Susan Mallery - The Sparkling One

All the women of the family sat together sewing. The Grands were there, and Colleen, Francesca (looking normal for once), and Katie. Only Brenna was missing. And Mia, who had gone off with David.

He saw the stack of completed flowers in bags by the coffee table and boxes of beads yet to be attached. Once, not so long ago, he’d seen these women together just like this and had thought they were spiders out to snare his son. Now he realized he’d been wrong. They weren’t spiders and this wasn’t a web. Instead each fine stitch assembled a part of a safety net.

Had this been another time, had David been older, more ready, more mature, Zach couldn’t have asked for better in-laws. He would have considered him and his son incredibly lucky to be a part of this amazing family.

But David wasn’t any of those things. As much as he loved his son, Zach saw his faults clearly. The marriage was destined for failure and most of the blame would be David’s.

“Ladies,” he said easily as he took a seat.

“Zach!” The women greeted him. Katie gave him a quick smile, then ducked her head.

“How was the drive?” Colleen asked. “Did you bring David with you?”

He sat in the chair and stretched out his legs in front of him. “The drive was fine. Yes, David is here. He and Mia went for a walk.”

“Are you hungry?” Grandma Tessa asked. “We’re having lunch in a hour, but if you need a little something…”

He reached over and patted her wrinkled hand. “I can wait. I wouldn’t want anything to spoil my appetite.”

Francesca picked up Mia’s half-finished lace flowers. “Want to help?”

He grinned. “Nope.”

“Me, either.” She sighed. “Sewing isn’t really my thing. I practically destroyed a sewing machine when I took that quilting class. I keep telling Katie that I constantly prick my finger. I’m getting blood all over the place.”

“I can get blood out a whole lot easier than I can bead everything myself,” Katie retorted without missing a stitch.

“So is the dress about finished?” he asked, not sure why he wanted to know.

Katie gave him a quick glance. “Don’t even bring it up. I’m heading for panic mode.”

“The wedding invitations are due any day now,” Colleen told Zach. “I think Mia said we had your list of names. We’ll be addressing them in the next week or so. In the old days they had to go out six weeks in advance, but now everyone says just a month is enough.”

“Where’s Brenna?” he asked.

Grandma Tessa frowned. “She said she had to go to Santa Barbara, but didn’t say for what. She’ll be back in time for lunch.”

Katie rose. “It’s too beautiful to stay inside. I’m going to follow Mia’s lead and take Zach for a walk. We’ll be back in an hour.” She glanced at him. “If that’s all right.”

He hadn’t been alone with her since Thursday night.

“Great idea,” he said, coming to his feet.

“Have fun,” Colleen said, not taking her gaze from her beading.

When they were out on the porch, Zach pulled Katie close and lightly kissed her. She responded, holding on to him and sighing.

“It’s good to see you,” she admitted.

“Same here. I missed you.”

They stared at each other. Zach suddenly wanted to say more, although he didn’t know what. He also wanted to take her upstairs and make love with her, which wasn’t possible. Instead, he took her hand in his and started down the stairs.

“Do you think they’ll start speculating about us right away or will they give us a head start?” he asked.

“Five minutes at the most,” she said with a laugh. “I’m torn between going for the walk I promised you and sneaking back around to eavesdrop.”

“I have a feeling that would embarrass us both. Let’s take that walk.”

“Okay. Have you seen the tasting room?”

“No.”

“Then let’s go that way.”

As they headed for a path that circled left around the house, Zach tried to figure out why he didn’t mind that Katie’s sister, mother, and grandmothers were talking about them. He generally didn’t like people butting into his private life, but this time it was different. Not that he could say why. For now it was enough just to be with Katie on such a beautiful day.

They strolled past acres of vines, then turned again. A mile or so ahead he saw a beautiful two-story building, surrounded by impressive gardens. Dozens of cars were parked in front and on the side. Obviously the public part of Marcelli Wines.

“Why so quiet?” he asked her.

“I’m still a little tired,” she admitted. “And I have a lot on my mind.”

“So you’re thinking about me?”

She turned toward him and swatted his arm with her free hand. “You are not the center of the universe.”

“I’m the center of yours.”

She rolled her eyes. “You and that ego. It’s amazing you have room for anyone else in your life.”

He bumped her shoulder with his. “Come on. You’re impressed by me. I can tell.”

“Not even close.”

He chuckled. “Katie, you’re amazing at a lot of things, but you’re a lousy liar. Besides, you’ve had a thing for me since the second we met. Don’t forget, you told your family I was hot.”

She stopped in the center of the path, pulled her hand free, and glared at him.

“Number one, I’ve told you before-I never used the word hot. Number two, you’re not all that. Number three, the only reason I mentioned you at all to my family is that they were bugging me about not having a boyfriend. I pretended to be attracted to you so they would get off my back and I could have a pleasant weekend. The only flaw in the plan was you showing up ten minutes later.”

She planted her hands on her hips and narrowed her gaze. “Is any of this sinking in?”

Temper flared from her brown eyes. Annoyance colored her cheeks. But under that was amusement and affection. He saw it in the way the corner of her mouth twitched slightly.

She was beautiful. Funny. Smart. A hell of a lover. A hell of a woman.

He grinned. “Nope,” he said as he put his arm around her. “You adore me. Now let’s go to the tasting room and you can buy me a drink.”

“T ry this,” Katie said, pouring from another open bottle. “It’s a table wine, which means it’s a blend. We do a Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot blend, with a bit of Cab Franc thrown in for interest.”

Zach sipped the wine she offered. “I like it. I still like the straight Cabernet Sauvignon best, but this would be good for casual dining.”

She laughed. “I’ll be sure to tell my grandfather. Considering this little table wine for casual dining sells for about seventy-five dollars a bottle, I’m sure he’ll be thrilled with your assessment.”

Zach winced. “Okay. So I was wrong.”

She leaned toward him. “There is no wrong, just personal preference. Frankly, I’m a white wine drinker, which is blasphemy in this family. When Brenna found out, she threatened to never speak to me again.”

Katie smiled as she spoke and her light brown eyes glinted with humor. She wore her hair long and loose. She was so beautiful, he thought suddenly.

He crossed to a large set of arched glass doors. A well-manicured lawn stretched out for about sixty or seventy feet. At the far end two women were on step-ladders decorating a gazebo. White chairs had been set up in rows.

“A wedding?” he asked as Katie came to stand next to him.

“Yes. They’re scheduled all through the spring and summer. Upstairs there’s a whole suite of rooms for the use of the wedding party. If the reception is held here, it has to be outside, but once we’re into June weather isn’t usually a problem.” She glanced at him. “It’s a romantic setting.”