The bus rounded the corner, bringing Hummingbird Ridge Vineyard into view with its inviting lodge and its acres of weathered grapevines standing like rows of stooped and gnarled old men waiting for the rapture.
The midday sun beat down, casting a golden light on the scene, making it one of the most beautiful sights Alejandro had ever seen.
The blood rushed in his ears as his pulse picked up at the thought of how hard he’d worked to bring his plans to life. Soon, this would all be his. His kingdom.
“Is that Hummingbird Ridge?” Olivia asked.
He nodded.
“It’s beautiful,” Olivia said. “It looks like a postcard. Isn’t it sad that for as long as I’ve lived in Austin, I’ve never been to a Hill Country winery? So this is a real treat for so many reasons.”
“Never?” Alejandro asked. “Why not?”
“That’s a good question. I have no idea why not and I don’t really have any good excuses. I guess I just haven’t had time to venture out here. Or, actually, I’ve been so bogged down by the day-to-day grind that I haven’t made time.”
He wanted to ask her what she did for fun, if she even had fun. Or was she always all work and no play? He wanted to tell her that he could help her with that, if she’d let him. After all, he had made an art form out of having fun while working his way to success. But the bus was pulling into the winery’s parking lot. He made a mental note—right across the large sign in the forefront of his mind that reminded him their escapades were all for show—to help Olivia learn how to have fun this week. Right now, he had a winery to show off and a captive audience that was eager to learn more.
As the driver parked, Alejandro told her, “I’m going to go inside to make sure everything is ready for us. Will you corral everyone outside until I get back?”
“You bet.”
She already had her work face on, ready to take charge. It would be fun to see her spring into action organizing everyone.
“Thanks. Why don’t you take them for a walk around the grounds? There’s a sculpture garden around the back. I want to make sure everyone gets a chance to enjoy it. I’ll come and get you as soon as they’re ready for us.”
Without even thinking about it, he leaned in and kissed her. It felt natural. Maybe a little too natural. But she kissed him back. When she pulled away, they both seemed to have the same question in their eyes: Is this okay? And the same answer: It’s fine.
He stood and made his way to the front of the bus. Since it was a weekday the staff had agreed to close the tasting room for their private party. A sign was tacked to the large rough-hewn wooden door. It read: “Closed for private party from 1pm-3pm. Please come again.” Alejandro reached out and grabbed the brass handle and pulled the door. It creaked open, exposing an airy reception area with high vaulted ceilings with dark beams. A marble-topped tasting bar crowded with wineglasses and corked bottles graced the wall directly across from the front door. In the center of the room, someone had set a wooden trestle table for the tasting. They’d laid it with breads and cheeses and other appetizers to pair with the various wines.
The rusty squeak of the door sounded behind Alejandro and he turned to see Gerald Robinson walk in. The man stopped just inside the threshold, scowled and took his time looking around, taking in everything as if he were judging the place and finding it wanting. Even after his gaze skewered Alejandro, Gerald didn’t speak. He stood there silently, challenging him with his blank expression.
There he was—the Gerald Robinson. Creator of empires, eviscerator of men who got in his way... And of men who dated his daughter?
Obviously his brothers and Mason had battled the monster and lived to marry his daughters.
When Gerald agreed to join them today, Alejandro had known the mogul was bound to have a conversation with him about what Alejandro was doing with Olivia. What the hell was he supposed to say? Lying to Orlando was one thing—it wasn’t really lying because he would confide the truth later—but lying to Gerald by saying he was in love with his daughter was another. It was best to be proactive and take charge of the conversation.
“Mr. Robinson, welcome.” Alejandro walked over to Olivia’s father and extended his hand. “I’m Alejandro Mendoza. We’ve met before at Rachel’s and Zoe’s weddings.”
Gerald offered a perfunctory shake, but his grip was firm and commanding. “I know who you are. Olivia tells me you’re buying this place?”
“I am.”
Again, Gerald’s steely gaze pinned him to the spot. Alejandro steeled himself for the inevitable interrogation.
“Nice place,” Gerald said. Unsmiling, he broke eye contact and gave the room another once-over. “You’re from Miami. I take it you know something about wine.”
They weren’t questions. They were statements that proved the guy had already done some investigating. Hell, for all Alejandro knew the man might’ve hired a private detective to perform a full-scale inquiry.
It was fine if he had. Alejandro had nothing to hide. He made his living honestly.
“I know a lot about wine. Are you an oenophile?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Robinson said.
“An oenophile is a wine enthusiast,” Alejandro explained.
Gerald scowled at him. “Why didn’t you say that in the first place?”
It was a fair question. Gerald probably thought he was being pretentious, showing off. Maybe he was. But that wasn’t something he’d admit out loud.
“I don’t like wine,” Gerald said. “But I read something just the other day about how over the past few decades, Hill Country wineries have been growing steadily and Texas wine production has become a viable player in the industry. Fascinating. The article said that winemakers are forgoing the Napa Valley because it’s expensive and exclusive and basically out of their reach.”
