Chapter 3
Chapter three
“Your family owns this whole place?” Darwin asked.
Katrina didn’t miss the awe in his voice as they drove up the long, meandering lane surrounded by beautiful flowering shrubs on either side.
In the setting sun, she could make out the collection of majestic Mediterranean-style buildings that made up the resort, restaurant, meeting spaces, and wine making operations of the Weber Vineyards and Resort.
She looked at Darwin from the passenger seat as he followed the sign for valet parking, thinking again how handsome he was. Dark hair with eyes the color of her favorite chocolate bar, he had the perfect amount of stubble on his chiseled jaw.
“It was only the vineyard when my grandparents on my dad’s side first started it,” she said, realizing she hadn’t answered his question. “They added tours and wine tasting later.”
“What about the resort and golf course?”
“My father added those after he took over the business.”
“That’s cool.”
“I guess.”
Darwin glanced at her in surprise as he slowed to a stop in front of the valet stand. “You don’t think so?”
Katrina thought a moment before answering, wanting to choose her words carefully. “It’s not that I don’t like the resort. I mean, it’s beautiful. But sometimes, it seems like the vineyard has kind of become an afterthought.”
She took in the circular entrance with its light-colored stone and plethora of windows, remembering the heated arguments over the direction of the vineyard between her grandfather and her dad when she’d been a little girl.
As glamorous and posh as the resort was, it’d been hard to see the lush, green land her grandma and grandpa had loved so much destroyed simply so her father could make even more money than he already had.
“There’s a part of me that’s sad to think my grandparents wouldn’t recognize this place anymore, I guess,” she said softly.
Katrina mentally cringed. She and Darwin had spent the thirty-minute drive talking about fun stuff and now, she was probably making him think twice about spending the week with her after bombarding him with her hangups.
Great. She opened her mouth to apologize, but he reached over to take her hand with a smile.
“Even if this isn’t the vineyard your grandparents knew, I’m sure they’d be happy knowing your sister has such a beautiful place to have her wedding.”
She returned his smile. He wasn’t wrong about that. Her grandparents had been amazing, loving people. She only wished creating wonderful memories for her sister and fiancé was as important to her father. But as with everything, it was about showing off his wealth, power, and respectability.
But Katrina didn’t say that to Darwin.
Before either of them could say anything else, the valet quickly walked over to open her door.
Darwin came around to hand the man the keys and a tip, then helped the bellman get their bags.
The man followed them into the lobby, waiting off to the side while she and Darwin crossed the gleaming marble floor of the lobby to the check-in desk.
The red-haired man working there greeted them with a bright smile that broadened even more when she told him their names. His name tag read Davis.
“Ms. Weber! Your mother told us you and your guest would be arriving this evening. Your room is on the second floor with a view of the vineyard. As you requested, Mr. Sutton will be in the connecting one.”
Out of the corner of her eye, Katrina saw Darwin glance at her. She gave him a sheepish smile. “I thought connecting rooms would be easier. To meet up for events and stuff.”
His mouth curved. “Works for me.”
Davis slid two folders embossed with metallic pink roses across the counter. “Here’s your scheduled itinerary for the week. Luckily, you’ve arrived just in time for tonight’s meet-and-greet in the Sauvignon Ballroom.”
Ugh. She’d hoped they’d be able to relax before she threw Darwin into the deep end of the pool, but that wasn’t an option. At least, they’d still have time to freshen up and change for the party.
Their rooms were located at the end of the hallway on the second floor.
Katrina hadn’t ever stayed at the resort, so she’d never been in the guest rooms, but they were as luxurious as the rest of the place.
In addition to the rich hardwood floor topped with a lush area rug, there was a gas fireplace, king-size bed, a comfortable looking couch, and an en-suite that was almost as big with a huge walk-in shower, jetted garden tub, and a vanity that covered one whole wall.
But the cherry on top was the balcony looking out over the expansive vineyard. The view was breathtaking.
Maybe Darwin had the right idea. Maybe she should focus more on how beautiful the resort was for her sister’s wedding instead of on her father’s greed.
She and Darwin kept the connecting door between their rooms open so they could talk while they unpacked and got ready for the party, and from the way she caught him looking around the rooms, he thought their accommodations for the week were pretty sweet, too.
“What’s the dress code for the party tonight?” Darwin asked from his room, his voice loud enough to be heard over the water as he turned on the shower.
Katrina entertained herself with the image of Darwin stripping off his jeans and T-shirt before answering. Something told her he had a smoking hot body.
“A button-down and slacks with a sports jacket is fine,” she called out.
When Darwin didn’t answer, she assumed it was because he’d gotten in the shower.
She didn’t even consider taking a shower herself.
If her long hair even got the slightest bit damp from the humidity it would be a curly, frizzy mess.
So, instead, she took out her straight iron and smoothed any flyaways, then touched up her makeup.
“So,” Darwin said, his voice closer to the connecting door now.
Katrina had been so focused on what she was doing she hadn’t heard the shower turn off. Was he still naked? Maybe still a little wet?
“Have you told your parents anything about me?” he asked.
She walked over to the closet and considered the dresses she’d brought, leaning toward a simple little black dress she decided would be perfect for the meet-and-greet.
“Actually, I haven’t told them anything about you,” she admitted, cringing a little at how weird that probably sounded.
“But they know I’m coming to the wedding with you, right?” he asked, concern obvious in his voice.
She slipped into the dress, smoothing it with her hands. “Not unless they asked my sister or looked at the guest list recently. When I saw Mom at Khloe’s bridal shower a few weeks ago, she asked if I was bringing anyone to the wedding and I told her I wasn’t.”
“Why not?”
“Because at the time, it was true,” she said as she put on a pair of strappy platform sandals. “I only asked you to be my plus-one a week ago.”
“Oh.”
She waited for Darwin to say more, but he fell silent. If she didn’t know better, she’d think he was nervous about meeting her parents. She had no idea why. She hadn’t been worried about their approval since moving to San Diego and becoming a nanny. Then again, he didn’t know that.
“What would you like me to say when they ask about how long we’ve been dating?”
Darwin’s voice sounded even closer than before, and Katrina turned to see him leaning against the frame of the door between their rooms. His dark hair was still wet from the shower, and he was buttoning his shirt, looking better than any man had a right to.
Did she mention a chiseled jaw with the perfect amount of stubble was a real turn-on?
What had he asked her again?
Oh, right.
“You can tell them that we’ve been seeing each other for the past few months,” she said, checking herself in the mirror one more time, turning this way and that, catching the approving look on Darwin’s face as she did.
She turned to face him. “I mean, I don’t think they need to know this is essentially our first date. Do you?”
“Not if you don’t.” His mouth curved. “You look beautiful, by the way.”
Katrina smiled. “You look pretty good yourself.”
Darwin returned her gaze for a moment, the smolder there making her pulse skip a beat. Then he grabbed his jacket and shrugged into it before walking over and offering his arm.
“Shall we?” he asked, grinning broadly.
Something told her the gentlemanly gesture wasn’t something he usually did, and it made her feel special.
“You sure you’re ready for this?” she asked as they headed for the door, enjoying the feel of his muscular arm beneath her hand. “We can go out somewhere for dinner instead, if you want.”
Part of her hoped he’d take her up on the invitation so she could spend some one-on-one time with him. This was their first date, after all. But then she immediately felt bad. They were here for her sister’s wedding.
As if reading her mind, Darwin smiled. “Nah. Let’s do this. I’m looking forward to meeting your family. Besides, I have a feeling this is going to be an interesting week.”
“You have no idea,” Katrina murmured as he opened the door and led her out of the room.