The Sparkling One

by Susan Mallery

  Brenna and Francesca exchanged looks. Katie recognized the combination of guilt and excitement immediately. “All right, you two. What are you up to?”

  “Nothing,” Francesca said, careful to avert her gaze.

  Katie zeroed in on Brenna. “Spill it, now. Every word. Start at the beginning.”

  Brenna sighed. “It’s no big deal. Jeff called to tell me that if I backed off on getting repaid for putting him through school, he’d let go of the inheritance. I told him to go screw himself. If that requires him cutting off certain body parts in the process, I don’t care.”

  “We’re going to get back at him,” Francesca announced, then covered her mouth and looked horrified.

  Katie groaned. “You’re what?”

  “Nothing.” Brenna held up the bottle. “More wine?”

  “No. I want the truth. What are you planning?”

  “We’re trapping the bastard at his own game,” Brenna said gleefully. “Francesca’s going to meet with him. Play the mourning sister-in-law who completely understands why he left his bitchy wife.”

  Katie was confused. “Why?”

  Francesca leaned toward her. “He’s slime. I’m going to dress sexy, see if he comes on to me, and tape the whole thing.”

  “Why would he come on to you?”

  The twins exchanged a look. Brenna shrugged. “Jeff got drunk once and admitted that he’d always had a thing for Francesca. I didn’t think anything about it, except then I saw he was always kind of watching her.”

  “I didn’t know,” Francesca admitted, “until Brenna told me.”

  “But now she can use it against him. She’ll tape the conversation. When he’s trapped himself, we’ll threaten to send the tape to the bimbo. Either Jeff gets off the winery or his new girlfriend finds out he’s a real sleaze.”

  Katie couldn’t believe it. “That’s illegal. Zach can’t know about this.”

  “Of course not. Although I think he’ll be impressed when I tell him.”

  Katie looked at her sisters. “You can’t be serious. This is wrong. It’s tacky and horrible and puts you on Jeff’s level.”

  Brenna’s gaze narrowed. “That bastard is not getting one square inch of this winery, and by God he’s going to pay me what he owes me. Quit spoiling the fun, Katie.”

  Katie held up her free hand. “Okay, I’ll admit that Jeff needs his comeuppance, but this is not the way to do it.”

  “Do you have a better plan?”

  “No, but have you thought this through? Won’t Jeff coming on to Francesca be another knife in your back? I love you and I want Jeff punished, but not if you’re going to get more hurt in the process. I refuse to rub salt in your wounds.”

  “You don’t know what you’re talking about. This idea is brilliant and if you can’t see that, we don’t need you.”

  Katie took another drink of wine, but her buzz was gone and in its place was a sense of something important having just been lost.

  • • •

  “You have a visitor,” Dora said through the speakerphone. “It’s your son.”

  Zach dropped his pen and rose. “Send him right in,” he said, then headed for the door himself.

  It had been nearly two weeks since their fight. His son had finally left a message that he was fine, but he’d said that he needed time to think about what had happened and would be in touch later. Apparently later was now.

  David opened the door and stepped into the office. He wore baggy jeans and a worn sweatshirt. As usual, his blond hair needed cutting. He looked tall, lanky, and sheepish.

  “Hey, Dad.”

  “Hey, yourself.”

  They stood about three feet apart, both looking at the other, both hesitating. Finally Zach moved toward David and held out his arms. His son stepped into his embrace.

  The ache around Zach’s heart eased. Tension fled his body as his world righted itself. Maybe he’d screwed up a time or two, but all in all, David was the best part of his life.

  He moved back enough to grasp David’s upper arms. “I’m sorry,” he said sincerely. “I didn’t mean to hurt you or to imply that you were anything but a joy for me. You were never in the way. Given the chance, I wouldn’t change anything. I love you. I hope you know that.”

  David nodded. He ducked his head, sniffed, then swallowed. “Yeah, Dad. I know. I was kind of a jerk. You know? You got frustrated and I got mad and it seemed easier to split rather than figure out how to make it work. I’m sorry, too.”

