by Candis Terry
“What a lovely idea. I’m sure she’ll appreciate that.”
“Lucy’s awesome. I can’t wait for you to meet her.”
“I’m looking forward to it.”
“She wants to meet you too.” Nicki laughed again. “She knows better than anyone how hard it is to bring down a Kincade brother.”
“Sounds ominous.”
“Honestly? I have never seen Jordy happier. He gave up being an NHL star to be with her. Not that she asked him to. She’d never do anything like that. She’s just Lucy. Kind of understated and totally wonderful. She was my creative writing teacher. If it hadn’t been for her and Jordy, I’d never have had the courage to break out of my shell and write music.”
“I’m really happy for you.”
“I’m really happy for us.” Nicki excitedly grabbed her arm. “Go Team Brooke!”
“Go what?”
“You know, like in the Twilight stories. Everyone was either Team Edward or Team Jacob. Aunt Pippy and I are Team Brooke. No one has signed up for Team Dec yet.”
“You’re pitting us against each other?”
“Not at all. We’re trying to bring you together. We’re just betting on who can hold out the longest.”
Brooke knew she’d already fallen hard for the middle Kincade brother, but she didn’t want to spoil the teenager’s enthusiasm.
“You have an unfair advantage,” Brooke said. “I’ve already spilled the beans on how I feel about him.”
“Right. But my brothers never do anything the easy way. He’s going to be on a roller coaster and do some stupid things. But before his train pulls into the station, he’s going to crumble at your feet like a man completely and hopelessly in love.”
“Who says I won’t crumble before him?”
“You won’t.” Nicki grabbed Brooke in a hug. “Because you’ve already had his number for four years. A little while longer isn’t going to matter to a smart woman who knows what she wants.”
“How did you get to be so smart?”
“Believe me, if you’d seen me just a few months ago I was a mess. I didn’t talk to anyone. I hated everyone. And things were going downhill on a roller skate. Not that I’m any kind of angel now. But Jordy was persistent and I’ve learned that I have people around me who truly love me. And I truly love them back. Which is why I want to see Dec happily in love. With you.”
“That’s really sweet, Nicki.”
“I know.” A big cheesy grin filled the teen’s beautiful face. “And as an added benefit I’ll have more inspiration for my love songs.”
“Well, I am a big country music fan so never let it be said that I wasn’t willing to do my part.”
As Nicki picked up her guitar, Brooke looked around the living room at the family photos. There were group photos of their parents, the brothers and sister at picnics among the grapevines or at other outdoor events. There were candid shots of the brothers grinning with their arms slung over each other’s shoulders. There were photos of Ryan with his daughter, Riley, and obviously a new one of Jordan and his fiancée, Lucy.
A pang hit Brooke in the gut.
She’d always wanted a family like the Kincades. She’d been lucky to find the Hastingses and they’d been wonderful at making her feel like one of them. But the bottom line was she’d been born to another family. And hard as she tried, she couldn’t help wishing that they’d seen the error of their ways and done what they could to be good parents and role models. Maybe if they had her sister would still be alive.
Dreaming of a family of her own had been a constant in Brooke’s life. She wanted that ideal image of a husband and wife with children they adored. She wanted the whole Leave It to Beaver thing. And then she’d gone and fallen in love with a man who had nothing but business on his mind.
Nicki strummed the first chord and Brooke hoped that the young girl didn’t get her hopes for Team Brooke up too high. Team Dec was a strong-willed man whose ability to play the game of negotiations had made him a multimillionaire.
Chapter 12
By the time Brooke strolled into the vineyard office, most of the brothers were present. Yet regardless of how much he wanted to keep what had happened between them last night private, Dec couldn’t take his eyes off her. Not that she had on anything outrageous; she simply wore a pair of tight jeans and a snug T-shirt that fit like a second skin. But after discovering and appreciating every delicious curve she possessed, all he could do was imagine peeling them off.
“Sorry to interrupt.” Her voice was a bit breathy, probably from walking uphill to the winery office. But to Dec’s ears, it sounded as sexy as it had last night when she’d begged him for more.
Her sandals slapped rhythmically against the floor as she came into the room and Dec immediately looked down to the blue polish on her toenails. Last night he’d also discovered that her feet were ticklish, as well as several other places on her voluptuous body. Discovering those areas had been more fun than he’d ever imagined. He’d never known sex could be so playful. And now that he knew, he realized he could come up with all kinds of ideas.
“I received the info you were waiting for.” She handed him a large envelope with a polite smile. “I thought you might want it as soon as possible.”
“Thank you.” He took the envelope, touching her fingers on purpose to see if her smile would shift from all business to the playful Brooke he’d gotten to know so well last night. “Did you get the note I left?”
“I did.” The corners of her mouth curled into that smile he wanted to see. He’d never wanted to kiss her more than at that very moment. “And thank you for the pancakes and coffee.”
“You’re welcome.”
When he glanced up his brothers were all staring at him.
“What?”
“Nothing.” Ryan grinned. “Not a damn thing.”
