Chapter Fourteen
The last light of the city glowed against the penthouse windows. Bea sat cross-legged on the couch, still in the flowy dress she’d worn to dinner, her hair pinned up loosely.
Across the room, Gage stood at the kitchen island, a single glass of wine untouched beside him. His tablet was open. He wasn’t reading, just swiping and thinking.
His voice broke the silence. “Keep next weekend free.” A pause. “Starting Friday night.”
Bea blinked. “Why? What’s happening Friday?”
“We’re going to the Harvest Summit.”
“The what now?”
He looked at her. “All the legacy families drive to Edevane Valley for the long weekend. It’s hosted by the Aurelles.”
She took a breath. “And I’m coming because…?”
“Because you belong there,” he said simply. “With me.”
Her fingers found the hem of her skirt, tugging it smooth. “What kind of weekend is this, exactly?”
“Relaxation. Picnics. Vineyard tours. Wine tasting. Sports.”
“Sounds harmless enough.”
He looked vaguely entertained. “Every son up for strategic marriage. Every daughter trained to assess return oninvestment. A few quiet business deals. And the old guard keeping score.”
She should have knownpicnicmeant something different when the families had trust funds.
Her eyes narrowed. “So you’re leading me into the lion’s den.”
“I’ll be there,” he assured her. “They won’t eat you.”
“Will Georgie be there?”
“Of course. Isabel and Naomi, too. You’ll have backup.”
She chewed the inside of her cheek. “Am I going to be the entertainment?”
“Not unless you make yourself into it. But they will be watching you.”
Oh good. So just light surveillance with a side of generational judgment.
Somewhere between his words and his silence, she understood—this wasn’t a request. It was an entrance.
Sooner or later, she’d have to debut fully into his world. And this was him giving her the best version of a hard thing: with backup. With friends. With him.
She exhaled. “You couldn’t have given me more notice?”
“How much more do you need?”
“I don’t know…three months?”
His lips twitched. “You don’t need three months to prepare for Harvest Summit, sweetheart.”
“That’s whatyouthink.”
“That’s what I know. Talk to the girls. They’ll explain.”
