A Vintage Murder (5 page)

Derek had her blouse half unbuttoned as she fumbled with his belt. They were near the throes of passion when they heard the bathroom door open.

“Well, lookie here, what is going on, you two are doing the nasty.” Simon, Derek’s gay brother, stood in the doorway, toothbrush in hand.

“What the—” Derek said, lifting himself up.

“Oh my God!” Nikki squealed and started buttoning her blouse.

“It’s okay, kids. It’s about time you two got together,” Simon said as he pumped the air back and forth with his hips. Nikki shook her head.

“Simon, what in the hell are you doing here?” Derek asked.

“Listen, don’t mind me. It looks like I came at a bad time. I’ll just take a little jaunt around town and come back and fill you in on all of the agony I’ve been through since you both took off.”

Derek glared at him. “Bullshit. You’ve pretty much spoiled the mood, so I suggest you start talking now.”

“I’ll order us up some tea,” Nikki said.

“No tea for me, Snow White. Order me up a bottle of one of those Sauvignon Blancs the Aussies are so famous for.”

“Make it two bottles,” Derek said.

“You know, instead of room service, why don’t we take a walk around the village? We’ve already had some wine this afternoon. Coffee might be good,” Nikki added. In such an awkward situation, finding the right thing to say was impossible, so she played the Pollyanna card.

“Oh no, you two. I don’t want to be a third wheel.”

“It’s a little late for that,” Derek barked.

Simon winced. He turned around and walked over to his suitcase, which sat on the verandah. How did they miss seeing it? Lust. That was the answer. They’d been too far gone to notice anything else.

“I’ll just go. I didn’t know where else to go or who to turn to. You’re my family, but I understand. I know you two want to be alone.” Simon rolled his suitcase over to the door and looked at them with a pitiful downturn at the corners of his lips.

As he opened the door, Nikki placed her hand on Derek’s shoulder. “We can’t let him go. Simon, come on, let’s all go down, and you can have that glass of wine in the hotel bar.”

Simon looked at his brother. Derek threw up his hands. “Okay, Drama Queen, you win.”

Simon hugged him. “Thank you. I’m sorry. I will so make this up to both of you.”

 

 

Over a few glasses of wine, Simon explained his reason for flying halfway across the world to interrupt what was supposed to be an afternoon delight. “I knew I shouldn’t have done it. I mean, Marco and I did have this agreement and it was just so totally wrong. I can’t blame him for hating me.”

“Slow down,” Derek said. “Start from the beginning.”

“Well, after Nikki left for the airport, Marco and I had a chat about our relationship and how it was time to take it to the next level and have a marriage celebration. I agreed completely, but he wanted one thing from me. One eensyweensy thing.” Simon pinched his thumb and index finger together. “And I couldn’t do it.”

Marco and Simon had been partners for years. Nikki had met them three years earlier when she’d gone to work for the winery. At first, the two of them had rubbed her the wrong way with their arrogance and brash behavior, but over time they’d grown on her. They’d turned over a new leaf when they’d gone to a New Age, Zen-type camp in Sedona, Arizona, where they’d met a guru named Sansibaba. Nikki was sure the guy was a charlatan, but Simon and Marco had come back with a sense of gratitude and a soft spot for her. Friendship between the three of them had since blossomed, and she now considered them dear friends. She was bothered to hear there was trouble in paradise.

“I’m afraid to ask,” Derek said. “But what is it that you
just
could not do?”

Simon sighed. “I couldn’t give up Gianni or Kenneth.”

“What? You’re cheating on Marco!” Derek exclaimed. “And with
two
men? God, what is wrong with you!” A few heads turned.

Nikki shook her head. “No. I don’t think so.”

Derek looked from Nikki to Simon and back again. “Someone want to explain?”

“Gianni Versace and Kenneth Cole. I’m right, aren’t I?” she asked Simon.

He nodded. “We had this deal that we would give up all designer labels for a year. You know, Marco adores Guru Sansibaba and he’s been doing this life-coaching thing with a woman from the Sansibaba Enlightenment Center, and his life coach suggested that we give up our labels. She felt it would be good for us to detach from what the designers represent.”

