The Villa Page 8

  "Tereza Giambelli. I'm David Cutter."

  "Oh. Mr. Cutter. I'm sorry." She held out a hand for his. "I didn't realize you were expected today." Or that you had a family, she thought. Her mother hadn't been forthcoming with details. "Please come in. I'm Pilar. Pilar Giambelli…" She nearly added her married name, a force of habit. Then determinedly let it go. "La Signora's daughter."

  "Do you call her that?" Maddy asked.

  "Sometimes. When you meet her, you'll see why."

  "Madeline, my daughter. My son, Theodore."

  "Theo," Theo mumbled.

  "I'm delighted to meet you. Theo. And Madeline."

  "Maddy, okay?"

  "Maddy. Come into the parlor. There's a nice fire. I'll arrange for some refreshments if that suits you. Such a nasty day. I hope it wasn't a terrible trip."

  "Not so bad."

  "Endless," Maddy corrected. "Awful." But she stared at the room when they entered. It was like a palace, she thought. Like a picture in a book, where everything was in rich colors and looked old and precious.

  "I bet it was. Let me have your coats."

  "They're wet," David began, but she simply plucked them out of his hand and draped them over her free arm.

  "I'll take care of them. Please, sit, make yourselves at home. I'll let my mother know you're here and see about something hot to drink. Would you like coffee, Mr. Cutter?"

  "I absolutely would, Ms. Giambelli."

  "So would I."

  "No, you wouldn't," he said to Maddy and had her sulking again.

  "A latte, perhaps?"

  "That's cool. I mean," she corrected when her father's elbow reminded her of her manners, "yes, thank you."

  "And, Theo?"

  "Yes, ma'am, thank you."

  "It'll just take a minute."

  "Man." Theo waited until Pilar was safely out of the room, then plopped into a chair. "They must be mega-rich. This place looks like a museum or something."

  "Don't put your boots up on that," David ordered.

  "It's a footstool," Theo pointed out.

  "Once you put feet into those boots they cease to be feet."

  "Chill, Dad." Maddy gave him a bracing, and distressingly adult, pat on the back. "You're like COO and everything."

  "Right." From executive vice president, operations, to chief operating officer, in one three-thousand-mile leap. "Bullets bounce off me," he murmured, then turned toward the doorway when he heard footsteps.

  He started to tell his kids to stand up, but he didn't have to bother. When Tereza Giambelli walked into a room, people got to their feet.

  He'd forgotten she was so petite. They'd had two meetings in New York, face-to-face. Two long, involved meetings. And still he'd walked away from them with the image of a statuesque Amazon rather than the fine-boned, slim woman who walked toward him now. The hand she offered him was small and strong.

  "Mr. Cutter. Welcome to Villa Giambelli."

  "Thank you, signora. You have a beautiful home in a magnificent setting. My family and I are grateful for your hospitality."

  Pilar stepped into the room in time to hear the smooth speech and see the practiced formality with which it was delivered. It was not, she thought, what she'd expected from the man holding two travel-rumpled teenagers in playful headlocks. Not, she decided, noting the sidelong glances from his children, what they were used to from him.

  "I hope the trip wasn't tedious," Tereza continued, shifting her attention to the children.

  "Not at all. We enjoyed it. Signora Giambelli, I'd like to introduce you to my children. My son, Theodore, and my daughter, Madeline."

  "Welcome to California." She offered her hand to Theo, and though he felt foolish, he shook it and resisted sticking his own in his pocket.

  "Thanks."

  Maddy accepted the hand. "It's nice to be here."

  "You hope it will be," Tereza said with a hint of a smile. "That's enough for now. Please, sit. Be comfortable. Pilar, you'll join us."

  "Of course."

  "You must be proud of your father," Tereza began as she took a seat. "And all he's accomplished."

  "Ah… sure." Theo sat, remembered not to slouch. He didn't know much about his father's work. In his world, his dad went to the office, then came home. He nagged about schoolwork, burned dinner, sent for takeout.

  Or, mostly during the last year, had called home and said he'd be late and Theo or Maddy should call for takeout.

  "Theo's more interested in music than wine, or the business of wine," David commented.

  "Ah. And you play?"

  This was his father's deal, Theo thought. How come he had to answer so many questions? Adults didn't get it anyway. "Guitar. And piano."

