Once Tasted: A Silver Creek Novel (35 page)

Mia smiled weakly. “Jay’s too busy trying to catch a glimpse of his own reflection to see anyone else.”

“Yeah, he’s a real ass. He has some nerve coming back to Acacia and trashing you and Reid. I guess I was willing to write off how he behaved in high school, because, heck, we were all dumb jerks in one way or another. But we’re not teenagers anymore. There’s no call for that nastiness. For some reason Jay’s still stuck in a rut. I would have told him how pathetic that was, except I knew I’d be wasting my breath. Again.”

Lou called out the order for two egg sandwiches. “That’s yours,” Maebeth said, and went over to the grill. She returned with them wrapped in foil. “Here you go.”

“Thanks, Maebeth.”

“Sure. That’ll be twelve dollars and fifty-nine cents with the tax.”

Mia dug out her money and handed it over. “Actually, I meant thanks for everything.”

“Well, I figure I have to encourage love wherever I see it. It’s the karma thing—what goes around comes around, and all that. Besides, I knew it would never work between Reid and me.” She leaned across the counter and her voice dropped to a whisper. “I’m fated to be with a Leo.”

Reid draped the saddle blanket over Sheikh. The Arabian cross was the last to be tacked for the morning ride. Sixteen guests had signed up for the outing—not a large group—so Reid had told Rick that Quinn and he would lead the trail ride on their own. This would allow Rick to help Pete and Ward trim the sheep’s hooves; for the wrangler, rounding up and tackling sheep was more fun than leading greenhorns along trails.

Generally, Silver Creek’s guests were a good bunch, far less obnoxious and needy than most. But the summer had been long. Burnout on the part of the wranglers
happened—there was only so much small talk they could take.

Reid was happy to be going on the ride. There’d be just enough chitchat and monitoring of how the guests were handling their mounts to distract him from thinking about Mia.

’Cause saddling a horse certainly wasn’t cutting it.

He kept remembering how she’d looked in the processing room yesterday afternoon: tense and miserable at the prospect of spending even two minutes alone with him. The image weighed heavily on him.

Reid lowered the saddle and adjusted it, moving it a little farther down Sheikh’s withers, and then bent to fasten the cinch. The gelding liked to suck air when he felt the strap tightening around his belly, so Reid always took the process in stages. Their horses worked hard for them. Important to keep them happy and willing.

Mia hadn’t simply appeared stressed and unhappy. She’d also been disheveled and bleary-eyed with exhaustion. He’d never wanted her more, the urge to take care of her as powerful as anything he’d ever felt.

And she wouldn’t let him.

Reid had no problem figuring out the best way to handle a fifteen-year-old gelding with a dished profile and wide-set eyes. Yet he was stymied when it came to approaching a beautiful and sensitive woman whom he’d hurt with his careless words and his selfishness.

He didn’t know whether his apology had done anything to heal her. To judge by the tension in the air—as thick as the scent of several tons of crushed grapes—he’d have said not, not in this lifetime. But he couldn’t give up. Somehow he had to show Mia that she could trust him with her heart and convince her that she had his.

He’d slipped the headstall of Sheikh’s bridle past his pointed ears when Quinn appeared. She was carrying
two cups of coffee. She balanced one on the top of the wooden post. “That’s for you,” she said. “You finished saddling the horses already?”

“Not that many to groom. I even got Domino ready for you.”

“Thanks. You could have left a few for me.” She put her own coffee cup on the ground and slipped her chaps off her shoulder to buckle them about her hips.

“The riders should begin wandering down in fifteen minutes. Besides, I’m a nice guy.”

“Not so sure about that.” Quinn picked up her coffee, took a slug, and gave him the evil eye. “Not after I ran into Mia looking like a lost soul, which annoys me, since I spent a lot of time defending your character to her and telling her what a great guy you were. Did you really have to go and prove you’re just another dumb set of XY chromosomes?”

“Where was she?”

“At the post office.” Coffee finished, Quinn lowered her head and ran the zipper down the fringed legs of her chaps. Her long ponytail whipped through the air when she straightened. “You are planning to fix this mess, right, so I don’t have to go on pretending solidarity with my utterly worthless brother?”

“Do you know I sometimes contemplate what life would be like without an annoying little sister?”

She snorted. “Terminally boring, that’s what. Are you going to answer the question?”

“I’m trying to make it right, damn it. I’ve invited her and her crew over here for a barbecue tomorrow night.”

“It’s a pretty sad state of affairs when a man has to pin his hopes on a roast pig. Still, I guess it’s a decent plan. You can feed her as you grovel. Oh, and here’s a tip: You might mention that you’re not a big chocolate lover.”

“What?”

But his sister sauntered away to welcome the first of the guests who’d signed up for the trail ride without bothering to explain what the hell she was talking about. Women, he thought, shaking his head.

M
IA HAD PLACED
her computer on the living room coffee table and angled the screen so the camera would include Bruno as they sat together on the floor.

Bruno and she were having their first Skype session with Thomas.

“Dear God, Mia, you’ve finally found a creature with more hair than you!” Thomas exclaimed with a delighted laugh when he got his first glimpse of the dog. “He’s gorgeous. And his name’s Bruno?”

“Yes, and he’s wonderful, so well behaved and very respectful of Vincent. I’m sorry I couldn’t convince Vincent to sit beside us.”

“That’s all right. It would have been beneath his dignity, I’m sure. Give him a kiss for me, though. Now tell me all about the harvest.”

While Mia was doubtful that Reid and she had any kind of future, her outlook on the harvest and the grapes fermenting in the tanks was increasingly hopeful.

