“No. Actually we’re in Santa Barbara. Not too far away. Wine country there, too.”

“Lots of it,” Nikki agreed. “I’ve got your keys to your room here. The transportation for the wine train will be leaving at six-thirty tonight.”

“Thanks. Just enough time to get settled and cleaned up. See you tonight, right? You’ve been working with Hayden on everything?”

“Yes. I’ll be there.” All she wanted to do was go home and curl up with a book, Derek, and Ollie. But there would be no Derek tonight, and by the time she got home from the event, she doubted even a good book would thrill her.

Rich nodded his thank-you, rolled his bag out of the lobby, and headed to his room.

Nikki closed her eyes and shook her head. She needed a break. She wished everyone would hurry up and arrive so she could get started on the evening’s plans. Just then she felt a pair of hands on her shoulders and jumped back.

“Oh, God, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.” It was Alyssa Pampas. Alyssa had joined the Malveaux team about a year earlier after meeting Nikki in an odd place-a strip bar in San Francisco. Alyssa’s little boy had a heart condition and the young woman worked at the bar to make enough money to support her child while she attended school. She’d helped Nikki put some bad guys in their place and Nikki had taken a liking to her, suggesting she interview for the job at Malveaux as a taster. Alyssa had sailed through the interview and then accepted the winery job, where she more than proved she was skillful at her job and quickly climbed her way to a better position as a supervisor at the hotel and spa.

“I was lost in thought. I still have quite a bit to do,” Nikki replied.

“Why don’t I finish checking the guests in for you? I’ve already completed my reports and handled the charity event stuff. You’ll have a late night being ‘on.’ I can do this.”

“Really? You sure? What about Petie? It’s almost four. Don’t you have to pick him up?” Nikki asked, referring to Alyssa’s three-year-old.

“No. He’s staying a bit later with the day care. They had a little party for him today and his teacher called and said he’s still playing and wants to stay longer. Kathy has been a lifeline for me. I get pretty tired, you know. She’s really like a grandma for Petie.”

“I know. She’s a good lady,” Nikki replied. She’d met Alyssa’s day care provider a few times when she’d gone to pick up Petie with her. “But why don’t you go home and rest? I know you’re tired and stressed. You need to take care of yourself.” Nikki laid a hand on her shoulder.

Alyssa shook her head. “No. Working helps me keep my mind clearer and off of things. Petie and I are so close that I’m realizing we need space once in a while. If we get through this…” She choked up.

“You will get through this. He will get through this. He’s a strong kid, Alyssa.” Petie lived with a heart disease called cardiomyopathy-a disease of the heart muscle where the heart loses its ability to pump blood effectively. He was currently on a heart transplant list, along with two hundred and seventy-five other children under the age of seventeen. Nikki knew the strain it had placed on Alyssa. Petie was sweet, silly, and from everything Nikki had seen of him, a fairly rambunctious and normal three-year-old boy. But everyone at the winery knew that Petie wouldn’t live a long life if he didn’t get the transplant. “You are a strong woman, and if you need anything at all from me or the winery-time off, whatever-you know all you have to do is ask. I would love to have Petie come stay with me and Derek for a weekend so that you can get away. Why don’t you do that?”

Alyssa smiled even though tears dampened her eyes. “Maybe. Thank you. That might work. I don’t know. I don’t know if I could leave him for a weekend, but maybe a night. I would like to go and visit my sister in Vegas.”

“Absolutely, and you should. We’re here for you.”

Alyssa wrapped her arms around Nikki. “Thank you. I’m so glad you’re my friend.”

“Hey, now. Come on. Why don’t you go sit in the café and have a glass of wine or a cup of tea?”

“No. Maybe after I’m done here. I like checking people in and meeting them.”

“You sure? There have been some strange birds walking in here this afternoon,” Nikki warned with a grin.

“Oh yeah?” Alyssa laughed.

It was good to see her smile. Alyssa was by far one of the strongest women Nikki had ever known. She’d been through hell and back even before Petie came along and then she found out he was sick. She was a pretty, petite brunette, brown-eyed woman, who had just reached her twenty-fifth birthday. She’d handled quite a lot in her young life and she’d done it with elegance. Nikki admired her and also felt somewhat protective over her-like a mother hen. If given the chance, Nikki figured she’d probably make a decent nurturer. It was something she liked to do, and when Alyssa needed it, she was there for her.

“Oh yes. These S.E.E. members are, to say the least, interesting.”

“I’m not surprised considering Simon and Marco are involved.” Alyssa’s comment made them both laugh.

Nikki gave her the list of those who still needed to be checked in and she started to walk back to Derek’s place-oh yeah-Derek and what was also her casa now. She walked past the rose garden and waterfall that cascaded like slick glass against one of the stone walls of the hotel. Although she’d never been to Italy, she was sure there had to be sites there like the waterfall at Malveaux. It was pretty spectacular. She stopped to take it in for a minute. It was her moment of meditation. Alan Sansi had to be able to appreciate that. She took in a couple of breaths. What was that? Here she was breathing in, listening to the water, and… she could hear raised voices. Yes, that’s definitely what they were. One was accented. Asian, maybe? Definitely both males. She peered around the waterfall wall and spotted Alan Sansi, hands on hips, facing an Asian man who had his suitcase in tow. Nikki didn’t recall checking him in. She couldn’t make out the words they were exchanging, but the guru did not look happy. He stood there shaking his head while the other man kept trying to hand him a DVD of some sort. Now this was interesting. No. No. Nikki stopped herself; this was none of her business. Ah, hell, but it was interesting! Alan the guru didn’t strike her as one to argue with anyone. Didn’t the guy just breathe? That seemed to be his prescription. Stress was not on his agenda.

And then, in a seemingly totally uncharacteristic Sansi move, Alan poked the man in his chest and said loud enough for Nikki to hear, “That is not what this is about, Iwao! I don’t want to see the DVD. It’s none of my business. I don’t want to interfere and I would appreciate it if you did the same. Now leave me and my daughter alone. Take what you have there and get rid of it. Let’s get back to our purpose here. Thank you!” Alan turned on his heel and stormed off toward his room, leaving the Asian man shaking his head and Nikki with her mouth gaping open.

Okeydokey. None of that made sense at all. Nikki hemmed and hawed before heading toward the man. She stopped as she passed him. “Can I help you, sir?”

“I am checking in. I am part of S.E.E. group. My name is Iwao Yamimoto.” He bowed.

“Oh yes, Mr. Yamimoto. I’m Nikki Sands. I manage the winery here and have been involved in scheduling the week for all of the members.” She remembered seeing Mr. Yamimoto on the list, along with a woman’s name-Mizuki, presumably his wife. They were some of the last to check in. She wondered where his wife was. “The front desk is that way.” She pointed. “Just go around the rose garden and in through the large archway.”

He bowed again. “Thank you very much.”

She smiled and nodded. It was all she could do not to ask him if there was a problem between him and Mr. Sansi. She literally bit down on her tongue as she turned and watched him head toward the front desk. Hmmm. Leave it alone. None of my business. Oh, boy, that was quite a task to ask of Nosy Nikki. She was aware that people in Napa had coined her with that nickname, but c’mon, it wasn’t as if her curiosity had not been applied toward the good of all mankind. Or at least for the good of those in her neck of the woods.