All My Tomorrows (14 page)

CHAPTER
12

Eileen insisted they splurge and rent a
convertible for their wine tasting tour of Napa Valley. Alice relented but had
to wrap a scarf around her head to keep her hair out of her mouth.

“I think you look very French,” Eileen said. “Very
je ne sais quoi
.”

“Or very
Thelma and Louise
. And how can
something be VERY
je ne sais quoi
?”

“I don’t know, Alice. We’re on vacation! Don’t be
copy-editing me – even in your head.”

Alice had to admit the open-air enhanced the
experience of driving along the Silverado Trail viewing the spectacular
landscapes of row after row of grapevines with hills and mountains in the
distance. After L.A., Napa seemed like another planet – or at least another
continent. They stopped at the wineries they had mapped out on the route, and that
evening she arrived at their resort deliciously tipsy.

Alice checked in with Peacock, and he assured her
the only drama had occurred on set.

“So I take it Rich doesn’t know yet,” she said.

“No, we are going to wait until the last possible
moment when he absolutely must see the script.”

“I don’t blame you there. Good luck! I’m almost
sorry to miss it!”

Day two proceeded much as day one but on a
different highway and with different wineries, except Alice detected a subtle change
in Eileen. Whereas they had planned it as a wine tasting trip, Eileen actually
developed an interest in the production. After she had tasted all the samples,
Alice would wander outside to inhale the beauty of the vineyard while Eileen
talked yeast and bottling.

The third winery on the third day offered some of
the best wines they had had on the trip, as well as a host more than willing to
provide a few extra samples. As he and Eileen launched into a discussion of
varietals, Alice said she would be outside.

“The house on the property is incredible,” she
said. “Would they mind if I got a closer look.” He offered no objection, so out
she went.

She wound along the paths in the direction of the
villa – no other word would do it justice – which turned out to be much farther
than she had thought. As Eileen clearly would not want to leave anytime soon,
Alice pressed onward. She hadn’t made it quite two-thirds of the way when she
came upon the last thing she expected to find in a vineyard – a little girl
sitting alone under a large fig tree. The child watched her approach, so Alice
had no choice but to acknowledge her.

“Hello,” Alice said and kept walking.

“What’s your name?”

Damn. So close
. She turned to the girl.
“Alice.”

“Like
Alice in Wonderland
?”

“That’s right. What’s your name?”

“Britney. How old are you?”

“How old are you?”

“Seven.”

“Then you are old enough to learn not to ask a
lady her age,” Alice said smiling, and the little girl smiled back. “Seven is a
scary number.”

“Why?”

“Because seven ate nine.” The little girl giggled.
“What are you doing sitting under this tree?”

“Waiting.”

“This is a good place for that – nice shade.
Waiting for what?”

“My parents to find me. They’re talking.”

“Where are your parents?”

Britney pointed at the main house.

“You live there?” The little girl nodded.
Holy
crap!
“Then perhaps you won’t mind if I ate one of your figs.” Britney
shook her head, and Alice reached up and plucked two ripe figs nestled
together. “Do you want one?”

“They haven’t been washed.”

Alice examined the figs. “Well, they look clean
enough to me.” She grabbed a few more then sat down next to the girl.

“Alice in Wonderland sat under a tree too,” her
new friend said.

“And this fig says, ‘Eat me.’” After Alice took a
bite and did not drop dead, Britney accepted one and bit into it. “That’s a
beautiful house. You must love living there.”

She shrugged. “Not really.”

“I would love to live in a house like that.”

“I want to live in Hollywood and be an actress!”

Naturally.
Alice finished one fig, and – a
bit sleepy from the walk and the wine – leaned against the tree and started on
a second. “Do your parents know you are out here?”

“No.”

“Then how do you know they will find you?”

“My daddy will find me. He says he loves
Alice
in Wonderland
, so he will know to look for me under a tree.”

“Don’t you think you should have told them you
were leaving?”

“I don’t like it when they talk about the
divorce.”

