Autumn in the Vineyard (A St. Helena Vineyard Novel) by Marina Adair Read Free Book Online

glare.
    Gabe leaned in and whispered, “Can Pricket sink this deal?”
    Nate sure as hell hoped not. He’d tried to find out their legal standing. The money had already been wired to an escrow account, but since escrow hadn’t officially closed, his lawyers weren’t sure.
    “We’re fine,” he whispered back.
    “Really?” Trey leaned in. “Because this slam dunk hearing doesn’t seem so slam dunk anymore and that makes me nervous. You know what makes me even more nervous? That Frankie isn’t even breaking a sweat.”
    Nate looked over and Frankie was smiling up at the judge, not an ounce of worry on her pretty face.
    “I’ll fix this,” Nate whispered, then stood. “Your honor, if I may?”
    “No, son, you may not.” Judge Pricket’s bushy brows furrowed in annoyance. “I’ve been listening to your families gripe about this land my entire career.”
    “Yes, your honor,” Nate cut in, not wanting him to get any further. “And I’m sorry. But I don’t think the past has any relevance on today’s hearing. This sale has nothing to do with our grandparents’ feud. We are a new generation who would like the opportunity to make this right.”
    “I am glad to hear you say that, but it still doesn’t answer the problem about what to do with the house. The way Saul had the property line drawn, it goes right down the middle of the house. So I have a single residence dwelling with two owners. Not to mention the south property has access to the road and driveway, and the north property houses the well.”
    Yeah, Nate had noticed that too.
    Judge Pricket took off his glasses and rubbed at his eyes. After a long, tense moment, he looked out at the courtroom. “Legally I can and should take that sucker down, knock you both out of escrow and force the Sorrentos to put the land on the market with all parties aware of the facts.”
    “Wait.” Frankie stood. “Mrs. Sorrento would never agree to that. She is happy with the sale and so am I.”
    “Which is my problem, Miss Baudouin.” The judge’s expression softened. “Since you did your due diligence and Glow is adamant that escrow closes in a timely fashion, I have my hands tied. However, the house, which I believe you are living in, is still under my discretion. As for the other half of the property, Saul is open to other ideas.” His gaze narrowed on Nate’s table.
    “So I am giving you both thirty days to get in there and prove to me that you can make this work. Thirty days is plenty of time to come up with some unique ideas, and believe me, I’ve had sixty years to start my list.” He sent them both a sternsmile. “One complaint, one bullet fired, one call to the sheriff, and the bulldozers come in and I get to go have a beer. Because at the end of your month, one way or another, this feud will no longer be my problem. Understand?”
    “Yes, sir,” they both said in unison.
    “Good.” The judge stood and whacked his gavel. “Now get out of my courtroom so I can go play croquet.”
    “Can he do that?” Nate asked his lawyer when Pricket disappeared back into his chambers.
    “Can and would,” Drew said to the table. “My advice is to do whatever it takes to avoid Judge Pricket. Find a way to make it work with Miss Baudouin.”
    Nate looked over at
Miss Baudouin
, who oddly enough wasn’t celebrating her victory. She was staring at him, a million death threats shooting out of her pretty eyes, sharpening what appeared to be a pocket knife on the metal cap on her left boot.
    “Or make her an offer she can’t refuse.” Drew followed his gaze and laughed. “Just be sure she holsters the blade before you start negotiations.”
    “There is no way she’ll sell,” Nate said, eyes still on Frankie. “Not now. Not when she knows how much we spent on the land.”
Not when she knows how much I want it
.
    “You need the other ten acres to fulfill your contracts, right? And our research shows that she is desperately short of liquid assets. So