Passionate Harvest (13 page)

Dominic arrived some thirty minutes later accompanied by his brother.

“I’m going to take Jake on a tour of the vineyard. Lucy, would you like to join us?”

“I’d be interested in hearing your thoughts on some of our plans. Jo, why don’t you join us, too?” In the spirit of inclusion Lucy accepted and extended the invitation to Jo. The other girl had been working there for quite a while and must have some ideas of her own to contribute to the success of the business.

Jo’s face flushed with a pleased rosy pink. “Well, if you think it would be helpful?”

“Lucy’s right. It’d be great if you joined us.” Dominic agreed with Lucy’s suggestion.

Together they made their way to the shop and café area. Jo carried a notepad and pen ready to scribble down anything which struck the four of them as they toured the site.

The morning sped past as they looked at the site and walked out to the vines. Lucy decided she liked Jake as he listened thoughtfully to their plans and made quite a few helpful and intelligent suggestions. Jo too, appeared more relaxed and animated at being included in the tour.

They ended up back at the café at lunchtime. 

“It was nice meeting you, Jo.” Jake shook hands with the other girl. “I’ll see you at dinner tonight, Lucy.” He shook Lucy’s hand and kissed her cheek as he said goodbye. 

“We’ll call for you at about seven.” Dominic added in a low voice as Jo walked away. 

Her heart gave an absurd skip of delight at the prospect of spending more time with him, even if Sasha and Jake were to join them. She’d been pleased with how she’d coped during the tour. They had been perfectly businesslike all morning.

Isabelle spotted her as soon as she walked into the café to grab a sandwich for her lunch.

“The kids worked out really well here at the weekend.” She took Lucy’s money and added it to the cash register.

“It looks as if you’re getting busier in here during the week too.”

There were definitely more customers in the tea room than there had been the previous week.

“I think word is getting out now as the weekend visitors are telling people about us. The shop takings are up too.” Isabelle handed her back her change.

“That’s good.”

Isabelle wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. “You and Dom were getting on like a house on fire Friday when Bob and I left. What’s happening there then?”

“We’re just getting to know one another, that’s all.” She knew her face had flushed.

“Hmm, hmm that must be why he kept looking at you the way a starving man would eye a bacon sandwich this morning when you all popped in here.” Isabelle laughed. “Don’t worry your secrets safe with me.”

She laughed again as Lucy shook her head in mock despair and departed for the safety of the office.

Lucy called her aunt as soon as she was back at her desk.

“I have an appointment for tomorrow morning.” Maggie informed her.

“I’m glad.” She hoped the doctor would be able to help her aunt. She didn’t like the way she appeared to have lost weight and the grey –blue tinge to her skin.

“So no more pestering,” Maggie said tartly. “And if it’s a waste of the doctor’s time I shall blame you.”

Lucy smiled as she rang off. Whatever else might be wrong with Maggie, her tongue was as sharp as ever.

Dominic hadn’t said where he planned to take them for dinner. She stood in front of her meagre make-do wardrobe and sighed. Most of her clothes were still in transit from Tenerife and even if they had arrived in time there wasn’t anything especially dressy in there. Sasha didn’t appear to be the sort of girl who would dress down for an evening out so Lucy selected her nicest dress from the wardrobe and resigned herself to feeling underdressed next to Dominic’s sister-in-law.

To her surprise, when they arrived to pick her up Jake drove a hired saloon car with Sasha next to him. Her heart thumped as she joined Dominic on the rear seat of the car. His leg brushed against hers as she reached around to fasten her seat belt.

“I wasn’t sure what to wear, not that I’ve much choice as my things are still in transit.” Lucy apologised as Jake set the reference on the sat nav.

“You look lovely, as always, and perfect for where we’re going.” Dominic gave her hand a small squeeze sending tingles of delight along her arm. He kept her hand in his as Jake followed the sat nav’s directions. With her hand in his and the length of his thigh pressing gently against her leg every cell in Lucy’s body flared onto red alert.

“Where are we going? Or is it a surprise?” She asked gazing out at the passing scenery as she tried to work out where they might be going.

“Dominic recommended this Italian eatery in the next village so we thought we’d try it out.” Jake answered.

