"If I don't go back to North Carolina and play the next series of home games I'm in breach of my contract and it will cost me upward of four million."
"Wow. I can't even fathom that kind of money. But the bottom line is your team obviously needs you."
"My family needs me too. And I'd be willing to give up that kind of cash if it was just about me." He hesitated. "But right now the vineyard is in financial trouble and I might need that money to help bail it out."
"Financial trouble?" Stunned, her arms dropped to her sides. "But the wine is so good."
"It's not the wine." His long fingers nervously tapped the tabletop. "My dad and Ryan have worked really hard on getting the blends just right and several have won multiple awards at the Washington State and Seattle wine awards. Everything else at the winery is a little run-­down and needs revitalizing. But the biggest problem is when Ryan and Declan went through the finances, they discovered someone has been stealing money."
"Stealing!"
He nodded. "As generous as my folks have always been, it's hard to imagine someone took advantage of them like that."
"Any idea who took it?"
"None yet. They're still trying to figure it out. Whoever took it was really smart about it. There's no paper trail to follow, and the winery is currently in the red. That's why I have to go back to North Carolina."
"I completely understand." Reality reared its head. Maybe she understood but she was sure someone else wouldn't. "Did you tell Nicole?"
"Yeah." He barked a harsh laugh. "And believe me, that did not go over well. Which brings me to my favor."
"Ask away." How could she refuse him a small favor after he'd gone to so much trouble to set up a prom for her?
"Remember . . ." He gave her a smile that turned her knees to water. "I need you to say yes."
"I'll do my best."
"After I told Nicole I had to leave for a couple of days she broke down. She cried so hard it killed me. There's no way in hell I can just walk away and leave her like that. I don't know what's going on with her but I can't just desert her. And since that's obviously a major issue, I'm taking her with me."
"And you want me to give her some extra credit work to take along?"
"Not exactly." He stood and gently clasped his hands around her arms. "I want you to come with us."
"You want me to what?" A quiver of disbelief mixed with fascination tingled at the back of her neck.
"I want you to get on a plane and go with us to North Carolina. Before the games I'll have practice. I'll be gone for hours each day and I can't just leave Nicki alone in a strange city. She's too unstable right now."
"Jordan, I can't just walk away from everything."
"It's spring break. You have a week off."
"But I have other responsibilities. I have to take Mrs. B grocery shopping today. And tomorrow she has a doctor appointment and-­"
"And you're wonderful for taking such good care of her. But she has children in the area who appear to be taking advantage of you."
"I don't think of it that way."
"I know." He kissed her forehead. "That's what makes you so wonderful."
"I can't leave Ziggy."
"Ziggy can come along." His warm hands slowly caressed her arms. "I know you don't owe me anything. And if I weren't so worried about Nicki, I wouldn't ask you to drop everything to help me out. But my sister means everything to me. And right now there's something going on with her that I can't figure out. It might help if she had a woman to talk to."
"You're a very hard person to say no to," she admitted.
"Then please don't." He flashed her a cheesy grin. "Pretty please? With chocolate-­covered Rice Krispies treats on top?"
Want, need, guilt, and a dash of excitement warred within her heart. She agreed that taking Nicole with him was a good idea. Also, it might help the girl if she had someone objective to talk to. But if held at gunpoint, Lucy would have to admit those weren't the only reasons she was giving his request some consideration. "Give me a couple of hours to arrange things."
"So you'll go?" A hopeful smile tilted those masculine lips.
"I'll go."
Relief flashed through his eyes just before he lifted her off her feet and kissed her senseless.
What the hell was he doing?
Strapped in the seat of a charter jet across the aisle from Lucy and Nicole with Ziggy stretched out at their feet, Jordan questioned his decision to bring the whole gang with him back to North Carolina just so he could play a couple of games.