Dreams of Forever: Seduction, Westmoreland StyleSpencer's Forbidden Passion Page 19

  Anger swept through her. Neither were acceptable options. She leaned over and glared at him. “Forget both options.”

  He gave a small nonchalant shrug. “If that’s what you really want. But either way, Chardonnay, I will own your land one day and will do whatever it takes to do so. I suggest you take the second option. It’s less risky. And if you do, I will even forgo my dream to build the vacation resort on the land. Instead I will devote my time and attention, when I’m not trying to get you pregnant, to building up Russell Vineyards’ reputation and standings.”

  “I will not be your brood mare!” Donnay stood, amazed at just how much anger she could feel toward one single individual. “You have to be the vilest man I know to suggest something so despicable. The last thing I’d want is to marry you. And as far as having your baby, I can’t imagine the two of us ever sharing a bed to do such a thing.”

  “Are you saying that you’re willing to walk away from everything I’m offering knowing the outcome?” he asked in a calm voice.

  “Walk away and not look back. Take note, Spencer Westmoreland, because that’s just what I’m doing. And don’t worry about taking me back home. I’ll call a cab.”

  And then she did just what she’d said she would do. With her head held high she turned and left the room. And she did so without looking back.

  * * *

  When Spencer caught up with Donnay outside the restaurant, she was thanking one of the valet’s for calling her a cab. “I’m taking you home, Chardonnay,” he said, coming up behind her.

  She swiveled and the look she gave him would have turned lesser men to stone. “No, you’re not. I refuse to have anything to do with you, and if you try forcing me to do anything against my will, I will let out a scream the likes of which you’ve never heard before.”

  He believed her. “Very well, then,” he said quietly, taking a step back. “But there is one thing I’d like to ask.”

  “What?” she all but snapped.

  “Forget about the vineyard for a moment and all the things my proposal entails. I want to know what is there about me that rubs you the wrong way.”

  Donnay shook her head. The man really didn’t have a clue. Did he not know how degrading his offer was to her? He wanted to marry her and use her to have his child. What could possibly be romantic about that? The sad thing about it was that she wanted the very things he was proposing—marriage, babies, a way to take the winery to an international scale. But not this way and definitely not on his terms. What he was proposing only showed just how ruthless he could be and how far he would go to get anything he wanted.

  She tilted her head up and looked him dead in the eye when she said, “The reason I can’t conceive the two of us ever coming together romantically, Spencer, is that personally, you are not my type.”

  “Miss, your cab has arrived.”

  The attendant’s words claimed Donnay’s attention. She hurried over to the parked cab, leaving Spencer standing there alone.

  * * *

  “How was dinner with Mr. Westmoreland?”

  Donnay glanced up at the stairs at the sound of her mother’s soft voice. She could not tell her mother or grandparents the true nature of her evening with Spencer. The last thing she wanted was for them to worry about anything.

  “Dinner was okay,” she said as she watched her mother descend the stairs.

  When her mother reached the bottom stair, Ruth smiled at her and said, “It was just okay? I’ve never known a time that I went to Sedrick’s that the evening ended up being just okay.”

  Donnay smiled back at her mother. “Well, considering the company, it was just okay.”

  “And?” Ruth probed.

  Donnay lifted a brow. “And what?”

  “And how did he handle the news that we had secured a loan?”

  “Better than I wished he had, giving me the feeling that he won’t give up,” Donnay said, admitting that much.

  “Well, considering everything, how much ruckus can he stir? Getting the loan puts him totally out of the picture now since we won’t need his money.”

  “Let’s hope so,” she said guiltily in response to her mother’s words. She wished she could be completely honest and tell her mother that Spencer and the loan were tied together as one. The first thing she would do tomorrow would be to visit with Glenn Forbes, their attorney. She was certain Spencer had done something unethical in the handling of the loan. If fighting him legally was the only way then she would do so.

  Needing to change the subject, she glanced at what her mother was wearing. It didn’t take much to tell that her mother, who rarely went out, had gone somewhere tonight. “And where have you been?” Donnay asked, curious. Years ago, she had stopped encouraging her mother to get out more, meet a nice man, have fun and date, since her mother claimed there would never be another man in her life she could possibly love more than she had Donnay’s father.

  “McClintock Café,” her mother answered. “After you left I got a call from a friend I hadn’t seen in ages who was passing through. We got together for coffee and to catch up on old times.”

  Donnay nodded. It was good seeing her mother taking interest in something other than the winery. “Well, I’m glad. You look nice.”

  Yawning, her mother said. “Thanks. And I believe we’re both up later than usual and need to go up to bed. The next few weeks will be busy ones for everybody.”

  The winter months were usually less hectic. Except for winter pruning, there wasn’t much to do but take precautions to assure that the sometimes harsh weather didn’t cripple or destroy the crop. It was also a time for staff members to discuss how to increase productivity and retain quality.

  But a couple of weekends from now, downtown Napa would be hosting the annual Taste Napa Downtown event, which for wine lovers was the most popular wine tasting event in the world. Russell Vineyards would be represented again this year.

