The Villa by Nora Roberts Read Free Book Online Page A

her. "When is the last time you tasted wine that wasn't uncorked from a pretty bottle taken from a cabinet or a chilled bucket? You've neglected your roots, Sophia."
    "I've neglected nothing," Sophia shot back. "I'm not a winemaker. I'm a publicist."
    "You'll be a winemaker. And you," she said, pointing at Ty, "you'll learn what it is to sell, to market, to ship. You'll teach each other."
    "Oh, really, Nonna —"
    "Quiet. You have the year. Pilar, Sophia won't have as much time to devote to her usual duties. You'll fill that gap"
    "Mama." Pilar had to laugh. "I don't know anything about marketing or promotion."
    "You have a good brain. It's time you used it again. To succeed we'll need all the family." Tereza shifted her gaze to Tony. "And others. You will remain in sales, and will, for now, keep your title and privileges there. But you will report, as does Donato and all department heads and managers, to the COO. From this time on we have a business relationship only. Do not come to my house or to my table again uninvited."
    It was a downslide. His title was one matter. His salary, and long-term benefits, another. She had the power to strip him clean. He used the single shield he had. "I'm Sophia's father."
    "I know what you are."
    "I beg your pardon, signora." Rene spoke with meticulous politeness, underlined by steel. "If I may speak?"
    "You are, invited or not, a guest under my roof. What do you wish to say?"
    "I realize that my presence here isn't particularly welcome." Her tone never varied, her eyes never left Tereza's.
    "And that my relationship with Tony doesn't meet with your approval. But he is, and has been, an asset to your company. As I intend to be one to him, that can only benefit you."
    "That remains to be seen. You'll excuse us." She scanned the table. "Helen, Eli and I must speak with Sophia and Tyler. Coffee will be served in the parlor. Please enjoy."
    "You say it," Sophia began, trembling with anger as the rest filed out of the room, "and it's done. Have you gotten so used to that, Nonna, that you believe you can change lives with a few words?"
    "Everyone has a choice."
    "Where is the choice?" Unable to sit, she surged to her feet. "Donato? He's never worked outside the company. His life is absorbed by it. Tyler? He's given all his time and energy to MacMillan since he was a boy."
    "I can speak for myself."
    "Oh, shut up." She rounded on him. "Five words in succession tie your tongue in knots. And I'm supposed to teach you how to market wine."
    He got to his feet and, to her shock, grabbed her hands, jerking her forward as he turned them palms up. "Like rose petals. Pampered and soft. I'm supposed to teach you how to work?"
    "I work every bit as hard as you do. Just because I don't sweat and stomp around in muddy boots doesn't mean I don't give my best."
    "You're off to a hell of a start, both of you." Eli sighed and poured more port. "You want to fight, fight. It'll be good for you. The problem is neither of you has ever had to do anything that didn't suit you down to the ground. Maybe you'll fail, maybe you'll both fall flat on your asses trying to do something else. Something more."
    Sophia tossed up her chin. "I don't fail."
    "You have a season to prove it. Would you care to know what you'll have at the end of it? Helen?"
    "Well, this has been fun so far." Helen lifted her briefcase onto the table. "Dinner and a show, for one low price."
    She took out files, laid them down and set her briefcase back on the floor. Adjusted her glasses. "In the interest of brevity and comprehension, I'll keep this simple and in layman's terms. Eli and Tereza are merging their respective companies, streamlining them, which will cut some costs and incur others. I believe it's a very wise business decision. Each of you will carry the title of vice president, operations. Each of you will have varied tasks and responsibilities, which are set down in the contracts I have with me. The contract term is one year. If at the end