Page 35 of Finally Found You

“Why do we have bodyguards?” She circles back to that one question.

“Okay, I’m not that open. Let’s say you can read a few chapters,” I admit with a wry smile.

She exhales sharply. “Why do you work in the vineyard and not in the company?”

“Spearman LP isn’t something I care for. Aslan does. Making wine is my passion—well, that and cider, too.”

“That’s why you have an orchard on your property?” she asks. “I don’t understand why you didn’t show it to us.”

“There’s nothing interesting there yet. But that’s another good reason for you to join me. This upcoming season, I want to do more with the ciders.” I flash her a grin. “Work for me, Cami. I’ll make it worth it for you.”

She flushes but hesitates. “Though I need a job, I can’t afford to live in California.”

Impulsively, I respond, “You can work from wherever you want. The offices might be in San Francisco, but if at some point you have to leave, you’ll still be employed.”

A hint of a smile tugs at the corners of her lips as she mulls over my words. “It’s tempting, but it sounds too good to be true.”

“Listen,” I suggest, leaning in slightly. “Why don’t you come to the office next Monday, after we drop Kenzy at the summer camp?” I suggest. “I’ll walk you through everything I need and give you a more formal offer with a salary and benefits.”

“I can do that,” she answers.

“Lysander, can you make me some warm milk?” Kenzy’s voice drifts from somewhere within the penthouse, delicate and tired.

Camilla looks at me, her eyes filled with unspoken understanding. “Go check on her. I’m calling it a night.”

My heart aches as I realize that our conversation has reached its end for the evening, but perhaps that’s for the best. We can’t afford any missteps. Not that kissing her would be a mistake—far from it—but allowing myself to fall for her…

That could be my undoing.

As I reluctantly turn away from her, the weight of our unspoken emotions lingers in the air, a reminder of the delicate balance we must maintain. The desire to be close to her, to feel her warmth and the tender touch of her fingers, battles with the need for restraint and caution, leaving me caught in a whirlwind of emotions.

Chapter Eighteen

Camilla

Exhaustion settles deep in my bones after a relentless week. I collapse onto the couch, craving a moment of peace and quiet. My eyes flicker over to the TV, but I can’t bring myself to turn it on just yet. Instead, I grab the bucket of popcorn and the box of Crunch a Bunch I snagged from the convenience store earlier.

I side-eye the bottle of wine on the coffee table and chuckle. “This is adulting, right?” I say to myself, justifying my not-so-healthy dinner choice. “I’ll eat a carrot later, and it’ll be like a balanced meal or whatever.” But for now, I’ll enjoy this brief moment of zen.

I take a deep breath, loving the silence that wraps around me. When I accepted the job at the winery, I believed it’d be easy for the first couple of weeks, as I learn to understand the budget, the financial reports, and the marketing of wine. It’s a fascinating world where even the weather forecast plays a role in the production of wine.

Learning comes easily to me. It seemed like a simple job. But Lysander never warned me about the nightmare of dealing with nonstop customer calls. Can I even call them customers?

The winery’s phone rings a lot with desperate people wanting to book the venue for their events. No matter how many times I explained that we don’t hold events, they wouldn’t let it go.

I couldn’t help but roll my eyes as a woman on the phone promised to pay anything, exclaiming, “Price is no object!” Her daughter had her heart set on getting married at our winery. The endless calls are wearing me down.

Then, this other lady told me her whole love story, complete with a first kiss during a winery tour, her voice dripping with nostalgia. “It’s a gorgeous venue. You have to let me get married there,” she gushed on the phone. “My fiancé and I won’t book anything but the winery.”

Even though her story was sweet, I couldn’t promise her dream wedding.

Later, when I vented my frustration to Lysander, his smirk and casual remark, “I don’t miss those calls,” felt like a taunt, as if he were saying, “Sucker, you fell for it.”

If it weren’t for those calls, I would say this week has been great. All I need right now is to unwind.

Lysander’s invitation to join him and Kenzy at the historic Vogue Theater in San Francisco was tempting, but I hesitated when he mentioned we’d be watching The Shining. Unlike Kenzy, I don’t like horror movies.

I should watch a romantic comedy to compensate or binge a comedy show. Before I can decide, my phone rings, and JJ’s name flashes on the screen. “Hi,” I answer.

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