Her father must have been horribly rude to cause such a reaction in the new owner of the vineyard. John’s irrational hatred of the Durand family was so toxic she wouldn’t have blamed Etienne if he’d spurned her services. Hell, she’d walked away because she couldn’t tolerate her father. Why should a complete stranger be any different? She flipped open her notebook onto a fresh page and uncapped her pen. “So, what sort of party are you planning?” Not an engagement party, I hope. Bella stilled in shock. Where had that come from? She shouldn’t care if Etienne was involved with someone, she barely knew him. She shot a quick glance across the desk. Etienne stared back. She felt like a rabbit, under the glare of an intent hawk. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach. With effort, she swallowed and pasted on her most professional smile. “A launch party,” Etienne said. “To introduce the winery and the vintage to potential buyers.” Bella’s heart raced.
