Kate leaned back against him, pulling off the gardening gloves and freeing her hands to place over his. "Enjoy the peace and quiet while you can. Lorenzo is sleeping."
Nuzzling into her neck, he kissed her soft skin, and felt her heart beat faster. "Mmm, you smell earthy. I want to talk to you about something. Roberto was here earlier, as you well know. He told me some interesting information. Quite impressive, I might add. It explains to me why the hell you are so tired."
She looked at him with concern. "Is something wrong? Do you think I spent too much? Shade, I’ve tried to be so careful with our finances."
He shook his head and laughed. "Bel, when in the hell are you going to realize, I have more damn money than you can ever spend. But now, it seems you have contributed to that a great deal. Do you have any idea how much money your projects have earned this year?”
She shook her head. "Well, not an exact figure, no. Your people handle the negotiations, selling the plants for their oils. I know the crops have done well. I know the visits to the winery are up and people like walking the grounds and picking the lavender and the sunflowers. They’re charged for what they pick. Both inns are doing well. Reynaldo says they have to turn away four out of every five calls because they’re booked. When I ask Roberto about the money, he says things are fine. He never shares specifics with me."
"Come, take a walk with me. Let me enlighten you a bit." Letting go of her waist, taking her hand, they strolled casually through the gardens, the fragrant smell of lavender carried on the night air. "The inns are doing very well, their financial gain, a mere thirteen million. But that is not the biggest shock to me."
"Thirteen? I had…wow, that's wonderful! We must reward the staff for that. The places are beautiful, and people love being there. But you know the staff makes the experience, our chefs, and our managers."
Stopping in mid stride, he stared at her. "All you have to say is wow? And yes, I agree, it is about service, they come for a vacation, a break from the mundane, and we give it to them. But mi amore, the most astounding thing I learned, is about these flowers, these fields of yellow and lavender. They brought in forty-three million! How did you know this would happen? It blows my mind to think flowers could be so productive financially."
She turned and looked at him as she absorbed the number. She never knew how much money he had. To this day, she didn’t know his net worth. He never spoke about money, other than to tell her to buy whatever she wanted, but all she wanted was him, and this life they were building together.
"I knew it was a profitable crop. I found information online, and we had all this land, and then we bought the property next to us. It was just something I saw in my head. Having our home surrounded by these glorious fields of color. And it seemed to fit so well with the vineyards. I never expected... I mean, I thought it would make money, but I never expected this."
Her head was already filling with ideas. "But you know, I wanted to add a bee farm. The flowers draw so many bees, and if we add a bee farm, we can produce our own honey."
She turned and walked backward so she could face him, linking both his hands in hers. "And we’re so good at making honey, are we not?"
His heart hammered in his chest. She’d never understand what she did to him. She could ask him for the moon, and he’d find a way to give it to her. He’d give her whatever she wanted.
"Your honey is the sweetest. So, I think bees and honey are perfect." Picking her up, he held her against his chest, her body molding into his. "I love you."
She ran her hands through his thick dark hair and looked into those eyes. She remembered the first time she ever saw him, how he locked her in that gaze and left her dumb-struck and speechless. His beauty still had the power to stop her in her tracks. "And I love you. After all this time, I still struggle to find the words to tell you how much."
"You don’t need words. I feel it now. I have felt it since you were turned. We became one for all eternity and now, we feel every beat of each other's hearts. I am so proud of you. How much you take care of me, our familia, everyone around us. But I want you to consider something. Think outside the box. Expand the lavender and sunflower operations, make a brand for yourself. Your own line of bath products and perfumes, and other such luxuries women enjoy. Make this your own, Kate. You have this gift. You were in the advertising business. You know what it takes. I am sure Shannon would love to help you. Hell, she could go in with you. I just want you to flourish and be happy in all you do.”
"Lover, I’m happy to be behind the scenes. I don't want to run a business full time. Maybe this is something we can think about for the future, for Shannon, if she’s interested. I’m happy to create these things for our family and have the people in the coven employed. I’d like to add the honey. That we could brand. And I think in Florence, there is property there that hasn’t been developed, and we should expand into olives. The climate is right. You know it would do well. The olives can be harvested for olive oil for consumption, but the oil is also used in bath and beauty products, just like the lavender and sunflowers, and we already have those contacts."
"Woman! Does your mind ever stop? I never met a woman whose mind rolled constantly. Do whatever makes you happy, it obviously works. Anything else you want to do?"
He felt the first effects of his death slumber come over him, as the sun moved closer to the horizon. Brushing back a lock of crimson from her face, her hair still charmed him. She was his siren, and that hair was her calling card.
"Talk to me, mi amore. I love Lorenzo, but I see what a demand he is on your time. I do not remember ever being around my own padre when I was young. He had little to do with me until I was old enough for the camp. I do not want that for Lorenzo. I want him to come to me always, with anything. I am trying so hard to be a good padre. Cazzo, he is so smart. He makes me laugh and I cannot seem to love him enough, my heart aches sometimes from the volume of love I have for you both."
"I know that feeling well. He’s so hard to discipline because he looks so cute, even when he misbehaves. He reminds me of his father." She chuckled. "But yes, I’ve been thinking of something. Lorenzo has so much energy, and so much curiosity. Theresa says we should start home schooling soon. It seems early to me, but she says immortals start earlier. Also, I take him with me into town sometimes. He is fascinated with the mortal children, and wants to play, but he still doesn’t understand he’s different, and there are things he needs to hide from them. I was thinking it’s time to put in a swimming pool... well, two actually, one outside for the warm months, and one inside. It could be built underground, next to the bunker and the wine cellar. It will be there for Lorenzo, and for the other children that will follow. What do you think?"
He nodded in agreement. "The pool is a good idea. It will burn off some of that energy. Learning to swim is vital. And yes, Theresa is right. It is time to start the tutors. He will need a sound tutor to teach him the history of Medici, the history of our kind, as well as a mortal education and surviving in their world. He will grow tired of the lessons; I can guarantee you that."
Walking slightly away from her, he lit up a cigarette and shuffled his feet. Cazzo, she was exposing Lorenzo to mortals.