by Joleen James
Danielle regarded the window. The curtain had been dropped back into place. Was it Maria? She had to find a way to reassure Maria that she wasn't a threat, that she wouldn't be staying on once she was free to leave.
"Thanks for coming by, Sheriff," Nico said.
"I'll check back soon," Sheriff Anderson replied. "Call me if you have any more trouble."
"Thanks," Danielle said. "We will."
Nico's hand found the small of her back. They watched the sheriff until he turned out of the driveway.
"I'm sorry," Danielle said. "I want to help. Do you want me to talk to Maria? Maybe we can sort out her feelings for me together."
"No. Come on," Nico said. "I want to talk to Maria. Obviously, she's more unhappy than I thought."
Danielle took his hand. Together, they headed for Whitney House.
***
Maria slumped down on the couch. "Why did you make me come home? Kaiden was finally letting me have a turn with the game."
Nico sat down next to Maria. She'd crossed her arms over her chest, her lower lip stuck out in a classic pout. This wasn't a good start to their conversation. She was already mad at him and he hadn't even asked her any questions.
"We need to talk," he said.
"About what?" she shot back.
"About Sheriff Anderson's visit."
That got her attention. The defiance left her eyes. Her face went white and for a second, Nico thought she might throw up again.
"I saw you peeking out the upstairs window," he said in a calm tone.
"So?" The word lacked her earlier defiant tone.
"So, Sheriff Anderson has brought up some interesting observations. I'd like to run them by you."
She didn't reply.
"Sheriff Anderson thinks, and I agree with him, that the pranks: the roses, the spray paint, the note, are all on the childish side. Since only two kids live here, that really narrows down the list of suspects."
"You suspect me?" she asked with wide innocent eyes.
"Should I?" Nico countered.
"No!" Maria shot of the couch. "I would never do anything like that."
Her cheeks held high color: because she was guilty or because she was angry he'd accused her?
"Are you sure?" he asked.
"Yes, Dad," she said with an adamant shake of her head. "I swear. I didn't do it." She glanced away.
Nico wished Liz was here. Liz was so much better at sensing Maria's moods. He had no doubt that Liz would know in a glance if Maria were lying.
"Okay," he said, playing his last card. "In that case, I'll tell Sheriff Anderson to go ahead and analyze the fingerprints. Of course, that means he'll be taking prints from everyone who lives at and works for Whitney Vineyards."
He studied Maria, looking for signs of alarm, but didn't see any. Either the kid was telling the truth, or she was an accomplished liar.
"Is that it?" she asked. "Can I go now?"
He didn't have to ask where. "I'm going to work for a while. Stay with Lola until I come and get you."
"Fine." She flounced past him out the door, the screen door whacking shut behind her.
Nico watched her run down the path and disappear into Whitney House. A minute later, Danielle left the house, doing a fast walk down the path to his place.
Nico waited for her on the porch.
"Well?" she asked when she was within earshot.
"I don't know." He sat in the rocker.
Danielle took the opposite chair. "How did she react?"
"So cool it scares me. What if I've raised a pathological liar?"
"Maybe," Danielle said softly, "she's innocent."
"My gut says otherwise," Nico admitted.
"What do we do now?" Danielle asked.
"There's not much we can do," he said. "Let's hope the interaction with the sheriff has brought an end to the harassment." Changing the subject, he asked, "How did the call to your attorney go?"
Her mouth tightened. "Not good. He asked me to document everything Peter said and did, but it's basically Peter's word against mine. He still thinks I have an excellent chance of being awarded full custody. He's faxing me over the parenting plan so I can take a look at it beforehand. The hearing is a week from Thursday."
"Try not to worry," Nico said.
"I'm trying. I'm hoping that when I get full custody, he'll go away. But the side of me that really knows him believes he'll do everything he can to harass me every time he has visitation with Kaiden. It would be so much easier to pay him to go away."
"I don't agree," Nico said. "I'll never agree with that. Peter is a bully. Don't let him bully you. I'm on your side. Everyone here is on your side."
