Best Man for the Bridesmaid

With the setting sun at her back, Jules stared out over the vast sloping green fields. It was the most gorgeous evening she’d ever seen. Brilliant pinks and purples painted the sky, while the symmetrical rows of bountiful grapevines were shadowed against the horizon. It was a little piece of heaven on earth.

“You live here?”

“The DeFiore family has lived here for generations.”

He turned the car down a small lane. Off to the side sat a painted wooden sign. Gold letters on a deep purple background spelled out DEFIORE WINERY. It was very stylish. Something told her this villa was going to be more impressive than she’d been imagining. Already the landscape had an essence of romance and blissful happiness written all over it.

What exactly had she gotten herself into by agreeing to stay here?

A sexy Italian by her side, the poshest car she’d ever ridden in and the most magnificent countryside added up to trouble. She was certain of it.

Then again, why fight it? Why not enjoy it? This was her treat for working so hard to graduate with high honors from college. Granted she’d been a couple of years older than her classmates, a result of enrolling late because of a financial hardship. But none of that meant the classes had been any easier for her.

“Here we are.” Stefano slowed the car to a stop outside a sprawling villa. “I hope you’ll be comfortable here.”

“I...I’m certain I will be.”

She gazed up at the sprawling three-story villa. This was more like a colorful mansion than a cozy country home. She caught herself gaping and pressed her lips together. Bright blue shutters adorned each window and door. The color contrasted well with the sunny yellow walls and the red tile roof. Someone sure appreciated vibrant colors. And she couldn’t blame them. It made a happy, welcoming statement.

The various balconies beckoned to her. Was it possible that her room would have one? She hoped so. She envisioned strolling out there to enjoy her morning coffee. Wow. People really lived like this?

She couldn’t help but glance around looking for someone with a video camera. But there was no one in sight. Somehow it was hard to imagine that this villa was someone’s home and not a prop on a television show about the rich and famous. And Stefano could easily fit the part of a sexy movie star who set women’s heart’s racing—except hers. She was immune to his charms.

Stefano opened the car door for her, and she stepped out. “This place is amazing.”

“Thank you.”

“It’ll be the perfect backdrop for the wedding.” She glanced around, searching for the ideal spot for Lizzie and Dante to say their vows.

“You’re thinking of having the ceremony outside?”

A gentle breeze tickled her skin. “Of course. With such a beautiful setting, it’s not even worth considering any other place.”

“If you don’t mind me asking, what do you know about planning a wedding? Are you—I mean, have you been married?”

She laughed. She couldn’t help it. The thought of her making such a commitment was akin to asking her if she could sprout wings and fly. Sure, she hoped that Lizzie would live happily ever after, but, as for herself, she didn’t believe in putting her future in someone else’s hands.

“I’m a confirmed bachelorette.”

His dark brows lifted. “Really?”

“Don’t look so shocked. Men don’t have the market cornered on staying single.”

He rubbed the back of his neck. “I guess I just never met a woman that didn’t believe in roses, platitudes and promises of forever.”

“Well, now you have.”

“So I have.”

Though she’d never admit it, standing here in this little piece of heaven on earth with a man whose thoughts extended beyond his zipper, she could at last understand why some women went the romantic forever route. She turned, and their gazes connected. She should glance away, but she didn’t want to. Not yet. Her stomach quivered. She’d never experienced such a sensation around a man. What was it about him that had her body betraying her?

Whatever it was, she’d have to be careful around him. No way was she going to fall for some unrealistic fantasy. She knew for a fact that the people you were supposed to trust the most were the first to let you down—the first to inflict pain. Her father had done it first. And then her mother had let her down in the worst way.

Jules refused to let herself get close enough to a man for him to hurt her.

* * *

The following morning, Stefano found himself lingering in the updated kitchen longer than necessary. Instead of his normal one cup of caffè, he’d just finished his second when he turned to refill his cup and found the pot empty.

Oh, this was ridiculous. He was stalling, and by the look on Maria’s face, their cook/housekeeper knew it, too. Thankfully she didn’t say a word about his beautiful houseguest. Maria turned her back to him and set about making a fresh pot.