“Sounds lovely. I like Italian food.” Lucy caught his gaze in the rear view mirror and smiled her approval.

Sasha hadn’t spoken a word since Lucy had entered the car. She didn’t join in the conversation as Dominic, Jake and Lucy discussed Italian food and wine.

Finally, Jake pulled into a car park next to a small white painted building in a pretty village. There were only a few vacant spaces and through the brightly illuminated windows Lucy could see the restaurant was already quite full.

“We called ahead and booked a table,” Dominic said, as if sensing her thoughts.

“It looks pretty popular.” Jake joined them as they got out of the car. Sasha followed a second or two later, her pretty face sulky. Lucy wondered if she and Jake had been arguing. They certainly didn’t seem very comfortable together.

The restaurant was quite full but they were soon seated at a table and Jake insisted on ordering a bottle of wine while they decided on what to order from the menu.

Surrounded by happy chatter from the other diners and the delicious aroma of Italian cuisine Lucy tried to relax. Sasha pounced on the wine as soon as the waiter had gone and filled her glass almost to the brim.

Lucy noticed Dominic cast a glance at Jake but he didn’t comment. She tried starting a conversation with Jake and Sasha by asking questions about California and the family winery and vineyard. With help from Dominic they managed to get chatting despite Sasha’s continued silence. Any attempt to include her met with a monosyllabic grunt.

Sasha’s wine glass had been emptied and refilled several times by the time the starters arrived. Lucy wished the atmosphere at their table was better. The food looked and smelled delicious but she could have cut the tension between Sasha and Jake with her butter knife.

Both the wine bottle and the conversation were dry when the second course arrived.

“Another bottle of wine, please.” Sasha proffered the empty bottle to the waiter.

“Sasha, I think you’ve had enough for now.” Jake shook his head when the bewildered waiter looked questioningly at him.

“I’ll have another friggin’ bottle if I want one.” Sasha’s voice cut above the hum of conversation in the restaurant, temporarily causing a lull in the stream of sound.

“I think everyone heard you.” Jake’s voice was icy.

“Good.” Sasha hissed.

Lucy wished they’d stop. The whole scene made her feel acutely uncomfortable. Next to her, Dominic sat rigid with tension. It rolled towards her in big waves, stifling her breath and making the fine hairs on her arms prickle with unease.

“Can we save this argument for later? We’re in company.” Jake addressed his wife.

“Honey, I couldn’t care less if we were on Oprah,” Sasha retorted. “I thought this trip to England would be a blast. Sightseeing, shopping, you know, fun! Instead it’s like being home with nothing but winery talk all the time and it’s not even your winery. Half of it is hers. Guess I married the wrong brother, at least he has a half share in something.”

Lucy’s starter roiled in her stomach at the venom in Sasha’s voice. 

“Sasha, this is not the time or the place for this.” Jake’s hand tightened around the handle of his knife sending his knuckles white.

“Oh well, pardon me. I think I’ve had enough for now.” She flung her napkin down onto the table before wobbling out of the restaurant on her high heels.

“Go, take her home. Lucy and I will grab a cab.” Dominic nodded at his brother.

“I’m so sorry about this, Lucy.” Jake muttered an apology and hurried after his wife.

Lucy took a sip of her drink, her limbs shaking after the argument she’d just witnessed.

“I’m sorry you got dragged into the middle of a family drama,” Dominic said.

“It was hardly your fault. Do you think they’ll be all right?” Lucy’s appetite had completely vanished and she wished the waiter would come and clear their untouched plates.

“I’m not sure. This might be one argument too many, even for them.” Dominic raked his hair back from his forehead in a frustrated gesture. He signalled to the waiter who was loitering nearby.

After paying and assuring the restaurant staff that there had been nothing wrong with the meal, Dominic ordered a taxi and they moved to the bar area while they waited for the car.

Lucy stood, awkwardly clutching her bag. Dominic appeared disinclined to make conversation, preferring instead to stare moodily through the window at the car park. She guessed he wished she wasn’t there, then he could have made his own way home without having to drop her off on the way. Having her witness his brother and sister-in-laws stormy relationship was uncomfortable for both of them.

