Chapter 6 Daphne
DAPHNE
“Iabsolutely adore you and Cru together. It’s about time, I might add.”
My mouth gaped. “What are you talking about?”
My mum’s brow furrowed, then she smiled. “There’s no reason to hide it from your father and me. We approve, darling. Not that you need us to. You’re a grown woman, able to make your own decisions.”
My parents had always supported me, and they weren’t game players. If they had been manipulative in the past, I might’ve wondered if that was a back-handed compliment.
“Recent errors in judgment notwithstanding,” I muttered.
“Daphne, please do not say such a thing.” She turned to face me and put her hands on my shoulders. “Nothing you did resulted in what happened in New York City. You were a victim.”
“You don’t know what occurred.”
She pulled me into an embrace. “Of course we do. Your father spoke with Laird Butler.”
My eyes opened wide. “How does he know?”
“Decker Ashford, one of the men responsible for finding you, told him. The two are quite close, you know. Laird, who is known as Burns in those circles, mentored him when he was a teenager.”
I blinked several times and shook my head. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. I do know Mr. Ashford helped locate me, but beyond that, you might as well be speaking a foreign language.”
She cupped my cheek. “No matter. You’re safe, and that’s all we care about. We appreciated Cru’s call, suggesting we catch the next flight out.”
I glanced over to where he and my dad chatted. He appeared as confused as I was. “You don’t think Dad would say anything to Cru about us being a couple, do you?”
My mum shrugged. “It wouldn’t surprise me.”
“No!” I gasped. I turned my back to the two men and put my hands on my flushed cheeks. “I’m telling you; it isn’t like that between us. In fact, I think he might be gay.”
She gasped. “Gay?”
“Shh.” I pulled her farther away.
“Sweetheart, Cru is not gay,” she said in a lower tone of voice.
“Have you ever seen him with a woman? Meaning someone he was involved with?”
She thought it over for a minute. “I guess I haven’t. That doesn’t mean he’s gay, though, Daph.”
I shrugged. “It also doesn’t mean he’s not.”
She shook her head and put her arm through mine like she had earlier. “Come on. Let’s see if our bags have arrived.”
The ride from the airport to the Norman estate was quiet. I knew Cru well enough to pick up on his tension. Even if I didn’t, the way he clenched his jaw would’ve been a clue.
“I’m sorry,” I mouthed when he glanced over at me. That he shook his head only worried me more.
“I always love staying here.” My mum sighed when Cru pulled through the gates and we drove past the vineyards I’d visited so many times when I was growing up.
I often wondered why my parents hadn’t invested in vineyard property on the Central Coast, but now that I was an adult, I understood they couldn’t spend too much time away from the businesses in Australia.
“It is beautiful,” I commented. “Not on par with Los Caballeros, though.”
Cru glanced over at me a second time, still not smiling.
“I’m not just saying that. It’s always been my favorite.”
Finally, he smiled. “Mine too.”
From the corner of my eye, I saw my parents glance at each other. I had no doubt the look was meant to affirm they were right about Cru and me. Even though they weren’t.
The conversation he and I would have to have later would be awkward and embarrassing, but I had to reassure him that I hadn’t done or said anything to make them believe we were a couple.
“Can we take the two of you to dinner tonight?” my father asked when Cru pulled up and parked near the guesthouse.
“I’m sure Cru is busy—”
“I’m not.”
“Oh, um…” I hadn’t expected him to interrupt me. “Well, then, it would be lovely. Thanks.” I turned to face my mother. “I need to do a bit of shopping this afternoon if you’d like to join me.”
“Could we do it tomorrow instead, sweetheart? I hoped to take a nap before dinner. You know how dreadful the flight over is.”
“Sure. Of course.” I’d need work clothes before tomorrow, but I’d figure something out.
“I’ll take you,” Cru offered quietly.
We made sure my parents were settled, then left them to rest. As soon as we were back in the SUV, I took a deep breath, then turned to him.
“I want you to know I didn’t say anything to lead my parents to believe you and I were anything more than friends.” My cheeks flamed in embarrassment.
“Neither did I.”
“I don’t know where they got the crazy idea…”
Cru nudged me with his elbow. “Wishful thinking. Your dad told me he’d always liked me better than Beau.”
When he smiled and winked, the tension in my shoulders released.
“Who wouldn’t?” I said, winking back at him.
“Where to?” he asked once we were out on the highway.
“It’s a bit of a drive, as well as in the direction from where we’ve just come, but I think San Luis Obispo might have better options.”
“I don’t mind. Slow time in the vineyard, so we might as well take advantage of it. I don’t know about you, but I don’t think I can wait until dinner to eat.”
