Girls aren’t allowed in the bat cave, are they?” Wyatt asked.

  “Sure they are,” Dante said. “Haven’t you heard of Batgirl?”

  “Nuh-uh.” Wyatt shook his head. “I’ve only seen a couple of the movies and read one of the comic books. There’s a girl who’s a bat?”

  “I think we’re going to have to expand your superhero education. Please tell me you’ve heard of Wonder Woman.”

  “Sure! She’s super awesome! But I bet she doesn’t have a bat cave.”

  “No, but she does have an invisible plane.”

  Wyatt’s brow furrowed as if he were contemplating trigonometry. “How can you have an invisible plane? How would you know where to sit? And would she be invisible in the invisible plane?”

  He should have stuck to family dynamics with the way a five-year-old could make his brain hurt. “All good questions for another time.” Dante got to his feet and waved Wyatt out of the cabinet. “Your mom won’t be home for a while yet. Do you want to go get that Harry Potter book and we can read some?” Clearly he wasn’t going to get anywhere in finding those pictures as long as Wyatt was playing shadow. Besides, he had the distinct feeling it was better to keep the kid in sight at all times.

  Wyatt seemed to grow three inches as he straightened. “Really?”

  “Sure. If you want to. Unless you’re still not sure if I’m a super villain or not.” He was teasing. Kind of.

  Wyatt chewed on his lip the same way Nissa did. “I don’t think you are. Are you?”

  “Again, that’ll be up to you. In the meantime.” He held up his open hands. “I’m free if you are. Unless there’s something else—”

  “No! Nothing else. I’ll get it! Be right back!” Wyatt pounded up the stairs to his room as Dante shifted the small table back in front of the cabinet. He’d been finding excuses to stay close to Nissa and her kids ever since they got back from the hospital. Last night he’d even parked around the corner so he could watch the house, just to be on the safe side. Nothing seemed amiss, but he wasn’t letting his guard down. Which explained why he strode over to the window for yet another scan of the street.

  Jack’s “information” about the client had confirmed Dante’s concerns. Lucas Banner was one of those life-long criminals with his hand in everything. The type every law enforcement agency in the country—and beyond—knew about but hadn’t come close to arresting. Banner was known for planning ten steps ahead and hadn�
�t been caught off guard—or on film—for the last decade. What was a known fact was his predilection for wearing grey suits and classical music, an homage to his late drug dealing father. If Nissa had inadvertently caught the man on film, there wasn’t a doubt in Dante’s mind the lengths Banner would go to in order to retrieve the photos.

  Which was why Dante found it so frustrating Nissa wouldn’t even discuss unpacking her office and camera equipment. At this point he couldn’t even be sure she’d caught Banner on film and if she hadn’t…problem solved. But if she did?

  He needed to find those pictures before Jack’s client decided he was tired of waiting and Banner was not known for his patience. Telling Nissa was his final option. At least that’s what he told himself. Every time he thought he’d found a way to at least start the conversation and maybe tell her the truth, they were interrupted or…he had second thoughts. He liked her. A lot. More than he remembered ever liking a woman before. He was only slightly less attached to her kids. That sense of peace, of belonging he’d long convinced himself he didn’t deserve and would never find, was right here in St. Helena. He knew it wouldn’t last; it was only a matter of time before the truth came out and she hated him, but for now, for a little while longer, he wanted to extend the dream.

  Dante pulled back the curtain and peered down the street. The lineup of cars was familiar. He’d memorized all the models and license plate numbers. He knew who belonged and who didn’t. He narrowed his eyes as a black panel van turned the corner. He stepped back and watched the van drive by. Vivaldi Plumbing and Air Conditioning. Dante made note of the phone and plate number and shifted to watch the vehicle continue down the block. Another turn and it was out of sight.

  “What’s outside?” Wyatt shoved in front of Dante, his hard cover copy of the book clutched against his chest.

  “Nothing.” Not wanting the boy to be in anyone’s potential line of sight, he scooped him up like a football and carried a squealing Wyatt over to the sofa. “You haven’t seen any weird cars or strange people around, have you, Wyatt?”

  “Nuh-uh.” Wyatt shook his head. “But everything’s new here, so I don’t know for sure.” He scrunched his nose in a similar way to Nissa. “Why?”

  “No reason. Just being cautious.” Wyatt was observant enough that if he felt uncomfortable about something—or someone—he’d say something. He gestured to the book in Wyatt’s hands. “Do you know where you left off?”

  “Yeah, but we weren’t that far in. We can start over so you’ll know what’s going on.” He wedged himself under Dante’s arm and pushed the book into Dante’s lap. “Do you want me to tell you what happened in the first story?”

  “How about if I have questions I’ll ask?” Given Wyatt’s penchant for dramatic interpretation, this seemed a safer bet. “Just so you know I haven’t done this before. Read to a kid.”

  “That’s okay.” Wyatt patted his hand on the book. “I’ll help you sound out the big words. I’m ready.”

  “Yes, sir,” Dante chuckled, and did his best to set his unease aside as he dropped himself and Wyatt into the magical world.

  ~*~

  The jingle of keys in the front door startled Dante awake. He uncoiled his stiff body and shifted a sleeping Wyatt off him, set the book aside and headed for the front door as it was pushed open. Expecting Nissa, Dante took one look at the male hand on the outside handle and darted behind the door. He gripped the knob, waited until the intruder was one foot inside and threw his weight against the door.

  A decidedly weak grunt followed by the sound of a body hitting the front porch had Dante outside. He stared down at the man sprawled half down the front stairs, his shoulder length hair the same color as Nissa’s. He shoved himself up on his elbows and shook his head. “Nissa didn’t tell me she had a guard dog. Guess I should have called first.”