While Brooke maintained a calm and businesslike presence, Dec felt like he was coming apart at the seams. He couldn’t reveal what he felt on the inside or his brothers would dog pile on him like a bunch of adolescents prime for a good old-fashioned razzing. He needed some time to figure things out first. So for the moment, while he might want to wrap Brooke up in his arms and cart her back to bed, he had to get back to business as usual. They had the mystery of Lili MacKay to deal with as well as the flagging state of the vineyard.
Apparently Brooke realized that too.
“I really didn’t mean to interrupt,” she said to his brothers. “But it was nice seeing everyone again.”
As she headed toward the door, Dec felt torn. If she stayed he knew he’d have a hard time focusing on the details of the information they needed to discuss instead of on how pretty she looked with her hair freshly washed and left curly. Or how the neckline of her snug T-shirt dipped close to her cleavage. Or how much attention he’d paid to those perfect breasts just a few hours ago. And if she left, he’d basically be thinking about all the same things.
Damn. He’d never been so happily distracted in his whole life.
“No need to run off, Brooke.” Ryan slyly gave Dec a wink. “Have a seat.”
Before Dec could offer her his chair, Ethan jumped up and offered his. Dec threw him a back-the-fuck-off glare.
“I really don’t want to intrude,” Brooke said before she sat down. “I know you have a lot to discuss.”
“Nonsense.” Dec indicated the now empty chair next to him. “Have a seat and join us. The other day you had some excellent observations about the vineyard. I’d like to hear your thoughts now that we’ve received the demographics report.”
“That’s very sweet of you.” Her smile was like a ray of sunshine as she sat down. “But I’m no expert.”
“Your marketing degree gives you more of an advantage than the rest of us,” Dec said to her, trying to keep things in control. “As Ryan said, we’d appreciate your assessments.”
He hoped to hell he was sounding like his typical business-minded self. But he doubted it with his heart thundering be
cause she smelled as sweet as cotton candy, and all he wanted to do was take a bite.
“I appreciate that.” Her slow blink hinted that maybe he wasn’t the only one having a hard time focusing. “I did look over the report, and on the walk over here some ideas did come to mind.”
“Then please . . .” Ryan smiled. “Let us know what you think.”
“Well, if you insist.” Brooke’s face lit up with an irresistible smile that made Dec ridiculously proud of her ability to jump into the sandbox with his brothers. “Your primary market falls into three categories. The first are DINKs.”
“DINKs?” Ethan laughed. “That doesn’t sound too promising.”
“Double income no kids,” Brooke clarified. “The second category is empty nesters. And on the smaller end of the scale is what they call the cougar/silver fox quotient.”
“I know what a cougar is,” Ethan said. “Had one hitting on me in Florida last year when I was working the Everglades fire. I’m guessing a silver fox is the man’s version?”
Brooke nodded. “Forty- to sixty-year-old wealthy, single, career driven men and women seeking a younger man or woman. So basically what you have are groups of people looking for the dream getaway or romantic rendezvous. You’re only minutes from Portland and only a couple of hours from Seattle. Both have a wealth of adults in your target market.”
“So basically, we’re not looking at twentysomething singles or young families,” Ryan confirmed.
“Exactly. Those in your age groups and financial demographics are above middle income. They’re looking for somewhere to unwind, enjoy some light activities like golf or hiking, and some pampering with good food and good wines.”
“Too bad Jordan isn’t here,” Dec said. “He suggested a golf course.”
“Probably a challenging nine-hole would be sufficient. Or maybe a driving range,” Brooke said. “You’ll just need to give them something to do afterward—a spa, restaurant, somewhere to sit outside and enjoy the surroundings, maybe listen to some light music. However, even though your audience speaks to a specific range, you could also increase business by making this more of an event venue instead of just hosting the occasional wedding. Bringing in local entertainment would be beneficial too.”
“So what kind of theme would be all-encompassing to this demographic?” Ethan asked. “Modern? Country?”
“Actually . . .” Brooke locked her fingers together and cupped them over a knee. “Your main house already has a hint of what I think would work well. It almost looks like an Italian villa. Go for a European flair. Build a few more cottages for your B and B with some old-world charm like those in Ireland, France, or even the Netherlands. Give them a cobblestone path, lots of fragrant flowers, a fountain. Mix in the candlelight and moonlight with good food and your delicious wine and I think you’ll transform the place into something magnificent and memorable. If you add in an entertainment area, golfing, and a friendly tasting room you’ll be all set. Of course, you’ll still need to come up with a marketing and advertising plan. For that I’d recommend visuals, not audio. If you don’t already have a website, you’ll need one. If you do have a website you’ll want to revamp it to reflect the changes you’ve made. Provide your clientele with a destination. Show them what a picturesque place Sunshine Creek is and why they would want to spend their time here.”
“Those are great ideas,” Ryan said. “And actually we’d already discussed adding an entertainment area and wine club.”
“On the upside,” Brooke added, “it would give you an opportunity to employ more local people. Economically that’s good for everyone.”
