by T. J. Kline
“I heard she was crying and asked for a boatload of money, but instead, Mr. Radcliffe took her home. I can only imagine what happened once he got there.”
“I’ll hit his car on my way home tonight if he’ll take me home.”
Giggles followed but Anna couldn’t listen to any more. She threw open the door to the dining room and stepped into the hallway. There had to be a way to put a stop to the gossip before Stephanie or Mrs. Radcliffe heard about it, but she had to do it without arousing any more suspicion.
One of the maids came to the door with a pitcher of ice water for the table. “Oh! I didn’t realize anyone was in here.” She glanced furtively into the room Anna had exited.
“I…” Anna looked around her for an excuse, her eyes falling on the wide expanse of inviting greenery outside. She had to find a little privacy, just for a moment, to try to figure everything out. She needed fresh air, to be surrounded by flowers, so she could regain her composure. “I’m going to wait in the garden.”
Brushing past the maid before she could reply, Anna raced through the back door. The last thing she expected to do was trip on the threshold and fall right into Gabriel Radcliffe’s lap.
Chapter 10
“I don’t care what he said—whoa!” Gabe’s phone clattered to the ground as soft curves landed in his lap and long, red hair draped over his arm in waves of glorious fire.
Anna squirmed until she nearly fell to the marble patio as well. “Oh! I’m so sorry. I—” She suddenly stilled and it didn’t take a neurosurgeon to figure out why.
Whether from the feel of her wiggling in his lap, or her soft breasts pressed up against his chest as he caught her, Gabe’s body responded with bold ardor. The sweet scent of her shampoo—some sort of fruity vanilla scent—enveloped him and made him want to drag her closer. He fought the urge to drink her in.
“What are you doing out here?”
“I needed a second.”
She reached for the arms of the chair, but instead, her hands braced on his forearms. The muscles twitched beneath her fingers and he felt the jolt of her electricity travel up his arms.
“Don’t move,” he ordered, his voice thick and gravelly. If she continued, he was going to embarrass both of them. He could still hear his vineyard manager talking through the cell phone that was lying on the ground.
Gabe slid one arm under her knees and the other around her back, standing to return her to her feet. “There. Hold on for one second.” He picked up his cell phone, informing his manager he’d call back later before tossing the phone onto the chair. “We have to stop meeting this way, Anna. People are going to talk.”
He saw her cheeks flush. It had been a joke, but apparently, he’d hit a nerve. Anna hurried down the stairs, away from him, toward the gazebo. He followed and reached for her hand, tugging her to a stop. When she turned, her eyes were misty with unshed tears.
“What the hell?”
This same woman had given him a verbal lashing two nights ago for an error in judgment. She had the courage of a lioness, so he couldn’t imagine what would reduce her to tears.
“Hey, Anna, talk to me. What happened?” Suspicion crept over him. He tipped her chin up so that he could see her face. Hesitation flickered in her eyes but was gone so quickly he almost thought he’d imagined it. “Did my grandmother say something?”
Gabe stared down into her face, his gaze caressing her, wanting to read her mind. He was unable to fathom what lay behind those emerald eyes. Her mouth parted slightly, as if she was about to say something, but then she closed it. Her eyes seemed to lighten and he noticed gold flecks in them for the first time. Gabe felt her breath against his neck as she stared up at him, and it was taking every ounce of self-control to keep from dipping his head to kiss her, to see if she tasted as sweet as she smelled.
“Nothing happened.” She took a step back from him, away from his touch, and cocked her head slightly. “Wait, should I be worried about your grandmother?”
He should have been relieved that she’d kept him from making a very stupid mistake. Instead, disappointment crashed through him. He shoved his hands into his pockets to keep from reaching out to her again and shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. “Who knows? I guess it really depends on her mood today.”
A wry smile slipped over her full lips. “Wow. You really know how to instill confidence, don’t you?” She walked across the yard.
“Would you rather I blow sunshine up your ass?” Her perfect, apple-shaped ass…
Anna stopped midstride, her head snapping back to look at him. “Not exactly something I’d expect San Francisco’s Most Eligible Bachelor to say.”