  One look at the man’s eyes and the adrenaline surging through Dante’s system evaporated. Her brother. “Flynn?”

  “Close. Trevor. Trevor the Broken. Nice to meet you. Dante, I’m assuming?” He lay back down and seemed content to stare up at the cloudless sky. “I’ll just stay here and wait for my pride to return. Also, ow.”

  “Uncle Trevor!” Wyatt bounded out of the house and before Dante could catch him, leapt off the stairs and landed on his uncle. Trevor grunted as Wyatt sat on his chest. “Did you come to see the new house? Do you want to see my room? Have you meant Dante? His last name is Thanos, but he’s not a bad guy. He’s been helping us unpack and he read Harry Potter to me. That wizard is so cool! Can I be Harry for Halloween? Is Hogwarts real?”

  “I think I might need to be thrown down the steps again,” Trevor muttered as he sat up and grabbed hold of his nephew. “Little dude, you have got to learn how to breathe between questions.”

  “You okay?” Dante stepped down and offered his hand. “Sorry. Nissa didn’t say who else had a key.”

  “It’s Mom’s actually, but I borrowed it.” Trevor eyed Dante for a long moment before accepting help. “Is there some reason you’ve decided to tackle visitors?”

  “Old habits.” As close to the truth as Dante dared to get. “Come on, Wyatt. Your mom should be home soon. Let’s say we get lunch started?”

  “You can cook?” Wyatt’s eyes went wide. “Like Uncle Trevor?”

  “Definitely not like your uncle, but I can swing a few sandwiches and chips.”

  “I’ll get them. Oh, hey, look!” Wyatt raced over to under the tree in the front yard and grabbed a stick. “Now I have a wand like Harry’s! I’ll go see if it works!”

  “You’re good with him.” Trevor followed Dante up the steps. “I’d say you were better than his dad, but I think we both know that bar isn’t very high. You meet the louse yet?”

  “The louse?” Dante couldn’t help but grin. “Was anyone in the family a fan of this guy?”

  “Not even a little bit. Our brother Quaid used to call him The Big E as in ego. But when Nissa has her mind set on something, well, I guess you’re discovering that, aren’t you?”

  Ah. Dante walked into the kitchen where he found Wyatt pointing his stick at the cabinets as if they’d magically fly open. “You’re reconnaissance, then?”

  “Let’s just say my mother is curious. She’s also grateful you helped Nissa the other night with the kids. We all are.”

  “It was the right thing to do.” So far nothing he’d said to Trevor was a lie. “Nissa was nice enough to help me in the park the other day. Things…clicked.” He grinned. “So to speak.”

  “Ha ha. Camera lingo. I’m starting to understand. Speaking of cameras, I need to borrow one of hers. Have some new recipes I want to photograph for the website.”

  Dante withdrew the fixings for lunch out of the fridge. “Why not ask her to do it?”

  “I did,” Trevor said. “First thing, but she said she had too many other projects going on. I guess it’s on me.” He took a seat at the breakfast bar. “You happen to know what projects she’s talking about?”

  Dante glanced over at Wyatt who was growing increasingly frustrated at his stick. “Not really, no.” He handed Trevor a soda.

  Trevor got the message and popped open the can. “Hey, kid, you going to show me your room?”

  “Yeah! Oh, but mom says I should always straighten up first. I’ll let you know when!” He ran full steam back upstairs.

  “What’s going on?”

  At twenty-four, Trevor was the youngest of the Lafferty siblings, but right now, Dante didn’t see Nissa’s kid brother. He saw a man protective of his sister. “Not my place to say. But it wouldn’t be a bad idea for you all to stay close for a while.” Especially after he was gone. Gone.

  Dante focused on the array of deli meats rather than admit he wasn’t looking forward to leaving Nissa or St. Helena. Not that he was going to have a choice when the truth came out.

  Trevor drank for a long moment, set his can down and ducked his head. “She hasn’t been the same since she got back from that photography
trip. Hasn’t picked up a camera near as I can tell. And she’s always had a camera in her hand. If not a camera, her phone. Something happened down there, didn’t it?”

  It would be so easy to betray Nissa’s confidence, if only for her own good, but doing so would only accelerate his having to leave. And he couldn’t go without those pictures. He couldn’t leave knowing she and the kids were still vulnerable. “Again, not my place.”

  “And yet she told you.” Trevor’s eyes sparked. “I don’t know whether to be pissed or relieved.”

  “Both are appropriate. She’ll tell you. When she’s ready.”

  “Screw that. Time for her brothers to step in.”

  “Done that a lot, have you?” Dante arched a brow. “Funny, here I thought you were still breathing. You must be an apparition.”

  “You definitely know Nissa.” Trevor finished his soda as Wyatt yelled down for him. “Tell you what, meet me in her office in a few minutes and we’ll get a jump start on organizing her stuff. If she wants to be pissed off at someone, better it be me, but at least she’ll have to deal. Besides, Quaid’s on his way home. She won’t be able to pull the secret thing with him. No one can. He’s military intelligence. No one can fool him. Never have, never will.”

  “Your brother’s coming home?”

  “In a few weeks. He called this morning to tell Mom and Dad.”

  “Sounds like a good guy to have around.” The internal clock in Dante’s head ticked faster. First he had to worry about Jack’s client’s threats to take over, now he had to find those pictures and vanish before Quaid Lafferty, family lie detector, showed up.

  It looked as if his time in St. Helena was just about up.

  Chapter Eight

  “We’re home!” Nissa tossed her keys into the bowl by the front door. “Wyatt! Dante?” She could hear muted conversation from somewhere in the house, but wasn’t quite sure where.