St. Helena Holiday

by Grace Conley

  Text copyright ©2016 by the Author.

  This work was made possible by a special license through the Kindle Worlds publishing program and has not necessarily been reviewed by Marina Adair. All characters, scenes, events, plots and related elements appearing in the original St. Helena Vineyard Series remain the exclusive copyrighted and/or trademarked property of Marina Adair, or their affiliates or licensors.

  For more information on Kindle Worlds: http://www.amazon.com/kindleworlds

  St. Helena Holiday

  By Grace Conley

  Dear Readers,

  Welcome to the St. Helena Vineyard’s Kindle World, where romance is waiting to be uncorked and authors from around the globe are invited to share their own stories of love and happily ever after. Set in the heart of wine country, this quaint town and its cast of quirky characters were the inspiration behind my St Helena Vineyard series, and the Hallmark Channel movie, AUTUMN IN THE VINEYARD. I want to thank these incredible authors for spending time in St. Helena, and all of you readers who are adventurous enough to take the journey with us.

  I hope you enjoy your time here as much as we have.

  Warmly,

  Marina Adair

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  Thank you to Marina Adair for creating the funny, sexy, charming world of the St. Helena Vineyard series and for deciding to share all the fun in a Kindle Worlds project.

  Marina -- thanks for taking a chance on a newbie!

  To my lovely author friends from the St. Helena Vineyards Kindle Worlds launch of 2016 – it was such a rewarding experience to work with all of you. Thank you to Donna Alward, Kate Allure, Kelsey Browning, Mollie Cox Bryan, T.M. Cromer, Jen Doyle, Pamela Gibson, Sharon Hamilton, Cary Hart, Lori Mack, Deb McNaught, M.K. Meredith, Kelly Moran, KT Roberts, Jill Sanders, Stephanie St. Klaire, and Reina Torres.

  Thank you to SVRWA friends Kristina Wright for your patient help with editorial, and to Lisa Messegee of The Write Designer for the gorgeous book cover.

  And finally, to my amazing husband, Larry – your love and encouragement keep me going. We had our own vineyard wedding, and it still feels likes yesterday, my sweetheart.

  XOXO, Grace

  Chapter 1

  Chiara DeLuca dug in her platform-heeled boots, balled up her fists inside the pockets of her army-green anorak, and stared down her arch nemesis of the last fourteen years.

  A life sized fiberglass reindeer statue.

  Or more like it, one ancient – seen better days, in her opinion – fiberglass reindeer statue and a dizzying array of miniature ornament-sized copies of the evil thing attached to sprays of greenery on every single lamppost in downtown St. Helena.

  Chiara squinted at the stage that had been erected near the center of Community Park, where her Great Aunt Chi Chi and dapper old Charles Baudouin sat on folding chairs holding hands, looking all the more like sixteen year old sweethearts than the scions of two Napa Valley vineyard families.

  A couple of age-indeterminate senior ladies were seated to Chi Chi’s right, decked out in as many red and green sequins as a Vegas showgirl Christmas revue. One of them had blinking mini-lights strung all over her wheelchair and fuzzy antlers fixed to each side of its’ frame with holiday ball-patterned Washi tape.

  All three ladies wore matching t-shirts that said, “Randolph Reigns!” with a cute cartoon depicting a dancing Randolph the Reindeer, the town’s official holiday mascot, who stood planted with eight other springing fiberglass critters and a pink-cheeked Santa statue.

  Chiara sighed, wishing she could get into the holiday spirit, too. After the Wedding Debacle of the Century back home in Portland, she’d welcomed Great Aunt Chi Chi’s invitation to come stay in St. Helena for the winter. Almost instantly, it was announced that the Napa Valley DeLuca’s were readying to travel to their Italy property for the holidays, and that Chiara would come to California to “help out” as needed. Chiara quickly found that Great Aunt Chi Chi’s idea of helping out meant filling up every second of her day. Within days of saying yes, Chiara found herself booked in a suite in Cousin Nate’s elegant hotel, The Napa Grand, and started a stack receiving cards and emails with to-do’s from all the cousins.

  Chiara hoped to just hide out and solve her family’s financial crisis, which they’d been too humiliated by to share with Chi Chi.

