“YOU’VE STARTED ME thinking big, Senora Gray.” His first words since they’d left the shop.
She angled her head toward him. Relieved and thankful he’d survived one of those black moments in life he hadn’t seen coming she said, “How big?”
“If I were to go along with most of your suggestions, would you be willing to ask for a sabbatical until the harvest begins?”
Her pulse hammered in her throat. He wanted her to stay on the estate until December?
Fighting to keep the tremor out of her voice she said, “To do what?”
“Run the tapas bar and the gift shop. You had me going back at the Taberna. I’ve done some research on EuropaUltimate Tours. Their tour guides come highly recommended. Mr. Santorelli sang your praises.”
“When did you speak to him?” she cried in surprise.
“Yesterday.”
She couldn’t keep up with Remi. “He hardly knows me!”
“A CEO worth his salt will have made a thorough study of the employees in his company. He and your immediate boss, Pia Richter, couldn’t say enough in your favor.”
So he’d been in touch with Pia, too. The head of Jillian’s division hadn’t mentioned talking to Remi. “They probably feel sorry for me and were just being diplomatic,” she whispered.
“It isn’t every day someone has an accident like yours. As for your sterling six-year employment record, that speaks for itself,” he added in a faintly husky tone. “I can tell you right now they won’t be happy if you ask for a leave of absence from your guide duties.”
Jillian was too dazed by his offer to answer him.
He darted her a measuring glance. “With your flair for dealing with people and your ability to carry on conversation in a variety of languages, you’d be a natural to front our project. Instead of riding the bus with your flock for days on end, you could concentrate your efforts here.”
She clasped her hands together. “Now you’re frightening me.”
“How so? After all, it is your brainchild. By December we should have some idea if the project is a solid one.”
“I—I don’t know if I could do it,” she stammered. To stay on the estate that long would throw them into each other’s company every day. And night. She would never want to leave him then. She didn’t now …
“With you in charge we’ll increase our chances of success, but maybe the thought of not traveling around the continent makes you stir-crazy. You and your husband enjoyed married life on the move.” There was a slight pause before he said, “If it’s in your blood, I’d be the last person to try to keep you here.”
He had to be speaking about his ex-wife. Jillian wasn’t anything like her and couldn’t allow him to continue with his faulty assumption.
“That’s not why I’m reticent, Remi.”
She heard his harsh intake of breath. “Then it means you can’t see as well out of that eye as you’ve been pretending.”
He was still feeling guilty about the accident! She couldn’t bear to hear the self-recrimination in his voice.
“No, Remi—”
“‘No what’?” he answered right back.
“You don’t understand.” She shook her head. “When you first heard my proposal, you were thinking of adding some bathrooms and remodeling one of the buildings to supply a cold drink for the tourists. But then I threw in my big ideas, forgetting you have to come up with the extra money.” She paused. “I just wouldn’t want anything to go wrong for you….” Her voice trailed shakily. “You’ve been through enough.”
“So what you’re saying is, you’re worried about me.”
She studied her nails. “Naturally I am.”
“Then why not stay on the estate and help me. With an experiment like this, two heads are better than one.” His compelling argument trumped her deepest fear. If he had any idea how much she loved him, he’d turn the car around and head back to Madrid.
“Tell you what. When we reach the estate I’ll e-mail Pia. Provided she’s all right with it, I’ll do everything I can to make this project a success.”
“Then it’s guaranteed,” he said on a note of satisfaction. With those words her fate was sealed no matter what the future held for her personally.
Jillian was too crazy about Remi to think of leaving him yet. Never—if she had her way.
She felt his glance on her. “You’ve gone quiet on me. Don’t be afraid to take a nap. Today hasn’t been like any other day.”
“Not for you, either,” she murmured, but he heard her.
“Don’t worry. Since my brother sold his part of the olive groves, I’ve run into him several times on my trips to Toledo.”
Jillian let out a gasp. “He sold them?” She shook her head. “How could he have done such a thing?”
“I’m sure I don’t know.”
From the expression she’d seen on Javier’s face, she’d had the strongest feeling he was filled with remorse. His eyes seemed to have been begging Remi. For what exactly? Forgiveness? A chance to talk?
She hadn’t thought she could be more shocked, but it wasn’t true. And what of Remi’s ex-wife? Where was she? Had she tried to come back? Questions riddled Jillian, but Remi wasn’t supplying answers. Why would he when it was none of her business.
“Who owns it now?”
“A vulture who’s been hoping Soleado Goyo would go into receivership. One day in the future I plan to buy the land back.”
“Were your inheritances equal?”
“Sí. He still owns the house to the south of the courtyard. Two years ago I asked Soraya and her family to move in there to keep it up until Javier decides what he’s going to do with it.”
Aghast she cried, “So you lost half an income along with the brother who helped you run everything?”
“It’s all right. In two years I’ve been able to pay off the rest of the loan our father took out years ago.”
She clutched the armrests. “I can’t let you take out a new one! I won’t let you.”
“The money’s minimal and I’ve already seen to the arrangements. Though he didn’t realize it at the time, my father made the wrong business decision. We paid a heavy price, but this venture isn’t the same thing.”
Jillian stared hard at him. “How do you dare put yourself at risk again?”
“For one thing I now have you for a business partner.”
“But I haven’t proven myself yet.”
His fierce eyes glittered. “Do you honestly think we’d be having this conversation if I didn’t have faith in you?”
“That’s very flattering,” she said, her voice shaking.
“Have you forgotten the drought could last several more years? I’m already at risk. Fortunately the enterprise you and I’ve entered into isn’t affected by the weather to keep it going. We can depend on a certain amount of tourist traffic year-round barring terrorist attacks at the airports worldwide or all-out global war,” he said.
“Heaven forbid,” she muttered.
He chuckled. “If that happens we’re all doomed anyway. In the meantime I’d like your ideas about advertising for drop-in customers.”
She