Aisling Chapter 14

Watching the smoke rise up from the building made me want to cry. All I could think about was all the hard work that might’ve just gone up in smoke. Along with tears was anger. I wanted to know if it was an accident or if someone had done it on purpose. If it was on purpose, who and why? Was it dumb kids just out having what they thought was fun, or was it more sinister than that?

After hugging Carrie, I faced the men with her. “Hello, I’m Aisling O’Sheeran. This winery belongs to my family, and I oversee it. Can you tell me what happened and how bad the damage is?”

“Ms. O’Sheeran, I’m Fire Chief Walton. My men are still working to fully extinguish the fire so it won’t reignite from a hot spot. Right now, the flames are out, but we still have to be careful. There’s water and smoke damage, as you can imagine. We won’t know the full extent of the damage until we can inspect and have the fire marshall come out and go through it. The fire seems to have started in the section where the actual wine is made. It might be an electrical issue. Again, we won’t know until we can investigate. The fire marshal will do that. Are you thinking it might be intentional?”

“I always think that’s a possibility. We’re a successful business, and people do things we can’t understand all the time. Yes, it may be an unfortunate accident, or it might not. I’d like the names and numbers of the fire inspector, fire marshal, and anyone else involved in the investigation so I can stay on top of them,” I said firmly.

“I gave those to your manager. I’m sorry, I wasn’t aware anyone in the O’Sheeran family was here or would be taking a direct role in this,” he said nervously.

“I’m not here all the time, so yes, Carrie handles things, but I’m a very hands-on person. My family and I don’t believe in leaving all the work to our employees. I’d like this to be wrapped up as soon as possible. We’re on a deadline and have new wines coming out soon. I don’t want to delay those if there’s any way possible not to, which means getting this back up and running. It’s unfortunate it was in the actual winemaking area rather than an office or other non-essential area.”

“It is. Is there anyone you can think of who would benefit from sabotaging your winery?” One of the other men asked out of the blue. Until then, only Walton had spoken while they listened. This one was in plain clothes.

“Excuse me, you are?” I asked.

“I’m Police Chief Evans.”

“Chief Evans, if you mean have there been any threats against Maeve’s Cellars, then no. It doesn’t rule out the possibility someone is angry at us for something we’re unaware of and decided to do this. The world is a very crazy place at times,” I informed him.

He studied me but didn’t utter a word for a solid minute or so. When he did, all he said was, “You’ve got that right. If you’ll be sure to leave all your contact information with me and Chief Walton, we’ll be sure you’re kept in the loop. Any idea how long you’ll be here?”

With this happening, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to finish much else off other than the Caliari meeting. “I’m not sure. I have business back in Florida, and it may take me away sooner than I’d like. If that were to occur, Carrie would be the point person, and she could get in contact with me if she needed to. If, for some reason, you need me to return, I could do so.”

“Good. Alright, well, there’s not much more we can tell you right now. Here’s my card.” Chief Evans handed me a business card. I made sure to do the same to him and Chief Walton, and I got one of Walton’s, too. We didn’t hold them up for long. When they went back to work, Carrie gave me a sad smile.

“I’m so sorry, Aisling. When they called and said the fire alarm went off, I thought it was a malfunction. When I got here and saw it wasn’t, I almost died. What do you want us to do about work today?”

“Those working in the office and other areas not affected will be working as usual. The advantage of the way we have things set up is that the wine tasting and gift shop, as well as the main office, are separate from this and can remain open. We’ll get the information on the damage as fast as we can so we can get it fixed and back on track.”

“Do you think it’ll derail the rollout of the new wines?”

“I hope not, but I just don’t know.”

“Are you still going to your meeting today with Caliari Corporation?”

“Absolutely. I can still sell them on our current wines and let them know what is coming. The storage area is separate from the processing area. If someone did this on purpose, they either didn’t know what they were firebombing or they didn’t care. If it was intentional, they should’ve done their homework better.”

As I hung there talking to her, Alistair had Creed and Dario stay with me while he did a walk around with the other guys. I knew he was searching for evidence the cops might not think of. I had no doubt that when we got back to the house, he’d have Cody bring up all the security footage. I was surprised Chief Evans hadn’t asked for it. Maybe he would later. What he wouldn’t know was we had public recording and then the more extensive private one. It came in handy if the issue required the family to take care of the matter rather than the cops.

By the time we got back to the house, it was five a.m. My meeting was at noon in Orange County. I was exhausted. Alistair insisted I go back to bed and get some sleep. I tried to argue I had too much to do, but he picked me up and carried my yelling and kicking body to our bedroom, much to the amusement of the guys. I wanted to be mad at him, but deep down, I knew he was right. I was fuzzy-headed, and I needed to be on top of my game to meet with Caliari. He promised he’d update the family. After a passionate kiss, he left me to sleep.