  “You need a fresh start, my darling namesake, and St. Helena is famous for being a place where people become lucky in love,” declared Chi Chi as she handed Chiara a dainty lace-trimmed handkerchief, for all of the extended DeLuca family had been there to see her left at the alter by her no-good fiancée, who managed a swift exit before a soccer team-sized crew of male DeLuca cousins could tackle him.

  Chi Chi used her cane to lean in close to Chiara then, and stage-whispered. “You are my DeLuca Daredevil, darling. Never forget that.”

  Her parents and high-school aged sister purposely neglected to tell the Napa DeLuca’s that they were in dire financial straits, and that what Chiara really needed was time, and quiet, so she could help plan how to fight back.

  That left-out detail is why she found herself up at the town’s announcement of their holiday proceedings this morning, instead of quietly nursing a pumpkin spice latte with a shot of something stronger than coffee added at her other cousin’s popular café, The Sweet and Savory Bistro.

  After a night spent up crying and trying to figure out how to save her family from ruin and plotting the Ninety-nine Most Painful Forms of Accidental-looking Demise for her evil cheat of an ex, Chiara found herself yearning inexplicably for both a man and that coffee. Not in that order.

  A real man, sensitive and sexy, would be amazing.

  But the coffee might just save her life.

  She was jaded, probably for the first time ever. After all, she hadn’t gotten lucky with Frank for several months before he left her at the altar. Thinking back, she should have realized he was getting his bells jingled elsewhere while setting himself up for a hostile takeover of her family business.

  Chiara spent three days packing and shipping one hundred-and-seven wedding presents back to the givers right before setting out in her Prius on the long drive down to St. Helena, even though she could barely spare the postage.

  On one of her numerous trips to the post office, Chiara asked for a piece of the red-and-white tape that said, “Fragile.” Instead of affixing it to the package she was returning, she plastered it on her jacket like a nametag and wore it around for the rest of the day.

  At least she still had her sense of humor.

  Suddenly someone pressed a disposable cup of coffee in her hand. The heavenly smell of pumpkin and cinnamon wafted out of the lid.

  “Thought you might need this,” smiled her cousin Gabe’s wife, Regan. Their thirteen-year-old daughter, Holly, bounced beside her, decked out in a fancy red-and-green dress and a headband with light-up antlers.

  Chiara started inhaling the coffee, choking when Holly announced, “we’re so excited about Randolph’s book.”

  And choked a second time when Regan leaned into her ear and said quietly, “we’re so glad you’re here to help look after things. I felt so bad about giving up chairing the holiday ball. And you might just meet someone wonderful there.”

  “Ball? As in, all these ornaments kind of ball? Or a dance kind of ball?”

  Regan frowned. “Didn’t Nona Chi Chi tell you?”

  Both women looked over to where Chi Chi and Charles were deep in conversation.

  Feeling their eyes on her, Chi Chi turned and slowly aimed the wattage of her biggest smile at Chiara.

  “You’re in for it,” muttered Regan.

  “In for what, exactly?”

  “The Chi Chi treatment,” said Regan.

&nbs
p; “What?”

  “You’re related to her by blood. Don’t you know?” Regan gave her a sympathetic look. “She’s an Italian grandmother.”

  “You mean I’ve just gotten an offer I can’t refuse?”

  “So have you seen the book yet, Cousin Chiara?” interrupted Holly, eyes shining bright. “It’s about a mama cat and kittens who need adopting at holiday time, and Randolph the Reindeer helps carry them to the shelter so they can find a forever home!”

  Chiara cringed inwardly at the mention of Randolph. Realizing her young cousin’s excitement, she arranged her face into cheerful interest.

  “It’s to benefit the St. Paws Animal Rescue,” explained Regan, her voice going up. “Holly wrote and illustrated it. It will be out on all the e-book platforms, and we ordered commemorative paper copies to sell at the ball. You’ll have everything you need!”

  Chiara thought that she just received pumpkin spice bribery.

  “Everyone’s worried for you,” said Regan quietly, as Holly ducked off to say hi to a group of girls she knew from school. “Frank sucks. And I’ve been trying to convince my husband and his brothers not to go all Italian male. You need to be able to deal with this in your own way.”

