Rogen rubbed the back of his neck, as though tension had knotted the nerves. She was momentarily distracted by his bulging biceps and tanned skin.
He told her, “I want to grow on it. Mostly hybrids. Have my own winery.”
“Wow.” She was a bit blown away. “You never mentioned that.”
“Because I was supposed to become Chief Operating Officer of Angelini, Inc., and juggle headquarters in Tuscany and secondary operations in River Cross. I never imagined there’d be time left over for anything else. But all five distilleries have been in my family for generations and it’s fairly smooth sailing.”
He paced a little more.
Jewel regarded him thoughtfully, wondering what all he had yet to tell her.
Rogen said, “Sure, like everyone else, we suffer from the threat of frost and freezing, wildfires, infestations, the economy, labor disputes, all that. But in the grand scheme of things, we’ve been a well-oiled machine for centuries. Yes, evolution throws a wrench in the works from time to time. It’s never anything critical … just proper advancement with new technologies. I want a different challenge.”
She took a few steps toward him. “Along with your own contribution to the dynasty? Your own legacy?”
“I will admit, I never felt my destiny was just to feel content to be born with a silver spoon in my mouth. I work hard, no doubt. But not as hard as I would if I had to build something from the ground up and its success was my sole responsibility.”
“Proof we’re not just heirs, but entrepreneurs.”
His gaze locked with hers. “Yes.”
“And you’d like to see an end to this feud, too. Right?”
“Absolutely. Our parents were incredibly close once upon a time. It’s disturbing to see them hold a grudge for so long. And I could tell when you showed up unexpectedly at the gala, their first concern was that something had happened at your estate. They were worried, even if they couldn’t admit it out loud.”
“I agree.”
Mere inches separated them and they stared into each other’s eyes while the air shifted and something new brewed between them.
Jewel couldn’t keep herself from taking a huge leap of faith as a fresh idea sprang to mind and exhilaration chased down her spine. “You came here to warn me that I was going to get screwed out of my deal. Your father won’t be pleased to know you tipped me off.”
“No, he won’t be.”
“But you did it anyway.”
“You don’t deserve to get thrown under the bus any more than I do.”
“True. Still…” She pressed a palm to his chest, over his heart. His muscles bunched at her touch, making all her intimate parts tingle. Somehow, she remained focused on the issue at hand. She said, “You chose me over him in this instance.”
Rogen’s teeth ground. Jewel saw the defining moment for what it was. They’d each had to do a hell of a lot of fighting to break free of some of the ideals of two powerful families and hadn’t fully achieved that. There were some concessions Jewel still had to ask her parents for—land that she wanted to build on, for example.
But then again … no. She wasn’t just asking to be handed something for nothing. She’d been willing to do whatever was necessary to get the Angelinis to consent to a sale. She was willing to work for what she wanted. To create something meaningful for herself, for her future, and for her family name.
And potentially reunite old friends in the process.
Rogen was willing to do the same.
So …
Her gaze turned hopeful, she was sure.
Rogen looked suspiciously at her. “What are you thinking?”
“That an inn and a winery are a fabulous combination.”
“Jewel—”
“Just wait. Listen.” She started to do some pacing of her own. It helped her to think more clearly, sort out all the details. Not get caught up in the delicious sight and scent of him. “If we could keep this deal from falling apart and I sold you half of the land after I acquired it from my parents, you could grow and I could build. And we could prove to everyone that Catalanos and Angelinis can trust each other and partner together. It’d be our own joint venture.”