Page 25 of Pure Seduction (Chamberlin Brothers 1)

“Shh, you’re about to find out.”

“Thank you for coming in today, everyone, even though we aren’t open.” Emily looked around the room, her eyes touching upon each and every one of her employees before she continued. “This past week has been extremely difficult for me and my family, and I appreciate all of your help and support. It’s meant the world to me. I understand with Harry’s passing that some of you might be concerned with the future of the winery, your jobs, and where we all go from here, and today I wanted to come in and reassure you that you have nothing to worry about.”

As Emily continued to talk, Noah looked around the room at the other staff listening. But I was more than aware every time his attention came back to me. The intensity of his stare caused my blood to heat.

“Some of you may be wondering who is going to be running the winery now that Harry is gone.”

No… Oh God no. Please don’t say what I think you’re going to say.

“And as of this morning, I’m happy to say that I have an answer for you.” Emily turned to Noah, and when he smiled at her, my legs threatened to give out.

“Noah, my eldest son, is going to be coming on as the CEO effective immediately. He brings a wealth of experience and knowledge all the way from Italy, and I’m extremely grateful to have him here.”

Holy shit. I whipped my head around and looked to Ryan for confirmation, and when he nodded, my mouth fell open.

A barrage of questions slammed into me after that.

How? Why? When? Oh my God, did Noah know about this this morning at coffee?

I looked back to the man now smiling and introducing himself to his new employees.

“I don’t know about you guys, but this has come as quite a shock to me. I’m still wrapping my head around it. Don’t worry, though—Ryan is still going to be in charge of the vines and Laurel will continue on as the manager here inside the villa. In the meantime, just go about things as you always have and I’ll try to catch up. We won’t keep you any longer today, so feel free to head out when you’re ready and we’ll see you all back here tomorrow morning.”

Everyone began to talk amongst themselves as they exited the room, and as I tried to get my feet to move, tried to walk over to where Noah and Emily were, I realized they’d already left.

Damn it. This was not good. Noah was only supposed to be staying a couple of days, not take on a job as my…my boss. I couldn’t work with him. No way I could be that close to him every day and keep him locked in the he’s just a memory box where I had kept him all these years.

I followed Ryan outside and into the wine production facility that was his home away from home, and when I was satisfied we were alone, I asked, “Did you know this was happening today? That he was going to be my new boss?”

“We literally found out this morning.”

“Unbelievable,” I said to no one in particular.

Ryan grabbed a pair of gloves and shoved them in his back pocket before picking up the wire cutters. “He didn’t have a choice, Laurel. He was ready to pack his bags and go back to Italy at the end of the week. This is all Harry’s doing.”

Harry? Of course this was Harry’s fault. What else was new?

“I can’t work for him, Ryan.”

“Why not?” Ryan picked up a bundle of wire and slung it over his shoulder. “Because you used to date? If anything, I think that’d make it easier. You know you get along with him.”

“I got along with him when he was a teenager. Now he’s…he’s…”

“An adult?” Ryan laughed. “News flash, so are you. I think.”

“Helpful, Ryan. That’s really helpful.”

Ryan headed for the door, but before he walked out of it, he looked back over his shoulder at where I was frozen in place. “He’s feeling just as weird about all of this as you are. When he found out, he stormed out of the courthouse like his ass was on fire.”

Oh shit. So that was why he’d had a horrible morning.

“He’s been told he has to stay a year or Mom won’t get the winery.”

“What? That’s…that’s crazy.”

“Yeah. His whole life has been turned upside down. He’s going to need your help getting to know everything and everyone around here. I think it’s good that it’s you stuck with him.”

While I disagreed on that, I kept it to myself, and with a final wave, Ryan headed out to mend one of the wine trellises.

I stood there staring after him, thinking about this morning and my coffee with Noah, and as everything Ryan just told me came rushing in, I did the one thing any respectable woman in a conundrum about a man would do.

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