“Maybe I’m trying to shock you,” Gabe suggested. He wasn’t sure why he was playing this game, but there was something about Anna Nolan that made him want to take giant leaps away from his comfort zone.
“Then you’ll have to do better than that.” Her eyes gleamed with mischief as she stopped in front of his grandmother’s orchids. “These are lovely.”
Gabe heard the awe in her voice. “My grandmother has a great gardener. He manages to keep this entire property up on his own.”
Anna looked around them at the floral oasis that rivaled the city’s botanical garden. “Alone?” She tipped her head to one side. “He must be a magician. He has orchids in the same area as blue flax but they grow in completely different soils and environments.”
Gabe didn’t care about the landscape of the yard. He was more interested in the woman in front of him. But her fascination with the flowers and their habits made him want to impress her with his knowledge. “Jian not only cares for the yard, but landscaped every inch of it.” Gabe pointed toward the Chinese man shaping a topiary bush. “Do you want to talk with him?”
Anna glanced back at the house.
He followed her gaze and saw the shadow that passed near one of the curtains in the dining room. He knew she was supposed to have lunch with Stephanie and his grandmother and, if that’s who he’d seen watching them, it was best not to keep them waiting.
“I’d love to, but I really should get back inside.”
“Ah yes, where the guillotine likely awaits.” He bowed slightly. Gabe looked up at her with a wink. “It’s been nice knowing you, Anna.”
She arched a brow and pursed her lips. “You’re not helping me feel any better about this lunch, you know.”
“She’s really not so bad. Just remember to treat Grandmother like the royalty she thinks she is, and you’ll get along fine.” Anna narrowed her eyes, trying to decipher whether he was serious. “Come on, I’ll walk you back inside.” He tucked her hand into the crook of his elbow. Anna’s fingers tensed on his forearm so he curled his other hand over hers. “Relax, Anna. You were ready to go toe-to-toe with me on the side of the freeway. I think you can manage lunch with an old woman.”
As they reached the patio, his grandmother met them at the doorway, her chin held high and her arms crossed. Her gaze scanned Anna quickly, taking in every inch of her new florist, before her lips thinned to a harsh line. He felt Anna’s hand tremble slightly on his arm so he squeezed her fingers reassuringly. Before anyone could speak, Gabe released Anna and leaned forward to kiss his grandmother’s cheek.
“Thank you, darling.” The smile she gave Gabe died quickly as she looked at Anna once again.
“Grandmother, I’d like to introduce you to Anna Nolan. Anna, this is my grandmother, Wilhelmina Radcliffe.”
Chapter 11
Anna clasped her hands in front of her body. She certainly didn’t want this woman to mistake her nervous agitation as fear. Mrs. Radcliffe pursed her lips and wrinkled her nose as she took in Anna’s clothing, not even offering to shake hands in greeting.
“Tessa,” she called, waving her fingers into the air, making her large amethyst and diamond ring wink in the sunlight. “Please escort Miss Nolan to the dining room where Miss Maurier is waiting.”
Anna understood why Gabriel joked that his grandmother saw herself as royalty. Sh
e certainly carried herself like a queen. This pompous show of authority was almost humorous. One side of her upper lip lifted as she smiled to hide her disapproval. Anna wasn’t fooled.
Tessa motioned Anna toward the hallway. “This way, ma’am.”
“I’ll take her,” Gabriel offered.
“I need to speak with you a moment.” Mrs. Radcliffe placed a well-manicured hand on his arm. “Privately.” Turning her venomous gaze back toward Anna, she smiled patronizingly. “You’ll be fine, won’t you, dear?”
Anna swallowed the scathing words attempting to spill from her lips. Self-preservation was a higher priority than her pride, and Anna needed a paycheck now that she’d lost her job. It wasn’t the first time she’d put on an act of subservience for a client. Feeling a bit like she’d sold her soul to the devil himself, she smiled broadly at Wilhelmina Radcliffe.
“Of course. It was a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Radcliffe.”
Before she could stop herself, Anna dipped into a perfect curtsy, fit for the Queen of England, and followed the maid who pinched her lips together tightly, her eyes wide with disbelief. The maid might be able to stifle her response but Gabriel didn’t bother. His deep, rich laughter followed Anna into the house as she hurried past Mrs. Radcliffe, whose eyes were mere slits of blue rage.
