AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Still, the bottom line was worth it.
“So I’m sure you’ll still have your job as Director of Marketing,” Richard told his daughter. “It’s not just about you and me. It’s about our employees—all the families who depend on us—and the other businesses we work with in Fox Creek. The debts are so... They’re astronomical. If I don’t sell, we’ll have to declare bankruptcy and we’ll lose the vineyard. This way we still have some choice.”
“All employees will be retained at their current salary,” said Adrian. “Including you, Miss Bradford,” he added, even though a warning bell clanged in his mind. “I didn’t realize you were behind Fox’s marketing, but you’ll be a valuable asset.”
Everleigh murmured a thank-you, but he could see that, unlike Richard, she wasn’t done. No, gears were turning in that beautiful blonde head of hers, and she was scheming to solve her father’s predicament. She didn’t strike him as the kind of woman to shrink away from a challenge, even one as seemingly insurmountable as this.
Everleigh whirled and pinned him with her sharp gaze. “What’s in this for you, Mr. Cabrera? Why pay so much money for a winery that’s financially unstable?”
The woman should have been a lawyer, with her fearless ability to fire questions at him.
“Like I told you last night, Fox is small, but it’s an established and well-respected brand. Quality wines. A presence in the United States. It will give me an opportunity to expand Cabrera Wine, plus give me well-trained employees loyal to the company. All things I wouldn’t have if I started fresh. An infusion of cash and the strength of an international brand can elevate Fox to an entirely new status.”
“Speaking of which,” Richard said as he stood, “the sale will be announced at a party here at Fox in five weeks, as well as who Mr. Cabrera names as director. I’d like for you to collaborate with Cabrera Wine’s marketing team in the meantime, to ensure a smooth transition.”
Everleigh’s gaze swung between Adrian and Richard. Something flared in her eyes—the briefest flash of cunning and determination.
“Why don’t I accompany Mr. Cabrera to Spain? If I’m going to continue as Director of Marketing for Fox under the Cabrera name, I should meet his marketing team and learn more about the brand in person.”
Oh, she had boldness—Adrian would give her that. Their eyes met and he could almost feel the resolve burning through her.
Richard Bradford’s eyes narrowed. “Why?”
“Like you just said—to ensure a smooth transition. We might be moving forward as Fox, but I’ll need to collaborate with our parent company.” Her lips curved in a devilish smile. “Mr. Cabrera himself said I’d be a valuable asset. Might as well put myself to work as quickly as I can.”
Judging by the creases in Richard’s forehead, he knew his daughter was up to something. But, like Adrian, he didn’t know what, and the argument she presented was a logical one.
Richard glanced at Adrian. “Mr. Cabrera, I know this would be imposing on your hospitality—”
“Not at all,” Adrian interrupted smoothly. “I meant what I said about Everleigh’s talents. She can join me tomorrow on my plane back to Spain and she can stay at my family’s home just outside Granada.”
He took pleasure in the surprise that widened her eyes.
“That’s not necessary,” she said. “I can fly commercial and I can get a hotel.”
“If we’re going to be one big, happy family moving forward, then I insist you enjoy the amenities and perks that come with being a part of Cabrera Wine. Unless there’s something holding you back?” He flashed her a challenging smile.
Stubbornness tightened her mouth. Her shoulders straightened. “No.”
A litany of curses rushed through his head as his groin hardened. Knowing she was off-limits as a future employee of Cabrera Wine made him want her even more.
“Excellent. We leave first thing in the morning.”
Adrian turned and left the room before Everleigh or her father could utter an objection. This fascination with her—this desire to poke and prod and tease—concerned him. It opened the door to emotions he had kept locked away for decades.
Allowing himself to experience anything more than physical attraction was an invitation to play with fire.
Yet the possibility of getting burned had never felt so enticing.
CHAPTER SIX
EVERLEIGHWALKEDBYthe library later that night, just in time to see her dad pour himself exactly four ounces of Fox’s Riesling and sink into the depths of one of the comfy chairs. Part of her hesitated about going to Spain, knowing his prognosis. But when she’d mentioned her hesitation he’d dismissed it, saying, “Not only will this be good for Fox’s future, but you need tolive, Everleigh.”
She leaned against the doorframe and smiled at the sight of him curled up in front of the fire, feeling a nostalgic warmth settling in her chest. When her mom had been alive, her mom and her dad had spent countless nights in front of the fireplace. She’d always wondered as a child why sometimes they closed and locked the doors, although as an adult she had a pretty good idea what they’d been up to. Their love for each other had only grown stronger with every passing day.
Her throat squeezed. Eleven years...
Numerous friends and acquaintances had told her that the pain would fade over time. But on nights like these, when she could almost swear her mother’s rose perfume lingered in the air, the pain was just as fresh as the day her mom had grasped her and her dad’s hands one last time in the hospital and breathed her last.
