LITMIR.BIZ

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      Blood pounded in Susannah’s brain as he contemplated the question.

      He shrugged. “No, should I have?”

      “Well—” She twisted her fingers. If she blew this she could lose her job. “I’m not really sure how to say this, but he believes he’s your father and he’d like very much to meet with you.”

      Amado’s eyes narrowed and his mouth widened into that crooked smile. “Is this some kind of joke? Who put you up to this? Tomás?”

      She inhaled. “I’m afraid it’s not a joke. Tarrant believes he had an affair with your mother in Manhattan, back in the late 1970s, and that you are the result of that union.”

      Amado’s face creased with amusement. “Manhattan? In New York?”

      “Yes. She was there studying art. At least, that’s how Tarrant remembers it.”

      Amado looked at her as if she’d just sprouted a third eye. “My mother…was studying art in New York City?” He let out a guffaw.

      He turned his head. “Mamá!” His voice rang across the room. Susannah cringed as he called for his mother. A woman probably now in her fifties and living a respectable life, about to be confronted with a single indiscretion from many years ago that could upturn all of their lives.

      She shrank into the sofa.

      “What is it, sweetheart?” called a soft voice. Susannah rose to her feet as his mother entered the room. A short, rotund woman with fluffy gray hair, thick-framed glasses and navy orthopedic shoes.

      Susannah blinked. Mrs. Alvarez was a stark contrast to Tarrant’s ex-beauty-queen, third wife.

      Amado rose and kissed her. “Mamá, you’re going to love this. First, let me introduce you. Susannah Clarke, this is my mother, Clara Alvarez.”

      “Delighted to meet you.” Clara shook Susannah’s hand gently. Her skin was soft, like her voice. Her pale blue eyes sparkled with warmth. “Have you traveled far?”

      Susannah swallowed hard. “From New York.”

      “Mamá, have you ever been to New York?”

      Susannah could swear the older woman—and she looked to be close to seventy—suddenly changed. Her bearing stiffened, and her expression hardened. “Never.”

      “Susannah seems to think you were studying art there in the 1970s.”

      Clara Alvarez laughed. Not a natural laugh, though. A sharp, forced one. “What nonsense. I’ve never been farther than Buenos Aires. Why would she think such a crazy thing?”

      Her eyes gleamed with suspicion—and reproof—as she glared at Susannah over the rims of her glasses.

      Susannah hesitated. It was impossible to imagine Tarrant having an affair with this…little old lady. Even thirty years ago, she’d have been middle-aged. Tarrant’s current wife was half his age, if that.

      “Excuse me, I have a pot on the stove.” Clara excused herself and bustled away.

      “See what I mean?” Amado raised an eyebrow. “It pains me to say this, but I think you have the wrong Amado Alvarez.”

      Susannah frowned. Alvarez was a common name…Could the researcher have made a mistake?

      Tierra de Oro was the right place, though. And she’d been ordered not to return to Hardcastle Enterprises without a sample of this Amado Alvarez’s DNA.

      Time was of the essence. Tarrant Hardcastle had already outlived his doctor’s projections, and if he was to meet his missing son before it was too late…

      “The matter could be cleared up with a simple test. If you’d be so kind as to give me a DNA sample, I could get it processed immediately and we’d know the truth one way or the other.”

      Amado’s eyes widened. “DNA? You want my blood?”

      “It doesn’t have to be blood. In fact, a scraping from inside your mouth would be ideal.”

      He clapped a large hand against one side of his face as if someone might attempt to gouge into it. “No.”

      Clara reappeared, tugging a silver-haired man who stared at Susannah. Clara whispered so rapidly that Susannah couldn’t make out the words.

      The dogs rose to their feet, sniffing tension in the air.

      The older man strode up to Susannah and nodded a brusque greeting. “Young lady, I am Ignacio Alvarez and Amado is my son. Your business here is concluded. Allow me to escort you to your car.”

       This man had brown eyes, like Amado, whereas Tarrant had blue. If Tarrant and Clara had an affair, surely Amado would have blue eyes?

      “I…I,” Susannah groped for the right thing to say. If she went home without the DNA, Tarrant would be furious.

      He’d probably fire her.

      Or send her right back here.

      Or both.

      “Papá, I’m shocked at you.” Amado frowned and stepped between his father and Susannah. “This young woman may be mistaken in her quest, but she’s traveled all the way from New York and we’ve not even offered her refreshments.”

      Susannah glanced from one man to the other. Amado was tall, over six foot—like Tarrant—whereas Ignacio was probably only five-eight or so. Still…

      “Son, I really think that—”

      Amado held up his hand. “Allow me to offer you a snack and some coffee. Or would you prefer wine?”

      Susannah drew in a breath. “I’m a wine buyer for Hardcastle Enterprises.” Perhaps she could try to turn this into a business trip and come back to the more personal part later. “I’d love to sample your wines with a view to purchasing them for our restaurants.”

      “Excellent. Mamá, please ask Rosa to prepare a bite for our guest. And a glass of the 2004 Malbec, to start.”

      Susannah turned to find Ignacio staring at her, brows lowered. She jerked her gaze away. No surprise he was upset that she’d suggested his son wasn’t his.

      Clara had vanished, possibly to slip poison into a glass of 2004 Malbec.

      “Which varietals do you grow here at Tierra de Oro?” She put on a brave professional smile.

      “Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec, but we’re fortunate to have a variety of elevations and microclimates, so we experiment constantly with new vines.” Amado’s expression had smoothed. He looked comfortable again. “Why don’t we go outside and I’ll show you?”

      He led her across the living room, past the glaring Ignacio, and out onto a stone patio with a view over the southern portion of the estate. Row upon row of leafy vines traced the gentle contours of the land, rising into the foothills of the majestic Andes. The lush growth gave no hint of the effort needed to tease productive plants from the relatively arid soil of the area.

      “It’s a special place.”

      The words drifted out of Susannah’s mouth without her really meaning to say them. The light had a strange quality that rather dazzled her. Bright but somehow soft.

      Harsh, yet…loving.

      Maybe all those hours of travel had addled her brain.

      Amado stared across the rolling terrain. “Yes. It is a special place.” A frown gathered on his proud brow. “I can’t imagine living anywhere else.”

      Susannah froze. It occurred to her that if Amado was not Ignacio’s son, he might lose his right to run the estate.

      Suddenly the afternoon sunlight seemed blinding.

      “How long has your family been here?”

      “Forever.”

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