Page 28 of The Charmer's Gambit
“My office, yes, but I think you mean my headquarters, which is not.”
I looked at him. “I thought we were meeting the team.”
“We are, but at my home. It’s an easier location for my employees who work remotely. Our main office is in a building just north of Charlotte, but I only stop in there once a week at most. It’s a location for our sales and marketing team to meet with prospective clients, but not much else. You’ll find that the majority of us prefer to work near the product.”
“So where am I staying this week?” I noticed my itinerary didn’t include the hotel, but I assumed it was just missing from my documents.
“I have plenty of open rooms at my estate, if you’re comfortable staying with me. Otherwise, there’s a motel about five minutes from the primary vineyard.”
“Is it typical for you to host an employee at your home?”
He chuckled. “Actually, yes. Several live on my property.”
The way he said it had me frowning. “How big is this house?”
“Oh, darlin’, let’s talk after you meet the team.”
10
Playing Doctor
Will’s amusement made a hell of a lot more sense now that I stood in the center of his property. I spun around in a circle, awed by my surroundings. Vineyards sprawled to my left, going on for what looked like miles from my standpoint. Mountains decorated the landscape beyond it, giving the area a wilderness feel that was belied by the small community at my back.
“That’s the original winery.” Will pointed to the large building to our right. “We still use it for these vineyards, but most of what I produce out here is aged for long periods and kept within the family.”
“So this was your original investment.” I couldn’t keep the shock out of my voice. Talk about impressive.
“Yep, but it didn’t look like this when I bought it. See that tree about fifty yards out?” He waited for me to nod. “Everything beyond it was dead, and the winery had seen better days. They used to pick all the grapes with this old machine that has long since retired. I prefer to gather by hand, hence all the necessary employees for the various vineyards. It’s more expensive, but the wine is better for it.”
“Interesting.” I was too fascinated to come up with a better word. This was nothing like I imagined. All the millionaires I knew dressed in fancy suits and lived in boardrooms, yet here was Will, standing in the middle of a field, explaining his world.
“Anyway, that home over there”—he pointed to a house with a long front porch directly across from the vineyard—“is the newest and houses the Greggory family. Sam Greggory manages this vineyard for me now, so it’s helpful to have him live close by. The home on the other side of the winery over there is for employees during grape harvest season. Those can be some grueling shifts, so I like to keep everyone safe. Most of my estate staff reside in the lodging over there.” He gestured to what reminded me of apartments down the road away from the winery.
“And the home way over there, up on that hill, is mine. That’s where we’re meeting everyone for dinner.”
“I see.” Millionaire. Right. Got it. “You own a lot of land.”
His grin held a touch of boyishness. “I’ve expanded as needed.”
“Uh-huh.”
He glanced at my feet. “I would recommend we walk up the hill to my place, but you’re not properly dressed for it.”
“I walk Chicago in heels every day.”
“Not the same, darlin’.”
My eyes narrowed. “I can handle a hill.” It didn’t look that far away. Maybe three blocks, tops. Easy.
He folded his arms over his broad chest. “Care to make it interesting?”
“As in a bet?”
“More like a challenge with rewards.”
The competitor in me stepped up to the plate and cocked a brow at him. “Go on.”
“A race. If I win, you stay at my house the entire week.”