"You're a nice man, Nico." Danielle smiled. "I can see why my father loved you so much."
"He loved you, too," Nico said, wishing he could take away her pain and convince her of Phillip's love.
"Maybe," she said. "You've helped me remember some of the good things, and for that I'll always be grateful."
Were her bad memories receding? He hoped so. Nico reached for Danielle's hand. "I want to be with you. How can we get away, just the two of us?"
"Hmmm." She released a sigh of pleasure. "I don't know. It's hard with the kids."
"I want a real date with you." He leaned over, kissing her. "Friday? We could ask Lola to baby-sit."
Danielle smiled. "A date would be wonderful."
"Friday it is." Nico smiled.
Chapter Thirteen
Danielle shined the flashlight on the path in front of her. She'd looked forward to this date with Nico all week, but she'd never imagined the two of them out walking in the dark. "I can't get used to the darkness out here."
Behind her, Nico said, "We're almost there. In a few minutes your eyes will adjust."
She should know the path to the river well by now, but the darkness disorientated her. Following the beam of the light, she stayed on the path, putting one foot in front of the other. Tall wheat grass whipped at her legs. Ripening grapes mixed with the clean scent of fresh water. The air had a sultry, heavy feel, upping her awareness of Nico on every level.
"Can you see okay?" She glanced over her shoulder at him, causing her pace to slow.
He bumped into her, his fingers tangling in the back of her sweater. "Well enough." He leaned in, stealing a kiss.
Danielle laughed. "Come on." She began walking again. When she broke through the trees, she stopped. Danielle shined her light toward the river, the beam grazing the water. The river looked still and deep and black.
"No moon tonight," Nico said beside her. "Perfect."
"The entire evening has been perfect," Danielle said. The past few days had been stressful. She'd spent most of her time worried about the kids, wanting to reassure both Kaiden and Maria that they were loved. Both she and Nico had spent extra time with the pair, shirking some of their duties with Whitney Vineyards, but she felt it had been time well spent.
One day they'd even traded kids, with Nico taking Kaiden fishing, while she and Maria had a spa day. They'd painted each other's toenails and had facials. Girly things. Maria had even talked to her a little about Liz and the new boyfriend. She'd been surprised by Maria's maturity, a maturity that far surpassed Kaiden's. She knew Nico thought Maria was an emotional wreck, but she hadn't seen any signs of damage, leading her to believe the counseling had helped, making her wonder if counseling would be good for Kaiden, too.
As much as she'd loved spending time with the kids, she was ready for a little adult time, more than ready. She'd missed being alone with Nico, missed the way he looked at her, touched her, missed the way he made her feel. Soon their time together would be over and she'd be left with only memories. She wanted to make as many memories as possible.
He moved a few feet from her and spread out the blanket he'd brought along, then sat. Danielle joined him. She held the flashlight as he uncorked the wine.
"This is a bottle of Whitney Vineyards 2009 Merlot. The Wine Spectator gave this wine a ninety-six poin
t rating. The entire vintage is sold out."
"Unless you know someone." Danielle smiled.
Nico smiled back. "It's the perfect way to cap off our evening."
"Yes," she agreed.
They'd had a wonderful night, starting with dinner reservations as DeLaRenta's. She sighed, remembering how attentive Nico had been, how he'd held her hand across the table, looked into her eyes, and made her feel special. Was it an act, or was he for real?
"Here you go." Nico passed her a glass of wine.
"Thanks." Danielle took the drink from him, waiting while he filled his own glass.
"To us." Nico touched his wineglass to hers.
"To all of us." Danielle took a sip of the wine. "Mmmm, this is good. Tell me about the wine." She'd become a wine label junkie, addicted to reading the winemaker's description of the wine.
Nico took another sip, rolling the wine around in his mouth before swallowing. "Jacques could give you a better summary, but I'll take a stab at it. This merlot has hints of black cherry, a touch of currant, and a whisper of clove, but what makes it really great is the finish -- a soft hint of spicy vanilla that lingers on your tongue long after you swallow. Do you taste it?"
