“It looks as though you and I are heading to France a bit early, Neli. We will send word to Stella and her family to join us there. Make up some excuse for our hasty departure.” I pause, thinking it over. Yes, this is an excellent plan. Castle Sangria is the defending champion and has already paid for several entries. Our daytime staff is perfectly capable of managing the winery in our absence. Stellariva has no business, so no one will notice if they shut down for a few days. And having Stella’s family around will help keep her safe from me. “Arrange to have them stay at a villa near us, and then send a private plane to get them. Say…in a week. Tell them they need to hand carry our new wines for the competition.” Neli had explained the process to me earlier when I questioned her on why she had not already sent our wine by ship, as I knew it would take months to arrive.
Neli flashes a devious smile, and I know it is because fate is playing into her hands. She wants to be free of me. She wants me to mate with Stella. As for me, I no longer know what I want. I cannot kill Neli. I cannot harm Stella. And, unfortunately, I’m beginning to believe I will do both.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Stella
I can hardly believe I’m on a private jet with my family on our way to Bordeaux, France. It’s dark now as we fly over the Atlantic Ocean. I know I should sleep, but I’m too excited. The furthest I’ve traveled is Phoenix, Arizona, to visit a friend. (Seems they still have some diehard hippies living there. I saw a sign for the Society of Sunshine Love.) Unfortunately, my excitement over attending the best wine competition in the world, in one of the best wine-growing regions, is tempered by the fact that yesterday’s bake-off didn’t go as we hoped for the twins. No full-tuition scholarship to culinary school or big prize money. I’m proud of my sisters’ efforts, though, and they did win something—Eliza took second place in the sweet category ($500 prize), and Mabel earned an honorable mention in the savory category (a ribbon). Now it’s even more important for Stellariva to gain recognition at this wine competition. It’s a ticking clock before my family’s winery goes under, taking everyone’s hopes, dreams, and livelihood down with it. No pressure.
I blink gritty eyes in the dimly lit cabin and check on my family. Everyone’s sleeping. I sigh. If this wine competition doesn’t yield any good results, it’s over. Bankruptcy. We’ll probably have to sell everything just to keep food on the table. The twins will have to take some low-level job at a restaurant after graduation and just hope to have a chance to work their way up. A process that could take years if it happens at all. I want better for them.
I close my eyes. My father left our winery in the care of our assistant manager, Max, who’ll be taking retirement when we return. I’ll miss him; he’s been with us since the beginning. At least we won’t have to worry about keeping him on payroll. Enough. I need to focus on the awesomeness of this moment. There’s plenty of time for worrying later.
Right now I’m living a dream. Neli arranged everything for our family at no cost to us, from the limo ride to the private airport to the jet and hotel. We’ll be arriving in Bordeaux at seven a.m. local time tomorrow, which is Thursday. The competition is Friday, there’s an auction and a formal ball on Saturday, and we return home on Sunday. My sisters say Bordeaux is known for incredible food too. They want to try a few restaurants with the money Eliza won. By the time of the auction, the prizes will already be announced. The auction is open to the public, which gives Stellariva another chance to shine. We brought several cases of wine for it. You never know who’ll show up. Maybe a sommelier from a famous Parisian restaurant, or a huge international wine distributor.
My mind drifts to Boz in formal wear at the ball. Gorgeous perfection in black. He defines tall, dark, and mysterious. Since he left for France ahead of us, there’s been a strange hollowness in my chest. I’ve missed him, which says a lot. In the past, it’s taken months for me to get to know a guy before I felt even a hint of attachment. With Boz, it’s like our connection was already there. All I needed to do was to open my eyes and let it in.
I drift to sleep, finally, the thought of his powerfully confident take on the world making me relax. I’m so glad he’s in my life. He’s brought hope to a dark situation. His generosity and strong character have inspired me. Simply put, I’ve never met a man who’s more honest, genuine, and giving. His physical attributes aren’t so bad either.
I wake to a fresh woodsy scent that smells just like Boz’s cologne. My pulse races until I realize I’m still on the jet. I glance around. My dad waves to me as he exits the jet’s bathroom.
“Morning,” he whispers as he takes his seat across from me. Mom and the twins are still sleeping.
“Morning. Are you excited about the competition? It’s amazing what Boz did for us.”
He leans across the aisle. “I am. I have to admit I had my doubts about Boz, but his generosity and Neli’s competent manner, well, it really puts my mind at ease. What do they have to gain from helping us, after all? This is what good neighbors and community are all about.” He gestures, raising his palms. “Lifting each other up.”
I smile. “I’m glad you came around. I told you they were good people.”
“Still, I don’t want you dating him. He’s a little off. Fine to be friendly, but, err, not someone I’d like as part of the family. Understand?”
I scrunch my nose. “You make it sound like I’m about to marry the guy.” A flutter of excitement in my stomach surprises me. Me and Boz—being married, intimate. I flush at the thought.
My dad shakes his head. “Better not to head down that road. Maybe you’ll meet someone cool at this wine competition. Hopefully, a local from California wine country so you can stick close to home.”
Someone “cool” by Dad’s standards is my high school boyfriend, Tyler, a chaste relationship since he used me to cover up that he was gay. Dad hoped we’d marry. Unfortunately, so did I. Secrets are the worst, though I understand now the pressure Tyler was under at the time. Tyler promised me we’d be engaged the year after we graduated high school, and I believed him. He broke it off on graduation night, finally admitting the truth. My heart was shattered. When I finally got the courage to try dating again in college, I fell for a medical student at a nearby university. Turned out he was an unemployed, married con man. Another devastating breakup. Secrets and lies. I learned a hard lesson, and I learned it well. Now I have zero tolerance for liars. I don’t need anyone in my life like that ever again. Boz is the exact opposite, honest even when the truth is sometimes hard to hear. I appreciate that.
“Thanks for the advice, Dr. Love Genius,” I tease Dad.
“That’s what dads are for.” He crosses his eyes, making me laugh. “I can’t help looking out for you. I just want you to be happy.” He jabs a finger at me. “So no dating guys that set off my Danger, Will Robinson alert.”
I roll my eyes and settle back in my seat.
“Psst, you think we’ll win something?”
I shift to meet his eyes, and he looks so hopeful I know there’s only one right answer. “Absolutely.”