Just as Alice thought she was getting the picture,
someone came out from behind the tree, and the little girl jumped up.

“Daddy!”

“Peter.” Alice couldn’t be sure if she had
actually spoken aloud since her heart had lodged in her throat the moment she
saw his face.

“Daddy! Her name is Alice, just like in Wonderland
– and she’s sitting under a tree!”

Her appearance had stunned him as well, and he
only managed to say, “Yes.”

Britney continued to jump around and say words
that Alice could not hear through the fog of shock as she and Peter stared at
each other. She felt so exposed under his scrutiny, she wanted to grab some of
the fig leaves to cover herself.

“What are you doing here?” he asked, but not in
the accusatory tone she would have expected – just gentle curiosity.

“I’ve come to kidnap your daughter and hold her
ransom for wine and figs.”

Britney tugged on his arm. “Daddy, Alice gave me
figs and didn’t wash them, and we ate them.”

“Oh, really?” he asked looking from daughter to
former-almost lover.

“I like to live on the edge. Sorry to have been a
bad influence on your daughter.”

“I doubt that’s possible.”

She wiped the fig juice off on the skirt of her
light dress and started to push herself up from the ground when he offered his
hand. She took it, and he pulled her to her feet.

“So you won’t tell me why you’re here?” he asked
with his eyes on hers. Then he released her hand.

“Eileen and I are taking a little vacation,
touring vineyards. She’s still in there talking grapes. I should get back to
her.”

“Yes, I should take Britney back to her mother.”

“I won’t keep you. Britney, it was very nice
meeting you.”

“Bye.” The little girl waved, and Alice turned and
walked away as fast as she dared.

Oh, God. Oh, God. Oh, God
. She could not
believe what had just happened.
Of all the vineyards in the world, and he
had to walk into – Oh, God! This must be his vineyard!
She had no idea who owned
the winery – his name wasn’t on the label – but he would never believe that. He
would think she tracked him down deliberately.
For what? To try to get him
back? Shit, he really might think I planned to kidnap his daughter.

She had walked quickly and with her head down and
arms across her chest and hadn’t paid attention to the paths until she realized
she had gone the wrong way. She stumbled around some more until she decided she
would never find the right path and would just have to march through the grapevines
or die in the middle of Peter’s vineyard.
They’ll find my body and say I
just couldn’t live without him.

“Alice.” His voice filled her with trepidation and
relief, since at least he would know the way out. “Where are you going?”

She fixed a smile upon her face before turning
around. “I was about to sacrifice myself to Bacchus. I seem to have gotten
hopelessly lost. Could you tell me which path to take?”

After all the publicity and the photos of them in
the tabloids, Alice thought he would want to get her off his property as soon
as possible, but he said, “How ‘bout I walk with you?”

As they began to walk, she searched the catalog of
her brain for any topic they could discuss that would not be attached to a
painful memory.

“So this is your vineyard?”

He laughed. “No, not hardly. It’s beautiful,
though. I wouldn’t mind living out here. It belongs to my wife’s…my ex-wife’s
boyfriend. She and my daughter have been living here since we split.”

She wondered if it was the man from his wife’s
affair. “Your daughter is charming.”

“She thought the same about you.”

“I…you know I had no idea she was your daughter. I
wasn’t trying –”

“No, I know. It’s just a coincidence, a happy one.
I hope it is for you as well.”

She felt a flutter in her heart or her stomach or
both. Here she had believed she would be the last person he would want to see,
and he called their chance meeting a “happy coincidence.”

“Where are you staying?” he asked.

“The Veritas. You?”
No! Why did I ask him that?
He’ll think I want know.

“I’ve actually rented a small house not far from
here.”

“To spend time with your daughter?”

“That’s right. How long have you and Eileen been
here?”

“Since day before yesterday.”

“What do you think of the area?”

“I love it. It’s so beautiful – so different from
Southern California. Reminds me of Tuscany.”

“You’ve been to Italy?”

