Page 9 of Trouble Me
Something told her he would be more dangerous to her well-being than the wine.
Chapter 4
The Cancer Within
The flat expanse ofthe Napa Valley passed in a blur outside the Town Car windows. Shane’s thoughts were three thousand miles away, centered on Emmaline Reynolds. Not for the first time, she intrigued Shane. And that troubled him.
When he’d seen her in the diner, it seemed like she didn’t belong there. Emma had an air of class about her one was born with and rarely taught. Born into a family whose money was centuries old, Shane recognized wealth when he saw it.
The woman he’d met in his office was Emmaline. Classy, polished, and sophisticated. Ice princess beauty, with her hair pulled back away from her face and the expensive, sharp navy-blue suit tailored to her body.
She was just as beautiful, but less approachable than the smiling waitress who had served up one of the best burgers he’d ever eaten. The one constant was she’d smelled the same, of clean vanilla with a hint of citrus.
Who was the real Emma? Small-town waitress or high-powered executive?
Shane was certain of one thing. The woman who waited tables in a greasy spoon and wore a suit worth a couple thousand dollars was a puzzle. But Shane no longer did puzzles when it came to women, especially after Marlene.
He also knew after interviewing the other two candidates, it was obvious Emma was head and shoulders above the rest. Shane worried about Ryan’s ability to stay on task and be a leader and Andrea’s ability to take charge. Shane wouldn’t be there daily to oversee his leaders and he needed people he could trust.
Shane grinned to himself. Damned if Emma wasn’t right about the pool of talent in the area.
“We’re here, Mr. Kavanaugh,” the driver announced.
“Thank you, Arnold.”
Shane alighted from the car and stopped to take in the grounds of the expansive estate that was his childhood home. The dark beige and natural-colored stone façade of the Tuscan-style home sprawled out in front of him, with the lush greenery, punctuated with dark pink bougainvillea, flanking the double doors beneath the arched entryway. The fountain in the center of the stone-paved, circular driveway bubbled a soft welcoming tune.
It seemed like a larger-than-life home, one that didn’t appear to be a place for children to grow up. But Shane had never known anything else and wouldn’t want to. There were memories, good and bad, wrapped up in this place. He always enjoyed coming here, even when what had waited behind the doors had brought him more sorrow than joy.
He jogged up the stone steps, and the front door opened ahead of him. His father’s butler, Abe, stood off to the side of the door, dressed impeccably in his black suit.
“Good afternoon, Abe.”
“Good afternoon, sir.” He nodded once and shut the door behind Shane. “Your father is in his study.”
“Thanks, Abe. How’s the family?”
