She changed topics and posed the wardrobe question to Maggie. “You’ve been there before, right? I have no idea what to wear.”
“Jeans are fine. Business casual if you’re worried about it.”
“Seriously?” Tina asked doubtfully.
“Seriously. Lexi wears jeans every day. She wouldn’t work there if she couldn’t,” Maggie said on a laugh.
“Lexi is the head chef. She can wear whatever she wants.”
“She’s also incredibly down-to-earth. Don’t stress over it, okay?”
That was easy for Maggie to say.
“I’ll do my best.”
Tina hung up with Maggie just as Doc was coming out of the bathroom. Sadly, he’d put on jeans, but his chest and feet were bare, and that was something, especially with that sexy bit of dark scruff along his jawline.
“I need to head back to Sanctuary for a few hours. Want to come with me?”
“I would, but I should go to the orchards and check on things. I haven’t been around much the last two days.”
“All right. Be careful. I’ll be back around noon.”
“Sounds good. I’d like to stop at Maggie’s either before or after the meeting. She’s got some things for me.”
“You got it.”
Less than thirty minutes later, Doc was gone, and Tina was on her way. Each day, there were fewer people working the fields than the day before. Boxes of Japanese beetle traps sat untouched along with a delivery of organic soap waiting to be hung on the trees—a natural deterrent for the deer and other animals who liked to munch on tender young shoots. The grass hadn’t been cut lately either, giving the place an unkempt appearance.
She didn’t like it. These were still her orchards—at least for a little while longer.
With plenty of time before she had to go back to her place and prepare for her meeting, Tina opted to do some mowing. She started up the commercial zero-turn, stepped onto the back, and zipped between the stately rows.
It was impossible to imagine paved roads and half-million-dollar homes there. Hopefully, with the help of the Celtic Goddess, that would never happen. Letting go would be hard but easier if she knew the farm was going to be in the hands of someone who would take care of it.
For a few hours, Tina lost herself in the fresh air and scents of freshly mowed grass and peach blossoms. Her temporary sense of peace was shattered when she returned the mower to the shed and found Rick waiting for her.
His greeting: “What the hell are you doing?”
“What does it look like I’m doing?” she asked, stepping off the mower and removing her gloves.
“Wasting your time. Did you sign those Tollino papers?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Because I haven’t had time to read through them.”
His expression was one of annoyance. “What’s the point?”
“The point is, I don’t trust you or Gunther to do what’s best. You’ve already proven all you care about is saving your own selfish asses.”
Rick’s face turned beet red. “We’re losing the land, Bert. There’s no getting around that.”
“Thanks to you. But selling out to a big-city developer with mob ties? Is that really our only option?”
“It’s the smartest one.”
“Yeah, well, you and I clearly have different opinions on what smart is.” She looked at her watch. “Anything else?”
“Sign the papers. Tonight.”
* * *
The Celtic Goddess offices were located in the same complex as the resort, which, according to the internet research Tina had done, spanned several hundred acres. In addition to the restaurant and the exclusive, private suites, there was also a five-star hotel, a spa, several high-end shops, a world-class business center, and plenty of distractions to keep guests occupied and entertained.
The business offices had the same general theme as the restaurant—lots of gold-veined, gleaming white marble; tinted glass; and an abundance of lush greenery.
After she gave her name at the front desk, Tina and Doc were taken up to a conference room on the top floor. One entire wall was made of glass, providing an exceptional view of the valley and surrounding mountainside. The rest was exactly as she’d pictured a billionaire’s private meeting room to be, with dark wood and plush seating that probably cost more than her truck.
“Tina, Doc, please come in,” Aidan said. He and the other two men in the room—neither of whom Tina had met before—rose with Tina’s arrival in an old-fashioned, gentlemanly gesture.
They sat down again only once she did. Lexi, the only other woman present at the table, smiled knowingly.
“I’m sorry. Am I late?” Tina asked.
“No, not at all. We wanted to have everything hammered