The Marcelli Bride

18

After the reading of the will, Joe sat in the library until the lawyer and most of the family had filed out. Marco and Brenna stayed behind.

Joe took one look at their calm faces and said, “You knew.”

Marco sat on the sofa across from Joe’s chair and nodded. “My father told me what he wanted to do about a year ago. We discussed it and agreed it was a good idea.”

Joe didn’t know who the “we” was in the conversation, nor did he care. “It’s not a good idea for me.”

“He wanted you to be a part of the family,” Marco said. “He wanted you to belong.”

“You can’t force me to do this,” Joe told him. “What was he thinking of, leaving me the majority share?”

“It’s what he wanted. What we all want,” Brenna said from her seat at the opposite end of the sofa. “Partners, Joe. Remember?”

“You run the winery,” Joe told her. “You have for years. You should be in charge.”

“I will be.” Brenna rubbed her stomach. “But Four Sisters winery is growing. That’s going to take more and more of my time. Plus, honest to God, some of the choices Nic wants to make at Wild Sea. He needs me. You don’t have to panic, Joe. We’re going to hire a manager to run Marcelli until you learn what you need to and get your feet under you.”

“You’re deciding for me? In case you’ve forgotten, I have a career. One I’ve worked for. One I want. Not here.”

He stood and glared at them both. “You think you can finish what he started?” he asked, furious with the change of events. “It’s not going to happen. I’m leaving on Monday, and right now I have no plans to come back.”

Brenna paled. Marco looked as if he’d been shot. Before either could react, Darcy stepped into the library.

“Sorry to interrupt,” she said.

“This is not the time,” Joe told her, his voice cold.

She narrowed her gaze. “Amazingly enough, everything isn’t about you, Joe. As requested, I’m letting Brenna and Marco know that my sister is due to arrive any second. And just in case it’s of interest to you, your captain left a message to say he would be delighted to join us for dinner tonight and it’s formal. So you’ll need your dress whites.”

He felt like a jerk. “Darcy,” he said as he reached for her.

She sidestepped him. “I have to go see my sister.”

Darcy headed for the kitchen. She appreciated that Joe was under a lot of strain, but she wanted to walk back to the library and smack him upside the head.

Katie had already told her what had happened when the will was read, so she knew he couldn’t be happy about that. While she was willing to offer friendly support, she didn’t appreciate him turning on her as though she was the enemy.

Mia and Ian were in the kitchen, while Grandma Tessa was nowhere to be seen. Had the ever chatty Ian driven away the matriarch of the family?

“I can’t wait to meet your sister,” Ian said. “I’ve seen lots of pictures of her. She’s really pretty. Is she that pretty in person? I’ve heard she’s really nice. Is she nice? I sent money to that children’s charity she supports. Only a few dollars because I’m a student, right? It’s not like I have a ton of cash. But still, it was something.”

Darcy walked to the coffeepot and tried to block out Ian’s incessant conversation. Mia joined her.

“I know he’s a little hard to take,” she whispered. “I’m going to dump him as soon as we get back to D.C. He’s starting to get on my nerves, too. It’s just been nice to have him around, especially after Grandpa Lorenzo died, you know?”

Darcy nodded. She heard a car pull up outside and hurried to the back door.

She walked out onto the back porch just as the rear door of the SUV opened. Lauren stepped out into the early afternoon light. Sunlight brightened her hair to the color of spun gold and made her features seem as if they’d been touched with starlight. Her tailored cotton blouse topped a trim khaki skirt that showed off her voluptuous curves to perfection. Darcy tugged at her black dress and suddenly felt like a grandmother in mourning.

Lauren spotted her and grinned. Darcy smiled in return. As she took a step forward, she had a moment of complete clarity. It was what Oprah always called a light-bulb moment.

She didn’t want to be Lauren. She’d never actually envied her sister. She’d envied what her sister had-a life she adored, a great love, a close family. Darcy didn’t want to be blond, she wanted connections. A sense of belonging.

The downside was falling for a man incapable of committing, but whose life was perfect?

Grandma Tessa hovered. There was no other word to describe the older woman’s anxious, quivering movement as she motioned to the room in question.

“If we’d had more time,” she murmured, gesturing to the floral wallpaper and fifteen-year-old rock star posters, “we could have decorated.”

Lauren hugged the tiny woman. “It’s lovely. Just like my room back in high school. You’re so sweet to take me in on a moment’s notice. I could have stayed at a hotel. This is such an inconvenience and I apologize. It’s just I’ve missed Darcy so much, and she’s made all of you sound so wonderful that I couldn’t resist the opportunity to crash the party. Is that horribly rude?”

