Falling For Her French Tycoon (Escape To Provence Book 1) Read online

  Age: twenty-seven.

  Home address: La Gaude.

  Cell phone...

  Email address...

  Employed full time at La Metropole Pharmacy.

  Driver’s license.

  Own car.

  Bank account.

  Covered by social insurance.

  Degree in pharmacology from Sophie Antipolis University in Nice.

  No experience picking grapes.

  He tapped the paper against his jaw. What was missing here? Only everything else about her life that might answer the question of what prompted her to apply for this temporary work.

  This mysterious, gorgeous, educated woman suddenly appears at the vineyard out of nowhere, wanting to know what it’s like to help with the harvest for a few weeks?

  Dominic didn’t buy it for a second. He put the application in the briefcase with the others before leaving the tent, unable to get her off his mind. He was so attracted to her, it shocked him.

  Vetting would-be workers was one of his brother Etienne’s jobs as director of the vineyard so he usually oversaw the vendange hiring. But he’d been struck down by a nasty flu bug for the better part of a week and their grandfather Armand had rung Dominic’s apartment in the south wing of the chateau and demanded that he fill in for his brother.

  Little had Dominic known that the most beautiful woman he’d ever laid eyes on in his life would be among the applicants. He’d wanted to catch up with her after she’d left and take her to dinner to get to know her better. But that had been impossible when other people needed to be interviewed.

  Frustrated, he headed for his office in a building on the estate behind the chateau. He left the applications for his assistant, Theo, to deal with until Etienne recovered and drove the short distance to the chateau. Once he reached his apartment, he took a quick shower to cool off.

  Until today he’d never found a woman whose looks turned him inside out in just one short meeting. In fact he’d doubted if such a woman even existed. But this afternoon, a pair of translucent green eyes had caught him completely off guard.

  Throughout the eleven years he’d been away from home in Paris, he’d enjoyed several intimate relationships with beautiful women. But he’d never experienced this instant, intense, earthy kind of attraction to a woman, not even when he’d been a teenager. And he sure as hell hadn’t seen a woman like her show up for work at the vineyard before.

  After putting on a robe, he went to the kitchen to make himself a sandwich. While he ate, he phoned Etienne with an update and told him not to worry, Dominic would continue to cover for him and told him to get better. After hanging up, he needed a distraction. He turned on the TV to watch the news, but nothing helped get his mind off Nathalie Fournier.

  She was on some kind of mission. He was certain of it. Though a pharmacist, maybe she had an ambitious streak and did freelancing undercover for a newspaper or a wine industry magazine to make extra money.

  He wished his cousin Raoul was home so they could talk. They were closer than brothers and always confided in each other. But Raoul and his father, Matthieu, the comptroller of the company, were in Saint Tropez at a vintners’ conference and they wouldn’t be back until Sunday night.

  Any conversation would have to wait until Monday. And then what, Dominic?

  Maybe some politician was paying a lot of money for her to get an exclusive on the vineyard. Was it hoped that her digging would turn up something she could expose concerning the migrants who worked at the Fontesquieu vineyard? No one would suspect her under the guise of a pharmacist, of all things.

  He supposed anything was possible and didn’t like what he was thinking. Half a dozen ideas of what she might be up to percolated in his mind, as his domineering grandfather was always guarding against trespassers.

  Dominic’s thoughts turned to his autocratic grandfather who’d been born with a divine right of kings syndrome. He felt a bleak expression cross over his features. The austere man’s dictatorial personality had forced the whole family to live under his thumb. He’d forced arranged marriages for all his six sons and daughters, and insisted they all live and work together at the massive chateau, determined to keep it all in the family.

  Armand had screwed up more lives than Dominic dared count. Under his tutelage, Dominic’s own father and mother, Gaston and Vivienne, had put unbearable pressure on him and his siblings to marry certain moneyed, elite people they’d picked out for them. At eighteen, Dominic had refused to be told what to do.

  No one in the family—including his parents—had had a good or happy marriage, souring Dominic’s taste for the institution. Early on he’d made up his mind to study business and carve out his own future. It had been imperative he get away from the family dynamics to survive. His dreams had gone far beyond being a vintner and he’d left home for Paris under the threat of being disinherited, but he hadn’t cared.

  He’d begged his brother to go with him, but Etienne had held back, too unsure to challenge their father and grandfather. Their older sister, Quinette, had already been married off.

  Ultimately, Etienne stayed and Dominic had left alone, putting himself through college. After graduation he’d studied investment banking in Paris and, in time, he’d worked for a firm there where he’d made a considerable fortune in investments, coming home only for vacations and various events.

  He would have stayed there permanently, but four months ago he’d received a frantic call from his mother that his father was seriously ill with pneumonia and might die. Dominic had intended to return to Vence only temporarily but his grandfather immediately insisted Dominic take over his father’s position as funds manager while the older man was ill.

  Still hesitant to remain in Vence, it was Raoul, now vice president in charge of marketing and sales for the Fontesquieu Corporation, who’d been the one to beg Dominic to take the job and not go back to Paris.

