discussed work yet, have we?’ she said, trying desperately to pull her mind away from dangerous emotions. ‘You said you had some problems you wanted to discuss about the advertising contract.’
‘I did, didn’t I?’ Max paused. ‘But I read through it again today and everything seems to be in order.’
‘Really?’ She frowned.
‘I’ll sign it and bring it into your office tomorrow,’ he said easily. ‘When do you think we can start shooting the commercial for TV? I’d like to get that underway as soon as possible.’
‘We’ll start this week. I’ll get onto it as soon as you bring me the contract.’
A waiter arrived to clear their dishes and ask if they would like coffee.
Carrie glanced at her watch. She could have lingered talking to Max all night but she felt that she should get back. ‘I’d better get home, check on Molly,’ she said to Max.
The waiter left them. ‘I’m sure Molly is fine. Otherwise Carmel would have phoned.’
‘Yes, but, even so, it is getting late and you have a long drive ahead of you back to the vineyard.’
Max shook his head. ‘I have an apartment here in town that I keep for business purposes. I’ll stay there tonight.’
‘Oh, I see.’
‘Come back with me if you want. I’ll make you coffee. It’s not far from here.’
The sudden invitation made her blood pressure soar. Going back to his apartment for coffee sounded like danger with a capital D. Yet she was profoundly tempted to accept.
Before she could say anything, however, a man in a white chef’s uniform interrupted them. ‘Hello, Ambrosio.’ Max stood up immediately and the two greeted each other warmly before Max turned to introduce her to his cousin.
He was about the same age as Max, but there the similarity ended. Ambrosio was a lot shorter and stouter than Max. But he had the same attractive dark eyes and they seemed to sparkle with merriment as he spoke to them.
The two men seemed to be good friends; Carrie noticed the warmth of Max’s conversation, the easy comradeship.
Estelle came over to join in and she slipped into the seat that Max had just vacated. ‘Did you enjoy your meal?’ she asked Carrie.
‘It was lovely, thank you.’ There was something about this woman that she didn’t like, Carrie decided suddenly—something that made her feel wary. The idea bothered her because she couldn’t say what it was, and Estelle seemed perfectly polite and friendly, which made Carrie feel a bit guilty for thinking such a thing.
‘Max is lovely, isn’t he? We all adore him.’ Estelle lowered her tone and leaned a little closer over the table. ‘You two seem to be getting on very well.’
‘Yes, we are.’ Carrie smiled as she remembered Max had told her that this woman was a gossip. Maybe that was why she felt she needed to be cautious around her.
‘But he’s a bit of a heartbreaker. So be careful.’ The words were accompanied by a smile that didn’t quite reach Estelle’s eyes.
‘I’d be surprised if he hadn’t broken a few hearts,’ Carrie murmured lightly. ‘He’s very good-looking.’
‘Yes, but between you and I he enjoys the thrill of the chase these days. So I’d play it cool if I were you.’
‘Thanks, but I don’t need the guidance.’ Carrie kept her smile firmly in place as well, but she didn’t like the advice. It sounded a bit like a warning-off. ‘We are doing just fine.’
‘I’m so sorry; I didn’t mean to sound interfering.’ Estelle immediately sounded contrite. ‘I suppose I worry a bit about Max and all these affairs he has. So do his parents. He’s never really got over Natasha, you know.’ She leaned even further across the table in a confidingway. ‘She’s back in town,’ she said in a low whisper. ‘Came in here for dinner last week.’
‘Really.’ Who the hell was Natasha? Carrie wondered. Was she his former fiancée? She glanced up at Max, hoping he would come back to the table and bail her out of this conversation, but
‘I did, didn’t I?’ Max paused. ‘But I read through it again today and everything seems to be in order.’
‘Really?’ She frowned.
‘I’ll sign it and bring it into your office tomorrow,’ he said easily. ‘When do you think we can start shooting the commercial for TV? I’d like to get that underway as soon as possible.’
‘We’ll start this week. I’ll get onto it as soon as you bring me the contract.’
A waiter arrived to clear their dishes and ask if they would like coffee.
Carrie glanced at her watch. She could have lingered talking to Max all night but she felt that she should get back. ‘I’d better get home, check on Molly,’ she said to Max.
The waiter left them. ‘I’m sure Molly is fine. Otherwise Carmel would have phoned.’
‘Yes, but, even so, it is getting late and you have a long drive ahead of you back to the vineyard.’
Max shook his head. ‘I have an apartment here in town that I keep for business purposes. I’ll stay there tonight.’
‘Oh, I see.’
‘Come back with me if you want. I’ll make you coffee. It’s not far from here.’
The sudden invitation made her blood pressure soar. Going back to his apartment for coffee sounded like danger with a capital D. Yet she was profoundly tempted to accept.
Before she could say anything, however, a man in a white chef’s uniform interrupted them. ‘Hello, Ambrosio.’ Max stood up immediately and the two greeted each other warmly before Max turned to introduce her to his cousin.
He was about the same age as Max, but there the similarity ended. Ambrosio was a lot shorter and stouter than Max. But he had the same attractive dark eyes and they seemed to sparkle with merriment as he spoke to them.
The two men seemed to be good friends; Carrie noticed the warmth of Max’s conversation, the easy comradeship.
Estelle came over to join in and she slipped into the seat that Max had just vacated. ‘Did you enjoy your meal?’ she asked Carrie.
‘It was lovely, thank you.’ There was something about this woman that she didn’t like, Carrie decided suddenly—something that made her feel wary. The idea bothered her because she couldn’t say what it was, and Estelle seemed perfectly polite and friendly, which made Carrie feel a bit guilty for thinking such a thing.
‘Max is lovely, isn’t he? We all adore him.’ Estelle lowered her tone and leaned a little closer over the table. ‘You two seem to be getting on very well.’
‘Yes, we are.’ Carrie smiled as she remembered Max had told her that this woman was a gossip. Maybe that was why she felt she needed to be cautious around her.
‘But he’s a bit of a heartbreaker. So be careful.’ The words were accompanied by a smile that didn’t quite reach Estelle’s eyes.
‘I’d be surprised if he hadn’t broken a few hearts,’ Carrie murmured lightly. ‘He’s very good-looking.’
‘Yes, but between you and I he enjoys the thrill of the chase these days. So I’d play it cool if I were you.’
‘Thanks, but I don’t need the guidance.’ Carrie kept her smile firmly in place as well, but she didn’t like the advice. It sounded a bit like a warning-off. ‘We are doing just fine.’
‘I’m so sorry; I didn’t mean to sound interfering.’ Estelle immediately sounded contrite. ‘I suppose I worry a bit about Max and all these affairs he has. So do his parents. He’s never really got over Natasha, you know.’ She leaned even further across the table in a confidingway. ‘She’s back in town,’ she said in a low whisper. ‘Came in here for dinner last week.’
‘Really.’ Who the hell was Natasha? Carrie wondered. Was she his former fiancée? She glanced up at Max, hoping he would come back to the table and bail her out of this conversation, but
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