I put my hand on my rumbling tummy. “Me either.”
Rather than head south, Cru drove out to Moonstone Beach and parked in front of the Olallieberry Diner.
“I love this place.”
He nodded. “More to love about it now. My ma and Addy’s are running it.”
“How wonderful!”
“You don’t know the half of it. Ma hardly has time to get on her kids’ cases anymore.”
“I’ll admit I love that about her.”
Cru chuckled. “That’s because it gives you more to give me shit about.”
“You don’t know the half of it,” I repeated.
“Brat,” he muttered, getting out of the SUV. “I wish you’d wait for me,” he said when I climbed out before he came around and opened my door.
I rolled my eyes. “Sorry, but I am perfectly capable of getting it myself.”
“What you aren’t capable of is allowing me to be a gentleman.”
As I walked past him, he swatted my bottom and I playfully yelped. If anything, I wished he’d be far less of a gentleman and do more of what he had earlier this morning when he didn’t even try to hide his erection. I had such fun when we teased each other.
“Is that what will happen if I do something wrong in the vineyard?” I batted my eyelashes.
“If I say it will, I’m afraid you’ll cause problems intentionally.”
“You know me too well.”
“Enzo!” Cru’s mother shouted his given name when we walked in the diner’s front door.
“I knew you’d come see your mama this morning.
” She pretend pouted. “I miss my Gabriel and Addy already.” I’d only heard Cru’s oldest brother referred to as Brix for so long that I almost forgot his real name.
“Daphne, it is so nice to see you too, sweetheart,” she said to me, holding out her hand.
“You’ll be seeing a lot of her, Ma. Starting tomorrow, she’ll be working at Los Cab.”
His mother, Lucia, clapped her hands. “In the tasting room?”
Cru put his arm around her shoulders. “No, in the winery. She’ll be taking over the second label.”
Lucia’s eyes opened wide. “She will?”
“Yes, and she’ll be making fabulous wine.”
His mother tried to smile, but it didn’t come through her eyes. “That will be nice.”
“Sorry about that,” Cru said when we took a seat at the farthest table from the kitchen.
“I take it she doesn’t approve.” When I rested my hand on the surface, he covered it with his.
“It isn’t you. No one other than an Avila has ever made our wine.”
“What about your brothers? None of them wanted to take it on?”
He shook his head. “Cristobal, as you know, is a doctor and lives in Palo Alto. Snapper and Kick are on the rodeo circuit, currently making bank. Brix is out of the picture, and Alex is busy with Maddox at their winery. That leaves Trevino.”
“How is he?” I asked.
Cru pulled his hand from mine. “I worry about him. Ever since the accident…”
It wasn’t really an accident. Two men were able to bypass Los Cab’s security system and had not only kidnapped Addy’s mother, who was staying on the ranch at the time, but they’d knocked out both Lucia and Trevino.
What they’d done to Trev was far worse than him simply losing consciousness.
While I didn’t know for sure, I wondered if he’d suffered brain damage. “I’m sorry.”
“I guess if you married one of my brothers, you’d count as an Avila.”
He meant to tease, but his comment stung. How was he to know that the only brother I’d marry was him? Not that he’d ever want to marry me.
“Sorry,” he muttered. “It was supposed to be a joke.”
“I know,” I said, picking up the menu and raising it high enough to hide my face.
“Daph?”
“What?” I asked without lowering it.
“Look at me.”
“I thought you were hungry. Decide what you want to eat, so we can order.”
When he didn’t say anything else, I figured he’d done as I suggested. Instead, when I lowered the paper, he was still looking at me.
“It was a joke.”
I glared at him. “I know. Would you drop it, please?”
“It’s just that—”
“I was hoping I’d find the two of you here,” said Alex, taking one of the empty chairs. She looked directly at me. “I was wondering if you’d be interested in managing Stave.”
“She can’t,” Cru answered before I could. It wasn’t the first time it had happened in the last couple of days, and it was starting to annoy me.
“Okay if I speak for myself, or is a second-label winemaker not allowed to talk?”
“Say what?” Alex jumped out of her chair and pulled me up too. “I’m so excited. Second label? That’s fantastic!”
Alex’s enthusiasm was dampened by Cru’s scowl. Even after we sat down, he glowered.
“What the fuck, Enzo?” Alex said under her breath. Apparently, her use of his given name did nothing to diminish his irritation.
“Would you leave? No one invited you to join us for breakfast.”
“Touchy, touchy. Well, I’m happy for you, Daph. If you decide not to work for the ogre, the job offer remains open.”
Alex got up, but instead of walking out the door, she went into the kitchen.
“I’m sorry,” Cru said as soon as she was gone.