Dec already knew Brooke was smart, and at the moment he couldn’t be more proud. He was impressed that she’d figured it all out while they’d been struggling to find their footing. Much the way she’d figured out that it was time for him to break old habits and learn to add a little more fun into his life.
Last night she’d done a breathless, pleasurable, mind-bending job of making her point.
“I graduated college with an amazing architect who specializes in old-world, Craftsman-style structures,” she said. “I’d be happy to give you his number.”
“Sounds great.” Ryan looked pointedly at Dec. “I hope you realize what a gem you have in her. You’d better not be stupid enough to ever let her get away.”
Dec knew Brooke was brilliant and she didn’t need anyone else to be a success. And even though he really needed her, he realized she didn’t really need him. But he didn’t think that was the context his savvy brother had in mind.
“I’d be completely lost without her,” he admitted, even as a twinge of regret for stepping over the line last night slammed down like a fist.
Brooke excused herself from the vineyard office with the explanation that she had a ton of work to do when all she really needed was a moment to breathe. In just a few short hours her emotions had hit all the summits and dives of a roller coaster.
At first, she’d been upset that Dec had left this morning without saying a word. His disappearance had skirted the borders of making her feel cheap and used. She figured the breakfast and the note had been his way of smoothing over his disappearing act, and that helped. Then seeing him smile at her in the office had made her feel all warm and fuzzy. But when he’d said he’d be lost without her, the words seemed empty, and they didn’t come with a smile.
Was she expecting too much?
Probably.
Was she rational right now?
Probably not.
At this moment, Dec knew her better than almost anyone. He knew what her life had been like. He knew she killed karaoke. He knew every sensitive spot on her body that made her hum with pleasure. That she liked to be kissed on her neck behind her ear. That during lovemaking she loved to be on top. But he didn’t know how deeply she felt about him. And that look he’d given her just before she’d walked out of the office had been rife with caution and regret.
Sure, she knew he wouldn’t fall easily. She knew he’d drag his feet and that his mind would get tangled up with the arguments of right and wrong.
Why couldn’t things just be simpler?
Angrily she kicked a pebble on her way back to the creek-side cabin and ended up stubbing her toe.
“Dammit.” She stopped to check out the damage. She’d lost a chunk of her blue toenail polish but otherwise was really no worse for the wear.
“Are you okay?”
She clenched her teeth as Dec strolled closer with his hands in the pockets of his jeans, looking quite casual and unconcerned with a black T-shirt hugging all those finely sculpted muscles she’d had her mouth all over last night.
“I’m fine.”
“You don’t sound fine.” He stopped in front of her, making her back up a step. “In fact, you sound pissed. What’s up?”
“Nothing.” The man was a genius with numbers. So how could he be so dense with the human aspect? Giving him no enlightenment because, yes, she could be as stubborn as a rusted screw, she turned and trudged back down the road toward the cabin.
He followed. “We probably need to talk.”
“Not a good idea right now.” Talking would most likely lead to tears—hers—and she didn’t want to show any weakness. She wasn’t sorry for coming on to him back at the beach and kissing him. She wasn’t sorry they’d made love last night. She was only sorry that apparently he appeared to be sorry. “I have work to do.”
His heavy footsteps continued to fall on the gravel behind her. Not a surprise. Dec hadn’t become successful because he gave up easily. If a client situation challenged him, he saw it through to the end no matter how frustrating or troublesome it became. She imagined that’s how he saw her now.
Frustrating and troublesome.
Well, too bad for him.
When she reached the cabin, she opened the door and closed it behind her. A moment later it opened again and he stepped inside.
“Trying to shut me out?”
“As if I coul
d.” She went directly into her makeshift office. And, of course, he followed.
“Brooke.” She flinched at the strain in his voice. “Seriously. What’s wrong? Is it about last night?”
She spun toward him. “If you say last night was a mistake I swear I’ll kick you where it hurts.”
“Last night was . . . amazing. But—”
“No buts, Dec. It happened and I had a great time.”
He jammed his hands in his pockets. “Obviously so did I.”
“It’s not as obvious as you think when you look like you’re about ready to run for the hills.”
“I’m not running. But in all honesty, it shouldn’t have happened,” he said. “You’re my—”
“Oh dear God. Give that whole boss/employee thing a rest, will you? Last night we were anything but. Last night we had our tongues in each other’s mouths, our hands all over each other, and our body parts were up close and personal. We’re both adults. You don’t think we can behave as such?”
“I can’t look at you the same way as before.” He shook his head. “You’re a total distraction to me.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.” She tossed a folder on top of several others on the desk.
“I’m not kidding, Brooke. How do you expect me to get anything done if all I can imagine is stripping off your clothes and bending you over that desk?”
Eye rolls were stupid and immature. She did one anyway.
“So you think if you act like it didn’t happen and you don’t make the mistake of sleeping with me again, it will change anything?” she asked.
He had the nerve to shrug.
“Huh.” She folded her arms.
“What does huh mean?”
“If that’s how you want to play, so be it.”
“It would help if you didn’t walk around here in tight pants and skimpy little tops.”
“And now you want to dictate what I wear?”
“No. I just—”
