The Italian's Unexpected Heir

It also meant she would once again be homeless. Tears rushed to her eyes but she blinked them away.

She never used to be emotional. She couldn’t afford to be when she’d had to care for her mother. She’d had to be the strong one. Her mother had needed her to lean on.

She’d been calm and collected when, after her mother’s death, the bank had repossessed the small house she’d grown up in. With only part-time work so she could care for her mother, she hadn’t been able to keep up with the mortgage payments.

For a time, she’d been on her own with nothing more than what she could carry. It had been horrible but not as bad as losing her mother and knowing that she was all alone in this world, after having lost her father in a horrific accident when she was just a baby.

But Enzo’s circumstances were different than hers. He had not only a home but also a family to rely on. Whether he was willing to acknowledge it or not, this estate was his destiny. The Barto Vineyard was as much a part of him as the blood flowing through his veins. But how did she get him to see this?

There was a knock at the door. Before she could get up, she heard the door creak open.

“Sylvie?” It was Enzo. “Sylvie, are you in here?”

“In the office.”

Her empty stomach shivered with nerves. What did he want to talk about now? She didn’t know what to say to change his mind about the sale.

Enzo stepped into the office. His tall stature and broad shoulders seemed to fill the room, making the office feel much smaller than it truly was. He looked around the room, never letting his gaze rest on her. His intent on taking in everything in the office made it seem like he’d never been in here before, but the truth was he’d been in the office countless times.

When the silence turned uncomfortable, Sylvie asked, “Was there something you needed?”

He hitched his thumbs in the corners of his jean pockets and ducked his head. “I wanted to say I was sorry for how I handled things yesterday.”

“You mean springing it on me that I’ve lost not only my home but also my business, too?”

He kept his gaze down toward the floor as he nodded. “Don’t worry. I plan to help you out.”

“Help me out?” She didn’t like the sound of that. She wasn’t a charity case. She’d already had to accept the help of others after her mother passed on. That had been so hard to do. She wasn’t going to do that again. She had worked hard to put away some savings. It would tide her over until she came up with another job.

He nodded and then his gaze met hers. “You just have to tell me where you want to settle and I’ll make sure you have a place to live. If you want, I can set you up with your own wedding business.”

Her mouth gaped. Realizing she must look like a guppy, she pressed her lips together as she attempted to gather her scattered thoughts.

“Why?” When he sent her a puzzled look, she elaborated on her thought. “Why would you do something like that? It’s so...so generous.”

He rubbed the back of his neck. “Because it’s my fault you’re losing your place to live and work. It seems like the only right thing to do.”

She seized upon that last part of his explanation. “The right thing to do? So you’re doing this out of some sense of obligation?”

“Well, yes.”

That was what she figured. He was a man driven by his sense of duty and obligation. She didn’t want to be one of his obligations. “That won’t be necessary. You don’t owe me anything—”

“Of course I do—”

“No, you don’t.” She stood so he didn’t have quite such a height advantage over her. “I’m not part of your family. There’s no reason for you to feel obligated where I’m concerned. I...” She almost mentioned that she took care of not only herself but also her mother, but decided against bringing it up. There was a lot she still hadn’t shared with him because she hadn’t wanted to scare him off with all her heavy baggage. “I can take care of myself.”

A frown settled on his handsome face. “Of course you can. I didn’t mean to imply otherwise. But I just feel bad about you moving here all the way from Patazonia and already the business is shutting down. That’s not fair.”

“Life isn’t fair. I learned that a long time ago.”

Like when her mother struggled with three jobs to keep a roof over their heads when Sylvie was young. Her mother had been a seamstress, one of the best in the land, but when business had dropped off because people started buying clothes over the internet, her mother picked up cleaning jobs to help balance the budget.

“Sylvie, what are you talking about?”

She shook her head. “It’s nothing.” He eyed her as though trying to read the truth in her eyes. Worried he’d see too much, she glanced away. It was time to change the subject away from her. She lifted her gaze once more. “Are you sure this is what you want to do?”

“What? Help you? Of course I am.”