  "You must play for me sometime. I enjoy music. What sort do you prefer?"

  "There's just rock. I go for techno, and alternative."

  "Theo writes music," David put in, and surprised a blink out of his son. "It's interesting material."

  "I'd like to hear it once everyone's settled. And you," Tereza said to Maddy. "Do you play?"

  "I had piano lessons." She shrugged a shoulder. "I'm not really into it. I want to be a scientist." Her brother's snort had her temper rising.

  "Maddy's interested in everything." David spoke quickly before blood could be shed. "The high school here, from what I've been told, should speak to both her and Theo's specific interests very well."

  "Arts and science." Tereza leaned back. "They take after their father then, as wine is both. I assume you'll want a few days to settle in," she continued as a cart was wheeled in. "A new position, a new location, new people. And, of course, a new school and routine for your family."

  "Dad says it's an adventure," Maddy said and earned a stately nod from Tereza.

  "And we'll try to make it so."

  "I'm at your disposal, signora," David said, and watched Pilar as she rose to serve coffees and cakes. "I appreciate, again, the use of your guest house. I'm sure settling in will be a pleasure."

  Because he was watching her, he caught the quick widening of Pilar's eyes. So, he thought, that one comes as a surprise to you. I wonder why. "Thanks."

  "Enjoy," Pilar murmured.

  When the coffee was served, they fell into light conversation. David followed Tereza's lead and left business out of it. Time enough, he concluded, to get to the meat.

  In precisely twenty minutes, Tereza got to her feet. "I regret my husband was unavailable to see you today, and meet your charming children. Would it be convenient for you to meet with us tomorrow?"

  "At your convenience, signora." David rose.

  "At eleven then. Pilar, will you show the Cutters the guest house, and see they have all they need?"

  "Certainly. I'll just get our coats."

  What the hell was this? Pilar wondered as she retrieved jackets. Normally she had her finger on the pulse of the household. Yet her mother had managed to slip an entire family in on her without sending up a single alarm.

  So many changes, and practically overnight. It was time she paid more attention, she decided. She didn't care for the order of things to change when she wasn't prepared for it.

  Still, she conversed easily when she returned and geared herself up to play gracious hostess. "It's a short drive. An easy walk really, in good weather."

  "Winter rain's good for the grapes." David took her jacket, helped her into it.

  "Yes. So I'm reminded whenever I complain about the wet." She stepped outside. "There's a direct line from house to house, so you've only to call if you need anything or have a question. Our housekeeper's Maria, and there's nothing she can't do. Thank you," she added when David opened the side door of the van for her.

  "You'll have wonderful views," she added, shifting around to speak to the children when they climbed in the back. "From whichever bedrooms you choose. And there's a pool. Of course, you won't be able to enjoy that just now, but you're welcome to use the indoor pool here at the main house whenever you like."

 
"An indoor pool?" Theo's mood brightened. "Cool."

  "That doesn't mean you drop in wearing your bathing trunks whenever you feel like it," his father warned. "You don't want to give them the run of the house, Ms. Giambelli. You'll be in therapy in a week."

  "Hasn't worked for you," Theo shot back.

  "We'll enjoy having young people around. And it's Pilar, please."

  "David."

  Behind their backs, Maddy turned to her brother and fluttered her lashes wildly.

  "David. Just take the left fork. You can see the house there. It's a pretty place, and the rain gives it a bit of a fairy-tale aspect."

  "Is that it?" Suddenly interested, Theo leaned up. "It's pretty big."

  "Four bedrooms. Five baths. There's a lovely living room, but the kitchen/great room is friendlier, I think. Anybody cook?"

  "Dad pretends to," Maddy said. "And we pretend to eat it."

  "Smart-ass. Do you?" David asked Pilar. "Cook?"

  "Yes, and very well, but rarely. Well, perhaps your wife will enjoy the kitchen when she joins you."

  The instant and absolute silence had Pilar cringing inside.

  "I'm divorced." David pulled up in front of the house. "It's just the three of us. Let's check it out. We'll get the stuff later."

  "I'm very sorry," Pilar murmured when the kids bolted from the van. "I shouldn't have assumed—"

  "Natural assumption. A man, a couple of kids. You expect the full family complement. Don't worry about it." He patted her hand casually, then reached across to open her door. "You know, they're going to have to fight over the bedrooms. I hope you don't mind screaming scenes."