Anna prayed that she hadn’t just burned yet another bridge.
“I don’t like her, Gabriel. She’s cheeky.”
Gabe grinned as his gaze followed Anna into the house. “Yes, she is.”
The woman who curtsied was the one he’d seen on the side of the highway, the same fiery woman he hadn’t been able to quit thinking about since he’d left her at her apartment. When she’d fallen into his lap, it’d felt like a dream come true.
“You should be more careful,” his grandmother scolded. “The staff is already talking about her and why she’s here. What were you thinking? If you must have a dalliance, keep it private, and wait until after your wedding.”
“Anna isn’t a ‘dalliance.’ She’s the florist for the wedding you wanted me to take more interest in. Or have you forgotten?”
“My intention wasn’t for you to hire some urchin off the street. I assumed that your ‘interest’ would be to find a suitable home for you and your new bride.” She dipped her chin, giving him a pointed look.
“I’d be happy to stay in Sonoma, Grandmother, if you’d rather not have me here.” He preferred working his vineyard instead of playing Schmooze the Millionaire with her obnoxious, snobby peers anyway.
“That’s not what I meant. We are Radcliffes. Our name is synonymous with San Francisco. Your home is here.” She brushed a lock of hair back from her forehead. “And there are several very nice homes in Pacific Heights, even if that’s where the nouveau riche technology riffraff are moving in.”
Gabe knew exactly where this discussion was going and he didn’t want to have it again. It was a never-ending battle with his grandmother to have control over his own life. Even now, she had too much influence. He’d seen his grandmother control his parents, giving and taking in turn, using her fortune to force people to follow her will. He’d sworn not to live this way, yet here he was, ready to give in because she deemed it necessary. She might hold the purse strings of the Radcliffe fortune, but it didn’t give her the right to dictate every aspect of his future.
“I have to call my manager back and you have a luncheon to host.”
His grandmother gave him a cold laugh. “Like either of those women want me in there.” Gabe moved past her and she reached for his arm, stopping him. “You do recall there is far more at stake with your marriage to Stephanie than your desires, correct? Right now, your only concern should be keeping Stephanie satisfied. This marriage benefits us all.”
“I know, Grandmother. Trust me. Neither of us is likely to forget that our happiness doesn’t have the slightest bearing on this wedding. We are merely chess pieces in the pursuit of status.”
“Oh, stop being so dramatic. It’s not like you and Stephanie aren’t compatible. You’ve grown up together, and you care about each other.”
Gabe crossed his arms over his chest. “It’s my understanding that marriage requires more than friendship as a foundation.”
“Exactly. It requires similar backgrounds and goals. It requires commonalities, which you and Stephanie have.”
He shook his head as he retrieved his phone from the chair. “Call me crazy, but I thought love might have something to do with it.”
“Love?” she scoffed. “Love has no place in marriage for people like us, Gabriel. Emotions are fickle. Love is exactly why Stephanie’s father is in the position he is now. He married a gold-digger because he thought he loved her, then she took off with his friend. Now half of everything his family built is lost. He’s in the middle of a scandal, trying to recover from financial ruin. Louis Maurier has been too good to us and we’re not going to let him fall to ruin simply because he made the mistake of marrying for love.”
She made love sound worse than a fatal disease. “I’ll keep that in mind,” he said.
“You do that, Gabriel. Keep your eyes on the prize, and leave that girl alone. We owe Louis Maurier, and I’ll do everything in my power to make sure our debt to him is paid.”
“Even if that means sacrificing everyone else’s happiness, right?”
“Don’t fool yourself. I’ve sacrificed more for this family than you’ll ever know.”
Chapter 12
Anna took a bite of the apple–pear salad, closing her eyes as the goat cheese practically melted in her mouth. The sweet pear and tart apples complemented one another, while roasted pecans gave just a hint of earthiness. Normally rabbit food didn’t do anything for her, but Anna had to admit, this was a delicious deviation from the ramen noodles she’d boiled for herself last night.