Derek put his head in his hands. Nikki could see his neck turning from red to a sort of magenta color. This was not good. “And what is it that those designers represent?” he growled.

“Ego, of course. And, I agreed with Marco that I’d do it. But dammit, I’m like a freaking addict. As soon as I said that I wouldn’t do it again, I jumped in the car and went up to that really nice boutique in St. Helena, you know the one I mean, with like all the established designers and the up-and-comers. Place is amazing, and only fifteen minutes from the vineyard. Gotta love it.”

“Get to the point,” Derek said.

“Right, but gawd, I almost went into the city to Nieman’s, too. Good thing I didn’t. But anyhoo, I tried to hide all the packages. I was actually using your place to hide them, Nikki, and then Marco caught me going up the stairs and he found all of them. He told me that if he couldn’t trust me with this, then he couldn’t trust me at all. Then, he packed his things and left. I don’t know where he went. He won’t answer my calls, or my e-mails, and I feel so alone. I didn’t know what to do, so I chartered a jet and I came here. To be with family.”

“Wait a minute. You blew how much to get here? You chartered a jet? And oh shit, oh no . . .” Derek’s head snapped up. “Who is with Ollie?”

Ollie was Derek’s Rhodesian Ridgeback, a big, caramel-colored dog that Nikki had fallen in love with since joining the Malveaux team. He’d become almost as much her dog as he was Derek’s. For some time it had been a joke between the two of them as to who Ollie’s real owner was.

“Please, Derek, as if I’d leave the animal on his own. No, he’s with that adorable girl that Nikki hired. The stripper.”

“Alyssa is not a stripper. Well, not any longer. I hired her because she’s a good woman and smart and she has a child to take care of.”

“Oh God, Snow White, I am so the last person you need to defend anyone to.”

Nikki knew he was right. Simon accepted pretty much anyone. She cringed at her new nickname. For the first year they’d called her Goldilocks. She’d been highlighting her hair to fit that Southern California mold for years, but after living up north for some time, she’d gone back to her original darker roots and a new nickname had been born.

“I think the girl is a sweetheart and she’s great with Ollie. I told her that she and the toddler could stay at your place. Hope that’s okay.”

Nikki smiled. “Sure. It’s fine.”
Her place
wasn’t really hers anyway. It was a room at the Malveaux spa and boutique hotel. Her home had been torched by a killer not that long ago and she’d had to move into the hotel.

“You know what, I’ve about had enough of this nonsense,” Derek said. “You and Marco are freaks. My God, and listening to this Guru Sansibaba—what a crock of shit. This is plain ridiculous, Simon. I suggest you get your ass back on Virgin Atlantic—coach, mind you—because I’m sure you charged that charter to Malveaux, and go find Marco and make up. Quit acting like a woman.”

Simon turned to Nikki. “Aren’t you insulted by that? Okay, so first off, acting like a gal comes au naturel for me. Second, don’t you think that if I could have found Marco by now, I would have done everything in my power to make up with him?”

“Why did you come here, Si?” Derek asked. “What did you think Nikki and I could do for you? You spent fifteen hours in a jet. What’s the deal?”

“I was looking for moral support,
brother.
” Simon threw down his napkin.

Uh-oh, time to play referee. Nikki touched Simon’s shoulder. “Now everyone just chill. Okay, this is no big deal. Simon needs us right now.” Simon pouted. “I know how much . . . I mean,
we
know how much you love Marco.” Simon nodded. “And we love Marco, too. He needs some cooling off time and then I’ll bet everything will work out.”

“You think?”

“Yes. Tell you what. I’ll send him an e-mail and see if he responds.”

“Really? You will?”

“Of course.”

Simon glanced at Derek, who said, “Fine, me, too. I’ll try and give him a call, see if he’ll take your sorry ass back. Gianni and Kenneth. Jeez, you guys are plain ridiculous.”

Simon grinned. “Yes, but you two are the best. I knew you’d come through for me. Now, what do we have planned while we’re here in outback country?”

