No Ordinary Fortune

Schuyler couldn’t help but smile. “Did you choose this place because of the food they serve—or because of their wine selection?”

He leaned forward and said, “The food is excellent. And for that reason, we offered a tasting here a couple weeks ago. The customer reaction was so positive that the owner placed an order. So I’d also like to be supportive.”

Schuyler set her menu aside. “So tell me. What’s it like working for a family business?”

“It’s pretty cool. We all get along—and we have a common goal. We want to see the winery be the best it can be.”

“That’s nice.” Schuyler supposed Maddie felt the same way about Fortunado Real Estate.

Carlo studied her for a moment, and a slow smile stretched across his gorgeous face. “You’ve got pretty eyes.”

“So do you,” she said. “Some women would trade just about anything for long, thick lashes like yours. I hadn’t noticed until I saw them from this angle—and in the candlelight.”

“Thank you. As a kid, my brothers used to tease me about them.”

Siblings could sometimes be cruel without meaning to. “I’ll bet that made you feel bad.”

“No, it made me double up my fists and let them have it.”

She laughed. “I’ll bet it did. So did you guys fight a lot growing up? I’d imagine, with all that testosterone flowing, there’d be some pretty big power struggles.”

“Sometimes, but it was usually just in fun.”

When Alfonso returned with their wine, they grew silent, waiting for him to uncork the bottle and pour them each a glass. Then, after telling them he’d be back with water and to take their order, he left them alone.

They’d hardly taken two sips when Carlo’s phone rang. He glanced at the display, then said, “I don’t normally take calls at the dinner table, but this one might be for you.”

Schuyler arched a brow. What made him say that? Who knew she was here—other than his father and brothers?

“Yes,” Carlo said. “Speaking.”

His brow furrowed as he pressed the phone closer to his ear. “Oh, yeah? No, that’s not a problem. At least, not yet. Can we talk about this tomorrow?” After a moment, he nodded. “Thanks.”

Schuyler leaned forward, wondering if he’d tell her who’d called—and why he thought they’d want to speak to her. She’d never been especially patient.

“That was the temp agency we’ve been working with,” he said. “They were apologizing because they couldn’t find a fill-in for the hostess who canceled out on us.”

Uh-oh. Schuyler bit down on her bottom lip. Too bad she hadn’t been up-front with him when she’d first arrived. Or given him her cover story about wanting to make an investment. He probably would have accepted her help anyway. And she would have saved herself from an awkward moment.

His eyes narrowed as he speared her with an assessing look. “So who are you?”

* * *

Schuyler’s eyes widened, and her lips parted. Apparently, Carlo wasn’t the only one who’d been thrown off stride by that phone call from the temp agency.

He leaned forward, his arms braced on the table, and waited for her answer, which she seemed to be pondering. That wasn’t a good sign.

Several beats later, she brightened. “You know...” She lifted her index finger and gave it a little twirl in the air between them. “It’s funny you should ask.”

“I don’t find it funny. Why did you lie to me?”

“Whoa, now just wait one minute. The only thing that was the least bit dishonest was the fact that I never set you straight when you assumed I was the woman sent by the agency. But other than that, I was up-front with you. My name is Schuyler Fortunado, I know a little about wine and I spent two summers at a friend’s Italian villa.”

At this point, he questioned everything about her.

“All right,” he said. “Then assuming that’s true, why’d you let me believe the temp agency had sent you?”

“I can be a little impulsive at times, and I like to have a good time. Serving wine at a classy event sounded like fun. Besides, it was pretty obvious that you needed my help.”

He didn’t doubt any of that, especially the part about his needing her help. And while he was still suspicious, he had to admit that she fascinated him. Why not enjoy his time with her this evening, even if only to discredit her?

“Okay, I can buy the fact that you had fun tonight. You’re also a natural at serving wine and schmoozing. What kind of work do you do?” Modeling immediately came to his mind. Acting, too. And if that were the case, she had to be pretty successful at it. That car she drove and the purse she carried weren’t cheap.

“Actually, I’m currently unemployed.”

He wondered why. She’d admitted to being impulsive. Had she walked off her last job? Had she been fired? Temporarily laid off? And what position had she held up until that time?

Rather than pepper her with those questions, he asked, “How do you pay the bills?”

At that, her smile faded. “You’re about to learn that I’m honest, even if it’s not something I care to admit.”

Oh, wow. Was she a high-end call girl? If so, he hadn’t seen that coming.

“My father set up a trust fund for me,” she said, “so I really don’t have to work. But that doesn’t mean I’m not looking for the right job.”

A trust fund baby, huh? Daddy’s little girl, too.

“Are you an only child?” he asked.

She laughed. “Sometimes I wish that I were, even though we’re all fairly close. I have three brothers and two sisters.”

“And they’re all supported by trust funds?”

“No, just me.”

Carlo lifted his glass and took a slow, steady sip. The woman was as interesting as she was gorgeous. He was usually pretty good at pegging people, but he wasn’t having much luck with her tonight.

“My brother Everett is a doctor,” she added, “and my sister Maddie works for my father’s real estate company. But I’m more of a free spirit who dabbles in the arts, so my dad feels compelled to take care of me, like he did my grandmother.”

Carlo wasn’t used to women being that open and up-front—assuming that Schuyler was being forthright now.

She fingered the stem of her wineglass, then looked up and caught his eyes. Her beauty alone was staggering, but the sincerity in her gaze nearly stole his breath away. “Just so you know, I’m not always going to be on the family dole. I’ve gone to college and traveled abroad. I just haven’t quite figured out what I want to do with my life, and at twenty-five, I don’t think that’s too unusual.”

“No, I don’t suppose it is. I went through a time in my life when I was unsure about what I wanted to do.” At twenty-five, after his divorce, he’d been forced to reevaluate his future, and that had left him a little out of step for a while.

“Apparently,” she said, her blue eyes glimmering, “you’ve got your life all sorted out now.”

“In time, it all came together.” He studied her in the candlelight, the lush blond locks, the heart-shaped face. Some men could lose their heads over a woman like her. That is, if they didn’t drown in those sparkling blue eyes first.