  “Oh, I’m going all Italian female on him,” joked Chiara. “Once I find him.” She hated the scandal he put her in, hated him, but most of all, hated that he took her away from her family in Portland at holiday time.

  Regan’s blue eyes twinkled as she tucked a strand of her chestnut brown hair behind her ear. “You’re a DeLuca, all right. And you’re a survivor. You just need to figure out what to do with that. And when you’re ready, know that Nona Chi Chi’s not wrong. You could use a good man, someone down to earth.”

  Chiara thought that down to earth guys had never been her thing. In her couple of relationships in college and right after, she’d gone for go-go successful types.

  That’s why Frank had taken her in so easily. On the outside, at least, he was a go-go successful type.

  “Look, they’re calling Holly up on stage,” proud Regan nudged Chiara back into the present.

  “If only reindeers could really fly,” joked Chiara. She’d actually appreciate Randolph. He could get her out of here.

  Regan gave her shoulders a sympathetic squeeze. “You’ll be fine.”

  “I’m not so sure.” Chiara’s tell-tale DeLuca brown eyes clouded.

  Chiara and Regan clapped wildly as Holly was introduced, proudly displaying a copy of her book that would help fund St. Paws’ work in helping difficult-to-place pets find families.

  “It’s Christmas time,” said Regan. “Wishes actually can come true. Look at me and Gabe.”

  Chiara thought of her dashing oldest cousin Gabe and his beautiful family. She knew Gabe and Regan got together at Christmas time.

  But Regan had moved here, looking to set down roots for her and Holly. Chiara was just a visitor, here for a few weeks. In that time, she planned to figure out a way to save her family’s vineyard. And go Destructo Italian Woman on Frank.

  Not in that order.

  “No matter what, Cousin,” Regan said, snicking away Chiara’s empty coffee cup with a gloved hand. “No matter what, just remember – it’s Christmas.”

  Some shuffling around occurred onstage, and the three old ladies burst into loud applause as tall, dark-haired Adam Baudouin, new Battalion Chief of the St. Helena Fire Department, took the stage.

  Battalion Chief Baudouin cleared his throat, and looked directly at Chiara.

  “I’m proud today to announce not only our town’s traditional Tree Lighting and the Cut and Run, but also a new charity event, the Holiday Hearts Ball, which will help fund scholarships for needy students to attend St. Vincent’s Academy.”

  In reality, the audience of townsfolk burst into thunderous applause. In Chiara’s head, she heard a pin dropping.

  “I’d like to announce the chairs of our inaugural event, Miss Chiara DeLuca and one of St.. Helena’s own, Firefighter Benjamin Archer.”

  Hmm. Archer.

  Chiara found herself smiling and walking up onstage, her DeLuca grit allowing her to move forward.

  She might not have expected or wanted this moment, but she owned it.

  A lanky, dark-haired man in the dress uniform of the St. Helena Fire Department followed Chiara up onstage. She glanced over at him, finding his profile...familiar.

  Adam Baudouin continued on, “we are extremely lucky because for this first year of the event, Chi Chi DeLuca of Ryo Wines has decided to fund salary-matching so our chosen event co-chairs can be released on leave for three weeks from their places of business, the St. Helena Fire Department and the Sunstone Ridge Winery of Portland.”

  The prototypical ripped fireman’s body that she heard about from all her female DeLuca relatives (except Frankie, who made fun of them because her big brother Adam was one of them) came from not only the hard work of being a hero, Chiara knew, but from disciplined gym time and the twice-daily jogs from Fire Station #1 up Main Street, turning at the Fashion Flower and cutting behind the Sheriff’s Department through Community Park passing the Senior Center and the Veteran’s Hall.

  Forget Pacific Standard Time. Ladies from the yoga pants-wearing set at Get Bent over to the old biddies at the Senior Center set their watches by Fireman Jog Time.

  Chiara felt a frisson of appreciation as he stood at a close, but polite distance from her.

  She blinked in recognition.

  It was the last man she ever wanted to see again.

  No, she corrected, the last man would be Frank. This was the last BOY Chiara ever wanted to see, but all grown up.