“We’re going to a party tonight at the Hahndorf Winery—” Nikki said.

“
We
have nothing planned,” Derek interrupted. “Nikki and I have plans. You have to make your own plans.”

“Right of course. I’m sorry. I’ve bothered you enough.” Simon sipped his wine and leaned back in his chair.

“Oh for God’s sake. Fine. You can come with us to the party. I’m sure the Hahndorfs won’t mind.”

Simon set his wine down and clapped his hands. “Thank you, and I promise I won’t be a problem. I will not interfere with your good time. You kids should really get to know each other better.”

“Simon,” Derek warned.

“Right. Okay, well, I think I’ll see what I can do about getting my own room.”

“Good idea. How did you get into our room anyway?” Nikki asked.

“The maid let me in. I told her that I left my key inside.”

“Great security,” Derek said.

“Look at me, do I look like a thief?” Simon stood. “See you two at what, around six or so?”

“Looking forward to it,” Derek answered, his voice laden in sarcasm.

They watched Simon walk out of the bar. Derek took Nikki’s hand. “I’m sorry about that.”

“Please. Don’t be. You know I love him.”

“Yeah, I’m not sure that I do, though. His timing certainly sucks.”

She laughed. “You love him, too. You must because you didn’t kill him.”

“He’s lucky I didn’t.”

Nikki felt herself further drawn to Derek. He was a softy deep down, and as annoying as Simon could be, Derek had handled everything quite wonderfully. Bet he’d make a great dad. Suddenly Nikki found herself feeling brave. Her hand grazed Derek’s. “Should we go back to the room and finish what we started?”

He didn’t answer right away and an uneasy feeling came over her. “No. You know what, I think in a weird way it was a good thing Simon interrupted us.”

Ooh, she didn’t think she liked the sound of that. “You do?”

“Yep. Because the first time we’re together should be perfect. That’s what I want for you, and that is what we agreed on from the get-go.” He leaned in and kissed her cheek, then her lips.

“That seemed pretty perfect.”

“No. Not in the way it should be.”

“Okay, so perfect, huh? Wow, what does that entail?” she asked.

“I guess you’ll just have to wait and see.”

Much to Nikki and Derek’s dismay their hotel was booked solid, along with every other place in town. There was a festival going on, and Simon had no place to go, except for the pull-out couch in their suite. So much for the perfect seduction. Nikki could tell that Derek was brooding, and she wasn’t exactly thrilled, but they couldn’t desert Simon in his time of need. Instead, Nikki shot off an e-mail to Marco in an attempt to locate him, letting him know they were all concerned and that Simon was truly miserable without him.

Instead of romance in kangaroo country, the three of them took turns getting ready in the bathroom, with Simon taking the longest. With the weather downright chilly in the evenings, as winter was just around the corner, Nikki put on a steel blue cashmere turtleneck sweater and a long, wraparound, cream-colored sweater-coat. The combo looked pretty good with her eyes. For pants she pulled on what she called her skinny jeans, meaning for some reason they seemed to hold in anything that needed to be held in without looking like that was what she’d tried to do.

“I so hate you,” Simon said when she emerged from the bathroom.

“What?”

“Look at you, you little twit. You even look good in a turtleneck. No one makes a turtleneck look sexy, but you pull it off somehow. No wonder my brother is in lust with you. If I wasn’t so gay, I’d be in lust, too.”

“Funny.” She shook a finger at him.

When she walked out into the front room, Derek’s eyes brightened. “You look beautiful.”

“See what I mean.” Simon shook his head.

“Thank you. Both of you . . . I think.”

 

 

At the Hahndorf Winery, the barbecue looked to be in full swing with several cars parked out front. Nikki prayed to God that the Australian ideal of “casual” was on par with the same term used in the States. She would hate to see everyone else in diamonds and pearls when she’d chosen a turtleneck and jeans, even if Simon was right that she pulled off
sexy
in them, which she didn’t buy. At least Derek and Simon were also in jeans, and there was no arguing that jeans were definitely sexy on Derek.