  The two of them had been best friends growing up, always watching out for one another. Over the years they’d always stayed in touch, Raoul visiting Paris when he could. In the end, Dominic hadn’t been able to refuse Raoul and so had stayed on while his father was recovering.

  He was no fool though. Ever since his return, he’d known his grandfather had an ulterior motive in wanting Dominic to take over the management of funds. Because of a bad year of frost and rain two years ago, the vineyards in France had suffered severe financial losses and even their family had been impacted despite their assets in other businesses.

  Dominic knew his father and grandfather were plotting for him to marry Corinne Herlot, who’d bring the fabulous Herlot industrial fortune with her. She’d been at several family parties, but he could never be interested and had planned to leave for Paris by the time the harvest was over.

  At least that was what he’d intended until today when Nathalie Fournier had appeared. Now there was no way in this world could he leave yet...

  * * *

  Nathalie could hear the sound of jazz outside the swinging doors of what turned out to be the Guinguet bistro. There were people going in and out, enjoying the balmy Friday night air with its hint of fruit from the vineyards. She could well understand the lure this atmosphere had held for her stepsister.

  Easing past couples, Nathalie walked inside the crowded establishment filled with small round tables and people slow dancing to the music. In the romantic atmosphere, she realized she hadn’t had a date since breaking up with Guy three months ago.

  It had hurt that he wouldn’t want to take on anyone else’s child, whether it was Alain or a child they might adopt after marriage. She couldn’t imagine a childless union, but knew that adoption wasn’t an option for everyone. She’d hoped Guy would be open to it but he couldn’t have made his feelings against it clearer.

  She’d learned of her condition at the age of twenty. Nathalie had ovulated only once by then. That was se
ven years ago. Since that time, she’d ovulated only twice. After what had happened with Guy, her natural worry was that any man she would meet in the future might have reservations about adoption, but she couldn’t think about that now. Nathalie knew it had been the right decision to stop seeing Guy and didn’t regret it.

  Her mind kept going over what had happened to Antoinette. Her stepsister had fallen madly in love with a man she’d met in this very bistro. She’d loved him so much she’d had his baby.

  Today Nathalie felt certain she’d met her stepsister’s lover inside that tent. One look at him and she’d understood the chemistry. Love at first sight, sweeping Antoinette away. But clearly the fire had been only on her stepsister’s part because he’d disappeared on her.

  He couldn’t have known he’d left her pregnant, could he? After meeting him, Nathalie knew he was the kind of man who could have any woman he wanted. Antoinette had likely been a dalliance for a month, then nothing more.

  Now that Nathalie had met him, she feared that if he was Alain’s father, he wouldn’t want anything to do with a baby he hadn’t intended to sire. Nathalie was beginning to think this had been a terrible idea and she should leave this whole thing alone. Alain had a surfeit of love from her and his grandmother. That would have to be enough.

  “Mademoiselle?”

  A man’s voice caused Nathalie to turn around. She’d been admiring some of the paintings of the Fontesquieu chateau and gardens adorning the walls.

  “Perhaps you remember me?”

  She blinked. “Yes. You were the man handing out applications earlier today.”

  “That’s right. When I saw you walk in alone just now, I thought I’d say hello and offer to buy you a drink. My table is right here.”

  This was probably how it had happened for Antoinette. Her lover had approached her in exactly the same way. Nathalie had to do some fast thinking. If she accepted the invite, she could at least learn the name of the man who had interviewed her. But she wasn’t attracted to this man and didn’t want him to misunderstand.

  “Thank you, but I only came in to look around.”

  “You can do that right here.” He pulled out a bistro chair for her so she would sit down. Then he took the other seat. “Have you been in here before?”

  “Never.”

  “My name is Paul Cortier, by the way.”

  “I’m Nathalie Fournier.”

  “Eh, bien, Nathalie, please allow me to order you the specialty of the house, although you may not like it. Guinguet is an acquired taste.”

  “Guinguet? Like the name of the bistro?”

  “C’est exacte.” He signaled for a waiter who took their order. “The word comes from the guinguettes that were popular drinking places on the outskirts of Paris years ago. They served local sour white wine, a tradition this bistro keeps up.”

  “Who makes the sour white wine here?”

  “The Fontesquieu Vineyards.”

  “Of course. Your employer.”

  “That’s right. They make enough of it to keep the owner here in business.”

  “Even though their grapes are red?”

  Paul chuckled. “There are lots of secrets about red grapes I’d be happy to explain to you on another occasion. Perhaps on a tour of the winery itself? I’d be happy to arrange to show you personally.”

  She shook her head. “Thank you, but just so you know, I’m not interested in a relationship with anyone, Paul.” It was the truth.

  He squinted at her. “At least you’re honest.”

  The waiter brought them each a small goblet of pale white wine. After he walked away, Paul lifted his glass. “Try it and let me know what you think.”

  Nathalie, who didn’t actually like wine, took a sip, then struggled not to make a face.

  Paul laughed. “Somehow I knew that would be your reaction. It’s not for everyone. But since you’ll be helping with the harvest, I thought you’d like a sample. Sort of a christening for you.”