???

Sitting down at my meeting with the head of Caliari Corp today was the last thing I wanted to do, but I wasn’t about to let anything slide because of an unfortunate setback. I was thankful for Alistair and Carrie. They kept things going while I slept and then did last-minute prep. The ride over here took over two hours, and Stair was great at letting me focus on my notes in the car. He didn’t become impatient or feel neglected. When I asked him how it went when he called my family, he told me it went well, and we’d talk through the details after I met with Caliari. He wanted me not to be distracted. He knew how important this business would be to Maeve’s if we got them to sign a contract with us.

Like my meeting with Tillman and Hayes, he was the one to go inside with me, and the others took up their spots outside the building and in the outer office. The receptionist slash assistant never blinked an eye at him coming with me, and she was professional and extremely personable. Those were two points in their favor already.

My research revealed nothing but great things about the company and its owner. They had ethical dealings, and no lawsuits or claims against them had ever been substantiated. I wanted their business more than Tillman and Hayes’s, and it wasn’t just because Caliari was much larger.

We were shown into a tasteful office. A man was waiting for us. He came to his feet, and with a big smile on his face, he hurried over with his hand out. I knew from pictures that this was the owner, Santino Caliari. He was in his forties. He raised the back of my hand to his lips and gave it a brief kiss. I found that a lot of Italian men did that or the cheek kiss.

“Ms. O’Sheeran, I can’t thank you enough for agreeing to come all the way over here to meet me. I wanted to come to Maeve’s, but my schedule lately has been crazy. I’m Santino Caliari. Please call me Tino. And this must be your bodyguard, I was told to expect. Hello,” he said as he dropped my hand to shake Alistair’s.

Tino Caliari was a handsome man with charm for days. I knew he was divorced. While I appreciated his looks and charm, they did nothing for me in comparison to Alistair’s. I knew Stair wasn’t loving the hand kiss. As he shook Tino’s hand, he set him straight. I should’ve known he would stake a plain claim.

“I’m Alistair Graeme. Yes, for today, I’m Aisling’s personal bodyguard, but it’s only because I have the privilege of being her boyfriend, although I hate that word. After all, we’re not boys, are we?”

“Ah, I see. Good to know. I had no idea she was claimed, although I’m not surprised. I’ll admit, her beauty is well known, and the hand kiss was my opening gambit in case she wanted to mix business with pleasure. Sorry. It won’t happen again, but you can’t blame a guy for trying and hoping,” he said easily to both of us, and I heard the sincerity and humor in his voice.

“I accept your apology. She is beautiful and very tempting. Just keep the kisses to her hand, and I’ll be fine.”

“You’re a very lucky man. Please have a seat. We don’t need to stand on formality here. Call me Tino. Can I get either of you something to drink?”

He went to a cart beside the small table we’d seated ourselves around. Unlike the other day with Hayes and Tillman, the cart contained no alcohol. Instead, it contained lemonade, iced tea, ice water, and a variety of sodas.

“I’d love some lemonade if you don’t mind. And feel free to call me Aisling.”

“The same for me, and you can call me Alistair.”

Smiling, he poured our drinks and one for himself while asking how the drive was. When we all had drinks in hand, he took his seat and moved the conversation from pleasantries to business.

“I’ve been doing a lot of research into Maeve’s Cellars. I know it’s a small part of the Kin of éireann Inc., your family’s corporation. I haven’t had the honor of having any working relationship with the O’Sheeran family, but everything I’ve heard says you’re serious businessmen and women, and you treat your partnerships and employees fairly. I like that. Can we cut to the chase, as you say?”

“Absolutely,” I said.

If he were about to blow me off, I’d rather he do it now than make me spend an hour making a pitch then do it. This way, no one’s time was wasted. The only thing that would’ve been better was if he’d called and told me he wasn’t interested and saved me the prep time and drive.

“I’m expanding my key restaurants. In doing so, I want to expand the selection of wines I offer my patrons. My family is from Italy, in case you didn’t guess by my name,” he chuckled as he said it before continuing. “Naturally, people expect me and my family to be snobs and only want to sell Italian wines or those made in Napa Valley or Sonoma. There’s nothing wrong with those wines, but I like to think out of the box and not overlook great wines just because they don’t fall into the typical areas. I’ve tasted just about every single one of yours over the past few weeks. I have to tell you I’m impressed. And the rumor is you’re working on a new line of them that are touted to be even better. I want them. What do I need to do to get you to do business with me?”

