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Willow laughed. “Tell me about it! You went as white as a sheet. What I think is weird is that she invited Alyssa to come here for the weekend – not during the week, not on work time. And extra weird is inviting her to come on a weekend when Mom’s not even going to be here.”
Bentley nodded. “Yes. There is that.” He blew out a sigh. “I don’t like this. In fact, I hate it.”
“I know and I know I said that you should play it close to your chest for a while, but I think you have to come clean after this, don’t you?”
“Oh hell, yes! As soon as I got off the phone with Mom, Alyssa called me. She was on the phone with Russ at the same time.” He shook his head, remembering how stressed he’d been listening to his mom chat with Russ, relaying messages between them, trying to get him and Alyssa together. He’d felt terrible that they didn’t know, and he didn’t feel able to tell them, that he and Alyssa already had plans to get together for the weekend anyway.
“She was as freaked out by the whole deal as I was. And the first thing we both said is that we have to sort this out this weekend. We’re going to figure out what to tell them and then tell them.”
Willow smiled at him. “That’s my big brother. I know this has to have been killing you. But if I were you, I’d make the most of this weekend before you fess up. If you think about it, Mom and Russ have done you a favor. You didn’t think it would be right to invite Alyssa here before they knew what was going on. Now, Mom’s gone and invited her for you. Make the most of it, Bentley. Show her around. Take her out and about, introduce her to the gang.”
Bentley gave his sister a puzzled look. “What are you saying, sis?”
Willow shrugged. “I think you know damned well what I’m saying. I’m saying make the most of your opportunity to show her what life here is like. And I’ll tell you that I plan to do my best to show her around and make sure she enjoys it, too.”
Bentley cocked an eyebrow at her. “Why?”
She made a face at him. “Because she’s important to you. Because this is a big deal. You’re not admitting it, but I think you already know it. I just want to help.”
Bentley blew out a big sigh. “What makes you think it’s a big deal?” He held a hand up when she started to protest. “And you’re right, it is. I’m not trying to deny it. What I’m trying to figure out is how …? why …? I’m the guy who can date someone for a couple of months and feel absolutely nothing. I don’t understand why after just a couple of weeks … Hell, after that first night, I already knew. It already felt like a big deal.”
Willow folded her arms across her chest and leaned back in her chair. “That’s how it is when you meet the one.”
Bentley wasn’t even surprised to hear her say it. It was only what he’d been thinking himself. He was familiar with the concept ofthe one,it just wasn’t something he’d ever thought that he’d experience.
“Wow! You’re not even going to deny it, are you?”
He shrugged and smiled. “What can I say?”
“Don’t say a damn thing! Your silence on the matter says it all. I’m happy for you and I’m here to help if you want me for anything. But for now, you’d better get your ass out to the hangar. It might have made more sense for the guys to pick her up on their way back here from LA than to come and get you first. But if you ask me, it doesn’t make any sense to leave her in the clutches of Ollie and Reaves for too long.”
Bentley scowled at her as he started making for the door. “Well played, sis. Did you say that because you figured out that I might want to ask you a few questions aboutthe one?”
She waved a hand at him. “Go on. Get out of here! I am my mother’s daughter. I’m more devoted to the company than to a man.”
Bentley paused in the doorway and looked back at her. “You seem to forget that Mom’s given up the company for a man.” Hecocked an eyebrow at her. “I’m not saying that you would need to give anything up, but don’t you think it’s time that you at least admitted that there is a man?”
Willow held his gaze a moment before she looked away. “I’ve never denied that there is a man.” She laughed. “There’s always been a man. A man here, a man there, men everywhere.”
“There always used to be. But there isn’t anymore, is there? Now, there’s only one. And since we’re getting into the nitty-gritty of my love life, I don’t see why you shouldn’t think about yours. These days, when it comes to men, there is only one and I’m just curious; is hethe one?”
“Get your ass out of here and go meet Alyssa, would you? Maybe we’ll talk about me one day soon. Maybe,” she added hurriedly when he opened his mouth to speak. “Go on! They’ll be landing any minute.”
~ ~ ~
Alyssa was still trying to take it all in. Not much more than an hour ago, she’d been taking questions after her presentation. The initial contract had gone well, and she was fairly certain that she was going to be invited back to conduct a full audit. It’d be a couple of weeks before she could schedule them back in, but she’d look forward to the job.
She’d gone straight from there to the airport where Bentley’s plane had been waiting for her. That was enough to take in by itself. He had a freaking plane! Okay, so he personally didn’t own it. It was the family plane, the company plane. But still, it wasn’t a world that she lived in.
The pilots were nice guys – they were good-looking too! Not that she was interested; she only had eyes for one guy these days and he was way hotter than either of the pilots. The flight hadtaken less than twenty minutes. It was hard to believe that she’d gotten here so quickly. She wouldn’t have minded a longer flight. Not just to enjoy the view as they left the city and the landscape transformed into green rolling hills, covered in vines. She could have done with more time to switch her head from work mode to getting ready to see Bentley again.
As the plane taxied down the runway, she looked out the window. It seemed that the whole landscape was covered in grape vines. One of the pilots, Reaves, he’d said his name was, had told her that they would be landing on the estate. The estate! No way was she going to tell her mum about this. She’d be trying to wangle herself an invitation. Alyssa shuddered. And that would be too awkward for words. Her mum would want to meet Bentley, but Alyssa didn’t even want to think about how things would work out when she found out that he was the son of her dad’s new lady. She closed her eyes; she wasn’t even sure that she could follow that description. It made them sound like the subjects of a daytime TV show.
When the plane came to a stop outside a long, low building, Reaves and the other pilot, Ollie, came out of the cockpit. Ollie grinned at her while Reaves let the steps down.
“I just texted with Bentley. He’s here at the hangar waiting for you.”
“Oh!” Alyssa looked down at her phone. She felt dumb; she’d been waiting for someone to tell her it was okay to turn it back on – like they did on commercial flights.
