“I don’t worry...about your winemaking. You know what you’re doing.”
“Yes, I do. I like that new brochure that came back from the printer. Marissa’s doing a mass mailing, as well as sending them to wine festivals. We should have a good summer.” He eyed Jase’s wet clothes, then Sara’s. “Maybe you should talk to Ethan about putting an inground pool on the property.”
“That wouldn’t be nearly as much fun,” Sara said, not wanting Liam to feel she was ignoring him.
Though she was beginning to feel a little self-conscious standing there in her wet outfit. She hadn’t felt self-conscious with Jase, but she did with Liam. Maybe it was the way he canvassed her up and down.
“So I imagine you enjoy amusement park rides, too. Ever been to Santa Monica Pier?” Liam wanted to know.
“No, I haven’t.”
“I think you and your daughter might enjoy it.”
“Do you go often?” Sara asked, curious.
“Nope. Rock climbing is more my thing. But maybe you should try the pier sometime. Not in that outfit, though.” He grinned. “Quite a difference from the way you looked Saturday night, but I like it. Wet chic.”
She felt Jase tense beside her. He even took a step forward as if he was going to defend her honor...or something. But she clasped his arm. She didn’t want trouble between Jase and Liam, so she changed the subject.
“What kind of food does the restaurant in Sacramento serve?”
“French gourmet. They even import truffles. And, of course, our wines are on their list.”
“So this is business and pleasure?”
“Mostly pleasure. Friends are joining me.”
“Well, enjoy your night on the town,” she said, meaning it.
“I will. It was great to see you again, Sara. See you tomorrow, Jase.” Then Liam was striding away toward the main house.
Jase muttered, “He has his eye on you.”
“I think he has his eye on lots of women. I saw him charming them on Saturday night.”
“Can he charm you?”
She was about to answer that no one seemed able to charm her but Jase, when Amy ran up to her and wrapped her arms around her legs. “I’m hungry, Mommy. When are we gonna eat?”
Sara glanced at Jase in his wet clothes, looking absolutely sexy with his T-shirt molded to his muscles, his jeans clinging to those powerful thighs. She was grateful for his help this afternoon, as well as the photographs he’d taken to remember the day. Well, she thought, in for a penny, in for a pound....
“I have a working grill out back,” she said to him. “We were just going to grill some burgers.”
“Pickles and tomatoes?” Amy asked, with a four-year-old’s enthusiasm for a barbecue.
“With pickles and tomatoes and ketchup and mustard. Care to join us?” she asked him lightly, as if it didn’t matter if he said no.
“Payback for babysitting?” he asked.
She had to be honest. “Partly, but for some reason, I also enjoy talking to you.”
“Talking?”
“Yes, talking. And that’s what we’re going to be doing over hamburgers.”
He grinned at her. He actually grinned. “Give me five minutes to change clothes, and I’ll do the grilling for you. You can put the rest of it together.”
“Sounds good.”
Being with Jase sounded good.
* * *
The swirl of ever-ticking thoughts ran through Jase’s head as he stood at the grill behind the cottage, cooking burgers. His focus, however, wasn’t on the burgers. It was on Amy...and Sara.
Sara was going to like the photos he’d shot of her and Amy. Maybe they’d make up for some of those she’d lost.
As Sara arranged plates and napkins on the table with Amy’s help, Jase realized the sound of the little girl’s laughter was a balm that soothed a deep ache he’d brought home with him from Africa. Even more so, Sara’s understanding heart soothed that ache, too. What he didn’t comprehend so well was the irritation and annoyance he’d felt when Liam had winked at Sara as if they’d established a relationship. Had they? Sara had had no problem making conversation with Liam. She hadn’t actually been flirting—
Jase corralled his imagination. She had a right to associate with whomever she chose.
But he felt raw at the idea of her with Liam.
Memories of Dana had come rushing back in. All too well their breakup still played in his head.
He’d been in the hospital recovering. Another journalist he’d been friends with for years had stopped in to see him. They’d both known Dana. In fact, Peter had introduced them. After the preliminary small talk when Peter had assured him he’d make a complete recovery, Peter hadn’t been his usual sarcastic self. Jase had felt the underlying tension and hadn’t known what it meant.