Читать книгу Falling For Her French Tycoon - Rebecca Winters - Страница 13

NATHALIE DROVE AWAY with her heart in her throat. Could Alain be the son of Dominic Fontesquieu? A man who came from one of the most prominent, titled families in France?

Had it been an illicit affair on his part that he didn’t want getting back to his family? Had he sworn Antoinette to silence because of his name?

Maybe he’d been married and couldn’t afford a scandal that would make the news. If he were divorced now, it could explain the lack of a wedding ring. Or maybe he didn’t like to wear rings. She wondered if he’d kept his name a secret from Antoinette.

Suffused with more questions than before, Nathalie drove faster than usual, needing answers. Fifteen minutes later, she entered the house and found her mother in the family room watching TV while she worked on some embroidered blocks for a quilt. All was quiet, which meant Alain was asleep.

Nathalie sat down on the couch. “I’m glad you’re still up, Maman, because I’ve got something of vital importance to tell you.”

Her mother took one look at her and turned off the TV.

“Please don’t be upset with me if I tell you something that might make you angry.”

“Why would you say that?”

For the next ten minutes, Nathalie told her about her talk with Claire a month ago and her plan to look for Alain’s father. She explained about her visit to the Fontesquieu vineyard to apply for work, and ended by telling her about today’s discovery.

“This afternoon I found a man I believe could be Alain’s father and learned his name.”

Her mother leaned forward. “Good heavens, Nathalie. What do you mean you think you’ve found him?”

When Nathalie told her what had happened today, her mother jumped to her feet looking startled. “Alain could be a Fontesquieu?”

“Yes. If the man who interviewed me is the one, I can see why Antoinette fell for him. He’s...so incredibly attractive, I can’t believe it.” Nathalie had been mesmerized by him.

“I’ve never heard you talk this way about a man before.”

She drew in a breath. “That’s because I’ve never met one like him in my whole life. It would explain what happened to Antoinette.” She cleared her throat. “On the drive back just now, I decided that if I’m hired on Monday, I’ll work there long enough to find out his marital status. If he’s divorced or single, then I’ll approach him. But if he’s married and has children, then for the sake of his wife and family, I’m not sure how I’ll inform him.”

“Oh, Nathalie.” Her voice shook. “Darling... You’re going to have to be careful without positive proof.”

“There is proof if you compare the two of them, even without a DNA test. The resemblance is uncanny. And there’s something else. Dominic Fontesquieu has the same small birthmark as Alain.”

“I’m afraid that still doesn’t prove paternity.”

“You’re right.”

Her mother seemed anxious.

“Don’t worry, Maman. I promise to talk everything over with you before I make any kind of a move.”

“You honestly believe this Dominic could be the one?”

“In my opinion, yes. Just think—if he knew he had a son and wanted him—how wonderful it would be for Alain to get to know at least one of his parents. He’s such a treasure, I would think any father worth his salt would give anything to claim him.”

“I agree, but I’m afraid to credit any of this because—”

Nathalie got up and hugged her. “Because it would be a dream come true if Alain’s father wanted him and they could be united.”

Her mother nodded. “But darling, it could be a nightmare if there isn’t a good ending to this story.”

“I know, Maman. Not every man would welcome that kind of news. I won’t do anything until we’re in total agreement.”

Dominic was already awake at five Monday morning when his phone rang. He checked the caller ID. Something had to be wrong for his brother to call this early.

“Etienne? Have you taken a turn for the worse?”

“Non, non, but the doctor won’t let me go to work for a few more days. Desolé, Dom.” His voice still sounded an octave lower than normal.

“I’ll be happy to fill in until you’re better and will help Gregoire.”

“Thanks, brother.”

Nothing could have made Dominic happier since he wanted to get to know Mademoiselle Fournier. “Stay in bed and relax. Theo did all the background checks on Friday’s applicants and informed Gregoire. No red flags on anyone.”

Which meant none on Mademoiselle Fournier, whose image refused to leave his mind. She’d never been in trouble. No parking infractions or car accidents, no warrants out for her arrest. He hadn’t really expected anything negative to come up on her but relief had swept through him when he learned she was squeaky clean, even though he still had the feeling she’d come to the vineyard for a hidden reason. He planned to get to the bottom of it.

“That’s good considering we need workers,” Etienne murmured. “This is a bigger harvest than last year, Dieu merci. Such news will make Grand-père happy.”

“I’ll drive to the tent now.”

“Paul will be there to help. Thanks, Dom.”

“Au revoir.”

After hanging up, Dominic quickly showered and shaved. On his way out the door dressed in jeans and a fresh white shirt, he grabbed a plum and a baguette to hold him over until lunch.

Hurrying to the main garage on the property, he picked one of the trucks rigged with gear to help the workers and headed for the tent at the base of the western terroirs. Judging by the temperature outside, it was going to be another hot day, which meant the bulging grapes needed picking now.

