Wanted A Real Family(19)
The men loaded boxes into both trucks, and then Connie and Tony left. After checking in with Kaitlyn, Jase stopped at Sara’s station again.
“They’re a nice couple,” she said.
“Unlike a lot of other marriages, theirs seems to work. Tony and I cross paths fairly often. They’re good friends. I was surprised to see them here. Yet I shouldn’t be. Connie is all about helping kids.” He paused and looked at his watch. “Well, I’d better get going. I have a meeting and I don’t want to be late. I’ll see you back at the vineyard,” he told Sara, his intense gaze making his words a promise.
* * *
The wine cellar was a perfect fifty-five degrees late Saturday evening. It was also silent and a world away from the rest of the vineyard. Jase studied a row of tilted racks until he found first one bottle of wine, a Pinot Noir, and then another, a Merlot. He thought about seeing Sara this morning. He couldn’t get her off his mind. He was going to keep his word to her. They were going to have a talk.
The heavy wooden door to the basement room creaked and Jase was surprised to see his father walk in. He was holding a clipboard.
“I thought you’d retired for the night.” Often his father ate his dinner in his room, then stayed there for the rest of the evening.
“No, I was talking to Liam about this year’s crop. How was your meeting earlier with the marketing company?”
“It went well. I think they’re what we need. They’ll start building our brand on social media, as well as in traditional advertising.”
“Build our brand,” Ethan scoffed. “We’ve had a brand for seventy years.”
“We have. But branding is different now. It’s about catchphrases, memorable sound bites, reaching the most people with the smallest amount of effort.”
“Go with them, then, if you think they’ll agree with our marketing budget.”
“What are you doing down here so late?” Jase asked.
“Checking off the wine I want to use for the party next weekend. Don’t forget to dust the mothballs off your tux.”
Every June his father hosted a soiree that brought together vineyard owners, neighbors and any contacts his father found beneficial. It was black tie and evening wear all the way.
Ethan nodded to the bottles of wine in Jase’s hand. “Private party?”
How much to say? “No, just a small wine tasting. Sara’s never had Raintree wine.”
Ethan’s brows drew together. “If you give her too much attention, she’s not going to want to leave.”
“Attention? We’re going to talk and have a glass of wine.”
“How do you know she’s not a gold digger?”
Jase sighed. “Don’t start.”
“She’s down on her luck, and maybe ready to reach for anything she can get, including you.”
“You think I’m such a good catch?” he tried to make a joke of it, but as usual, Ethan wasn’t in a joking mood.
“You’ll have an inheritance any woman would want.”
“Sara isn’t interested in my inheritance.” He wasn’t even sure she was interested in him, not after what she’d gone through with her husband.
“She’d be a fool not to be. So how long is she staying? Have you gotten a date from her yet?”
Jase hesitated, debating with himself about how much to say. He knew the truth was best. “It might be a little longer than she planned. Her insurance settlement might be delayed.”
“Why?”
“She had debt and a high mortgage. The insurance company is investigating.”
“And you don’t think she’s a gold digger,” Ethan muttered.
“I think she’s a single mom caught in circumstances she can’t control. I’ll see you in the morning.”
He wouldn’t get drawn into an argument about Sara or about anything else. He knew from experience his father didn’t change his mind once he’d made it up. Jase had had practice standing his ground the past two years. Sara wouldn’t be an exception.
* * *
When Jase knocked on Sara’s door ten minutes later, he didn’t know what to expect. Amy might be in bed or she might not be. Either way, it was fine with him. Just thinking of her created an ache inside him. She reminded him of a dream that had slipped away.
Sara came to the door dressed in shorts and a tank top for an evening at home with her daughter, her arms full of toys. Her hair was clipped on top of her head, strands escaping in a way that made Jase want to touch them. He wanted to touch her.
Instead he offered her the bottles of wine. “I thought we could have a tasting and see what you like. If you’re free...”