“Yes, a few times with my mother. She loved it.
This is like my Tuscany away from home. Except Tuscany is really Tuscany away
from home. I don’t know what the reverse of that would be. I’m sorry, I’m not
making much sense. That’s the problem with tasting really good wine – I don’t
want to spit.”

He laughed softly. “No, I think you make perfect
sense. Like a little piece of Tuscany here at home. I agree. I am seriously
considering finding a place out here.”

“What about your house in the Hollywood Hills? Or
would you keep it too?”

“No, you’ve seen that house. It’s too big for one
man. I think I’m ready to get away from L.A.”

“Really? You’ll start a vineyard, open a winery?”

“Oh, no, none of that. Just the house. Although I
might try to find one with a fig tree.”

They had arrived at the winery, and Eileen’s
expression as she watched them emerge made it seem as though zombies had walked
out of the vineyard.

Peter offered her an abbreviated hug and a kiss on
the cheek. “Good to see you, Eileen.”

“What…what…what?”

“We just ran into each other,” Alice said. “I
couldn’t figure out how to get back here, so Peter showed me the way out. Are
you finished with your wine lesson?”

Eileen had not yet recovered and only nodded as
she continued to gape at them.

Alice turned to Peter, thought of offering her
hand to shake but decided that would feel too awkward. “Good seeing you again,
Peter. Thanks for showing me the way. Maybe I’ll see you again some time with
another happy coincidence.”

They were almost to the car when Peter walked up
behind them and said, “Wait,” and Alice turned to face him. “It doesn’t have to
be a happy coincidence. I mean, we don’t necessarily have to wait for the next
coincidence. Jack is coming in town this evening. Would you consider dinner? 
The four of us?”

Alice couldn’t move or speak, paralyzed by the
invitation. Eileen stepped in. “Yes, I would love to see Jack again, and you
and I could catch up. Why don’t you tell me when and where, and we’ll meet you
there.”

“Would you like to go to Alsace Aquitaine?”

Alice shook herself out of her stupor. “You have
reservations there tonight?”

“Not yet.”

“I thought you had to make reservations two months
in advance.”

“Is that a yes?” She nodded. “I’ll see you at
eight?”

They agreed by silent assent and climbed in the
car.

All the way to the resort, Eileen interrogated
Alice and demanded to know every detail about what had occurred at the
vineyard, and Alice did her best to satisfy her.

“Do you want to know the variety of fig? I think
they were mission but I’m not sure.”

“I know it must have been so uncomfortable for
both of you.”

“Yes. Especially at first.”

“If you would rather not go tonight, I’ll call and
cancel. I completely understand.”

“What? And miss out on probably our only chance to
eat at Alsace Aquitaine?”

“I’m serious, Alice.”

She said nothing a moment, silently recounting
each glance and every emotion elicited. “No. I want to go.”

“Are you sure? Do you really want to go?”

“Yes, I really do.”

Alice and Eileen arrived at the restaurant and
were led outside to the courtyard. Peter had arranged for a table for four to
be set up for their own private dining. Both men greeted Eileen with a kiss on
the cheek, but only Jack offered one to Alice, which made her wonder if Peter
held a grudge after all, despite the invitation and his behavior at the
vineyard.

Jack wanted to know everything going on with
All
My Tomorrows,
but Alice hesitated because of the pending lawsuit as well as
everything she had said the night she and Peter fought. Eileen jumped in with
all the latest news and gossip about the cast and crew, since Alice had kept
her up to speed on all the events since she left the show, but they all avoided
any mention of Giselle.

“And how is Mrs. Jellyby?” Jack asked. “Are the
ratings going her way?”

“No,” Alice answered. “They’ve been on a steady
decline since we returned from the Olympics, but we’re optimistic about a new
storyline we are introducing.”

“What do you have up your sleeve?”

“You know I can’t reveal the storyline of a soap
opera!” They all groaned and prodded until she relented. “As long as you
promise it won’t leave this table. We have decided Brother Raife is not a good
match for Sienna after all.”