  “Yes, and I can’t wait. The excitement is spreading already,” Donnay said, giving her mom a hug. “Good night, Mom.”

  “Good night, Donnay.”

  Donnay was halfway up the stairs when her mother called out to her “Donnay?”

  She turned. “Yes?”

  Her mother stared at her for a moment then shook her head and smiled. “Nothing, sweetheart. At least it’s not anything that we can’t talk about later.”

  “You’re sure?” she asked, studying her mother’s features to detect if something was wrong. When she couldn’t identify anything, she relaxed her brow.

  “Yes, I’m sure. Go on to bed and get a good night’s rest.”

  Donnay smiled. “I will and you do the same.”

  Chapter 4

  You are not my type…

  Irritation lined Spencer’s brow as he took a sip of coffee. He couldn’t imagine any woman saying such a thing to a Westmoreland. And if Chardonnay thought from one minute her words would stop him for acquiring the single most important thing he wanted—namely her—then she needed to think again. But still, what she’d said had irritated him, although he didn’t have to speculate on the reason she’d said it.

  He took another sip of coffee. He didn’t care what she claimed, especially when her lips had said differently. He might not be her type but she had enjoyed the kiss they had shared. There was no way she could convince him otherwise. And he couldn’t help wondering if memories of being in his arms had kept her awake last night as they had him. In addition to her beauty, there was something so beguiling about her that he hadn’t been able to take his mind off her, even when he’d slept.

  And that wasn’t good.

  With a frustrated sigh he pushed away from the table and stood. How could he have become so mesmerized by one woman? And so quickly. Even now the scent of her still lingered with him. It was such an arousing frag
rance, one he couldn’t let go of. He had left his

  cousin’s wedding with the intent of coming to California to turn a deal around. Instead he was the one getting turned around. The woman was having just that kind of effect on him. He wanted to marry her. He wanted her to have his children. He wanted it all, and as far as he was concerned, no one else would do. On the other hand, he didn’t expect this to be any sort of love match. Everything was strictly a business affair.

  However, she had made it pretty clear, business or otherwise, she wasn’t interested. He would turn up the heat a little, because in the end, he very much intended to have every single thing that he wanted, especially her. And he wasn’t someone who wasted time once he’d made up his mind. He glanced at his watch. It was almost noon and time for him and Chardonnay to have another talk.

  Less than an hour later he was strolling up the walkway toward the Russells’ front door. He refused to entertain the notion that considering how they’d parted the night before, Chardonnay would refuse to see him. Whatever it took, he would get her alone so they could talk.

  He was halfway to the door when suddenly it was flung wide open and Chardonnay’s mother appeared, frantic, almost hysterical with tears streaming down her face. “Mr. Westmoreland, please come quickly! Help us. It’s my father. He’s collapsed and is unconscious.”

  * * *

  “Are you saying there’s nothing that we can do, Glenn?”

  Glenn Forbes had been the attorney for Russell Vineyards for years and Donnay was trying hard not to let the man see her frustration.

  “Unfortunately that’s exactly what I’m saying,” the sixty-something year-old man answered. “It will be Westmoreland’s money that he’s loaning out so he can set up any terms and restrictions that he wants. And chances are, he will be giving you stiff ones since the bottom line is that he wants your land.”

  “How stiff?”

  “He will probably call in the loan during a time he knows you can’t possibly pay it back, or hike your interest rates up so high that you’ll have difficulty making the loan payments, which will ultimately push you into defaulting. On the other hand, if you don’t take the loan and he’s the only one interested in buying the property or if he keeps the same offer on the table that he made a few days ago, then you and your family will make a lot of money.”

  “But we’ll lose our home.” She sighed deeply, knowing Spencer had backed them into a catch-22 situation. Either way he stood to gain and they could lose everything that truly mattered to them. “Thanks for the information, Glenn.”

  “No problem. How’s your grandfather’s health?”

  Donnay smiled. “It’s been good. His medication is expensive but we’ve been able to handle it so far. He’s a little disappointed that we’ve had to put aside our plans for expansion for a while. Right now our main focus is surviving.”

  For years her grandfather, who was the master winemaker in the family, had worked hard to improve the quality of the wines they made. Although Russell wines had a great reputation in the United States, the next stage in their plan had been to start doing business in the overseas market. That meant hiring more employees, some with specialized winemaking skills. That was one of the reasons Spencer’s offer to transform the winery from a mom-and-pop operation to an international one had merit. It was the same plan her grandfather had been dreaming of for years. But the price Spencer demanded was too high.

  She stood. “Well, I need to be going, Glenn. I’ve taken up too much of your time already.”

  “Nonsense,” the older man said, also standing. “Just be careful with those city slickers like Westmoreland. He’ll take advantage of any mistake you make. If he wants that land bad enough he’ll do just about anything to get it.”

