The Perfect Someday (A standalone novel ~ Book three in The Mathews Family) (32 page)

All of her findings, conclusions and recommendations were
stored in a file on her laptop ready to be printed off and handed over to the family. She’d finished the reports several days earlier. All that was left to do was schedule a meeting and have a long discussion with Vincent.

Part of her got the distinct feeling Vincent procrastinated
having a direct conversation pertaining to their future. Tracy wasn’t sure if he was waiting until after his family made a decision, or if there was something more. He made it very clear he didn’t want her to leave, but he hadn’t invited her to live with him either. They had talked about being together, about things they wanted to do, places they wanted to travel, they even talked about having children someday. But it was never conclusive. Every time she mentioned anything regarding her schooling, he listened intently, but something was there, lingering in the back of his thoughts.

Being
careful not to wake Vincent, she crawled out of bed and padded over to the window. The morning sun began its ascent, making the morning journey over the mountains and striking onto the valleys below. The low lying mist settled into the valley taking on its fabled blue hue. 

Tom had been right
about her future. She’d learned as much, if not more, in the last few weeks than she had in a year or two of college. But now what? Do I just pack up and move to Tuscany? She already knew the answer to that question. What am I going to do with my life? She asked herself again.

Tracy stared out the window in awe
at the picturesque view laid out before her. She closed her eyes drawing in a deep cleansing breath, erasing the worries from her mind. She stood loosely, fingers twined together, dangling at her lower abdomen. Her body swaying slightly as she began humming a rhyme, a little jingle her daddy used to sing to her as a little girl when something bothered her. “If only, if only…”

A st
range tingling sensation glided over her shoulder and up her neck. Her body shuddered at the pleasant tickly feeling.

All movement came to a sudden halt.

She opened her eyes, slowly turning her head from side-to-side looking to see if someone stood beside her. No one was there. Daddy?

At that moment the
sun rose above the highest point of the mountain, casting a single ray of sunshine onto the castle on the hill. A warm feeling filled her chest. The edges of her mouth lifted. Our spot.

The beats of her heart fluttered rapidly and her p
ulse escalated, throbbing almost painfully in the vein at her neck. It was like a silent message presented itself straight through the panes of glass. Her hands flew outward in recognition. She jumped at the abrupt jolt. “Yes, of course. Our spot.”

Tracy
glanced heavenward, hands balled into fists of victory.

She got dressed quietly
. If she left him a note, Vincent would be on the Levi’s doorstep as soon as he woke up. She touched the tips of her fingers to the underside of his bristly jaw.

Vincent nuzzled into her palm. “Morning.”

“Morning.”

His
hand closed over her breast, drawing a concerned frown. One eye peeked open surveying her clothing. “Everything okay? Where you going?”

“
Everything is perfect. I just need to do some work.” Working to calm her rocketing pulse, she reached for her earlobe, but forced her hand to her side.

He gaged her every movement
, through the slit of one eye. “You are a terrible liar,” he said evenly.

Tracy
couldn’t deny it. She sucked in a quick breath, rolling her eyes playfully. “I want to do something nice for you, to surprise you.”

“You don’t need to leave for that.” He lifted the sheet tempting her to join him.

Damn he looked delicious.
Pings of excitement jumped in her stomach. A snicker simmered in her chest stretching her hand down the length of his body, fondling gently. She bent burying her face into the crook of his neck. “I’ll be gone all day. Save this for later.”

****

Her fingers gripped the leather steering wheel, waiting impatiently for the Levi’s gates to open. Tracy picked up her cell and voice messaged a text to her mom.

I need to talk to you and Tom. Can you video chat with me right now?
It’s important.

It wasn’t even six in the morning
in Tuscany, so it would be almost nine at night in LA. Her phone chimed as she stepped out of the black Rover. Tracy took a deep breath, composed herself, and pressed the green button.

“Hi M
omma.” She smiled into the phone, juggling with the doorknob as she made her way inside the Villa.

“Good morning, sweetheart.
Is everything okay?”

Her mom looked gorgeous, hai
r and makeup done to perfection, but worry puckered her brow.

“Yeah, everything is great. I just need to talk to you and Tom. Is he with you?”

The phone camera turned and Tom’s dashing profile appeared on the screen. “Hello, sweetheart.”

Tracy grinned, waving in return. Her voice caught in her chest, overwhelmed by emotions flooding over her. She set her purs
e on the kitchen counter, sitting on the nearest stool before her knees buckled from nerves.

Clearing the sentiment from her throat, she said, “Are you guys on your way out? This might take a few minutes…or an hour.
Or two.”

Tracy watched
as weighted concern shadowed over her mom’s bright blue eyes.

“We
were going to dinner, but it can wait. What’s going on? Your sister told us about Vincent.”

“
I need some help, but this might take a while. Do you want to call me back?’

“No! Absolutely not.” Tom insisted
. A happiness rang in his tone. “We have plenty of time.”

An appreciative smile burned across her cheeks. Tom loved when she or JC or John needed his advice. Tracy suspected it filled a void he carried from never having children of his own. He would do anything for her and she knew it. The man had been a true blessing to her family. Not because of his fame or fortune, but because he loved her mother endlessly and filled the shoes of her father. Tom never tried to replace her father, he was simply the perfect fit for their family.

“I need some help. I have a business opportunity
for you.” Tracy stammered a bit. Help was a bit of an understatement.

Tess and Tom moved to
the couch, sinking down into the rich brown leather. Both of their faces now encompassed the screen of her cell phone. His brow lifted with genuine intrigue. “A business opportunity? Really?”