A white taxi finally pulled up near the door and Lucy followed Dominic out to the car. He opened the rear door for her before getting in the front to sit beside the driver.

“I might be late in the office tomorrow. I want to go with Aunt Maggie when she has her doctor’s appointment.” She couldn’t help feeling hurt that he appeared to be shutting her out. Choosing to sit in front, instead of next to her in the back, added physical distance to the emotional gulf spreading between them.

“Of course, take all the time you need.”

She should have been pleased with his reply but the impersonal tone with which he delivered it left her dissatisfied and angry. It wasn’t that she expected him to discuss his family’s issues with her but he didn’t have to push her away, as if the scene in the restaurant had somehow been her fault.

* * *

Dominic frowned at the dark countryside outside the car as they drove towards Lucy’s house. The scene in the restaurant had been typical Sasha. He’d hoped things might have improved between his brother and his wife over the last year but judging from tonight’s performance nothing had changed.

He knew Lucy was upset with him, and he couldn’t blame her. She had to think his feelings towards her had cooled. On the contrary, he’d deliberately sat in the front of the car because his feelings towards her were too strong. If he’d been next to her on the back seat, with the delicate scent of her perfume teasing his senses and the tempting lush warmth of her body next to his he would have been unable to resist her. 

He hated having to leave her at Maggie’s when all he really wanted was to take her back to his cottage to the shelter of his bed and make love to her the way they had on Saturday. Instead he didn’t know what would await him back home, more arguments or his brother and sister-in-law might have gone.

“You can drop me here, thank you.”

Lost in his own thoughts he hadn’t noticed they had turned into Maggie’s street. The car halted and Lucy opened the cab door and got out. Dominic scrambled to release his seatbelt to say goodnight to her before she disappeared inside the house.

“Lucy, wait.” 

She paused at the end of the driveway, the tan on her delicate face paled by the moonlight.

“I’m truly sorry about tonight. I don’t know what I’m going to find when I get home.” He took her hands in his hoping she’d understand.

“I hope everything is okay with Sasha and Jake.” She looked up at him and he lowered his head to kiss her.

A soft sigh escaped her, blowing soft against his mouth and he wished more than ever that he could spend the rest of the night in her arms. She extracted her fingers from his touch.

“Goodnight, Dominic.”

He watched her walk away into the house before returning to the cab feeling as if part of his heart had left with her.

Jake and Sasha’s hire car was gone from outside his cottage when he arrived home. Paying the cabbie emptied his wallet but money wasn’t his prime concern as he wondered if just one, or both of them had left.

Mutley pattered to meet him as soon as he opened the back door. The cottage was ablaze with light as if someone had gone through every room in the house switching them on. The big dog nuzzled his hand as Dominic entered the kitchen.

Jake was seated next to the kitchen table, a bottle of Dominic’s thirty year old malt whisky and a glass tumbler in front of him.

“She’s gone.”

Dominic took a glass from the cupboard and sat opposite his brother. “I’m sorry, bro.”

Jake picked up his whisky glass, nursing it in his hands. “It’s been coming for a while.”

“Where’s she gone?” Dominic poured himself a shot.

His brother shrugged. “Some hotel near the airport. She said she would try and get an early flight home.”

“Will you go after her?” He picked his words carefully.

Jake leaned back in his chair, his gaze fixed on the contents of the glass in his hands. “No, not this time. This time it’s over. Finished.”

Dominic took a sip from his whisky and waited to see what else his brother had to say. He had known this day would come right from when Sasha had started to work at his parent’s winery. At first, like Jake he’d only seen Sasha’s aloof beauty and, when she chose, her undoubted charm. It hadn’t been too long though before he’d seen the other side of her nature, the grasping, ambitious, jealous, avaricious streak. Then she’d tried to use her charms on him when she’d thought he might offer a better financial prospect.

His brother downed the contents of his glass, grimacing as the liquor hit the back of his throat. He took the bottle and poured another shot.

“I guess I owe you an apology,” Jake said.

Dominic eyed him cautiously. “What for?”

“You tried to tell me, about Sasha. Ages back, before we got married.”