ok.
“I’m sorry about this. Tomorrow morning I’ll take you around to the caves in this region. You haven’t tasted our Sylvaner and Pinot Blanc yet.”
“Only if you can spare the time. As for today, I plan to concentrate on the wines Giles sent with us for me to sample.”
Luc didn’t answer right away, which meant his mind was already on something else.
“We’re coming up on a ferme-auberge famous for its excellent local food. You’ll be put in an upstairs room overlooking the farm where they’ll serve you your meals. From the deck you gaze out on a sight that I have no doubt will make another lasting impression.”
“That sounds lovely.” She meant it, but, pleased as she was by his concern for her enjoyment, it meant he was going to leave her once more.
Here she’d just been getting used to the idea that they would spend the whole day together. Now it sounded as if she wouldn’t be seeing him again until tomorrow.
It would mean another restless night waiting for him to come back.
Would that she didn’t care. She wished she could view Luc with the same dispassion she did any other vintner she’d just done business with, instead of…of…
Filled with disappointment, she closed her eyes knowing she would have been better off not to have come with him today.
Strengthening her resolve to keep distance between them, she made a promise to herself not to be this foolish a second time.
“Just in case this place is full, I can always stay at a small hotel down in the town.”
At her words, she felt inexplicable tension emanate from him.
“My headquarters may be in St Hippolyte, but on any given day I have a standing arrangement with the owner to accommodate my buyers.” Luc spoke in such an authoritative voice, Rachel gripped her purse a little tighter. She couldn’t imagine what had brought on this remote side of him.
The owner of the half-timbered inn greeted Luc with a camaraderie of many years’ standing, verifying Luc’s claim.
The other man bid one of his staff to bring in her luggage and the carton of wines.
“Remy will take good care of you, Ms Valentine.”
It wasn’t Rachel any more?
Evidently Luc didn’t want to risk giving his friend Remy the wrong impression of their relationship.
Or maybe Luc was warning her not to read more into today than the events deserved. Too many mixed signals were throwing her emotions into chaos.
He stared at her through veiled eyes. “Enjoy your stay.”
Though he’d been perfectly civil in front of the other man, Rachel got the impression he was anxious to be gone.
Far be it from her to detain him. “Thank you, Monsieur Chartier. I’m sure I will.”
There was a distinct pause while his enigmatic gaze focused on her hot cheeks. “A demain.”
Rachel turned away from him to go upstairs.
See you tomorrow, he’d said.
Fine.
The moment she reached the rustic room built of rafters and floorboards from a bygone age, she changed into jeans and a knit top. After finding her walking shoes, she sat down on the dark four-poster to tie them.
Once that was accomplished she left the auberge.
Charming as her room was, she couldn’t have remained in there or she would have gone a little crazy.