Mademoiselle Fournier was in for some hard, menial work. By the end of the harvest he’d discover why she’d really come to the vineyard. With more excitement than he should be feeling, he parked near the tent where Gregoire and Paul were addressing the latest crop of new workers.

Though dressed like the others in rainproof layered clothing and gum shoes to protect themselves from the morning dew, she stood out from everyone else. Her height plus the feminine mold of her body made it impossible for him to look anywhere else.

This morning she’d tied her shimmering hair back at the nape of her neck with a band, revealing high cheekbones and a softly rounded chin. He’d studied the enticing shape of her mouth on Friday and the image had stayed with him all weekend, making him wonder how he’d last until he’d be close to her again.

He parked next to the other two trucks and waited until Gregoire gave final instructions to the workers. One by one they climbed into the truck beds with the aid of ladders. From here they’d be driven to the vineyard needing attention.

At that point Dominic got out of his own truck. He lowered the tailgate and attached his ladder so the last ten workers being ushered by Paul could climb in. He was happy to see the pharmacist among them and watched as Paul said something to her that produced a smile before she climbed in. Paul was a gossip, the last person Dominic wanted around their new worker. He would make sure that ended fast, he thought as he shut the tailgate.

Gregoire waved to Dominic before driving into the vines. Paul followed and Dominic brought up the rear. When they reached the designated terroir, he shut off the motor and walked around to open the tailgate.

After the workers used the ladder to get down, he climbed up and opened the locker. “Before you follow the others, I’m handing out scissors, gloves and knee pads for all of you to use while you work here. For those of you who have done this before, you know the gloves help prevent stains, but it’s your choice whether to wear them or not. I presume you’ve brought water bottles and sunscreen.” Everyone nodded and waited their turn.

“At the end of the day, more trucks will be here to take you back to the tent area.”

In a few minutes they were ready and followed Gregoire and Paul’s groups, lining up and down the rows of grapes to get started. Dominic took a walk along another row, satisfied to see that the trailer had arrived for the collectors who gathered the picked grapes to transport to the winery.

When Paul had to leave to help some of the other workers, Dominic took advantage of the moment to catch Mademoiselle Fournier alone. She was kneeling on the pad and had started cutting grapes. He noticed her gloves stuck in one of the back pockets of her jeans.

“Bonjour, mademoiselle.”

She looked up in surprise, giving him the full view of her light green eyes. The woman’s beauty took his breath away.

“Bonjour, monsieur.”

“You prefer not to use gloves?”

“Maybe I’ll put them on later, but I need to practice without them first to get a feel for the work.”

He was surprised as that’s what he would have advised. Paul had obviously shown her what to do and already she’d put some grapes in the bucket provided.

“Did you apply sunscreen already?”

“I did at the last minute.”

“That’s good. The heat is already building. You don’t want to get a sunburn before the end of your first day. You’ll also likely find you need an over-the-counter painkiller to deal with aches and pains tonight.”

An enticing smile broke out on her lovely face. “I brought some just in case. That’s very kind of you to be concerned.”

“He, Dominic.”

“Salut, Paul.” The other man had come back. Dominic still held her green gaze. “Just remember not to kill yourself off today. You’ll need your strength for tomorrow.”

She smiled. “I appreciate the warning. Merci, monsieur.”

Dominic nodded to Paul, then walked toward the truck in the distance. On his way back to the office, he ate his snacks, but he’d need coffee. To his relief Theo had already made it for both of them.

No sooner had Dominic poured himself a cup and walked into his private office to get busy than Raoul arrived. All the family offices were in the same building.

“You’re a sight for sore eyes, mon vieux. Come on in and shut the door.”

“I was hoping you’d be here.” He’d brought a cup of coffee with him and planted himself on a leather chair opposite Dominic’s desk.

“Anything new at the conference in Saint Tropez?”

Raoul shook his head. “The Provencal vineyards seem to be doing marginally better, but it’s going to take years before every vintner in France recoups losses from two years ago. Dieu merci for the personal investments you’ve helped me make.”

“You’re not worried about money, are you?”

“I might be.”

“That sounded cryptic.”

“Let’s just say I’d like you to go over my accounts and let me know what I’m worth. I might need some of it before long.”

Dominic sat forward. “I’ll look into it before the day is out. But promise me you’re not thinking of doing something drastic.”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know. Like leaving the way I did, maybe?”

He knew his cousin’s marriage had been in shambles from the start, and that both Raoul and his wife carried a deep sorrow from losing their little girl, Celine, who had died at one month from a bad heart. Dominic wondered how much longer the two could keep up pretensions.

“My greatest regret is that I didn’t go to Paris with you years ago. Let’s face it, Dom. You were the only one in the family with the guts to get out before being swallowed alive.”

“But I’m back now.” For how long he didn’t know. It depended on Nathalie Fournier, who’d swept into his life on Friday, bringing a beauty and charm that had put some kind of a spell on him. His desire to get to know her had stoked an unprecedented hunger in him, though his cousin didn’t know that.