  And wearing a button that claimed Randolph the Reindeer Rocks!

  The neighbor boy who at age twelve, when she and her folks were visiting the Napa DeLuca’s for the holidays, got her in trouble over a stolen Randolph the Reindeer statue. Then dared to kiss her, which got her family calling her The DeLuca Daredevil.

  Ben Archer’s cerulean blue eyes met her gaze. He looked cool, official, like he expected her to be there. But there was something else in his blue eyes.

  Anticipation. And a hint of amusement at the whole affair.

  He knew, the rat. Great Aunt Chi Chi set this whole chair thing up and he knew about it.

  Chiara gritted her teeth and dialed her smile wattage to Incinerate Mode.

  She and Ben stepped forward in turn to meet the public, accept their certificates, and shake hands with Battalion Chief Baudouin and the other dignitaries on stage. Someone plopped flashing reindeer headbands onto both of their heads.

  Chiara made sure it looked graceful when she accidentally-on-purpose bore down on Ben’s foot with a platformed heel.

  She’d show him the DeLuca Daredevil in action.

  CHAPTER 2

  “Cheech,” Ben said in a low tone, low enough that the rest of the crowd couldn’t pick up on it. With his good arm, he tried to take her hand and lead her down off the stage in a show of gallantry, but Chiara neatly sidestepped him, her hips swaying a fast cha-cha dance in her haste to disappear back into the crowd.

  Behind Ben’s head, he distinctly heard the word, “Rookie!” as Battalion Chief Baudouin coughed and hacked into his hand.

  Adam raised both eyebrows innocently as Ben glared back at him while still moving forward. Ben caught himself just short of falling off the stage and smiled at all the well-wishers in the crowd as he pursued Chiara.

  “Chiara!” he called to the back of her flashing-antlered mane of blonde hair.

  “Who is that?” he heard Regan DeLuca say to Chiara, a look of concern flashing over her beautiful face.

  “Oh, no one,” said the object of his youthful fantasies loudly.

  A woman on a mission, Chiara swept Regan DeLuca and her teenaged daughter, Molly, each into one of those one-armed kiss-kiss girl hugs.

  Her movements were jerky, stilted.

  She turned roughly as he caught up to them. Chiara addressed Molly sweetly. “You’r
e a reindeer expert now that you’ve written your book!” she called out. “So, an old joke, kiddo, which of Santa’s reindeer has bad manners?”

  “Oh, I know that one!” Molly laughed. “Rude-olph!”

  “Exactly!” exclaimed Chiara, angling a bright glance at Ben. “See you later, Regan, see you later, Molly! Gotta run now!”

  Regan and Molly looked at Chiara, then at Ben, twin sets of eyebrows raising.

  “Gotta run, really!” Chiara just managed to avoid having her voice go up. Her brown eyes blazed fire back at him as she shook her head and hightailed it down Hunt Avenue towards Main Street, muttering something about reindeer.

  For a second, Ben appreciated the sight of Reindeer Girl’s swaying tail. He caught a whiff of her perfume as she retreated, something honey, vanilla, and cinnamon and altogether sinful. Lost in thought for a moment, he thought of baking holiday cookies with her…in the nude.

  Ouch!

  A little old lady goosed him one good with a rhinestone-bedecked cane. “Cute,” she said, waving the cane at his custom fiberglass arm cast that was covered in tiny fire engines.

  “The doctor treats a lot of kids, had the material,” explained Ben.

  “Well, I’m sure it’s getting all the ladies – young and old – inflamed,” said the old lady, adjusting her bifocals for a better ogle of his upper torso. “Especially that young lady, who is getting away.”

  Irritated, Ben set off in hot pursuit of Chiara. She clomped down the sidewalk, stopping only to rip the light-strobing antlers out of her tawny gold hair and thrust them into the hands of a delighted kid in a Ladybug uniform.

  “Cheech, will you just give a guy a minute?”

  “No! I’m not doing this with you!”

  “Chiara.” He caught up to her as she rounded the corner at Stan’s Soup & Service Station.

  She executed a three hundred and sixty degree turn, causing him to jump back to protect his hurt arm. “Whoa, no roundhouses, please, no matter how mad you are!” He cradled the cast.