Love in the Vineyard (Tavonesi #7)(73)

“I’d prefer if you didn’t snoop into the background of women I date.” Adrian couldn’t remember the last time he’d raised his voice to his father. And he’d surprised himself by using the word date. Was that what he was doing—dating Natasha? If he had his way, it’d be much more than that.

“You may be dating her, but she is an employee. Most companies do background checks before they hire people. And for your information, it was Coco who told me about Natasha’s background. I wasn’t—what did you call it?—snooping. Awkward American term.”

“I’ll take care of this.”

“Of course.” His father stood and walked around from behind his desk. He clasped Adrian in a hug. “You’re doing a great job, son. Your mother would be proud of you. Of all of you children.”

Not one of the family had gotten over their mother’s death—was it already almost two years ago? It seemed like yesterday. Adrian could only imagine what it was like for his father to lose the woman he loved.

He reviewed the reports as he made his way to the greenhouse. Anyone could make a mistake. But a thirty-thousand-dollar mistake?

Natasha and Enrique were bent close over a tray of starts when Adrian entered the greenhouse. He watched for a moment and remembered the tête-à-tête he’d interrupted a few days earlier when he’d found them talking in the shade of an oak tree. Perhaps there was more between the two of them than he’d allowed to register. Maybe love really did blind a man. He shoved back his ridiculous thoughts and concentrated on the conversation ahead.

He tapped on one of the stainless steel tables to announce his arrival. Skulking about and spying on people wasn’t in his blood. At least he hoped it wasn’t.

Enrique snapped his head up. “Mr. Tavonesi,” he said as he straightened to an almost military-straight posture of attention.

Natasha wiped her hands on her jeans. “The fuchsia starts are taking well,” she said with the warm smile that normally melted through him. “We might even be able to fulfill the wholesale orders.”

“Can I speak with you a moment, Natasha?” He tilted his head toward the back of the greenhouse. “In your office?”

She turned to Enrique. “Would you finish up these last eight trays and then transplant the lupines?”

“Sure thing.”

Adrian was acutely aware of Enrique’s eyes on him. Hell, if he had half the feelings for Natasha that Adrian did, a rival wouldn’t be a welcome intrusion.

His first impulse when he closed the door of the office was to kiss her. Dancing with her at the Fandango had ramped up his desire, and nothing he did or thought cooled the want she fired in him. Her sensual appearances in his dreams hadn’t helped.

What also didn’t help was that they hadn’t been alone together for weeks.

He hauled in a long breath, focused, and handed her the report.

“I’m sorry to have to ask you this, but our accountant has found”—he sought a careful, nonconfrontational word—“an irregularity in the accounts.”

Her eyes went wide, and her fingers tightened on the papers.

“I mean, he could be wrong, but I’d like you to look into it.”

She didn’t move, just stared down at the papers she clutched. Then she laid them on her desk.

“I’ll be happy to,” she said.

Her voice quivered. Anyone’s voice would quiver if their boss questioned their numbers. He felt like a heel.

“It’s on the second page. There seems to be about thirty thousand dollars that’s gone missing.”

She put a hand to her desk. He’d never seen a woman faint, but she looked like she was going to do just that.

“Hey, no hurry. Finish up what you’re doing. We can talk this over tomorrow. Or the next day.” He sorted through his mind, seeking something, anything, to ease the horrid tension in the room, the tension he saw in her body. “I was planning on coming to Tyler’s game tomorrow night. He invited me. I mean, if that’s okay with you.”

She put a hand to her throat. The wavering smile on her lips didn’t reach her eyes.

“I’m sure he’d love that. And I’ll look into this—this problem—right away.”

The phone rang. She glanced at it.

“I’ll let you get back to your work.” He tapped her arm. “You’re doing an amazing job. I couldn’t have dreamed of a more successful start for a new business.”

She picked up the phone receiver, and he slipped out of the office. His heart banged against his ribs. He didn’t, couldn’t, imagine that the missing money was anything but an honest mistake.





Natasha’s head pounded as she finished taking the order and hung up the phone. She looked down at the notes she’d taken. Her head swam. Had the Andersons wanted thirteen or thirty-one starts?

She walked to the door of her office and called Enrique to join her. Yet even as he made his way toward her, she thought better of involving him. It was possible that he’d made the mistake. But something in the way he’d watched Adrian had put her on edge.

“Would you take these potted fuchsias up to the gift shop?” she said in the most level, nonchalant tone she could.

“Sure, boss.” He glanced at the papers on her desk and narrowed his eyes. “Everything okay?”