Raoul stared hard at him. “Yes, but you’re still free to make your own decisions. Nobody owns you and your life is intact.”

“No one owns you, Raoul.”

“You’re right. I take ownership for my guilt and mistakes with Sabine.”

Dom let out a troubled sigh. “As you can see, the tentacles brought me back temporarily.”

“The day you came home was my salvation.”

“You’re mine, Raoul. Whatever you’re planning, don’t leave.”

“Not yet anyway. I need to know where I stand financially before I do anything.”

“I’ll get busy on it.” Something serious was going on with Raoul.

“Thanks. Now enough about me. I hear Etienne is still sick.”

“He’s finally getting better. I’m filling in for him a while longer, but something odd has come up I want to talk to you about.”

“Go ahead.”

Dominic told him everything, but didn’t reveal the strength of his attraction to the pharmacist. “Am I being paranoid that she’s up to something questionable?”

Raoul studied him for a minute. “Being an undercover freelance reporter is a big stretch from being a pharmacist. But I’d trust your instincts as they’re rarely wrong. If you feel something isn’t right, then it isn’t. What’s your plan?”

“I’m going to get to know her.”

“After a few days you’ll know if she’s out for a scoop on the business. It has happened before. Grand-père forced the perpetrators to pay stiff fines and do jail time.”

“That’s our grandfather.” Dominic didn’t want her to have to face that type of punishment for trespassing. If that was what she was doing.

Just then, Raoul received a text. After reading it, he looked up. “I’ve got to get over to my office.”

“I’ll call you tonight.”

“What would I do without you in my corner?”

On that note, he dashed off.

Dominic sat back, pondering his cousin’s counsel to follow his instincts about Miss Fournier. He planned to find out what made her tick.

After pulling all the information on Raoul’s investments, he did some figures and prepared a form to give his cousin. By afternoon he’d finished his work, so he drove his car back out to the terroir. Dominic made sure he’d shown up early enough to catch sight of the woman who was constantly on his mind.

Paul and Gregoire kept moving up and down the rows to help the workers. At 4:30 p.m. he saw her and several others leave the vineyard, though she walked down the road rather than climb into one of the trucks.

Dominic called to her as he pulled his car alongside her on the road. “Mademoiselle Fournier?”

She swung toward him, her eyes lighting up when she saw him behind the wheel. “Bonsoir, monsieur.”

“Since I’m on my way back to the chateau, allow me to drive you to your mobile home.”

“Oh—thank you very much.” It surprised him that without hesitation she climbed in the other side with her backpack.

He started driving at a slow pace. “How was your first day?”

A fetching smile broke out on her flushed face. “You don’t want to hear about it.”

Her comment made him laugh. “It had to be a change from preparing prescriptions for people.”

“Working here with the vines is another existence. No matter how sore I am, it makes you part of this world of living greenery.” She had a unique way of putting things that seemed to confirm his suspicions that she could be a writer. She darted him a smile. “How was your day?”

Was she trying to get information from him? “You’d be bored to tears.” In truth he’d accomplished less than usual and it was all because of the beautiful woman sitting next to him.

“I’m sure that’s not true. For my part, I already feel a camaraderie with some of the other workers. The Lopez family next to me is so cheerful.”

Dominic remembered interviewing them after she’d left the tent. “It doesn’t sound like you’re ready to quit yet.”

“Oh, no. I’m in for the count.”

“Why?” More than ever he wanted an answer to that question.

“I learned as a child that way back when one of your ancestors was titled and given this land. Not very many people can claim a heritage like yours. It made fascinating reading.”

All her answers sounded truthful. “Why fascinating?”

“When I was a little girl, I grew up on fairy tales. Your chateau is the embodiment of those painted on the covers of the books I loved. The thought of working in your vineyard sounded intriguing. Is it true your grandfather holds the title of Duc?”

“It’s a defunct title.” Maybe she was writing an historical account for a publisher and wanted information from the CEO himself. Did she hope for permission from Dominic?

“Even so, it adds a certain mystique from the past that makes you and your family seem out of the ordinary. When I was at the Guinguet, I noticed several paintings of the chateau and sculptured gardens hanging on the walls. It’s very cool.”

Minute by minute she was enamoring him. Eventually they reached the park. “Where is your mobile home?”

“It’s the third one in the second row.”

He kept driving and pulled up behind a blue car. Now that he knew where to find her, he didn’t want to let her go. She had a vitality that intrigued him. Much as he wanted to take her to dinner this evening, he knew she was exhausted after her first day.

“Voilà, mademoiselle. Home in one piece.”

“Bed is going to feel good tonight.”

He could imagine. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Thank you more than you know.”

She got out of the car and he watched her until she waved to him and let herself inside the mobile home. When he was convinced she was safely inside, he backed up and left the park. Tomorrow he had plans for the two of them.