He carried his empty cup to the sink.

Maria tilted her head to look at him. “If you wait, you can have more caffè.”

“No, thanks.” He forced a smile before gazing out the window at the brilliant morning sunshine casting a golden glow over the ordered rows of grapevines. “I’m just tired today. I was up late last night catching up on some paperwork for the winery. Harvest time will be here soon. We need to be prepared.”

Maria’s dark head nodded before she moved to the fridge. Just great. Now he was talking like a blathering fool. He shouldn’t be standing around—waiting for Jules. She’d be fine on her own. He’d shown her all around the villa yesterday.

The less he thought about the woman who wore far too much makeup, the better. His work was waiting for him, and it wasn’t getting done standing here.

“Thanks for breakfast.”

“Don’t worry so much. Everything will work out.”

Before he could ask what she meant, he heard footsteps. He turned to find Jules standing there in black shorts and a sheer long-sleeved black top. But what sent his heart slamming into his ribs was the black bra that was visible beneath her top. Wait. It was more than a bra, but not much more. There was a strip of stomach visible, and the spaghetti straps left her arms bare beneath the sheer top.

His first instinct was to get her one of his long-sleeved shirts to put on. What if one of the workmen saw her like this? His gut knotted up. Then again, why should he care what clothes she wore? Or who looked at her? But he couldn’t shrug off the unsettling feeling of protectiveness. He didn’t want other men ogling her.

The thought brought him up short. He couldn’t be jealous. That was ridiculous. He had no claim on her. Nor would he. She could traipse around in her birthday suit and it’d mean nothing to him.

So then why was the sight of her in that sexy little outfit warming his blood? His jaw tightened, and his body tensed. It’d be best if he thought of something else—and quick.

“Good morning.” She smiled as though she didn’t have a care in the world. “I didn’t mean to sleep in so late. I guess all of the traveling is catching up with me.”

Stefano’s mouth went dry, and his mind went blank. He should say something. Yet his tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth. He was staring. And he couldn’t tear his gaze from her.

Maria stepped between them and offered Jules breakfast—a hearty one. As Jules dug in, the fact that the slip of a woman had such a hearty appetite didn’t escape his attention. When her eyes met his there was a twinkle of amusement in them.

He swallowed past the lump in his throat. “Did you sleep well?”

“I did. I opened the window and a cool breeze put me straight to sleep.”

He sure hadn’t slept well—not at all. Thoughts of the little butterfly tattoo had fluttered through his mind. His attention strayed to her chest, but the material obscured his view. Just as well. He was better off not thinking of it at all.

Work. Concentrate on today’s tasks.

“I’m heading out to the fields.”

Jules’s eyes lit up. “Are you going to pick grapes? It looks like such fun on television.”

He chuckled. It was refreshing having someone around who didn’t think she was an expert when it came to the vines. “No. It’s not that time of the year. But at harvest time, you’re welcome to come back and join us.”

“Thanks.” The enthusiasm in her voice made him smile. “I just might take you up on the offer. But is it hard to learn?”

“No. Anyone can do it. I’m sure you’ll take right to it.”

Her lips pursed together. “I’ll definitely keep it in mind. Thank you for the invite.”

He mentally kicked himself for extending such a ridiculous invitation. Like she was going to fly all the way back to Italy to pick grapes. Yeah, right. But what if she did? Hope ballooned in his chest, and he immediately squelched it.

“If you aren’t picking grapes, what do you do?”

“There’s always something that needs tending. Right now, I’m going to thin the shoots.”

“Interesting.” Her brows scrunched together. “Sorry. I don’t know much about making wine. Actually I don’t know anything at all about it except how to drink it.”

It was on the tip of his tongue to offer to show her the basics, but spending time with her wasn’t a good idea. Besides, she was only feigning interest in the grapes to be nice. After all, why would this city girl be interested in a bunch of plants? He assured himself that she had plenty of wedding stuff to keep her occupied.

