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“Okay Then how about a ride through the valley since you’ve never been to Napa? It’s a beautiful day”

Secretly pleased, she admonished, “You know you don’t have to entertainout with Malcolm and the other board members?”

“Nope I have you here and I understand the need to appear ready to settle down, but I’ to pander to anyone for a job”

She was glad to hear that Tanner had a moral line that he wouldn’t cross

“Let’s take that ride Do you have a hat?”

“No, but I have a scarf” She gave hirin

“We’re going to find you a hat” He grabbed her hand and pulled her toward a boutique with hats in the

A few erine-colored wide-bri else she owned But she loved it Between it and the dress she was really stepping out of her co out her inner diva

“That color suits you,” he said as they settled in the car

“Thank you You do know you don’t have to compliment me when there’s no one around to hear?”

“Has it occurred to you that Iyou?”

It hadn’t, but she had to admit she liked the attention from him

Over the next couple of hours they just drove at a peaceful speed along the h the center of the valley The vineyards they passed were iroomed and endless Tanner pulled over at a little roadside stand and bought them bottled drinks

“This is so beautiful” Whitney stood beside the car, looking off toward the east where the hills created one side of the valley

Tanner leaned against the car and crossed his ankles “I was impressed the first time I visited as well It’s like a little piece of France at your back door”

“I would love to visit France one day” Whitney took a sip of her cola

“I think you would like it I’d heard so much about Paris that I didn’t believe it could live up to the hype, but it was everything I had expected and more”

“Do you travel a lot?” She couldn’t help but look at him Even his body movements captivated her She was so on the road to trouble Heart trouble

“When I can It takes soet away froned

She aze from under the bri over everything?”

“I’ood staff ill help out until I can get there”

Their lives were so different Her career almost seemed frivolous compared to his yet he’d asked for her help No matter what people did in life they wanted to share it with someone The more she was around Tanner the more she could understand why he would be considered a catch

But as he so against a relationship that involved love? She had a feeling he had a lot stored up to give

They were in the car again and Tanner was about to turn into the road to head back the way they had co the afternoon nice for h tea by ood to have your support”

“You’re welcome If you have any issues with Charlotte, just letand most of that will stop”

“Is she always so catty?”

He glanced at her “Only when she can get aith it”

Whitney watched his capable hands on the wheel He had nice hands What would it be like to be intentionally touched by those fingers? That wasn’t a safe subject Charlotte was a n one “She said she was at Berkeley at the same time ere”

“She was We dated awhile in o around them

“I don’t remember her”

“She transferred in” Tanner looked up into the rearview mirror

So that hy she hadn’t recognized her Charlotte had been around during those years she hadn’t seen much of Tanner