Rayne laughed. “How goes the wine business?”
“Pave paradise, that’s my mission today. If I fail, I’ll be cast out of the family.”
“I thought you spent the morning digging in people’s pockets.”
“I did, and I did it very well, not that it matters. Half the socialites in there are already tanked thanks to my fine ability to organize canapes, drinks, and flowers. But it matters not to Mi’Lord Hunter. I’m headed over to Sweet Water to see if I can find someone to sell me that hovel on Magnolia.”
“That place?” Rayne asked, looking over his shoulder.
I nodded. From the space between the tents we could just make out the forgotten nursery on the corner of Main and Magnolia.
“Why don’t you just go ask the agent?”
“I’ve been trying to get the guy on the phone all week. No answer. I need to drive over to the office and try to catch him. And apparently, I need to do it right now.”
Rayne shook his head. “The fey, my friend, have smiled on you this auspicious day. A very fetching lass toting property signs just went inside.”
“What, now?”
“Like an hour ago. Hot, too. Red dreads, all peaches and cream. Lace up boots. Lots of bracelets. Definitely my type. Caught her with my twinkle for a moment, but she dodged me.”
“Then by all means, let’s go meet her. Get that twinkle ready, because I need to leave that place with a signed contract, or I’ll be cast off with you serfs.”
“Well, I’ll do what I can to keep you above the rabble,” he said then leaned forward and put a lid on the flame keeping his wax melted and hot. “Hey Kate?” he then called to the vendor tent next to him.
I followed his gaze to the little white tent. Kate, the owner of The Glass Mermaid, whose necklace Viola bid God knows what to win, poked her head around the corner of the tent and smiled at us. “Hey Rayne. Horatio. Heard the charity event went well. Congratulations.”
“Thanks, Kate. My sister won your necklace.”
“I love that. I’ll make her some earrings to match it. You need something, Rayne?”
“I’ll be back in twenty. Keep an eye on my booth? I’ll cover the wax, but it’s hot. And, you know, the bees,” he said, referring to the glass display holding a live beehive, “but they’ll behave, won’t you,” Rayne said to the bees, gently tapping on the glass.
Kate nodded. “Got it.”
“Thank you again for the donation,” I called to her.
“Of course!” she said then turned back to her customers. From the looks of it, everyone was in the mood to buy beach glass jewelry today.
“She’s smokin’,” I whispered under my breath as Rayne and I headed toward the little house.
“Yeah. Married though.”
“Too bad.”
“Well, there’s always more fish in the sea,” Rayne said then laughed to himself.
As we turned the corner around the back of the tents, I took one look back toward the ice wine tent. From inside, I could hear the judge announcing the winners. Did they say we’d placed second…second? As my mind tumbled over the impossibility that Frozen Kisses hadn’t won first, and the dire consequences it would bring on everyone in our business, I was completely lost. A split second later, I slammed into something and nearly tumbled to my feet, barely catching myself against a parking meter before I fell face forward onto the street.
“You okay?” Rayne asked. “I think you’re bleeding.”
I was about to answer when I heard a female voice reply. “I’m okay. Got my finger though.”
Rayne had bent down and was helping up the most beautiful girl I’d ever seen. Her red hair flowed down her back, a pile of real estate signs were heaped at her feet, and she was nursing a cut in her thumb—an injury that, clearly, I had caused.
Great. What a wonderful day this was turning out to be. And thanks to my dumb luck, I’d just made the worst first impression on the one person I’d needed the most.
Chapter 5: Julie
“I’m so sorry,” the guy who crashed into me said, his handsome face crinkling with worry. He had black hair and eyes the color of the sky on a bright spring day. Unlike his friend, the candlemaker I’d seen earlier who looked a little like someone from my drumming circle, the gorgeous guy who’d slammed into me was dressed in what looked like an Armani suit. The scent of expensive cologne, a sweet mix of lemon verbena and something soft, like an ocean breeze, effervesced off him. As he reached out, albeit tentatively, to steady me, his watch—which was platinum—glinted in the sunlight. He was undeniably handsome in a very classic way. My heart skipped a beat.
“It’s okay,” I told him reassuringly. “It was just an accident.” I said then quickly turned my attention away, not wanting him to see the blush that had risen in my pale-colored cheeks. On my peaches and cream complexion, any blush was painfully obvious. No doubt this guy was used to having women fawn all over him. Sure, he was cute, and rich, by the looks of it, but it was the expression of concern on his face that got my attention. Trying to hide my obvious attraction, I turned to his blond-haired friend. “Thank you,” I said as I righted myself. I dug into my bag and pulled out a tissue. The thumb on my right finger was bleeding like a gusher.
“Can I help you carry these?” the dark-haired guy asked. “It’s the least I can do.”
“Um, sure, thank you,” I said nervously as I wound a tissue around my finger. “I mean, you don’t have to…I was just going to take them back to my car.”
“Oh,” the dark-haired guy replied, looking confused. “I thought maybe you were putting them out. The property is for sale, right? I actually want to talk—”
“No, not anymore,” I replied. I looked back at Serendipity Gardens. No, definitely not anymore.
“I’m Rayne,” the blond said.
“Julie,” I told him with a smile. Were his eyes twinkling? Like, actually twinkling? I’d never seen green eyes like his before. They were…enchanting.
“Which way to your car?” Rayne asked.
“Up about five blocks,” I said then turned and started to lead the way.
“I’m Horatio,” the dark-haired guy introduced himself. “Horatio Hunter.”
That explained the suit. The Hunters were the most well-known family in Chancellor. Blushing Grape Vineyards, which belonged to the family, was practically a household name—at least in our area. “So that must be your event,” I said, motioning to the ice wine event as we passed the tent.
“Well, my family’s. Julie, right? Julie, I’d actually come over to talk to you about the property on Magnolia. We’d love to purchase the place. My father called your office but couldn’t reach anyone. Maybe we can set up a meeting? If you have another buyer, well, we can certainly give a better offer,” he said confidently.
My heart skipped a beat as I felt a flash of panic. Serendipity Gardens was just what I needed. I needed a new lease on life. But if the Hunter family wanted the property, my Dad might not be able to say no, especially if the offer was too high.
“I…I can pass your card on to my dad. He’s the owner. But, like I said, I don’t think the property is for sale anymore.”