That was exactly why Alejandro had chosen to buy a place in Texas. When he’d discovered it was a viable option it had almost seemed meant to be, since most of his immediate family had relocated to the Lone Star State. In fact, if he’d believed in fate, he might have thought it’d had a hand in aligning the stars and moon to make this possible. It just seemed to make sense that this was where he would invest the money his mother, Luz, had left him when she passed away.
In typical Luz fashion, she’d made arrangements to take care of her children even after she’d left this earth. She’d taken out a small life insurance policy, leaving equal sums to each of her five kids. She’d left each of them a handwritten note telling them how much she loved them, that it had been a privilege to be their mother and that she hoped the money she was leaving each of them would help make their dreams come true.
Alejandro had invested the gift from his mother and, while it wasn’t enough to allow him to buy Hummingbird Ridge free and clear, that investment, along with the money he’d saved, was the seed money he needed to interest his cousins, Rodrigo and Stefan, and a couple of investors who would be silent partners. Together they had the buying power to make the deal. They were almost there. The last hurdle was to clear due diligence and inspections and they’d be home free.
“That’s exactly why I chose Texas,” Alejandro said. “Most of my family has relocated to Texas. I’ve had my eye on wineries here. I’ve made several scouting trips, during which I became friendly with Jack and Margaret Daily—the couple that owns Hummingbird Ridge. They wanted to sell and I wanted to buy. It just seemed like a good fit.”
Gerald grunted as he stood there with his arms crossed. Alejandro couldn’t tell if he was boring him or if the sound indicated contemplative interest.
“Hummingbird Ridge has been in Margaret’s family for several generations,” Alejandro explained. “She inherited it and wanted to pass it on to their daughter, but the daughter’s not interested. She’s a surgeon and doesn’t have the time or the inc
lination to take over the family business. I asked them if they wanted to adopt me, but they said they’d cut me a deal instead,” he joked, but Gerald didn’t laugh.
“If I would’ve known it was for sale, I would’ve bought it.”
“Really?” This was unexpected coming from a guy who professed to not like wine. “You’re interested in getting involved in the wine industry?”
Gerald shrugged. “To diversify.”
“If you find a vineyard and you do decide to invest, make sure you’ve got a good crew. Even though this is becoming one of the top wine production states, it still has its challenges. It has distinct regions that are different enough to the point of being incompatible in terms of vine selection. Depending on the area, the microclimatic and geographic factors can vary considerably, but that’s what I find so appealing about it.”
Gerald didn’t say anything. Alejandro could tell from the man’s body language that it was time to stop talking. So he just stood there. The faint whir of the air conditioner was the only sound in the room.
“Well,” Gerald finally said, “thanks for arranging this tasting. And if you hurt my daughter, you’ll answer to me and there will be hell to pay.”
The older man’s forced smile reminded Alejandro of a great white shark as Gerald turned around and let himself out of the tasting room.
“Alejandro, welcome. We’re excited that you could be here today.”
Alejandro turned to see Margaret stepping out of the office, which was located down a hallway to the right of the wine bar.
“Hi, Margaret. Everything looks great. Thanks for going the extra mile to make today special for my guests.”
“My pleasure. Will they be arriving soon?”
“They’re already here.” He motioned to the door. “They’re enjoying the grounds until you’re ready for them.”
“We’re ready when you are,” Margaret said. “Shall we invite them in?”
As Alejandro and Margaret set off to find the party, she told him that Jack was sorry to miss him, but he had some business in Dallas he had to take care of.
Alejandro’s phone rang, interrupting the conversation. His cousin Stefan’s name flashed on the screen. “Excuse me, Margaret. I need to take this call.”
“That’s fine, honey. I’ll find everyone and bring them inside.”
“Stefan, my man,” Alejandro said. “You must have been picking up the good vibe. I’m standing here in the Hummingbird Ridge tasting room. What’s going on?”
Stefan didn’t speak right away and for a moment Alejandro thought they’d lost the connection.
“Stef, are you there?”
“I am. I don’t have good news. Masterson is pulling out of the Hummingbird Ridge deal.”
Alejandro’s gut contracted. “Bad joke, bro.”
“I wish it was a joke. It’s not. We’re not going to have the money we need to buy the place. We’re going to be short by a third.”
Chapter Six
That evening, Alejandro stared straight ahead at the stretch of highway ahead of him as he drove Olivia to the barbecue, which was hosted by Mason’s family. Losing the investor was nothing more than a setback.
Still, if he’d had a shred of a hint that the deal wouldn’t go through, he wouldn’t have brought everyone to the winery. He would’ve come up with some other way to celebrate the brides and grooms, but he certainly wouldn’t have dragged everyone out in the middle of all the wedding festivities had he known that the vineyard might not be his. Or at least he wouldn’t have announced that it was his new venture. But after the sting of the setback had subsided a bit, his mind turned to more constructive thoughts: getting replacement funds.
Before they’d boarded the bus to leave for Austin, he’d asked Gerald Robinson if he could meet with him on Monday morning after the wedding because he wanted to present an investment opportunity in Hummingbird Ridge. It was a long shot, but Robinson hadn’t cut him off at the knees. Instead, he’d dug around in his wallet and come up with a business card.
