Under A Harvest Moon (33 page)

That made her decision so much easier.

"Honey," she said.

"Yeah?" Kaiden replied.

"What would you think about staying and going back to Seattle now?"

"Are you kidding?" He cracked a smile. "Really?"

"Yes," she took the upcoming exit and pulled over. "Let's not go back to Whitney House."

"What about the ninety days?" Kaiden asked. "Won't you have to give up the money?"

"Money isn't everything. I just want us to be happy," Danielle said. "I'll find a job. I know enough about wine now I'm sure I could get a job in a wine shop, or better yet, maybe I'll enroll in classes, start my own winery. After all, I am Danielle Whitney. Growing grapes is in my blood."

Kaiden's grin widened.

"So we're staying in Seattle?" she asked.

Kaiden nodded.

Danielle continued off the exit ramp, then made a U-turn, getting back on the freeway in the opposite direction, toward Seattle.

She was walking away.

Whitney Vineyards now belonged to Nico. She blinked back her tears, her heart filled with so many regrets.

She glanced at Kaiden, knowing in her heart she'd done the right thing for them both.

Chapter Eighteen

Nico's back ached. He let himself into the cottage, collapsing on the couch, intending to catch a couple of hours of sleep. He'd worked sixteen hours straight. His body had burnt out. His mind was mush.

He closed his eyes and tried not to think about Danielle. She'd gone to court on Thursday, but she hadn't returned yet, and it was Saturday.

Lola told him she was staying overnight with a girlfriend and would be back on Monday. He never thought she'd miss the harvest, and he wondered what was really going on. He'd called her, afraid Peter might have done something to her, but she'd assured him, in a cool voice that everything was fine, that the parenting plan was in place.

So why did he feel so uneasy?

Unable to shut his mind off, he sat up and reached for the phone. The red light blinked, signaling he had messages. Nico retrieved the missed call.

"Nico, this is Richard Slone calling."

Phillip's attorney?

"Please call me at your earliest convenience," Richard said. "I know you are in the middle of the harvest, but as soon as you're free, we have to go over the terms of the will. There is paperwork you have to complete in order to have the vineyard transferred over to you."

What the hell?

"Congratulations," he said. "Phillip would be pleased to know that the vineyard is in such capable hands. I'll look forward to your call."

The line went dead. What had Danielle done? With shaking fingers, Nico punched in her number, but got her voicemail. He hung up. Next, he dialed the attorney, but again got voicemail.

Frustrated, he slammed the phone down. Why would Danielle walk away? She needed the money. Why now, when she knew he was leaving? Had something happened between her and Peter? Had the bastard finally scared her enough she'd made the decision to give up the vineyard to protect Kaiden?

Nico left the cottage. At Whitney House he let himself in the back door. "Lola!"

"Lord o'mercy, what's wrong?" Lola asked, coming into the kitchen from the hallway.

"Where is she?" Nico asked.

"You know?" Lola asked, her eyes softening with concern.

"That she forfeited? Yes. Why did she do it?"

"Peter. The man said some ugly things to her after the hearing."

Rage filled his chest. He'd deal with Peter later. Right now he just wanted to find Danielle.

"I can't believe she'd just walk away," Nico said. "She's so angry at me."

Lola gave him a soft smile. "Something powerful happened between the two of you, something neither one of you can deny. What are you going to do about it?"

What was he going to do about it? A sudden, wild optimism seized him.

"I'm going to get her and bring her back," he said.

"You're in the middle of the harvest," she reminded him with a worried shake of her head.

"So?" Right now, he didn't give a damn about the grapes.

Lola was smiling now, a smile that went ear to ear. "Well, what are you waiting for? Go get her."

"I don't know where she is. Do you?"

"Course I do." She went to the drawer and fished out a piece of paper.

Nico scanned the address. He kissed Lola's cheek. "I'm bringing her home, Lola. I'm bringing them both home."

***

Danielle pulled the covers up over Kaiden, tucking the blankets securely around his legs. "There you go, all tucked in nice and tight."

"I miss Lola," he said.

She kissed his forehead. "I miss her, too."

"I miss Maria."

She wondered where he was going with this conversation.

"Me, too," she said.

"I want to go back." He frowned. "I don't want to live in a crummy motel."

"You know this is just temporary," she reminded him. "We'll get an apartment this week, somewhere close to your school."

"I guess I liked Sun Grove," Kaiden admitted.

"What?" she asked, not sure she'd heard him correctly. "But you wanted to come back here, be with your friends. You start school on Monday. Things will get better then."

"I know, but I liked school there, too."