  “Apology accepted.”

  Zach released him and they both headed for the sofas. David sprawled across one while Zach took the other.

  “How’s school?” Zach asked.

  “Good. The new quarter started. I got a letter saying I need to be thinking about declaring a major. Especially if I want to go into one of the impacted majors.”

  “What are those?”

  “The really popular ones. Classes fill up fast and it’s hard to get a good schedule. At least, that’s what the letter said.”

  “Any more thoughts on what area interests you?” Zach asked the question carefully, wanting to appear interested without being pushy.

  David slouched lower in the sofa. “Not really.”

  He hesitated before asking, “How are things with Mia?”

  “Good.” He looked at Zach and grinned. “Hell if I know why, but we can’t finish getting registered for our wedding gifts. Every time we go to pick out china or something, we have a big fight. I guess we’re gonna have to use paper plates.”

  “I guess so.”

  Zach wanted to say a lot more, but he didn’t. Bringing up Julie when he’d just made up with his son was a dumb plan. Eventually they’d have to talk about her and the importance of fidelity, but not yet.

  His son’s humor faded. “Look, Dad. I know you’re worried about me and I appreciate that. But you’ve got to give me some space here. I need a chance to grow up. If that means making a mistake, then I’ll have to deal with it. But let me screw up before you start yelling at me.”

  “I agree.” Zach took a deep breath. “Here’s the thing, David. I’m your father and I want to do everything in my power to protect you from the world. It’s like when you were first learning to walk. I went around the house and made sure there was nothing that could hurt you.”

  “I’m not learning to walk, Dad. I’ve been walking for a long time.”

  “I know. But the instinct is damn strong. So I have to bite my tongue to keep from telling you what I think will keep you from getting hurt. Sometimes I forgot that’s not my job anymore.”

  “You can tell me,” David said. “Just so long as you don’t expect me to listen.”

  His son grinned. Zach laughed. “As you get older, you’re supposed to think I’m smarter.”

  “That’s never gonna happen, Dad. You need to let it go.”

  15

  As Zach drove along the road leading to the hacienda, he could see changes from his last visit. The leaves on the vines were bigger and darker green. At some point the grapes would begin to form. Later they would be picked and, through some process, be turned into wine. That pretty much exhausted his knowledge on the topic. Maybe he should ask Katie for a few of the details, the next time he saw her—assuming she didn’t kick him in the head first.

  The actual seeing would be in a matter of minutes, he reminded himself. She was supposed to be at the hacienda. For reasons of physical safety, he’d considered messengering the papers to Brenna instead of delivering them by hand, but he refused to be chased off by a woman. Especially not one he found charming, sexy, and a worthy adversary. Besides, he’d seen her naked.

  The latter thought made him smile…and want. The memory of her anger, not to mention her accusations that he’d made up the story about David kissing Julie, tempered his pleasure. He understood why she didn’t trust him, but he didn’t like it.

  Zach pulled his car to the side of the hacienda, then stepped out into the warm spring afternoon.
Brenna met him at the front door. For once she didn’t look as if she’d been blindsided.

  “Hi,” she said, sounding surprisingly cheerful. “I swear I’m going to start driving down to L.A. to get my own papers. I feel bad about making you come all this way.” She took a step back to let him in the house.

  “I don’t mind,” he said, following her inside. “Grandma Tessa invited me to dinner. How could I resist?”

  “Her pasta has that effect on people.” She grabbed his arm and pulled him into the sitting room, then closed the door to the foyer. After glancing around the small space, as if checking to see that they were alone, she spoke.

  “Here’s the thing. Francesca and I have come up with a plan.”

  “I get nervous when clients have plans.”

  “No. This is a really good one. Remember I told you about Jeff’s call? That he said he’d back off on wanting a piece of the winery if I backed off on repayment for putting him through school?”

  “Sure, but his lawyer denies Jeff ever made that call. It would be your word against his.”