I was startled at his bluntness but also happy. It made my job much easier. “I’m excited you want to do business with me. I came here expecting to have to fight for you to even consider it. I’m glad you’re impressed with the current selection, and yes, we have new ones coming. I have to be honest and tell you I’m not sure how soon, though. I was planning it to be in a few months, but this morning, we had a fire at the winery, and it affected a section of the actual production area. The wine storage wasn’t affected. We have plenty to meet the needs of our customers. It’s mostly the lab area where we were finalizing the development of the new wines that was impacted. It may delay our release of those.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. I hope no one was hurt.”

“It was in the middle of the night, so no one was there.”

“Well, I guess there’s one positive out of it. I hope you’ll be able to get your project back on schedule soon, but even with the delay, I still want to talk about my restaurants offering the wines you have and then, when the others become available, to add those.”

“I would love that. I can send you more details on what we can offer and our contract for you to study. Then, you can get back to me with any questions. I have to admit, I wasn’t expecting you to be this certain and ready to proceed.”

“I was very impressed and halfway ready to just pull the trigger on it, but then I had a conversation, and after I did, any lingering what-ifs were cleared away. You were given the thumbs up by a trusted friend. He assured me working with your family would only benefit me and that your family upholds your business deals ethically.”

“Really? May I ask who said this?”

“You may. He said to tell you to let Cian know he’s waiting for him to come back so he can steal his wife. Giuseppe Bonadio, Pino, as his friends call him, sang your praises. He told me he serves your wines at Luna Etrusca.”

I laughed. I knew Pino. He was a good friend of Cian’s and somewhat of a playboy, who, when he met Miranda, thought she was just a casual sex partner for Cian, and he wanted to share her with Cian. Suffice it to say he was quickly set straight.

“I do know Pino. How do you know him?”

“His family and mine have been friends in Italy for generations. He told me what he did when he first met Cian’s wife. He’s still trying to find a way to make up for his assumption. He’s mortified.”

“Well, yes, he was lucky my cousin didn’t remove his head for what he said and assumed. Miranda told us the story when they came back from Italy. She’s gotten over it, I promise. She holds no hard feelings.”

“Good, I’ll let him know. Alistair, I don’t mean to be rude and ignore you in the conversation. Tell me, what kind of work do you do? And how did you succeed in capturing this delightful woman?”

“You’re not rude at all. I’m merely here to observe and make sure Aisling is safe. I actually work in security. I was a Marine, and it was natural when I got out to continue similar work. I have an aptitude for it. It’s a family business, you might say. I grew up with the O’Sheeran boys, so I’ve known Aisling since she was born. It took me years to win her, but I was very fortunate recently to find out she feels the same way about me as I do her. She’s the love of my life.”

I knew Stair loved me, but to hear him so easily admit it aloud to another man, especially a stranger, made me want to kiss him. He had no problem admitting he had feelings for me. I knew a lot of men weren’t able to talk about their feelings, not even with the person they loved. My family tended to be the exception rather than the rule. I blew him a kiss. He smiled.

“Damn, you two are so sweet. Why can’t I find a woman like you? I’m afraid my track record isn’t the best. Hence, many ex-girlfriends, an ex-wife, and no children.” He sighed mournfully.

“You have to be willing to meet people, even those who may not be in your usual circle of friends and acquaintances. I was lucky I grew up around Alistair, but my oldest brother and my two cousins, who’ve all recently gotten married, met their wives in the most ordinary places when they weren’t even looking. Ashlyn came to ask the family to help with a delicate project, and Darragh took one look and was a goner for her. Miranda worked as a teller in the bank where Cian went to make a deposit. He wasn’t the person to typically make deposits. My brother Aidan’s wife went to work at Sirens, our nightclub, as a bartender. Some people might be skeptical, but they’re all love matches and soulmates, just like Alistair and I are.”

The rest of the meeting passed, mostly getting to know each other, and not talking shop. By the time we had to leave so he could make his next meeting, I felt as if I’d known him for years. He insisted we go to dinner soon, and he promised he’d review the contract and the information I would send him tomorrow to get things rolling immediately. I was so excited as we left.

The guys were waiting for us. This time, when we got to the car, they didn’t check for a bomb because they left Vander and Cashel to watch the car. It didn’t take us long to be on the road back to Temecula. I excitedly called Carrie to let her know the good news. She squealed with happiness. I asked her if she’d talked to the fire chief. She said no, but there were people there on and off all day. When I was done with her call, my joy dimmed a bit. It was time to find out what went down while I was asleep.

“Alistair, what did my family have to say when you told them what happened? Who did you talk to? Darragh?”

“Are you sure you don’t want to enjoy your victory a bit longer before getting into the depressing things again?