"Honey, we can't go back, at least not to Whitney House. Nico owns the place now."

Kaiden's face fell.

"I'm sorry," she said, hating she was disappointing him again.

"But it's our house," Kaiden said.

"Not anymore." Had she done the wrong thing again? She was so tired of trying to second guess everyone, Kaiden, Peter, even Nico. The sad thing was she wanted to go back, too. She didn't want to live in Seattle. She had to admit she was excited about going back to school, about learning the wine business from the ground up, but she could take classes in Sun Grove. More than anything she missed the vineyard. She missed Lola, and God help her, despite everything, she ached for Nico.

"Get some sleep," she said to Kaiden. "We'll talk about this tomorrow."

He turned on his side.

"Good night," she said.

"Night."

Danielle shut the light off on her way out of his room, slipping through the door into her adjoining room. The motel was like a mini apartment, complete with a small kitchen in the main room. Her own bed was the hide-a-bed in the living area.

The place was cheap and close to their old neighborhood. Tomorrow they were meeting with a realtor to look at apartments and houses for rent. She prayed she'd find something decent she could afford with the money she'd saved working at the vineyard.

Danielle curled up on the couch and turned on the television. Not finding any program that held her interest, she shut the TV off.

Nico was sure to have heard by now that he'd inherited the vineyard. She'd purposely shut her phone off, knowing he'd call her. She didn't want to talk to him.

In her heart, she felt like she'd done the right thing. The vineyard was safe from Peter now. If Nico didn't want the place, he could sell it. God knows he'd paid a high enough price for the money. Most importantly, Kaiden was safe from manipulation. As soon as Peter figured out that she was poor again, that he'd have to pay child support, she was sure he'd run far away from them in the opposite direction.

A part of her still hoped he'd step up and be a good father to Kaiden, but inside she knew he wouldn't. She still didn't know how she would explain his absence to Kaiden. His little heart would ache forever at the loss of his father.

Danielle yawned. It had been a draining couple of days. Thinking she'd go to bed early, she brushed her teeth and changed into her pajamas. She pulled out the hide-a-bed and was about to climb inside when someone rapped on her door.

She peered out the peephole.

Nico. Her knees went weak at the sight of him. Her heart sped up.

Why was he here? The vineyard was in the middle of the harvest.

He knocked on the door again. "Danielle, let me in."

Not wanting him to wake Kaiden, she unlatched the door.

"What're you doing here?" she asked.

He charged past her. "Pack your bags. We're going back to Whitney House."

"Excuse me?" she said. Had he gone crazy? "I'm not going anywhere."

"You're the most stubborn woman I know," he said his brown eyes snapping. "Now pack your damned bags."

"No." She shook her head. "It's too late. I've signed the vineyard over to you. It's my choice."

"I don't want the place. Whatever Peter's done, however he's threatened you, we can beat him together." His hands closed around her arms. "When are you going to get it through your thick head that I love you?"

She wanted so badly to believe him, wanted to go with him, wanted him to champion her, but she held back.

"What are you afraid of?" he asked, softening his tone.

"You," she said tears filling her eyes. "I'm afraid of loving you too much. I hurt, Nico. Being without you is rough."

"Trust me," he said. "I've never lied to you. Yes, I set out to befriend you. I wanted you on my side, but that was business. What happened between you and me is love. It was unexpected, but that doesn't make it any less real. I love you, Danielle. No games. What I feel is real."

She wanted to believe him. Her heart told her he was sincere. She didn't want to be here, in a seedy motel. Even Kaiden didn't want that.

"I don't want the vineyard," he said. "It's not the same for me after learning about our parents. Every time I think of the hell Phillip put you through I get angry all over again. I'm going to make a go of St. Regis. Whitney Vineyards is yours. Keep it for Kaiden."

"I want to believe you," she said, tired of fighting her conflicting feelings for him. "All I ever wanted was for you to say we could run the vineyard together."

Nico went down on one knee, "Marry me. We can run both places together."

Danielle sank down on her knees so their faces were level. She wanted to see into his eyes. "I want to. You don't know how much I want to, but the kids. Kaiden's not ready for me to be married again, and I doubt Maria is ready either."

"I'll wait," Nico said. "As long as it takes. Until everyone's ready."

"I like the sound of that." Danielle's hopes soared.

"Come back with me. Now. Tonight."

"I'll have to ask Kaiden," Danielle said.

"I say okay," Kaiden said.

She hadn't heard him open the door. He stood there looking sleepy, adorable, and happy -- his smile running from ear to ear. Danielle held her hand out to her son. His fingers closed around hers.