  “The man’s a sleaze and his word can’t be trusted. Which is why we have to get him another way.”

  She quickly outlined a plan of setting up Francesca to “chat” with Jeff in a bar. “He’s always had a thing for her. So we’re hoping he’ll get drunk, say more than he should, and we’ll have him on tape.”

  Zach was willing to give her points for creativity, if nothing else.

  “Katie doesn’t want us to do it,” Brenna continued. “She says it’s tacky and probably illegal and that I’ll get hurt, but I think it’s brilliant.”

  “She’s right about the illegal part. As your lawyer I have to tell you that it’s not something you should do. The law frowns on that sort of thing. There’s also the can of worms you could be opening. Do you really want to hear Jeff coming on to your sister? Is that going to make you feel any better?”

  Brenna shook her head. “You sound like Katie, which is both weird and unattractive. But I know what you mean. What she meant. Do I want to know exactly how horrible Jeff is?”

  “I’d think about it.”

  “Fair enough. But assuming I want to go forward with it, do you think it will work?”

  “As your lawyer—”

  She rolled her eyes. “Zach, be a regular guy for once. It’s not like I don’t know you slept with my sister.”

  He took a step back and bumped into the sofa. He hadn’t blushed since he was about fourteen, but he would almost swear he felt heat climbing his neck.

  “She didn’t”—he swallowed—“Katie—”

  “Spilled the beans. Details and all. We were trés impressed.” Brenna laughed. “Stop looking so horrified. I’m teasing. She said you guys did it and that was all. Despite the large quantities of wine we had all consumed, she kept to generalities. Neither Francesca nor myself would be able to pick you out naked in a lineup.”

  “Great.” He might never have had a sibling, but if he had, he doubted he would have shared this much of his life with him or her.

  “Now that I can blackmail you in front of my grandmothers, answer the question. Do you think my plan to use Francesca against Jeff will work?”

  “Brenna, I can’t commit—”

  “Yes or no?”

  He grinned.

  She clapped her hands together. “I knew it!” She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. “You’re the best. Now go be tortured by my grandmothers. I’m going to call Francesca and tell her it’s on.”

  Brenna hurried out of the sitting room. Zach followed more slowly. While he applauded her ingenuity, he hoped her plan didn’t jump up and bite her in the ass.

  He headed for the kitchen, then stopped when he spotted Katie in the living room. He entered through the arched doorway and found her sitting on the floor. Stacks of beaded lace flowers stood in piles all around her. As he watched, she counted out groups of ten and placed them next to those already counted. With each group of ten, she made a note on the pad of paper resting on her right thigh.

  He glanced around the room. Bags of lace flowers stood by the rust-colored leather sofa. Small containers of beads cluttered together on the glass-and-wood coffee table.

  Plans for the wedding, and the dress, were moving forward. He’d expected to have it stopped by now. But David and Mia hadn’t broken up, and the wedding date crept closer.

  A lace wedding gown lay draped over the loveseat. He frowned, not realizing Katie had already started sewing the dress.

  “Hi,” he said as he approached. “They let me in the house. Want to run and grab the pepper spray?”

  She turned toward him. For a second her expression didn’t change, and he wondered if she was still mad.

  “I don’t think I’d go for anything that boring,” she said. “Instead I’d attack you with pruning shears.”

  “Sounds painful.”

  “At the risk of being rude, why are you here?”

  He sat down. “I have some papers for Brenna.” He frowned as he realized not only had he left them in the car, but they hadn’t talked about them. “Grandma Tessa found out I was driving up and invited me to stay for dinner.” He leaned forward. “I’m in love with her cooking.”

  “We all are.”

  “Still mad?” he asked.

  “Not at you. David’s not one of my favorite people.”

  “He’s a kid.”

  “He’s cheating on my sister.”

  “Maybe it was just one of those things—cold feet, a last hurrah.”

  She shook her head. “That hardly makes it all right. He’s cheating or just cheated that one time. Neither is acceptable.”

