“Were you going to ask me?”

“Yes, I was. I needed time to sort through all the options and then I was going to talk to you, which was why I told Walt I’d get back to him later this week,” she explained and he felt like crap. “And we can’t buy this tank, I have to order through Walt. He’s my uncle.”

“It would have taken Walt at least a week to get this tank. Tanner got it in a day, and sold it to us at wholesale,” Nate explained. “And you’re right, if we’re going to make this work then we need to make decisions together. I’m sorry.”

He was. He should have talked to her. It was just that he wasn’t used to running decisions by anyone with regards to the operational side of the vineyards. Especially when the decision was a no-brainer.

“I should have checked with you, but we need water. And that means we need a water tower. Fast.”

“I know,” she said, all her bluster from earlier replaced with straight up exhaustion. “How did you get it so fast?”

“I had to pull a few strings.”

“I don’t even want to know how much those strings cost,” she mumbled under her breath. “We also need a new pump and a tank about five times that size to water both parcels when planted.”

“Which is why a fifty-thousand gallon tank is being delivered and installed, with a new pump, next week.”

“What?” She shot to her feet.

She was already nervous about cash flow, he could tell, and they hadn’t even talked about the irrigation system that had to go in.

“See?” Lifting his bottom from the porch step, Nate pulled out the designs and bid that he and Tanner had agreed on last night. She took the packet, which was only a few pages long but extremely detailed.

Her face grew more taut with every page she read. He saw her mind working, watched as she thought through every possible scenario. Finally she looked up, panic in her eyes. “This isn’t just tanks, Nate. It’s a complete irrigation plan. For all twenty acres.”

“I designed it so that even though we share the water source, everything else will be divided so it can function as two separate vineyards feeding off the same well. The great thing about the pumps Tanner found is they have dual zones that will allow the pumps to work independently of each other, so we can water simultaneously, set up our own cycles. It is a great solution to our situation.”

“And you want to install this in one shot?” She flipped through the bid again, her eyes assessing every page.

“I was going to wait until spring, but since Tanner already has to rework the pump and the well, I figured it would be better to do it all now. By the time he places the orders and everything comes in, crush will be over and he’ll just need a few weeks. It will be done, all before the winter hits so everything will be ready to go come spring.”

She held up the paper. “I can’t afford all this, Nate. Not right now.”

“Relax, I am paying for half.” He reached for her hand to tug her back down beside him, but she moved away and began pacing.

“Yeah, well I don’t have that kind of money for the other half. Unlike you I don’t have a magic checkbook that I can use at will.”

And that just pissed him off. “Neither do I. In fact, since I have screwed this deal up from the beginning, I am paying for this out of pocket. My own, in case that was your next question.”

He could see the shock in her expression.

“Sit,” he requested. And to his surprise she did. Then he got to thinking about Mittens and suddenly regretted his request. “You and I both know that waiting to install the new pump and larger tank is not a smart business move. If we wait, it will cost us double in the long run and neither of us can risk this pump giving out in the spring when we plant.”

“I get that. I do. But I don’t have that kind of money.”

“No, but you’ve got your grapes.”

“And let me guess, you want me to sell them to you. No way.”

“I was going to say you have them as collateral.”

Frankie blew out a ragged breath. “I already tried that. Walt said it wasn’t enough to secure the credit.”

“I wasn’t talking about Walt.”

“Are you saying you’ll loan me the money, using my grapes as—”

Nate stood, wrapped one hand around the back of her neck and brought her inches from his lips. “You going to let me finish or you want to make out? Because I’m open to either or both. But arguing. That isn’t an option right now.”

She studied his lips, licking hers in the process, and he could tell she was tempted. Hell, he was tempted. But before he could lean in, she stepped back. “Fine. Talk.”

“I’m not offering you a loan. I’m suggesting we use my standing with Tanner’s company to our advantage. Tanner always bills about sixty days out from start date, which gives you time to figure out your finances. When it comes in, we split it down the middle. You pay yours and I pay mine” he clarified, hoping it saved her damn pride.