  Donnay didn’t need to be warned. She already knew how far he’d go. She gave Glenn a small smile and was about to make a comment when her cell phone went off. Pulling it from her purse she checked caller ID. “Excuse me, Glenn, it’s Mom calling.” She answered her phone. “Yes, Mom?”

  Seconds later she grabbed the edge of Glenn’s desk for support when a lump of panic swelled within her throat. “What! How is he?”

  She nodded anxiously. “I’m on my way.”

  “Is anything wrong, Donnay?”

  She glanced up and met Glenn’s concerned expression right before she quickly headed for the door. “Yes, it’s my grandfather,” she said to him over her shoulder. “He collapsed and had to be rushed to the hospital.”

  * * *

  Donnay rushed through the E.R. doors and looked around frantically for her mother and grandmother. Relief washed over her when she saw them, but tension and anger quickly consumed her when she saw who was with them.

  What was Spencer Westmoreland doing here? Was he responsible for whatever was happening to her grandfather? Had he said something to upset him? Her grandfather had been perfectly fine when she had eaten breakfast with him that morning, long before her mother and grandmother had awakened. And now he was here in the hospital.

  Inhaling deeply and trying to consume the anger she felt, she crossed to where the three individuals sat. Spencer was the first to see her and stood after whispering something to her mother and grandmother. They glanced up and rushed over to her.

  “How’s Gramps?” she quickly asked.

  “We don’t know,” her mother responded softly. “The doctor hasn’t come to talk to us yet. Everything happened so fast. We were all in the kitchen. He was fine one minute and the next thing we knew he was clutching his chest and then he collapsed.”

  “There’s a possibility he had a heart attack,” Spencer said when he joined them.

  Donnay’s eyes locked with his. Rage consumed her. “And what do you know about any of this?”

  Her mother answered. “He was there to—”

  “He was there!” Donnay broke in as her anger escalated even more. “What did you say to my grandfather? You had no right to upset him. If anything happens to him I will never forgive you.”

  “Donnay, you’re wrong. Mr. Westmoreland—”

  “Sorry your opinion of me is so low, Chardonnay,” Spencer cut into her mother’s words. “And since my being here has upset you, I’ll leave.” He turned and quietly headed toward the exit.

  Ruth grabbed her daughter’s arm, highly disturbed. “What is wrong with you, Donnay? Why would you talk to Mr. Westmoreland that way?”

  “I can’t stand the man. You know that, Mom.”

  “Yes, but it was a blessing that he showed up when he did today or your grandfather might not be alive.”

  Donnay was too stunned to speak. After a moment she asked in an unsteady voice. “What do you mean?”

  “After your grandfather collapsed, I was rushing out of the house to get one of the workers when I saw Mr. Westmoreland coming up the walkway. He ran in and administered CPR to your grandfather until the paramedics arrived. He was not responsible for what happened to your grandfather. Instead of sending that man away, you should have thanked him. What you just did was incredibly inconsiderate.”

  Donnay knew she looked as totally embarrassed as she felt. The floor could open up and swallow her whole and she would deserve it. “Mom, I didn’t know. I truly thought he was responsible.”

  “I don’t know why you would think such a thing. You owe him an apology.”

  Before she could respond, they turned when the doctor walked into the waiting room. Donnay rushed over to him. “How is he, Dr. Miller?”

  The older man, who had been her grandfather’s doctor ever since it was discovered that he had a heart condition earlier that year, gave them a small smile. “He’s resting and, yes, he did have a heart attack. One that could have taken him out of here had it not been for the quick thinking to use CPR. As soon as he’s stable we want to run more tests. That surgical procedure we discu
ssed a few months ago would help tremendously although most insurance companies won’t pay for it since it’s still considered experimental in nature.”

  “Can we see him?” her grandmother asked softly.

  “Yes, but one at a time and for no more than five minutes. It’s important that he continues to rest.”

  It was only after her grandmother’s and mother’s visits with her grandfather that Donnay entered his room. She had seen him like this before, hooked up to various machines and monitors, but seeing him now profoundly affected her. In her eyes he had always been strong, robust and bigger than life. Now he appeared tired and weak.

  She walked quietly across the room to stand beside his bed. She gazed down at him, remembering years when he represented the only father figure in her life. She couldn’t think of losing him, like she had refused to let him consider losing the one thing that meant everything to him, other than her grandmother—the

  vineyard.

  When the family hadn’t been able to see through their financial situation, he had been willing to part with the one thing that had been in the Russell family for generations, although she’d known doing so was killing him inside. She’d known then that it would be up to her to make sure he’d never have to do that. That burden was still on her shoulders.

  “Donnay.”

  She blinked back tears when he opened his eyes, met her gaze and said her name, barely murmured under his breath. “Yes, Gramps, I’m here.”

  “Pretty.”

  She smiled. He’d always told her she was pretty. She watched as he tried moving his gaze around the room and knew why. “Grammy and Mom were here earlier. They will only let us see you one at a time.”

  He nodded, letting her know he understood. “I’m nothing but trouble.”

  She frowned upon hearing his words. “No, you’re not, so don’t even think that. Everything is going to be all right.”