His grandfather shuffled into the kitchen using a walker to assist him. Ever since Nonno had a stroke, forcing him to hand over the reins of Ristorante Massimo to Dante, he’d been living at the villa. Nonno was his mother’s father and the only grandfather Stefano had even known. He loved him dearly and was so relieved to find that Nonno was starting to pull himself out of that dark place he’d briefly visited after being forced into retirement.

Stefano spoke up. “Nonno, this is Jules, Lizzie’s sister. She got in last night. Jules, this is my grandfather, Massimo.”

“I’m old, not deaf.” His grandfather frowned at him before turning a lopsided smile to Jules. “Welcome.”

Stefano smiled and shook his head. His grandfather still had an eye for women. Some things didn’t change. Stefano watched as his grandfather interacted with Jules. The frown lines on his face eased, and that took years off his appearance. Obviously Stefano wasn’t the only one to find a special quality in Jules that made the world a brighter place.

Jules smiled brightly at Nonno. “Lizzie has told me a lot about you, too.”

“All good, I hope.” His grandfather’s speech was still a bit slurred, but Stefano was either getting used to it or his grandfather’s therapy was helping him.

“Only the best. She told me you are quite handsome and a wonderful conversationalist.”

Nonno joined Jules at the table. He reached out and squeezed her hand. Her smile lit up her eyes. Jealousy poked at Stefano. She never smiled that brightly at him. She always remained reserved, as if she were prepared for him to bite her at any moment. And now that his grandfather was there it was as though she’d forgotten he was even in the room.

“Well, I’ll let you eat your breakfast.” Stefano needed to get away—to get some fresh air to clear his thoughts.

His grandfather didn’t say a word as he sipped at his caffè.

At last, Jules turned to Stefano as though she’d just remembered his presence. “I shouldn’t have slept so late. Lizzie will be here at lunch so that we can get started with the wedding plans.”

“Then I’ll leave you to your planning.” He slipped out the door feeling torn between the relief of escaping and the disappointment that he wouldn’t see her again until dinner.

CHAPTER FIVE

“I WAS BEGINNING to think that I’d never find you.” Jules strode up to Stefano. She’d just about given up when she spotted him checking the vines.

He furrowed his brow. “I thought you’d be inside making wedding plans with Lizzie.”

“She canceled it.”

“The wedding—”

“No. It’s still on.” Heat rushed up and filled Jules’s face. “I meant she canceled our plans for today. She said that she had to stick around the restaurant for a video conference with the people at the studio. Something about finalizing some details for next week’s taping. They sure have a lot of meetings for a reality show.”

Stefano stepped away from the grapevines and joined Jules in the rutted dirt path. “That show seems to take up more and more of their time. When my brother started coming home less and less on the weekends, he blamed it on filming conflicts. Me, personally, I thought it was because he wanted alone time with Lizzie, but it seems now he’s been telling the truth.”

“That’s too bad. But at least they’re happy. And I suppose it won’t last forever. This is their fifteen minutes of fame.”

He dusted his hands off on his faded jeans. “I was just heading back to the barn.”

“The barn?”

He pointed to a large building off in the distance with a stone facade. “It’s where we produce the wine. Beneath it is the barrel cellar.”

“Do you mind if I tag along? There’s something I want to ask you.” Since Lizzie couldn’t drive out to the vineyard, she’d asked if Jules would mind meeting them in Rome the next day. It sounded important, but Lizzie had been very closemouthed and said they’d talk at dinner.

“Sure. Come on.” They fell in step, side by side. “What’s on your mind?”

The thought of begging him for a ride into the city didn’t sit well with her. She didn’t like relying on others. Lizzie had said to bring Stefano along, but with all the work he had to do, would he want to drive all that way just to have dinner? She decided to put off asking him. She was enjoying his good mood, and this was her chance to get to know him a little better.

“It’s big.” She pointed to the wine barn. “Really big.”

“It wasn’t always that size. My father and I have done a lot to expand the business. Although we made a point of keeping the outside looking traditional, the inside has been totally modernized. We want to grow DeFiore winery into a household name. Hopefully it can be passed on from generation to generation.”

“I’m sure your children will appreciate all of your efforts—”

“I don’t have kids.” His quick response caught her off guard.