“Call my assistant and tell her I told you to set up a meeting.” He hadn’t asked any questions or expressed any interest; he’d just walked away and gotten on the bus.
Immediately, Alejandro had excused himself and had gone back inside the winery and placed the call. Before the bus had left Hummingbird Ridge, he had an appointment with Robinson on the books at three o’clock Monday afternoon. He’d have to change his flight back to Miami from Monday to Tuesday, but it was a small price to pay for possibly saving the winery purchase.
The biggest problem was whether or not to tell Olivia he was meeting with her father.
He remembered what she’d said about the guys who had used her to get to Gerald. He didn’t want her to get the wrong idea, that he was using her. Sure, they weren’t dating, but after weighing it, he thought it was best not to involve her so that she wouldn’t feel obligated.
He kept hearing her say, I owe you. I’ll make it up to you, after he’d agreed to help her with her plan to make Sophie think Olivia believed in love.
He didn’t want her to feel beholden. Plus, he really didn’t want to get into the details of how the deal was hanging by a thread. Not when it came to a business deal of this magnitude. If Gerald said no, that would be the end of it. She’d never know. If he said yes, he would tell Olivia.
“Do you want to talk about whatever is on your mind?” Olivia asked from beside him in his car.
He slanted a glance at her, but returned his focus to the road.
He had worked damn hard to keep his poker face in place. He hadn’t wanted to spoil the festivities. Obviously he hadn’t been as good at hiding his frustration as he’d intended. “Talk about what?”
“What’s had you tied up in knots since the start of the tasting.”
“I got a phone call while we were at the vineyard. There’s a slight snag with one of the investors. But it’s not a problem. Everything will be fine.”
Telling her that much made him feel better. Since she’d picked up on his mood, sharing that was more honest than if he’d tried to pretend that nothing was wrong.
He deflected the focus off himself with his next comment. “And speaking of fine, it seems like Sophie and Mason are doing well. It’s nice to see that your plan worked. I guess we make a convincing match.”
* * *
On Friday evening, the wedding rehearsal went off without a hitch and Sophie seemed to be herself again, in full bride-to-be mode. Now she was seated across the rehearsal dinner table from Olivia, laughing and flirting with Mason, stealing kisses and whispering private words in his ear.
Good. The plan had worked out exactly as Olivia had hoped it would. In less than twenty-four hours Sophie and Mason would be on their honeymoon and Olivia would officially be disqualified from receiving the title Prewedding Homewrecker of the Year.
Maybe Sophie had simply experienced a case of cold feet, but Olivia still owned the responsibility of pushing her sister into the desperate weeds of despair after she brought up their parents’ dismal excuse of a marriage. Ever since the night of the Fuzzy Handcuffs, Olivia had limited herself to one alcoholic beverage during wedding festivities—at the winery she had only allowed herself a single sip of each wine they had sampled. It was at once her own self-enforced punishment for being so sloppy at the bachelorette weekend and insurance that it wouldn’t happen again.
Being one of the few sober people at the parties was a strange experience. But it was necessary. She could enjoy herself without social lubrication, and it was the only way to ensure that her sister actually made it down the aisle, headed in the right direction for the start of the rest of her life.
The private dining room where the rehearsal dinner was taking place was awash in golden candlelight and gorgeous white flowers. The party planner had strun
g hundreds of tiny golden twinkle lights around the room. She had crafted them into hanging topiaries and stuffed them into glass cylinders that were grouped with dozens of candles and more flowers to create ethereal tablescapes. It was a dinner fit for a princess—two princesses, Sophie and Dana. Olivia almost allowed herself to breathe a silent sigh of relief—almost—but she’d hold off on that until Sophie and Mason had been pronounced man and wife.
Still, she had never seen her little sister look so happy, and she couldn’t help but smile along with her. But then she realized that as soon as Sophie and Mason said I do, she and Alejandro would part ways.
She slanted a glance at him and remembered the kiss at the luau. How it had started as a means to an end and had turned into something electrifying. His hands on her body. The way her body had responded to his touch, and how neither of them had seemed to want to stop. But they had. And now that it appeared certain that Sophie would make it down the aisle tomorrow evening, Olivia needed to start mentally distancing herself from Alejandro. She was going to miss him and his kiss. Miami was a long way from Austin. Not that either of them wanted to try to keep this chemistry alive long distance. Because chemistry did not a relationship make.
Even so, too bad he didn’t live in Austin. If he had, maybe they could see if this chemistry could evolve into something less ethereal. But he didn’t live in Austin and that’s why it was safe for her to daydream about what-ifs that would never happen.
Although if he did end up buying that vineyard, he would be in Austin now and again. She thought about the way he’d looked when he’d told her about the snag with the investor. It had been obvious that he hadn’t wanted to talk about it. That’s why she hadn’t pressed him further. Since she didn’t want to pry, she had no idea where his financing stood. Even though she shouldn’t get involved, she had an idea about how she might be able to help him—just in case he needed it. After all, she owed him. If not for him, Sophie might not have gone through with the wedding. Olivia felt like the least she could do was help Alejandro find a replacement investor. Her gaze combed the crowd until it landed on her father.
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