Page 5 of Cognac & Cornflowers

He picked his phone up and tapped out a reply to Selena.

Jacob: No. I meant what I said. We’re over. I wish you well.

He didn’t expect a reply and didn’t get one. He shut his computer down and headed for the house with a smile on his face. He was going to the carol concert at the school this evening because Hannah had asked him to come and watch Ava sing. He knew that the little girl would be thrilled to see him there in the audience. He was doing it for her. If he were hoping to catch a glimpse of her teacher, it was only so that he could put her out of his mind. Yes, she was attractive, but there was nothing to it. There couldn’t be – she was a third-grade teacher, a girl-next-door kind of girl. He didn’t know how old she was, but he’d guess that she was too young for him anyway. His smile faded at the thought that she might even be there with her boyfriend – or husband! Why hadn’t he asked Hannah if she was married? He let out a short laugh. He was being ridiculous. He hadn’t asked because he didn’t need to know – any more than Hannah needed to know just how interested in Becca he was – and that was the real reason he hadn’t asked.

~ ~ ~

Becca parked Fred in her usual spot in the teachers’ parking lot. She was looking forward to this evening. This was a social event that she could attend and feel perfectly at home. Half the kids in her class were in the choir, and they’d been bubbling over with excitement all week about tonight’s carol concert.

She looped the strap of her purse over her shoulder and locked the car. Even though Ava had told her that he’d be there, shesoshould not let her own excitement at the thought of seeing Jacob Jacobs again bubble up. She had to keep a lid on that crap. It was ridiculous! She’d made a complete fool of herself when Ava had introduced them at the tree lighting – treating him like a little kid, and then throwing his hand back at him before she ran away. Still, she was hoping that she’d be able to observe him from a distance tonight. He’d probably be sitting with all the Napa bigwigs. She loved that many of the big names in town came to a great number of the events at the school. Napa might be a big deal in the wine world, but it was still like a small-town community in some ways.

She had to believe that Jacob would be sitting with the local dignitaries. She couldn’t allow herself to consider the possibility that he might be sitting with Hannah and Grady. Hannah had invitedherto sit with them. If Jacob were there, too … A shiver ran down her spine. No. He wouldn’t be. And she needed to stop thinking about him that way anyway. She had to put it down to the fact that since Aiden had left, she’d been as single as single could be. And at twenty-nine years old, a girl had … desires, if not needs. And Jacob Jacobs was a very easy target to focus her desires on. But that was the stuff of fantasies, the kind of stuff she could think about late at night, all alone in her bed. It wasn’t the kind of thing she should let her mind go anywhere near when there was even the remotest possibility of actually running into the man.

She smiled and waved at kids, parents, and fellow teachers as she made her way across the parking lot to the main doors. Her breath caught in her chest when she spotted him. Phew! He was one heck of a man. He was tall and athletic-looking. There was a decent amount of gray hair at his temples – and that just made him look all the more … distinguished? No, the word she was looking for – or trying to avoid – was sexy. The man was sexy as sin.

She hurried past the large group of people he was standing with – the local dignitaries, as she’d expected. She recognized the woman he was talking to; Alexandria DuPont was one of the big, big names. But then, so was Jacob. She knew that now, even if she’d been blissfully ignorant when she first met him.

Of course, she’d read everything she could find about him on the Internet since their brief meeting. He wasn’t just one of the local dignitaries – winemakers and CEOs were a dime a dozen around here. No, Jacob Jacobs, didn’t just own a winery. He was the CEO of one of the biggest winemakers and distributors in the country. Jacobs Estate was a national and international brand – and Jacob was a gazillionaire.

She put her head down and hurried past the well-dressed group, even though that was stupid. He wouldn’t recognize her if he did see her, and it wasn’t likely that he’d come over for a chat even if he did.

She breathed a sigh of relief when she made it to the foyer. Hannah had said that she and Grady would meet her here. Even as a teacher, Becca was glad that she wouldn’t have to sit alone to watch the concert. She tended to live every moment that her kids were up on stage right along with them, and that could be embarrassing when she was sitting next to strangers.

She kept an eye on the front door, hoping that Hannah and Grady wouldn’t be too late. The seats always filled up quickly, and she wanted to be up near the front so that her kids would be able to see her.

She was relieved when she saw Hannah coming toward her.

“Hey! I thought we were early, but it seems as though everyone else is, too.”

Becca laughed. “There’s no such thing as early when it comes to nights like tonight. Everyone wants to see their little ones do their thing – and everyone wants to sit close to the front.”

Hannah looked through the doors to see the rows of seats filling up quickly. “I see what you mean. We’d better get the guys and get in there. I want Ava to be able to see us.”

Becca swallowed. “The guys?”

“Oh! Yeah.” Hannah gave her a mischievous smile. “I hope you don’t mind, but my brother, Jacob, is with us. You two met at the Christmas tree lighting, didn’t you?”

“Yeah.” Becca tried to sound nonchalant, but apparently, she didn’t pull it off.

Hannah touched her arm. “Is it okay?”

She sucked in a deep breath and nodded, even though she had a feeling that she was blushing, and her pink cheeks might give her away.

Just when she was considering claiming that she had to go backstage instead – she could hide out and watch the performance from there – Hannah linked her arm through hers and led her to where she could now see Jacob talking to Grady.

When they reached them, she forced herself to breathe slowly and deeply. She was being silly, and she knew it. Just because she had a stupid, schoolgirl-type crush on the man didn’t mean that he’d notice. He probably wouldn’t even notice her. Her internet research – she refused to think of it as cyber stalking! – had shown her what kind of women he was into. He dated model types, sophisticated ladies in designer clothes. He was hardly going to spare her a second glance.

“Jacob, do you remember Becca – Miss Taylor – Ava’s teacher?” asked Hannah.

His reply made Becca’s heart leap in her chest. “How could I forget?”

She knew her cheeks had to be bright red as she shook hands with him. How had she – even for one second – thought that he was socially awkward? That he was a stutterer? He was all smooth, confident, executive, and there was no denying that he was sexy as hell as he held onto her hand and drew her closer.

“I’ve been looking forward to seeing you again.”

She swallowed in the face of his dazzling smile. The first time they’d met, she’d felt like the teacher wanting to reassure a small child. This time, she felt like a small creature frozen, mesmerized by the eyes of the predator who was about to … she didn’t know what! But she wouldn’t mind finding out.

She tried to get a grip when Grady and Hannah walked away from them. Where were they going? They couldn’t leave her here with him! He squeezed her fingers, and she looked down when she realized that they were holding on to each other’s hands again.

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