“Walt offers ninety-days.”

“Walt isn’t the one offering to float the costs with his vendors.” Not that he and his brothers needed Tanner to float anything. They could pay cash today, but Tanner always worked on a sixty-day billing cycle. And he knew that Frankie needed water and the time to come up with the money. That she chose not to see logic drove him nuts.

“He’s my uncle.”

So then why wasn’t he here, doing whatever it took to make this work with Frankie, figuring out a way to get her what she needed at a price she could afford? Anyone who spent two seconds with Frankie would know she’d never flake on a deal. A sip of her wine would tell even the most amateur of wine connoisseurs that she was beyond talented. Her only downfall was she led with her heart.

“I understand about family, Frankie, but this bid and these prices are from Tanner Constructions not St. Helena Hardware. And contractually I have to use Tanner for everything. He’s not only good, he’s the best.”

“I know.” Frankie hooked the heels of her work boots one step below. Resting her elbows on her knees she dropped her head. “They’ve just had a rough year. Walt and Connie.”

He wanted to run a hand down her back, massage away all the work and tension that was rolling off of her in waves. Frankie was one of the most loyal people he knew, and being in this position, forced to choose between her business and her family, was obviously tearing her apart.

Which was the only reason Nate could come up with for offering, “If you think Walt could match these prices, have him write up a bid. I’ll work it out so that we would buy the supplies from him and have Tanner do the labor.”

Head still in her hands, she turned it so she could look up at him. And wow, maybe that opposites attract bullshit Gabe and Marc were always spouting had some validity, because the smart-ass glare mixed with the small smile she was giving slayed him.

“You going soft on me, golden boy?”

“No, just trying to make this work. Give you a way to say yes.”

She studied him, almost as if trying to figure out if he was telling the truth, if there was any hidden agenda that she was missing.

With a defeated sigh she said, “We both know that Walt can’t come anywhere near those prices. If he sells to us wholesale then he makes nothing.”

“Then have him send me the bid,” Nate suggested. “I will reject it if the prices aren’t competitive and since the whole town knows that Judge Pricket is looking for any reason to screw this up, he can’t blame you and you are off the hook.”

“I don’t need you to fight my battles and—”

And they were back to arguing.

“—I don’t do sneaky ever.”

“Never said you did.”

“And you telling my uncle some lame story is sneaky,” she continued as though he hadn’t spoken.

How did she do that? One minute he felt as if she was letting him in, the next she was ripping him a new one—when all he was trying to do was help.

Nate stared silently at her lips, listening to her rant about men this and controlling that. Less than a foot separated their mouths, separated him from silence, from trouble. He realized the second she knew he was going to kiss her quiet. She stopped talking and the air practically crackled between them.

Eyes wide, Frankie slapped her hand over her mouth.

Better. Now, “Making the smart decision when your heart is involved would be difficult for anyone. And you’ve had a hard time with your family lately, partly because of me, so let me help you.”

“Fine,” she drew out. “Tell Tanner to go ahead with the ten-thousand gallon tank and I’ll call Walt about the rest. But if he can’t match Tanner’s price I’ll be the one to tell him we are going with another bid.” Of course she would. It would break her heart, but she would rather tell her uncle herself than have him feel embarrassed that his company was too small to compete. “We do it on your credit, but when the bill comes we split it like you said. And I don’t owe you anything?”

“Nope.” He wondered what he’d do if she faulted on the debt and had to sell the grapes. Or the land. Both were distinct possibilities. Not that he was setting her up. They needed those tanks and she was a business owner now. Owning a winery and making wine on someone else’s dime were two different things. She wanted to join the big boys, then she’d have to step up if she was ever going to make this work. And if she did default, he’d get what he wanted, right?

“The way this land deal worked out, it’s almost like we are business partners so I doubt this will be the only time we have to go in together on something. Today it’s my connections and credit that secured the water, maybe next time it will be yours.” He shrugged. “Who knows? But when it concerns the crop, we have to work together and make it happen. Deal?”