  "I'm Italian," was all she said and stepped out into the rain.

  Chapter Five

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  Italian, David thought later. And gorgeous. Aloof and gracious at the same time. Not an easy trick. In that area, she was her mother's daughter.

  He knew how to read people, an invaluable trick of the trade in the climb up the slippery executive ladder in any major corporation. His read of Pilar Giambelli was that she was as accustomed to giving orders as she was to taking them.

  He knew she was married, and to whom, but since she hadn't been wearing a ring he assumed the marriage to the infamous Tony Avano was over, or in serious trouble. He'd have to find out which before he let himself consider her on a more personal level.

  There was a daughter. Anyone in the business had heard of Sophia Giambelli. A firecracker by reputation who had style and ambition in spades. He'd be meeting her along the way, and wondered just how she'd taken to his induction as COO. Might have to play some politics there, he mused, and reached for the cigarettes in his pocket. Only to remember they weren't there because he'd quit three weeks and five days earlier.

  And it was killing him.

  Think about something else, he ordered himself, and tuned in to the music played at a brutal volume in his son's new room. Thank God it was at the other end of the hall.

  There'd been the expected combat over bedrooms. Still, his kids had been fairly restrained all in all. He put that down to reluctant manners in front of a stranger. In any case the squabble had been out of habit and without real heat as every room in the house was appealing.

  Damn near perfect, he thought, with its gleaming wood and tile, silky walls and lush furnishings.

  The perfection, the casually elegant style, the absolute order of things gave him the willies. But he expected the kids would soon put that to rights. Tidy they weren't. So however polished the box, the contents would soon be jumbled and they'd all feel more at home.

  Already weary of unpacking, he wandered to one of the windows and stared out over the fields. Pilar was right. The view was stunning. This was part of his turf now. He intended to leave his mark.

  Down the hall Maddy wandered out of her room. She'd tried to act casual about it after arguing with Theo over who got what. The fact was she was thrilled. For the first time in her life she didn't have to share a bathroom with her idiot brother. And hers was done in this cool pattern of dark blues and deep reds. Big splashy flowers, so she imagined taking a bath there would be like swimming in some weird garden.

  Plus she had a huge four-poster bed. She'd locked the door so she could roll all over it in privacy.

  Then she'd remembered that she wouldn't see New York when she looked out the windows, or be able to call one of her friends and hang out. She wouldn't be able to walk to the movies whenever she felt like it. She wouldn't be able to do anything she was used to doing.

  Homesickness had settled so hot and heavy in her belly it ached. The only person she could talk to was Theo. It was the poorest of choices, in her opinion, but the only one left.

  She pushed open his door to a blast of the Chemical Brothers. He was lying on his bed, his guitar across his chest as he tried to match the guitar riff blasting on his stereo. The room was already in chaos, as she imagined it would stay until he moved out to go to college.

  He was such a pig.

  "You're supposed to be unpacking."

  "You're supposed to mind your own business."

  She flopped, stomach down, on the foot of his bed. "There's nothing to do here."

  "You just figuring that out?"

  "Maybe Dad'll hate it, and we'll go home."

  "No chance. Did you see how he slicked up for the old lady?" Because he felt homesick, too, he set his guitar aside and opted to speak to the bane of his existence. "What's up with that?"

  "He sounded like something out of a movie. You know how he looks when he puts on one of his suits for a meeting?" She rolled over on her back. "He sounded like he looks then. Nothing's going to be the same now. He was looking at that woman."

  "Huh?"

  "The Pilar woman. What kind of a name is that?"

  "I guess it's Italian or something. What do you mean looking at her?"

  "You know. Scoping her out."

  "Get out."

  "Man, guys don't notice anything." Feeling superior, she sat up, tossed back her hair. "He was checking her out."

  "So what?" Theo gave a little jerk of the body, a horizontal shrug. "He's checked out women before. Hey, I bet he's even had sex with some of them."

  "Gee, you think?" While the sarcasm dripped, she pushed off the bed to pace to the window. Rain and vines, vines and rain. "Maybe if he has sex with his boss's daughter, he'll get caught, he'll get fired, and we'll go back home."

  "Home where? He loses his job, we've got no place to go. Grow up, Maddy."

  She hunched her shoulders. "This sucks."

  "Tell me about it."