The château buzzed with activity. Electricians strung fairy lights around the patio area. A team of burly workmen dragged six substantial half-height, white ionic columns onto the patio, ready to receive the floral arrangements from Blooms.
Bella brushed her hair back from her face and consulted her checklist. “Can you bring that over here?” she said to a man with a crate of glasses, pointing at the floor by the wine tasting table. She spread the white linen tablecloth carefully, and unpacked the glasses onto it. Lights, columns, candles. The large box of thick church candles would be next.
Etienne had been absent since lunch, but she knew he was busy in the cave organizing the wine. Satisfaction bloomed in her chest as she glanced around. Everything was coming together. In an hour or two, the food would arrive, and the musicians, and then, at six, the guests.
She’d brought a long dress in forest-green silk and matching high heels from home. Not a new one, but Etienne had never seen her in it. The green matched her eyes, and she knew the garment suited her. There’d be no time before the party kicked off for a long pampering bath, just a quick shower, and the dress hung ready on the wardrobe door.
Her nerves had been on edge with the importance of this evening. Not only to Etienne, but also to Celebrate. Everything must be perfect, and she hadn’t caught much sleep last night fretting over the details. Tapping her foot, Bella glanced at her watch. The caterers should be here soon, and the wait staff. With quick moves, she unpacked the candles and put them in place.
Krista strode in from the conservatory. “The flowers are here.”
“Krista—great!” Bella’s heels clicked on the polished floor as she strode over. “Let me show you where we’re putting them. Then I’ll help you carry from the van.”
With Krista and Donna arranging the flowers, Bella pushed back the sleeve of her sky blue shirt to check her watch for the second time in as many minutes. The caterers should be here. She pulled out her cell phone and punched in the familiar number. “Carlos? It’s Bella St. Clair. Is the van on the way?” Despite her efforts, she heard the edge of panic in her voice.
The caterers were way across town and rush hour approached. If they hadn’t set out yet...
“I’m sorry, Bella,” Carlos said. “There’s a problem.”
“What do you mean, there’s a problem?” Bella’s voice rose.
“It’s the van.” Carlos’s voice trembled. “We’re still waiting for it to come back from a party we catered this afternoon at your father’s house.”
“What?” Carlos’s words made no sense. She knew nothing about a party. An ache bloomed at Bella’s temples and she absentmindedly rubbed her forehead. That question didn’t matter anyway. The only thing that mattered was that Etienne’s launch should go off without a hitch. She pushed a hank of hair behind her ear. “Is the food ready to go?” They’d need something a lot bigger than her jeep to transport the food, something refrigerated... Bella’s head spun with details.
“We have it all packed. We’re just waiting for the van. I’ve contacted the driver and he said they have three flat tires. A mechanic is on the way there now.”
Three flat tires? Bella pushed back at the confusion that bloomed at Carlos’s words. She couldn’t consider it now. Time was leaching away, she had to focus on finding a solution. An idea took shape as she glanced out the front door. Quickly, she slung her bag over her shoulder, and bolted for the door. “I’ll be there in half an hour. I’ll collect the food.”
Krista and Donna were loading offcuts of oasis and floral tape and a bag of ivy they hadn’t used into the large refrigerated van with Blooms expertly painted on the side.
“Hold up.” Bella ran out after them, her fingers crossed so tight she felt them burn and sting. “I need a favor.”
****
Etienne never dreamed the château could look like this. Lights strung over the patio transformed the area into an intimate outdoor room, and urns filled with flower arrangements with centerpieces of grapes were dramatic additions that looked as though they had always been there.
“The musicians are here, Etienne.” Margaret trotted over, followed by a group of five carrying instruments.
Etienne scanned the room for Bella. She must be upstairs, getting ready. He waved at the dais set up underneath the trees. “Over here, gentlemen.”
Margaret lingered at his side, wringing her hands.
He stilled for a moment and took in every tiny detail. “Everything okay, Margaret?”
Stress lines tugged at the edges of her mouth. Her gaze darted to the musicians then back to Etienne.
A cold fist clutched at his insides, and a premonition of dread poured icy water down his spine. “Come. Sit for a moment.” He led Margaret to the gilt chairs edging the perimeter. “What is it?”
“The food,” Margaret’s voice was no louder than a whisper. “It isn’t here yet.”
Etienne’s shoulder muscles relaxed. He’d over-reacted. “Isn’t here?” The wait staff had arrived. Their van was parked around the back, he’d passed it on the way in from the cave and had presumed they were in the kitchen getting everything ready. The party would start in less than an hour. “Where’s Bella?”
“She left,” Margaret said. “The electricians said she left.”
“She left?” Disquiet niggled at Etienne again. “Without talking to you?” If Bella had to go somewhere, surely she would have told Margaret.
“She didn’t even take her car,” Margaret’s voice shook. “I don’t know what’s going on.”
“Okay, Margaret. I’ll get on it.” Etienne didn’t even know the catering company’s number, all those details had been left to Bella. He strode into the library and closed the door firmly behind him. Then he dialed her number.