Danielle rolled the wine around in her mouth as Nico had done. She swallowed, waiting, and she tasted the vanilla, soft and sweet.
"I taste it," she said. "I do."
"Let me taste it." Nico leaned close, his breath on her lips, then kissed her, his tongue touching hers. "It tastes much better on you than in the glass."
His free hand cupped the back of her head and he kissed her, sliding his lips seductively across hers. "I missed you this week."
"I missed you, too," she said. "But I thought you brought me out here to stargaze." Their lips were still close together, a breath apart. "I'm thinking you want to get me drunk so you can have your way with me."
"Okay, you're right. I did bring you here to look at the stars." He laughed softly, taking her wine glass from her. He set their glasses in the grass, near the bottle before turning back to her. "Lie down."
Danielle moved to her back, Nico beside her. He reached for her hand. Overhead the sky glittered wildly. Her eyes had adjusted to the darkness. Natural starlight illuminated them.
The beauty above awed Danielle.
Nico threaded his fingers with hers.
A shiver of anticipation passed through Danielle. She turned on her side to face him. He did the same. Their faces were just inches apart. Danielle touched his cheek, loving the rough feel of the stubble on his jaw. "Thanks for bringing me here."
"You're welcome." He closed his eyes. Her fingers slid into his hair, and she massaged his head, the side of his neck, his shoulder.
"Feel good?" she asked. He worked so hard every day. She wanted to give him something back.
"God, yes."
"Roll over. I'll rub your back."
He moved to his stomach using his arms as a pillow.
Danielle straddled him, and started with his head, massaging his scalp.
Nico moaned. "That's good."
Her fingers slid out of his hair down to his neck. She worked his corded neck muscles, could feel the tight spots. Going lower, she massaged his back, using the heels of her hands to work the knots out. Nico's muscles relaxed. Danielle continued to rub his back while looking at the stars overhead.
A star blazed across the sky looking like a Fourth of July sparkler.
"A shooting star," she said with wonder.
"We have a lot of those here," Nico said without opening his eyes.
Danielle moved from him, sitting up, her arms around her knees, her eyes on the sky. "You've hooked me on stargazing. You just don't get a show like this at home."
He rolled over and braced himself on his elbows, his face lifted to the sky. She waited for him to say she was home, but instead he said, "Being out here is pretty addictive on all accounts."
Her heart sank. "It is."
Inside she scolded herself. Why was she trying to set him up, to make him say things he didn't want to say, things she wasn't even sure she wanted him to say?
A second shooting star sparked across the inky sky.
"Quick," Nico said. "Make a wish."
He pulled Danielle into the circle of his arms. She closed her eyes, but couldn't decide on a wish. What if her wish didn't come true? Instead she nestled against Nico, his heart beating under her ear, savoring the feel of his arms around her. Maybe it was enough just to be with him for now. She couldn't think about the future, not yet, not when the present was so fragile.
***
Nico pressed a kiss to Maria's forehead. Sound asleep on the couch at Whitney House, the girl didn't stir.
"Let her sleep here tonight," Danielle whispered.
Nico nodded. They'd just returned from their date, having stayed out longer than they'd originally planned. He walked from the room with Danielle to the front door. "I'll see you in the morning." He kissed her soft mouth.
"Bye," she said when they parted.
Nico walked the short distance home and let himself into his house. He didn't bother to turn on the lights, but moved straight to his bedroom, shucked his clothes, and climbed into bed, his thoughts still on Danielle and their date.
He was falling for her hard. What did the future hold for them? He'd gotten the feeling tonight that she'd wanted him to ask her to stay on, but he'd been unable to voice the words. For him, owning the vineyard still came first.
Yet there was something about Danielle he liked, really liked. Their relationship was exciting and new, but love faded. He couldn't count on them making it for the long haul. What if they split up after she inherited? He'd be left in the cold and Danielle would get the vineyard. He had no easy answer for their dilemma.
Unable to sleep, Nico rolled from the bed. He needed air. He was a halfway to the door when he heard a noise outside. At the door, he peered out.