  “So you believe me?” He wouldn’t have guessed that was possible.

  “I finally realized you wouldn’t lie. You’re way too upfront for that. Why slip in a side door when you’re willing to blow up the main entrance?”

  “An interesting metaphor choice.”

  “I’m an interesting woman.”

  “Yes, you are. Interesting, beautiful, exciting. Desirable.”

  She grinned. “Zach, this is my grandfather’s house. You can’t possibly have sexual thoughts under this roof. If you do, your pride and joy will shrivel up to the size of a walnut.”

  “That would be tragic for all of us.”

  “I’m not going to say yes. You already think too highly of yourself.”

  He smiled. “I’m not the one who was screaming that night.”

  She ducked her head. “A gentleman would never bring that up.”

  “I thought my bringing it up was the entire point.”

  Her mouth twitched. “You’re evil.”

  “I’m tempting. There’s a difference.”

  He straightened and decided to give them both a break. Mostly because this was her grandfather’s house and he didn’t want to risk his dick.

  He pointed at the piles of lace stacked around the room. “What are you doing?”

  “I’m trying to figure out where we are, numbers-wise, with the lace flowers. Everyone is complaining about being tired of beading, but we still have a long way to go.”

  “When did you start sewing the dress?” he asked.

  She frowned. “I haven’t. I’m thinking I’ll get it started next week. I made an under-dress first.”

  He pointed at the finished gown draped over the love seat. “What’s that?”

  She followed the direction of his finger, winced slightly, then ducked her head to focus her attention back on the lace flowers. “Inspiration. It’s an old dress Grammy M made. I wanted to study some of her workmanship.” She made two more piles of ten, then returned her attention to him. “So how are things with you?”

  Maybe it was a trick of the afternoon light, but he would swear he could see flecks of gold in her brown eyes. She wore a sweater that hugged her curves, and tight black jeans. The combination made it difficult to follow the conversation.

  “Great,” he said when his brain finally kick
ed in. “David and I had a long heart-to-heart. Things are better now.”

  “I’m glad,” she said sincerely, then finished her counting with a sigh. “Just like I thought. We’re not keeping on schedule. I guess everyone has so much going on.” She grinned. “I don’t suppose now that you and David are speaking that you’d be willing to bead a flower or two?”

  “Not a chance.”

  She glanced at the doorway, then at him. “Any more news on Julie?”

  “No. I haven’t seen her around, but I don’t see much of David.”

  “I want to talk to Mia about it, but I don’t know how without telling her what you saw.”

  “I’m having the same problem with him. I was thinking—”

  Before he could continue, he heard voices in the hallway. Both grandmothers swept into the room. He rose automatically, then wished he hadn’t when he found himself hugged, kissed, and cheek-pinched. Grandma Tessa might not be twenty anymore, but she had a grip that could snap metal.

  “You’re too skinny,” Grandma Tessa said, poking a finger at his midsection. “Working too hard, eh? Not getting proper meals. Katie, why aren’t you cooking dinner for Zach? He’s family. We have to take care of him.”

  Rather than answer, Katie only smiled, but Zach saw her lips moving and suspected whatever she was saying would cause her grandmother to dive for her rosary.

  Grammy M clapped her hands together when she spied the wedding dress draped over the love seat.

  “Oh, Katie, did you show this lovely gown to Zachary? Lookin’ at it still brings a tear to my eye.” She brushed her hands over the lace. “Hours we spent on this, but it was no trouble a’tall. We knew our Katie would be a beautiful bride.”

  Grandma Tessa muttered something in Italian. She turned her dark gaze on Zach. “I’ve been good all these years, never cursing that boy’s name, but I’ve been tempted.”

  Katie stood up and grabbed the dress from Grammy M. “I got this out to study how beautifully you put it together, Grammy M. Not because I was feeling nostalgic. As for the curses, Grandma Tessa, don’t bother. All Greg is guilty of is changing his mind. That’s still allowed, right?”