A heavy dose of sarcasm chimed into the
background. “Great! Why is it, just because you two are her parents, you get all the credit?” Lisa snuggled tightly to Tess adding her face to the video. “I haven’t even gotten so much as a text telling me thank you or a box of chocolates or a bottle of my favorite wine. Who got you the job? Who found the love of your life? Who—”

“
I was going to call you next. Consider yourself added to the credits. Thank you.” Heat rose up her chest, dusting her face in a fiery blush. Tracy tried to keep her voice steady, pinching at the wetness at the corner of her eye. “I owe you.”

Tracy watched all four of the faces
, Benny now sat beside Lisa, softened by her show of emotion.

“
Now…I need to buy a castle.”

Tracy laid out her plan
. She rambled off her guesstimate of projected earnings over the next five years. Explaining all of her numbers were loose, because she’d never used calculations, including double the acreage. Costs of clearing the land, planting, new equipment plus renovations would require deep pockets. However, the return would be quite profitable. Castlello Giovanni would rocket into one of the finest, most respected wineries in the region. It would no longer be simply a vineyard, it would be an experience.

Between her inheritance money and t
he money Tom and her mom gifted after selling their wedding photos, she had well over six hundred thousand dollars. Plus her condo in Colorado which was worth another one hundred and seventy thousand. But that would only be a portion of what she needed.

After laying everything on the line, black and white, the numbers proved to be more than promising.

Lisa and Benny joined in, Lisa chimed innocently, “By silent partner, you mean?”

Tracy thought she might need of
shot of Ouzo to stand her ground with Lisa, but it was better to do it now than later. “By silent I mean—“

“
By silent she means you can’t take over.” Benny interceded, winking at Tracy. “This is her baby, not yours.”

Lisa turned slowly to her husband, glaring
. Tracy half expected her to stick her tongue out at Benny.

“I’m assuming it will be okay with you if we promote the hell out of the vineyard.
Considering we do have some influential friends.” Lisa’s tone deplorably sarcastic.

“Yes, of course. I’d be grateful for your help. And I would love your input, too.”

Appeased by Tracy’s gratitude, Lisa’s grin of arrogance spread even further over her face. “I’m assuming that it would also be okay if I made a phone call to the owner of the estate. We happen to know each other. Benny and I almost made an offer on that property. And even though we decided to buy the villa we live in now instead of his, the man still adores me.” Lisa flashed a playful sexy pout, waiting for more praises. “I could call right now. I have his number in my telephone. If that’s okay with you, of course? I could probably even get you a key…by noon.” She added just to show off.

Tracy nodded enthusiastically. Lisa
touched her fingers to her lips and blew Tracy a kiss before Benny ushered her away from the couch.

Tess and Tom scooted forward on the
brown leather, the discussion slipping into a quieter, more private conversation. “Sweetheart, are you sure? One hundred percent certain? You haven’t known him very long. I hate to ask, but you’re putting a lot on the line…and I’m not talking about money.”

“Tom Clemmins, how long did you know my mother before you fell in love with her?”

“You know our story, Tracy. I fell in love with your mom the moment I laid eyes on her.”

Tess added with a soft smile, “Tracy, we just want to make sure you’ve thought things through.”

“Hello, it’s me you’re talking to, not JC. Of course I’ve thought things through. It feels right, in here.” She covered her heart with her hand. “I know this is gonna sound silly, but I just feel like this is supposed happen to me right now. The way Vincent and I met, my schooling, the job I turned down, and the winery. I mean…what are the chances?”

Without as much as a glance directed toward her mom,
Tom reached over and pressed his hand over hers. Tracy could see his chest raise and lower with each deep drawl of breath. He lightly squeezed her mom’s fingers. Tess responded by looping her thumb over his, turning small slow circles.

Tracy stared in amazement, watching the intuitive
communication on such an intimate level.

“
You’re not being silly at all. It’s called fate.” Tom turned toward Tess showering her with a loving grin. He lifted her knuckles to his lips. “Count us in. We’ll back you. E-mail me all the information and cc it to Lisa.”

“Will do! Thank you! I promise, I won’t disappoint you.”

“You could never.” Tom raised from the couch. “Oh, and I’m sure you’re preoccupied at the moment, but call in a few days. We’ll come visit. I’d like to meet Vincent.”

“I will. You’re gonna love him.”

“I’m sure I will.”

Tess
picked up the phone, and curled into the corner of the couch. Her eyes bore into Tracy with inquisitiveness. “Sweetheart, is there something else going on? Anything else you need to talk about?”

Tracy’s face nearly caught fire at her mother’s intuition. “Are you alone now?”

“Yes.”

Tracy glanced around the huge kitchen suspiciously, as if someone might hear her. She leaned closer to the phone and whispered, “Does daddy ever come visit you? Cause I could’ve sworn he was standing next to me this morning. I know that sounds weird, but I swear—“

Tears slid
down both their faces. Her mom couldn’t even speak, she could only nod.

“It was kind of e
erie…in an amazing way.”

“Help
ed you out, did he?” A knowing smile of adoration shined behind her mom’s waterworks. “Your daddy…he always did have perfect timing.”

CHAPTER
THIRTEEN

Tussled curls brushed her jaw as she paced back-and-forth in front of the castle door. Her new life waiting just on the other side of four inches of solid wood. Tracy considered herself to be a pragmatic person with the heart of an optimist. Dreams were meant to be achievable goals, met in a climbing fashion, over time. Not a decision hastily made out of the clear blue sky. Hey I’m going to move to Tuscany, buy a vineyard, ride off into the sunset with the man of my dreams. Yet, nothing had ever felt so right in all her life.