The Ashtons - Cole, Abigail & Megan

realize that your family bottled chardonnay.”
    “Oh, we don’t,” Megan said quickly, falling into talk of grapes with gratitude. “But we do grow the grapes and then use them in our cuvée.”
    “Of course. It must be fascinating, the making of wine.”
    “Well, to be honest, I’m not much involved with the actual winery.” Her brother Trace was the estate manager and could probably have told Phoebe everything she’d ever wanted to know about wine and more. But Megan and Paige, beyond helping with the harvests as children, had nothing at all to do with the actual winery. “I run the events at the estate and—”
    “Oh I know, dear, but still. You’re there. A part of it all. The vineyards, being at the mercy of the weather, all very earthy and exciting.”
    Megan smiled, despite the interruption. “Not very exciting when you’re a child and expected to help out at harvest time. Then you just get muscle cramps and blisters on your fingers.”
    While Megan talked about everything and nothing, the waiter arrived and poured their wine. Then, after giving them a moment to study the menu, he took their orders and disappeared again.
    Megan sucked in a great gulp of air and told herself to stop babbling. In an attempt to get her runaway mouth under control, she let her gaze sweep around the crowded restaurant. Each of the dozen or more tables were covered with crisp white linens and boasted a small, round vase bursting with spring flowers. The soft, silky sounds of classical music drifted from the snow-white piano in the corner ofthe room as a young woman in a pale pink gown delicately stroked the keys.
    Everything was beautiful.
    Phoebe was very nice.
    So why did Megan feel so on edge?
    “I wanted to talk to you privately, Megan,” the older woman said.
    This is why, Megan thought, wondering what her mother-in-law had in mind. “Yes?”
    “About Simon.” The older woman smiled and her pale-gray eyes shone with good humor. “As his mother, I simply have to congratulate you and tell you how happy I am about your marriage.”
    “Really?”
    “The change in him these past couple of weeks is nothing short of extraordinary.”
    “I’m sorry?” Megan hadn’t expected this at all. In fact, given all the gossip surrounding her father at the moment, she wouldn’t have been surprised if Phoebe had demanded that this temporary attachment to her son end immediately. And she couldn’t have blamed the woman for it, either.
    Phoebe reached out and covered Megan’s hand with one of hers. “My dear, you’ve done wonders for him.”
    Confused, Megan simply stared at her.
    “I had lunch with him only yesterday and he was…relaxed in a way I’ve never known him to be. He smiled. He enjoyed himself.” She smiled againand winked. “He didn’t rush me through lunch so that he could return to work.”
    Megan shook her head. “I don’t think that’s because of anything I—”
    “Nonsense.” Phoebe smiled at the waiter as he set their dishes in front of them. When he was gone, she spoke up again. “A man who’s happy at home becomes happy in every area of his life.”
    “Phoebe,” Megan said quickly, before she could be interrupted again, “I know Simon told you the truth about our marriage.”
    “Certainly.”
    “Then you know that we’re not—”
    “In love?” Phoebe finished for her and Megan gritted her teeth at yet another interruption. “I wouldn’t be so sure, my dear.”
    She tried to argue the point, but didn’t get far. “Really, Phoebe…”
    “Megan,” the woman said, “I’ve known my son a lot longer than you have. And I can tell you that I have never seen him like this before. It’s as if he’s found something he hadn’t known he was missing. And that something, my dear, is you.”
    Megan’s heart lurched a little, but she didn’t allow herself to actually believe Phoebe. The woman may think she could see love when she looked at Megan and Simon. But all she was really seeing was good chemistry.
    Right?
    A marriage that had begun with a business deal couldn’t really turn into something more, could it? Neither of them had been looking for love when they’d stumbled into this marriage of convenience. Neither of them had so much as mentioned the word.
    Now that Phoebe had though, it was as if all bets were off. Love. Was it possible? Was it something she should even be considering? Her insides dipped and spun and her heartbeat stuttered irregularly. Megan’s brain