****
In the caterer’s kitchen, Bella and Carlos examined the boxes of entrées. “I’m so sorry, Bella,” Wild eyed, Carlos ran a hand through his hair. “The van tires were slashed and once we’d replaced them, we discovered the engine problem. The van’s still outside your father’s house with the mechanic working on it.”
The poor man looked frantic. Bella patted his arm. “Blooms refrigerated van has shelves. Let’s just get everything loaded,” Bella said as she slid a tray in place. They’d be late. And she wouldn’t have time to change, but she’d get everything there. She had to. Thank goodness Donna agreed to help. If not for the girls at Blooms, the entire evening would have been ruined.
Three slashed tires and an immobilized engine didn’t happen by accident. The van had definitely been sabotaged.
On parting from her father in the café, he’d hissed a warning. “If Durand has any success, it’s because he stole it from me.” His face reddened in anger. “They bought me out for a pittance. I won’t stand by and watch him lording it over me.”
Pain and sadness at her father’s vitriol had washed over Bella like a rogue wave. “He just wants to continue Grandfather’s legacy,” she explained. “He’s worked hard, Dad. Can’t you at least acknowledge that?”
Her father’s lip jutted out in a pout. “He should make me a settlement. The vineyard is worth much more now than he paid for it. A decent man would make up the difference.”
Disbelief washed over her thoughts and Bella stared at her father. “You’re delusional.” Greed had pushed her father totally over the edge into fantasy. He’d disregarded her warnings he could be sued for slander, and stubbornly held his position. Her family would never accept the man she loved. Even if by some miracle he loved her back. And now, her father had decided to ruin the launch.
A shiver ran up Bella’s spine as she wondered what other disasters he’d started into motion. She secured the van’s back door, and climbed into the long front seat next to Krista and Donna.
Etienne would have to greet the guests without her—she’d be there in time for the dancing. As the van edged into the heavy traffic snaking down the highway, worry gnawed at her gut. At least, she hoped she would.
****
Her damned dress hanging on the wardrobe door taunted Etienne as he dressed. He’d rung her repeatedly, but Bella hadn’t answered her cell, and she’d left no note, no trace of where she’d gone. With time running out, he had no option but to dress and get ready to greet his guests. Where the hell was she?
The lack of food was a speed bump. Nothing more. But the lack of Bella... Sharp nerves stabbed in his stomach. He felt torn between the urge to go out and search for her and the need to stay and greet his guests.
His tie hung around his neck in a tangled mess. Etienne forced himself to calm down. He stared into the mirror and grimaced. His face looked like a man in turmoil. Definitely not the image he had hoped to project this evening. He pushed his hair back from his face, took a deep, steadying breath, and reached for the tie again. His whole life had been leading up to this moment. This evening meant so much to both of their businesses—she’d be here.
Sue and Brad arrived first.
“Come on through.” Etienne walked them from the front door to the conservatory.
“This looks lovely.” Sue’s gaze swept the interior, glancing at the decorating details. “I’m glad we’re the first. I need to talk to you.” She stepped closer. “John St. Clair has been causing trouble again, I’m afraid.”
“Tell me.” Etienne’s hands curled into fists. Was there no limit to the man’s meddling?
“Well...you know about him bad-mouthing you?”
He nodded, just once. His mouth felt tight as it thinned into a straight line. “Bella told me.”
“He rang this morning and suggested we boycott the launch, on the grounds that you don’t deserve to become part of the community, because your family has shortchanged his.” Sue said in a low voice.
The heat of anger surged through Etienne.
“I told him where to stuff it.” She grasped Etienne’s hand and squeezed tightly. “I rang some of the other guests. He’d phoned them too.”
Etienne’s jaw clenched so tight it ached. John St. Clair had crossed a line with this orchestrated campaign to discredit Etienne and the vineyard. Unfortunately, St. Clair knew everyone and still wielded influence in this town. People would believe his lies over the protestations of innocence from a stranger they barely knew. Sue’s touch on Etienne’s arm brought him back to the present.
She leaned in. “They all told me he sounded mad. Completely delusional. The truth is out, Etienne, and John has lost all credibility. Everyone I spoke to told me they’d be here.”
Anger dissipated replaced by concern. Etienne’s hand covered Sue’s. “Have you seen Bella today?”
“Isn’t she here?” Eyes wide, Sue glanced around and then frowned.
“We can’t find her. She’s not answering her phone.” Etienne pulled his phone from his pocket and dialed the familiar number, groaning when it flicked to voicemail, again.
The front doorbell pealed, and the butler he’d employed for the evening accompanied more people into the glittering glass room. Latin-jazz flooded into through the open doors.
Etienne greeted his guests, and led them to the table where he pressed glasses of the new vintage into eager hands. Despite St. Clair’s machinations, all indications were that this evening would be a success.
Etienne didn’t want to be here. His heart ached, and worry sent shivers through him at Bella’s continued absence. His gaze returned to the door as more guests arrived, but not the woman he longed to see.