She smiled into the camera. “Well, the last two weeks were perfect. Warm and dry without being scorching—”

“And here it’s been dismally wet,” Thomas interjected.
“So, perfect weather. And the gang was all there to help bring in the grapes?”

“Yes, they worked so hard. It wasn’t the same without you, though, Thomas.”

He waved her comment aside. “And Reid? He was helpful?”

“Oh, yes.” She kept her smile firmly in place. “He brought food and lent a hand wherever it was needed. He even took pictures. We’re going to post them on the website. A kind of photo-essay.”

“Going high tech on me, darling,” he teased. “That’s great. Are the Knowleses aware the harvest was a good one?”

Relieved that he hadn’t continued to question her about Reid, she nodded enthusiastically, her hair brushing Bruno’s ear. “It’d be hard not to. Every winegrower in Northern California is thanking Demeter and Dionysus.”

“Mia, I can’t tell you what a relief that is. So you’ll do a press of the grapes?” he asked, referring to the process of separating the juice from the skins, seeds, and stems.

“A light one. I think by early next week it should be ready.”

“Good, good. Pascale and I have delayed our harvest until the day after tomorrow, to give the grapes a chance to dry, but the front just isn’t moving.” Thomas gave what she recognized as a Gallic shrug. “We’ll see. This may be yet another year where Californian wines beat out French ones.”

“If anyone can make good wine from so-so grapes, it’s you, Thomas. Remember 2009?”

He gave an agonized groan. “A terrible year! I’m happy that fortune’s smiled on you, Mia. I’m counting on you making something truly special for us all to enjoy.”

“Don’t jinx me,” she said with a laugh.

“I wouldn’t dream of it. And we’ll see some money soon, when the cases of our 2012 vintage hit the shelves.”

“Yes—did I tell you that Phil Onofrie, who’s designing our website, is including a page where visitors can shop for our wines?”

“Even better news. France isn’t cheap, Mia,” he said, and a frown marred his face.

His mention of money triggered thoughts of Jay. She hadn’t seen her cousin again—thank God. She assumed it meant he’d realized she wasn’t going to cave in to his demands or threats and had returned to L.A. But perhaps he’d practiced his tried-and-true form of emotional blackmail on his father.

“Thomas, has Jay contacted you?”

He looked taken aback by the question. “No, he hasn’t. And a good thing, too, since I don’t have a euro to spare. Why?”

“I was just wondering.” It was kind of incredible, but maybe Jay had finally realized he could no longer sucker them.

“Did he contact you?”

“Oh, you know,” she said, digging her fingers into the thick coat covering Bruno’s neck. “He came by and—”

“—wanted money.” Thomas shook his head in disgust.

She shrugged. “Well, yes, but Reid made it clear no one was going to be transferring funds to his account.”

“Good for Reid. I’m glad he stood up to Jay. That boy burns through money like there’s no tomorrow.”

Mia couldn’t bring herself to tell Thomas what Reid had discovered about Jay’s strip clubs and gambling habits. His profligacy was distressing enough, and quaint by comparison.

Thomas was still speaking, now busy praising the
elder Knowleses. “I should have approached Daniel and Adele long ago about entering into a partnership.”

“They’ve been really great. I’ll forward you copies of their guests’ artwork when Tess sends them. And did I tell you they invited the entire crew to a barbecue?”

“A barbecue? When is it?”

“Tomorrow night.”

“Give them my best. You know, I’m glad this has been a good harvest, not just for you and me, sweetheart, but for them, too. Have fun at the ranch, Mia. You deserve it.”

“I’ll try,” she said, hoping the computer screen wouldn’t reveal how overbright her smile was.

The weather had held for the barbecue the following night. Mia heard the cheerful mix of music and laughter as she circled the main lodge to where the rear patio was located. She’d come alone. Johnny was bringing his girlfriend, Dana, and was also driving Leo and Fran. Even for a short drive, five in the car would have been tight. But the real reason Mia declined Johnny’s offer was that, by driving herself, she could then make a discreet and early departure. She didn’t know how long she could last in Reid’s presence or pretend to be oblivious to the waves of hostility coming off Quinn.

The Knowleses had done it up right. Mexican tin-star lanterns were strung over the expansive patio. They cast gem-colored patterns on the clothes of the mingling guests. The mouthwatering scent of roasting pork filled the air, and Mia knew the long tables positioned at the other end of the patio would be covered with equally delicious dishes. Jeff and Roo didn’t do food in a halfhearted way. Already, Mia saw guests helping themselves to chips and guacamole and nibbling on grilled shrimp.

For a few seconds she lingered on the perimeter. She’d spotted Reid immediately, of course. Her gaze seemed to find him no matter how large the crowd. He was dressed in a bluish-lavender shirt. She could only imagine how stunning it would make his eyes look up close, and she renewed her vow to keep her distance.

For all Quinn’s anger on her brother’s behalf and Maebeth’s pronouncements, Mia still didn’t believe that Reid loved her.

He was standing with Clinton Stiles. Clint owned a tack shop outside Acacia. She watched him nod at something Clint said. Realizing she could stare at the gold glints in Reid’s hair for half the night, she stepped out of his angle of vision before he could catch her.

Most of her crew had arrived and was already socializing with the other guests: ranch hands and Silver Creek staff and Acacia locals. Among them were Beau and Nell Duchamp. They were talking to Roo Rodgers. Mia knew Beau wanted to visit Australia and so was probably pumping the pastry chef for travel tips about her native country.

The Knowleses were interspersed among the guests. Quinn was chatting with her friend Jim, a ranch hand, and Lexi Carter, a high school student who helped Quinn with her goats and the vegetable garden that supplied the guest ranch’s kitchen with much of its produce. For the first time ever, Mia gave her friend a wide berth.