“I would, but it’s not realistic. I’d rather know what I’m facing.”

“I spoke to Darragh, all of your brothers, and your daid . Suffice it to say they weren’t thrilled, and I know they informed the rest of the family within an hour of my getting off my call with them based on the texts I got. They’re anxiously waiting to see if there was anything on the security tape. Cody has it and is studying it. They knew of your meeting with Caliari today and didn’t want to distract you, so we’re to call them when we get home to see if he found anything. They’re worried about this being on the heels of your wreck. The question on all our minds is whether the fire is connected or a whole separate thing. They won’t be patient long, so I hope the inspectors and such at the fire department don’t drag their heels, or they’ll have a pack of angry Irishmen on their doorstep.”

“ Dia , please, don’t say that. They need to calm down and wait. You have to talk to them. Maybe they’ll listen to you. Surely, with you and the guys here, they know I’m safe, and they don’t need to call in the cavalry. I swear they act like I’m ten and can’t take care of myself.”

“It doesn’t matter how old you are, not to them or me. You’re precious to us. We’ll do whatever it takes to keep you safe. Asking us to do otherwise is a waste of time. I did tell them to stay there and let me handle it, at least until we know more. They agreed grudgingly.”

Leaning over as far as my seatbelt would allow as he leaned to meet me, I gave him a kiss. He made it an intense one. When we were done, I smiled at him. “Thank you. I swear if they came out here en masse, I’d run and hide. I love them, but they can be a lot to handle. How long do you think they’ll behave?”

“Hell, if I know. I’m not a miracle worker, you know.”

Creed snorted, then coughed. “That’s for damn sure. Not even Jesus himself can hold them back. If they find out this fire was deliberate, they’ll have your ass back in Florida in a heartbeat. They won’t risk it being a personal attack against you.”

“It can’t be personal. If it was, why not do it when I was present or come to the house and firebomb it? I think it’s just a coincidence, and a bunch of stupid teenagers got bored and thought they’d play with fire. I hope when we find out who they are, they put them in jail and scare them straight.”

“We can hope for it to be the case. Just don’t be shocked if it’s not. Do we need to stop anywhere before we get back to the house?” Kendric asked.

“Not that I can think of. What about you guys?”

This change in topic diverted our thoughts from the fire. The traffic was a nightmare, so it seemed to take forever to make it back to Temecula. Before heading to the house, I insisted we go by the winery and see how everyone was doing. I wanted to see the damage in the light of day. I knew Alistair wasn’t overjoyed with the idea, but he didn’t nix it.

Pulling up outside the building made me want to cry. The roof was caved in on one end. We got out, and I immediately headed to the burned section. I had to see it for myself. Alistair went with me, and I was able to look inside, but he wouldn’t let me crawl around in there, as he called it. He said it needed to be deemed safe, and I wasn’t in the right clothes for it anyway. He wasn’t wrong about the latter. Heels and a skirt weren’t ideal climbing clothes. I made a mental note to dress in jeans and boots and come back tomorrow to do it if the fire inspector said it was safe.

I found out Alistair had already arranged for someone to come in and tear down the burned section and haul it away and then for another crew to come do the rebuild. All we needed was for the investigation to be over. The insurance company had been called while we were still at the fire this morning, and they’d come out to take pictures during the day. He really had been busy while I slept.

Carrie ended up hearing we were there, and she came over to talk to me and update me on what she’d been working on that day. The press had gotten wind of the fire, and they were hounding her with calls for quotes and interviews. Why, I had no idea. As far as they knew, it was an unfortunate fire. I knew they’d probably be camped out on the road by tomorrow, causing a nuisance. I wasn’t happy for it to start, but I guess I was lucky they hadn’t known I was in town or that they had other things to do the past few days. Usually, they’d follow me around, trying to get pictures. It was stupid. Who wanted to see me shopping in the grocery store or running errands?

We chatted for a while, and then I told her to wrap up her day and go home. There was nothing we could do about it. She agreed. As we got in the cars, Alistair informed me of something else he’d worked on when I was asleep.

“Aegis will have some of their people discreetly watching the winery tonight in case this was deliberate and someone gets a wild idea to come back and finish what they started. If they do, they’ll be in for the surprise of their lives. You don’t need to worry about it. I suggest that when we get to the house, we order dinner. No need to cook tonight, and then we’ll call your family to see if Cody found anything on the security video. We’ll make an early night of it. I know you’re still tired, and I know I am. The guys will work shifts as usual, so they’ll get sleep, too. Tomorrow will be a fresh day.”

“Sounds good to me,” I said as I leaned my head on his shoulder. I sat in the middle seat this time so I could be closer to him. He hugged me close. We were quiet for the remainder of the short ride.