As Darcy watched, Tessa, Grammy M, and Colleen were completely charmed by Lauren.

“We’re delighted to have you here,” Colleen said.

“’Tis no trouble a’tall,” Grammy M assured her.

“Stay as long as you like,” Grandma Tessa requested.

Lauren laughed. “You might want to be careful with invitations like that. What if I never want to leave?”

Being who they were, and Lauren who she was, the Marcelli women only looked delighted at the prospect.

Her sister was gracious, Darcy thought. She wasn’t sure if she’d been born that way or had developed the skill over time, but it was something she was going to have to cultivate. It seemed to smooth over rough patches. There were other changes she could make, she thought. She could get more involved in her father’s life. Go to the White House more. Her stubbornness was costing her a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

That decided, she completed the tour of the amenities, showing Lauren the bathroom across the hall.

“At least we won’t be sharing,” Mia said as she raced up the stairs with one of Lauren’s small suitcases. “Good thing. I’m not too bad, but Ian hogs the mirror for hours.”

Lauren looked at her and smiled. “Mia, right? All these names. I’ll never get them straight.”

Mia set down the suitcase. “Oh, I’m easy to remember. I’m the fun sister. And the only one who isn’t married.” She frowned. “How on earth did that happen? Oh, yeah. Right. Didn’t want to be tied down.”

She grinned, and Lauren laughed. Colleen welcomed her again, then ushered the Grands away.

“We’ll let you girls help Lauren unpack. Don’t forget dinner tonight is formal. Mia, you know what that means.”

Mia rolled her eyes. “Yes, Mom. I’ll tone down the makeup and wear something nice. And I’ll be polite to Joe’s captain.” She watched as her mother went down the stairs with the Grands, then leaned in close.

“She’s afraid I’ll ask about the sexy SEALs. I tease Joe about it all the time and it makes him crazy.”

“How do you tease him?” Lauren asked.

“Pretending I want to sleep with them all.”

Darcy eyed her. “I don’t think it’s much of a pretense.”

Mia grinned. “Sometimes it’s not.”

They returned to Lauren’s temporary quarters. Lauren closed the door, put her hands on her hips, and shook her head. “Do you have to always wear black?” she asked.

Darcy laughed, then hugged her. “I missed you, too.”

Mia looked between them. “You’re right. Darcy is always in black. I never noticed before. It’s very city chic.”

“You hear that?” Darcy asked. “I’m chic, and you’re an Easter egg.”

Mia flopped down on one of the beds. “Hey, don’t pull me into a family argument. Lauren looks fabulous, too. But in a different way.”

“I’m much more wholesome,” Lauren said primly. She picked up one of her suitcases and put it on the other bed. “And I wear colors.”

Mia looked at the pile of luggage. “Do you have a maid or something to take care of your clothes?”

“No. Just me. Well, back home there is a full laundry and dry cleaning service, so I don’t have to worry about that.”

Mia sat up. “You mean back home at the White House.”

Darcy sat next to her. “I can’t believe you’re starstruck. I figured you were too cool for that.”

Mia laughed. “I only pretend to be cool. I’ve never known anyone who’s been related to a president before I met you two.” She leaned toward Lauren. “So tell me everything.”

“Hey.” Darcy bumped her shoulder against Mia’s. “You didn’t ask me questions about the White House.”

“I know.” Mia looked at her. “I guess I just think of you as one of us.”

Darcy felt her whole body relax as Mia’s words sank in. It was about the nicest thing anyone had ever said to her.

Mia squinted at Lauren. “I see the resemblance a little, but you guys are pretty different.”

“Lauren’s the beauty,” Darcy said easily.

Lauren threw a pair of socks at her. “You’re very attractive.”

Mia glanced between them. “Lauren’s the classic beauty,” she said thoughtfully, “but Darcy has the face you can’t look away from. At least my brother can’t.”

Darcy rolled her eyes. “Don’t you start with me.”

“I can if I want to.” She leaned toward Lauren. “They’re having sex. We all know about it, but we’re pretending we don’t.”

Darcy groaned. “You weren’t supposed to say anything.”

“Why not?” Lauren asked. “I already know you have sex with him. Although she won’t give me details. I hate that. I want specifics.”

Mia shook her head. “Normally I would, too, but he’s my brother. He’s going to look gorgeous tonight,” she added. “You’ll both have to control yourselves.”

Lauren hung up yet another pastel-colored skirt. “Because of the formal dinner?”

“Dress whites,” Darcy said. “He’ll be impressive.”

“Then we’ll all have to look nice,” Lauren said. “So he can be impressed, too.”