Kate returned to the house to find Luca and Reynaldo waiting for her. She gathered up the California house plans, some information she’d researched on the internet about state license laws for inns, restaurants and B&B's, and her laptop and stuffed it all in a tote bag. She tossed the bag over her shoulder and held onto Luca, her own teleporting skills not well-honed enough yet for such a long trip. He lifted her up and they were quickly on their way. Kate kept her eyes open as they moved skyward into the night and rapidly moved westward across the country, landing in front of the huge Napa Valley estate.
Reynaldo landed only a few minutes behind and Luciano came out to greet them. "Shade told me you were on your way, my lady. He said you had big plans for this property. Follow me, I'll unlock the house and turn off the security system. I rarely go in myself. I stay in an apartment I developed for myself over the winery."
Kate looked at him with surprise. "Really? I assumed you just stayed in the main house."
Luciano shook his head. "It’s more convenient for me to be near the vineyards. And I’m never in one place for too long, moving between all of master's vineyards. I always make a check of the property when I’m here, but other than that, the house is vacant."
Kate looked out over the rolling hills of the estate, the rows of grapes visible as they followed the curves of the landscape. Just like the Virginia property, there was still much land that had not been converted to vineyards.
As Kate looked at the rolling landscape, she addressed Luciano, "Has Shade considered expanding the vineyards? There’s still so much property here."
Luciano shook his head. "Not that he’s mentioned, my lady."
Kate surveyed the property, another idea brewing in her head, as Luciano threw open the massive front door and they all entered. Kate gave Reynaldo a tour of the house, with Luca staying close on her heels, before ending the tour in the large, well-equipped, modern kitchen. Luciano joined them there, as they each pulled up a chair around the kitchen table. Kate pulled all the papers from her tote bag and spread them across the table. "So, what do you think, Reynaldo?"
Reynaldo could barely contain his excitement. It had been so very long since he was able to fully use his skills. "My lady, the layout is perfect, and I can't wait to work in this kitchen. I can start the process of applying for all the state licenses we’ll need to be able to open. I have no concerns about that. And running the kitchen, once we’re busy, I may need a sous chef. But Gi would easily be able to procure one for me from Florence. There was a time when Castello was bustling with activity, but it has been many years now since we’ve been able to prepare meals. You mentioned Gi would select a housemaid?"
Kate nodded her head, not exactly sure what a sous chef did, other than assist the chef, but knew there was more than an adequate pool of people to draw from at Castello to help staff the inn. "Yes. I knew you’d be busy with meals, especially if we make it an inn instead of a B&B, and you’d need someone else to clean the rooms, do the laundry."
Reynaldo nodded. "Then have him send two, so they can rotate their schedule. Maybe not right away, but soon."
Kate agreed. “Of course, we can do that. I mean, we can always send someone back to Florence if this doesn’t take off."
Reynaldo smiled. "Oh, I think it will take off. I’m an excellent chef, and I haven’t had the opportunity to display my skills in a long time. Once we’re open, word will spread quickly. I feel very positive about that, my lady. I do have one concern."
Kate looked at him, her brow creased. "And what is that?"
Reynaldo hoped he wasn’t making this project more difficult than she’d planned. He didn’t want to do or say anything that would discourage her.
"Well, I’m quite skilled at managing a kitchen, and it won’t take me long to have that up and running. But I’ve never run an inn. I know how to deal with any guests and their meal request, but making room reservations, checking in guests, seeing to their needs outside the restaurant, these are skills I don't currently possess. Luciano can create our wine list, and he can even recommend a local sommelier, vampire, of course. I don't mean to make this complicated, but we may need a manager for the inn."
Kate bit at her lip. "How do we find a manager? He would have to be vampire."
Luca responded, "We have a network. Shade will know how to find someone from within the vampire community. They can come here, Reynaldo can interview them, weed them down to the best candidates, then you can come back here, meet them, interview them yourself and make the final selection."
Kate took a deep breath. She had thought this was as simple as bringing Reynaldo here, but it was quickly growing into something much bigger. "Where would the staff stay? There are only seven available bedrooms to rent out, and you’re already talking about a staff of five."
Reynaldo shrugged it off. "There is room over the winery to add more apartments as well as space over master's large garage. Plus, whoever we hire as a manager may be local and have a place nearby. Don't be concerned with that. We can figure it out as we go."
Reynaldo decided to stay and start the process of securing their licenses and seeing what he needed to do to get the kitchen up to commercial code. He told Kate he’d have Gi pack up and send his personal items out to California, as he walked through the suite of rooms on the first floor that were originally designed for Luca. “This is perfect, my lady. Much grander than I’m used to.” Reynaldo looked to Luca. “You’re sure you don’t mind?”
Luca laughed. “I’m seeing these rooms for the first time, brother. Make yourself at home.”
Kate left him all the papers, made her rounds of the house one final time, making note to purchase a supply of high-end bed linens and bath towels to accommodate a daily room turnover.
As she wrapped up the meeting, she left Reynaldo to the task of getting everything started, then she and Luca teleported home to Bel Rosso. Arriving slightly past sunrise, Kate went directly to their bedroom where she found Shade, already undressed and in bed, fighting the pull of his death slumber. She stripped off her clothes and climbed in bed beside him, lying across his chest as his arms enveloped her.
"I missed you, mi amore. I was afraid you would not get home before the slumber took me." He kissed her as she snuggled into his neck, the room already dark from the blinds, blocking out the sun.
"I will always come home to you."