Brightly dressed people tapped their feet to the music’s intoxicating beat. Warm sprinkles of laughter topped the muted buzz of conversation. Guests continued to arrive. Some even sidled up and muttered words of support into his ear.
John St. Clair had a reputation in Aqua Blanca all right. A bad one. Several of Etienne’s guests confided that they considered him an arrogant bully. By attending the party, many of his old acquaintances were making their opinion of him abundantly clear.
Where was Bella? A tight fist of worry clenched in Etienne’s stomach. Something must have happened. He should stay and greet all his guests—ensure the success of this evening he’d worked so hard for. But without Bella... He glanced around at the roomful of people enjoying the evening, and strode to Sue. “Can you look after the party for me?” he asked. “I have to find Bella.”
At Sue’s okay, he stalked from the patio toward the dais where the musicians played. The music drifted into silence. He accepted a microphone from the singer. “Good evening, everyone.”
Movement in the room stilled and conversations stopped. All gazes swiveled to his.
“I’d like to thank you all for coming this evening, and for your support in launching my new vintage.”
Smiling faces looked back. Many raised their glasses. The whole effect was of a community embracing him as one of their own. If worry wasn’t roiling around his gut, he might have been delighted.
“Bella St. Clair’s company, Celebrate, organized this wonderful party,” Etienne said, determined Bella would garner more business as a result of his words. “Bella isn’t here yet, but I intend to remedy that. I’m afraid I have to leave you all for a while. Please enjoy the wine, the music, and the company!” He pointed at Sue who stood beside a flower-bedecked column. “Sue will be handling everything until I get back.” Without a backward glance, Etienne walked out of the château, slid into his car, and went to find her.
****
“We’re almost there.” Donna turned the van down the road to the vineyard.
Krista and Donna had been trying to soothe Bella’s shattered nerves for the past few miles, so she bit back her sharp response, and thought ‘that’s obvious!’ instead. She’d locked her bag in the back, and in the rush, there hadn’t been an opportunity to pull over and grab it. Krista had proffered her phone, but Etienne’s number was programmed into her own, so the offer was useless.
By now, the party would be in full swing, and he must be wondering where on earth she’d got to. Why hadn’t she thought to alert someone before rushing out in the flower van?
Donna shot her a glance. “Traffic is light, do you want me to pull over?”
Bella bit her lip. “It’s too late now. As you said, we’ll be there in a minute.” She just hoped the guests were enjoying the wine and the music. At the moment, everything else was out of her control.
Donna stared out of the windshield. “Someone’s coming.”
A large dark blue car powered toward them. “It’s Etienne!” Bella’s heart soared. “Flash the lights.”
They pulled over to the side of the road, and the car slowed then stopped.
In a heartbeat, Bella shot from the van.
Etienne flung open the car door and reached her in a couple of steps. “Where were you?”
She heard no anger in his tone, only the desperate desire for her answer. “The caterer’s had a problem. Their van broke down.” Thoughts about voicing suspicions about her father’s action surfaced but she rejected them. She could tell him later, the launch took precedence. She spoke in a rapid-fire rush. “The girls jumped in to help. We have the entrées in the back.”
Etienne’s face altered, worry fading to relief. “You’re okay, then?” He enfolded her in his arms and pulled her close against his chest.
She breathed in his familiar scent and closed her eyes for a moment in pure unadulterated bliss. “I’m fine. Just dirty, stressed out, and exhausted.” She pulled back to look at his face, concern racing through her. “What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be at the launch?” His launch was so important. How he could be here, driving down the road away from the party?
“I came to find you,” he answered simply. “You’re more important.” His mouth lowered, claiming her lips with a sure mastery that melted her bones.
“The food...” she managed when they came up for air.
Etienne released her and strode to Donna’s open window.
Moments later, with a toot of the horn, Blooms van overtook them, heading straight for the château.
“What did you say to them?” Donna and Krista’s grinning faces and cheery waves had Bella in a total spin. She leaned against his car with shaking legs, and tried to recover her equilibrium.
“I asked them to go on ahead.” Etienne grasped her hand and brought it to his lips. “I told them we’d be along after I proposed.”
Proposed? A flush started in her cheeks. Bella’s mouth opened and closed without a sound emerging.
Etienne’s hand stroked her face. “Your absence at the launch showed me you mean much more than a house and a vineyard ever could,” he said. “I want you to marry me, Bella.”
The flush heated her throat. Bella had dreamed of the perfect proposal. She’d be wearing an elegant gown and looking fantastic. The venue would be a magical place. Maybe the Grand Canyon, or the top of the Eiffel Tower. Instead, she felt hot and grubby after the day from hell. They stood on a dusty central California road surrounded by flat plains and bare fences. No majestic trees above them, no streams running over rocks.
Etienne stood before her, instead of falling to one knee like a prince in a fairytale. He held no ring in a blue velvet box.
She didn’t need one.
The look of forever in his eyes was enough. Her throat burned. She threaded fingers through his hair, and pulled his mouth down to hers. “Yes,” she breathed against his lips.
Once again, the St. Clair Durand vineyard was a partnership.