  She took another sip to please him. “I may not be hired.”

  “Unless you have a police record, I don’t see any problem. Please tell me you don’t.” He was a charming flirt who never gave up.

  She chuckled. “Not as far as I know.”

  “That’s the best news I’ve had since I handed you an application.”

  “I guess I’ll find out Monday morning if I made the cut. My interview didn’t last long since the man saw on the application that I knew nothing about grape picking.”

  He cocked his head. “Is that true?”

  “Yes, but I think it would be interesting to learn.”

  “It’s hard work.”

  “Ooh. I’m sure there’s a great deal to learn and endure.” She took one more sip, but knew she could never acquire a taste for it. “Now I hope you don’t mind, but I have to get going. When you spoke to me, I had only come in here to take a look around because one of the people in line told me about this place. It was very nice of you to buy me a drink.” There was no sign of the striking French god who’d interviewed her earlier.

  “I’m sorry you have to go. Let me walk you out.”

  “That won’t be necessary.”

  “No problem. I’m leaving too.” He cleared their way through the crowds and walked her to her car, where she got in.

  She spoke to him through the open window. “If I’m hired, we’ll probably see each other again.”

  “I’m planning on it. Otherwise I’ll ask my boss why you didn’t get the job. He’ll go to Dominic for an explanation.”

  “Dominic?”

  “Dominic Fontesquieu. He’s one of the family heads who interviewed you earlier today.”

  What?

  “He rarely does any interviewing, but his brother, Etienne Fontesquieu, director of the vineyard, has been ill. If there was a problem with you, Gregoire will get it straightened out with Etienne so you will be hired. You can trust me on that.”

  “Thank you very much, Paul. Bonne nuit.”

  CHAPTER TWO

  NATHALIE DROVE AWAY with her heart in her throat. Could Alain be the son of Dominic Fontesquieu? A man who came from one of the most prominent, titled families in France?

  Had it been an illicit affair on his part that he didn’t want getting back to his family? Had he sworn Antoinette to silence because of his name?

  Maybe he’d been married and couldn’t afford a scandal that would make the news. If he were divorced now, it could explain the lack of a wedding ring. Or maybe he didn’t like to wear rings. She wondered if he’d kept his name a secret from Antoinette.

  Suffused with more questions than before, Nathalie drove faster than usual, needing answers. Fifteen minutes later, she entered the house and found her mother in the family room watching TV while she worked on some embroidered blocks for a quilt. All was quiet, which meant Alain was asleep.

  Nathalie sat down on the couch. “I’m glad you’re still up, Maman, because I’ve got something of vital importance to tell you.”

  Her mother took one look at her and turned off the TV.

  “Please don’t be upset with me if I tell you something that might make you angry.”

  “Why would you say that?”

  For the next ten minutes, Nathalie told her about her talk with Claire a month ago and her plan to look for Alain’s father. She explained about her visit to the Fontesquieu vineyard to apply for work, and ended by telling her about today’s discovery.

  “This afternoon I found a man I believe could be Alain’s father and learned his name.”

  Her mother leaned forward. “Good heavens, Nathalie. What do you mean you think you’ve found him?”

  When Nathalie told her what had happened today, her mother jumped to her feet looking startled. “Alain could be a Fontesquieu?”

  “Yes. If the man who interview
ed me is the one, I can see why Antoinette fell for him. He’s...so incredibly attractive, I can’t believe it.” Nathalie had been mesmerized by him.

  “I’ve never heard you talk this way about a man before.”

  She drew in a breath. “That’s because I’ve never met one like him in my whole life. It would explain what happened to Antoinette.” She cleared her throat. “On the drive back just now, I decided that if I’m hired on Monday, I’ll work there long enough to find out his marital status. If he’s divorced or single, then I’ll approach him. But if he’s married and has children, then for the sake of his wife and family, I’m not sure how I’ll inform him.”

  “Oh, Nathalie.” Her voice shook. “Darling... You’re going to have to be careful without positive proof.”

  “There is proof if you compare the two of them, even without a DNA test. The resemblance is uncanny. And there’s something else. Dominic Fontesquieu has the same small birthmark as Alain.”

  “I’m afraid that still doesn’t prove paternity.”

  “You’re right.”

  Her mother seemed anxious.

  “Don’t worry, Maman. I promise to talk everything over with you before I make any kind of a move.”

  “You honestly believe this Dominic could be the one?”

  “In my opinion, yes. Just think—if he knew he had a son and wanted him—how wonderful it would be for Alain to get to know at least one of his parents. He’s such a treasure, I would think any father worth his salt would give anything to claim him.”

  “I agree, but I’m afraid to credit any of this because—”

  Nathalie got up and hugged her. “Because it would be a dream come true if Alain’s father wanted him and they could be united.”

  Her mother nodded. “But darling, it could be a nightmare if there isn’t a good ending to this story.”

  “I know, Maman. Not every man would welcome that kind of news. I won’t do anything until we’re in total agreement.”