“You really think we can figure out an elegant centerpiece that would tie in Gabe’s vineyard?” Stephanie asked. “He loves that place.”
“Absolutely.” Anna paused between bites. “We could bring in some grapevines and find grape leaves to use as an accent. You could have urns on the tables with hydrangeas for a rustic Tuscan theme.”
Stephanie’s eyes lit up with delight. “I love that idea.”
“Nonsense.”
Both women turned as Wilhelmina Radcliffe appeared, striding to the table and taking her seat. A maid appeared in the doorway with her lunch in hand as the regal woman settled herself. “A Radcliffe wedding will be the talk of all of San Francisco, an elegant affair. Grape leaves and hydrangeas, honestly, how very banal,” she scoffed, rolling her eyes at Anna. “Have you ever been to Tuscany, Miss Nolan?”
Stephanie laid her hand on Mrs. Radcliffe’s forearm, saving Anna from admitting she hadn’t. “Wilhelmina, Gabe and I decided that we want a small, simple ceremony.” Anna could see the look of wistful dreaminess in Stephanie’s eyes. Stephanie poked her fork at her salad. “We were hoping for something private, at the vineyard in Sonoma, with only family present.”
“Out of the question.” Mrs. Radcliffe replied with finality, reaching for her crystal goblet of sparkling water. “If you want simple and private, my dear, you are marrying into the wrong family.” Mrs. Radcliffe laughed, practically snapping her starched cloth napkin before laying it over her lap. “No. The wedding will be held here, at the mansion. Just like his parents’ wedding was and his sisters’ weddings will be. It’s tradition.”
Anna looked from one woman to the other. She could see the disappointment in Stephanie’s expression, but couldn’t understand why the bride-to-be would willingly give up on her wishes. Anna wouldn’t, if it were her wedding.
But it’s not, so keep your mouth shut.
Her mind’s warning couldn’t still the outrage Anna felt. “Excuse me, Mrs. Radcliffe, but if Stephanie and Gabriel have their hearts set on the vineyard, would it be so bad for them to have the wedding they want?”
Ice-blue eyes glared at her from across the table as Wilhelmina R
adcliffe dabbed her mouth delicately. “I wouldn’t expect you to understand, my dear.”
“Because I’m not rich?”
“Oh, how uncouth,” Mrs. Radcliffe said as she set her napkin aside. “I don’t have time for this sort of nonsense.”
“Anna, please,” Stephanie whispered. “Mrs. Radcliffe, of course we’ll have the wedding here at the mansion. I hadn’t understood that it meant so much to you.”
“Well, if you’re certain you don’t mind my input, I think it would be a wonderful way to honor Gabriel’s grandfather.” The older woman sniffed slightly, covering her mouth with her hand.
Anna suspected Wilhelmina Radcliffe was hiding a victorious smirk behind those elegantly manicured fingers, but she didn’t say anything. Stephanie would be the one dealing with the woman after her marriage to Gabriel. A sick, twisting feeling suddenly churned in Anna’s belly at the thought of Stephanie as Gabriel’s wife.
But Anna quickly shoved it aside. She had no right feeling jealous.
Three maids entered to clear the table before returning with steaming cups of coffee and a decadent-looking cake. Stephanie took a dainty bite of hers, and Mrs. Radcliffe met Anna’s gaze, daring her to test her insubordination further. Anna pushed the cake away, unable to stomach any more peacocking today. Mrs. Radcliffe might as well have tied a sign around Anna’s neck proclaiming she didn’t belong.
“Anna, why don’t we take a tour of the house,” Stephanie suggested. “We can decide which arrangements would look best in the rooms.” Anna nodded silently, her gaze remaining focused on that of the steely-eyed woman across from her. Stephanie clapped her hands slightly in excitement. “I’ll let Mrs. Dillard know.”
Mrs. Radcliffe nodded her approval, smiling at Stephanie as she left. Once the dining room door closed, her gaze snapped back to Anna. With careful deliberation, Mrs. Radcliffe folded her hands and laid them in her lap. She peered down her nose at Anna. Finally, Mrs. Radcliffe smiled, but there was no pleasantness in her expression. “It seems Stephanie and Gabriel both like you very much.”