“I kinda guessed that. But you will as soon as you meet the right woman. Isn’t that what all of this is for?”

“No.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Maybe Dante’s kids will take an interest in the business.”

Jules glanced over at him, noticing the strained look on his face as he kept his line of vision straight ahead. She wondered about his strong reaction to the thought of having kids.

Maybe it had something to do with her surprise in finding that she was the only woman aside from Maria living at the villa. Where were the women? Stefano was very handsome. In fact, if she were looking for fun beneath the Italian sun, he’d be first on her list. Was he still mourning his wife? Not that it was any of her business. But still she was curious.

“How about you?” Stefano’s voice drew her out of her thoughts.

“What?”

“Are you interested in having a family?”

He was the first person to ask her that question. Not even Lizzie had asked her. And she supposed she owed him some sort of answer since she’d brought up the subject in the first place.

“Do I look like mother material?”

“Sure. I guess.”

“You aren’t even looking at me.”

He stopped walking and turned to her. Silence ensued as he stared at her. “I think that beneath all of that makeup lies a beautiful woman who can have whatever she sets her mind on.”

Her heart stopped. He thought she was beautiful? This was yet another thing that no one had ever said to her. What did she say now?

She moved her tongue from where it was stuck to the top of her mouth, hoping her voice would work. “Thanks. But you don’t have to say that just to make me feel better.”

“I’m not.” His eyes darkened as he continued to stare at her as though he was truly seeing her. “There’s something special about you.”

A fluttering sensation filled her chest, and all she could think about was sinking into his arms and finding out if his kisses were as romantic as the ones she watched in the black-and-white movies that played late at night when she was alone while her friends were out on dates.

“I’m out of the loop on what’s in style as far as women’s fashions. I suppose that the makeup and dark clothes are a fashion statement.”

Jules glanced down at her black-on-black ensemble. She never really stopped to think about her appearance. She’d been dressing like this for so many years that it was just natural for her. It hid the ugly scars that lurked beneath—a reminder of a part of her life that was best left hidden and buried.

“Actually, it’s just my style.”

“I see. It...it’s different from how the women in these parts dress. In the village, things are more simplistic than you’ll find in Rome or Milan.”

Normally she’d have taken that as an insult, but he’d already said he thought she was beautiful...beneath the makeup. So maybe he was just stating a fact. She stood out around here. But she didn’t have anything else to wear—anything that would make her fit in better. Not that she planned to—fit in, that is.

She toyed with a loose thread on the hem of her top. “It’s just so different back in New York. It’s like a melting pot of styles and trends.”

“I can imagine. But I’m confused. What does your appearance have to do with you becoming a mother?”

Back to that subject—the one she didn’t want to delve into. “I’m not having kids.”

“As in ever?”

“As in never ever. I wouldn’t have a clue how to be a good mother.” And there she’d gone and blurted out more than she’d intended to say—more than she normally shared with anyone.

Stefano started walking again toward the barn, and she fell in step beside him, waiting and wondering what he’d ask next. They moved along quietly for a few minutes. A gentle breeze brushed over Jules’s face and made her pigtails flutter. But it was the man to her left that had her chest all aquiver. He really thought she was beautiful? Her heart tumbled.

As they neared the large stone structure, Stefano cleared his throat. “You’d be surprised at what people are capable of when their hearts are involved.”

She shook her head. “Trust me. I didn’t have a good role model.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

Not as sorry as I am.

Just then she heard something. A squeak? A squeal? A cry?

She stopped walking. “Did you hear that?”

Stefano stopped and glanced back at her. “I don’t hear anything. What is it—”

“Shhh...” Her gaze darted around the foundation of the building, where the grass was higher.

If it was a rat, she was going to scream and jump on Stefano’s back. She may be pushing to gain her independence from her foster sister, but that didn’t mean she didn’t have a weakness or two. And rodents gave her the willies. Still curiosity drove her on.

Squeak.

“Did you hear it that time?”

He nodded. “I wouldn’t worry about it. I’m sure it’s just some sort of wildlife that can take care of itself. Come on. I’ll give you the unofficial tour of the winery.”