A shadow crossed the driveway between Whitney House and the barrel/storage facility. Nico went back to his room, threw on some sweats, then grabbed a flashlight before letting himself outside.
On silent feet he walked down the path, hoping to at last catch the mischief-maker.
Before he reached the barrel/storage facility he heard voices, children's voices, followed by a hiss. Spray paint? Nico rounded the corner of the building and turned on the flashlight, the bright beam hitting the offenders.
Kaiden and Maria.
"Dad!" Maria exclaimed. She was dressed in her nightgown, her feet bare.
Kaiden dropped the spray paint and the can hit the gravel with a metallic clank. A big black G had already been painted on the side of the building, and Nico had no doubt what the rest of the message would have read: Go Home.
Kaiden broke for the house.
"Not so fast." Nico took off, his fingers catching hold of Kaiden's pajama top.
"Let go," Kaiden cried, twisting his body in an attempt to break free.
"Running away isn't going to do you any good," Nico said. "You've both been caught red-handed." He let go of Kaiden.
"You don't understand," Maria said. "It's not what it looks like. I didn't do anything."
"Is that so? Do you understand how serious it is to vandalize, to harass? Come on, both of you." He started toward the house, the kids behind him.
Once inside, Nico ordered, "On the couch, both of you, and stay put until I bring Danielle down."
Kaiden and Maria skedaddled, landing with twin thumps on the couch.
Maria glared daggers at Kaiden. "This is your fault. I told you not to do it."
"Shut up," Kaiden said, his lower lip trembling.
"Both of you be quiet," Nico said. "Don't either of you move a muscle until I return with Danielle."
"Don't tell my mom," Kaiden pleaded, his eyes wide in his pale face. "Please."
Nico shook his head. Did Kaiden really think he'd keep a secret like this? "I have to. I would never keep this from your mother."
"But..."
Kaiden cried.
Nico held his hand up. "No, not another word until we're both here."
Upstairs, he let himself into Danielle's room. He couldn't see her in the darkness, so he felt the outside wall, flipping the switch, flooding the hall with light.
The light woke her, and she sat up. Her tousled hair reminded him of how she'd looked after he'd kissed her, had his hands in her hair.
"Nico?" she said with worry.
"It's okay." He sat on the bed. "I just caught our little vandals in the act."
"Vandals?" she repeated, still groggy. Her eyes widened. "Maria and Kaiden?"
"Kaiden was doing the spray painting, but Maria was with him. They're waiting for us downstairs."
"Kaiden? But why?" She got out of bed. "Did he say anything?"
"I didn't give him a chance."
She sighed. "A part of me is relieved it's Kaiden, another part of me is angry. Why would he do it?"
Nico touched her face. "Let's hear the kids out, find out what's really going on in their heads."
She nodded.
Placing his arm around her shoulders, he said, "Come on. The kids are probably terrified."
He helped her into her robe. Together they went down the stairs, ready to confront the mischief-makers.
***
Danielle's eyes went directly to Kaiden the second she walked into the living room. He sat on one end of the couch, hugging a pillow to his chest. His face was pale, his eyes too big for his face. Her earlier anger dissolved. Kaiden was obviously much more troubled than she realized.
"What's going on?" She settled into an overstuffed chair across from the kids. Maria stared down at her lap as if her shame wouldn't allow her to raise her eyes. "Why would you try and scare me like that?" Danielle asked Kaiden. "You know how upset I've been. I'm so disappointed, Kaiden."
"I want to go home," Kaiden blurted out. "I want you and Dad back together. You made me leave my friends. I thought if you were scared, you'd want to leave, that you'd want Dad to take care of you."
"Oh, honey," Danielle said. "Life doesn't work that way. You know we have to stay here ninety days. After that, I told you I would take you home."
"But I saw you kissing Nico," Kaiden said. "You love him now."
His words caught her off guard. She wanted to deny the accusation, but couldn't. Her feelings from earlier tonight were still smarting from when Nico didn't tell her she was home.