“We can’t leave. Not yet. What if it’s hurt?”

Stefano arched a brow. “Didn’t you just get done telling me that you weren’t the motherly type?”

“I’m not.” Though deep down she wished someday she could be the kind of mother that she’d dreamed of. “But that doesn’t mean that I’m heartless. The creature might be starved or worse.”

She didn’t want to think about the worse part. She’d always had a tender spot for animals, even though she’d never been able to have a pet. Her foster homes wouldn’t allow animals. And then the apartment lease forbade them. But now that she was moving, perhaps she’d look for a pet-friendly apartment.

She hunched over and started searching around the shrubs and through the greenery along the side of the building. When she glanced over her shoulder, she found Stefano standing there staring at her.

“Don’t just stand there. Help me.” She didn’t wait for his response as she turned and continued her hunt.

There was a distinct sigh from Stefano followed by the sound of his approaching footsteps. She wished whatever it was would squeak again. She couldn’t see any signs of life. What was it? And where was it?

“Is this what you’re searching for?”

Jules immediately straightened and turned. Her gaze landed on a fuzzy ball of orange fur. “What is it?”

Stefano chuckled. “Don’t you city girls know a kitten when you see one?”

“A kitten?” Her mouth fell open, and she forced it shut. She moved closer. “Is it yours?”

He shook his head. “Not mine.”

“Then how did it get here?” She glanced around, not seeing any nearby houses.

“Sometimes when people don’t want animals, they drop them off. I don’t know why they think this is a good place to leave animals, especially cats. It isn’t like we’re a dairy farm or anything.”

She stuck out her hand to pet it, then paused just inches from the ball of fluff. “Is...is it okay?”

“I’m no vet but...” He lifted the little thing up and gave it a once-over. “I think it’s scared to death and starved. Otherwise, I think it’s okay.”

Jules blew out a breath she hadn’t known she’d been holding. “Can I pet it?”

His brow crinkled. “Sure. It isn’t that fragile.”

Her fingertips stroked the dirty and tangled fur. She could feel its little ribs as they moved in and out with each breath. And then it turned to look at her. Its crusty little blue eyes peered at her. In that moment, Jules’s heart melted. How could anyone dump such a sweet little thing?

“Do you want to hold it?” Stefano held out the kitten to her.

“Sure. But...but I don’t want to hurt it.”

“Trust me—you’ll be fine.”

She held out her hands, and then there was a little pile of fur in them. She didn’t know that anything could be so featherlight. Her fingers instinctively stroked the fur. She could so relate to this kitten. She knew what it was like to be abused by those who are supposed to care for you.

“Aww...it’s so sweet.” She lifted the kitten until they were face-to-face. “Don’t worry. You’re safe now.”

As she started back toward the house, Stefano called out to her, “What about the tour of the winery?”

“It’ll have to wait. Apricot needs some food.”

“Apricot?” There was a pause and then the sound of him catching up to her. “What are you planning to do with...Apricot?”

“Feed her, of course.” What did he think she was going to do with the poor little thing?

“I meant after that. Do you really think it’s such a good idea to name it?”

She saw the concern in his eyes. What was he worried about? That she didn’t have a clue what she was doing? That somehow she’d hurt Apricot? Maybe he was right. She didn’t know what she was doing, but she was willing to learn.

“We can’t keep calling her ‘it.’ That’s not a name. And I may not know anything about cats, but I can learn. That’s what the internet is for.” And then a worrisome thought formed. “Or are you worried about having the cat in the house?”

“The cat in the house is fine. It’s a big place, and if you keep it in your suite of rooms, no one will even know it’s there.”

As they walked on in silence, Jules’s nerves kicked up. She really didn’t know what she was doing. What if she did hurt the kitten? After all, she’d never taken care of anyone but herself, and even then Lizzie had always been around.

This is why she wasn’t having children—ever. She didn’t know thing one about taking care of others. And judging by the worried expression on Stefano’s face, he agreed. She glanced down at Apricot. Someone had to do his or her best for the kitten. And for the moment that was her.