A Taste of Merlot Read Free Page B

jewelry with semiprecious stones.”
    â€œAh, oui. The bracelets,” he said, reaching out to make hers rattle.
    â€œShe’s building herself a nice little Internet site, Papa. How many have you sold?” Savvy prompted.
    â€œA couple of buyers have found me already, even though the site’s still under construction. It’s taking longer than I thought since I’m kind of a perfectionist. I donated a necklace to Char’s charity event last month, and I just finished duplicating the bracelet that won the Purchase Prize to see if I could sell another. Gates kept the original for their collection.”
    â€œAh, so that is the reason for your frequent trips to the city this summer.”
    â€œI’m allowed to use the workshop during semester breaks as long as I’m still enrolled.”
    â€œBut if you do not return . . .”
    â€œI’ll need somewhere else to work.”
    â€œAn atelier ? There is an unused area in the loft above the lab.”
    Meri knew he’d try to fix this for her. “I don’t want to work above the lab.”
    Papa shrugged. “But I don’t understand. You want your little jewelry entreprise , but you will not permit me to provide the place in which to do it.”
    Meri’s face warmed as the voices came back to haunt her yet again.
    â€œArt is her hobby.”
    â€œEverybody knows she’ll never be a real jeweler. Just go back to Daddy’s mansion and become a professional shopper.”
    â€œEven if she does keep making jewelry, she’ll never have to make a living at it.”
    She forced calm into her tone as she mouthed the lines that she’d rehearsed. “I found a building where artists rent workspace. It’s called an arts co-op.”
    Papa’s brows shot up again. “Ahhhh, a ‘cooperative.’ I know this word. You will be sharing with other artists.”
    â€œMostly painters, maybe a few sculptors.”
    â€œAnd where is this arts co-op?”
    â€œIn Vallejo.”
    â€œVallejo!” He scowled and pursed his lips. “But why drive to Vallejo, when you could work here, at home, in your own bespoke atelier that I will have built for you?”
    â€œPapa, it’s a twenty-minute drive!” Minus tourist traffic. And there was usually tourist traffic.
    â€œSo you will still live chez nous .”
    â€œOf course. That’s one of the reasons I don’t want to go back to school. So I can be here with my family.”
    That seemed to appease him. “Bien. How much is the rent?”
    â€œActually, Papa, I wanted to talk to you about that, too.”
    He looked at her askance. “There is a problem with the credit card?”
    â€œThere’s no problem. I haven’t put any charges on it in months.”
    â€œThen you have crossed the line of credit. I will have Thomas pay it down tomorrow.”
    Savvy huffed from the sidelines. Meri flashed her a warning look that said, Let me handle this, Miss Big-shot Attorney.
    She closed her eyes to compose herself. “No, it’s not that. I hardly ever even use the card. I was wondering . . . if we can make a deal.”
    Bemused, Papa cocked his head and turned to Savvy. “What have we here? An artist who is wanting to talk the finance?”
    Savvy gave him a stern, lawyer-esque look. Meri knew it took all the restraint her sister had not to jump up and shout, “Objection!”
    He turned back to Meri. “Have you been taking the business classes, without telling your papa?”
    She ignored that. “Listen, Papa. The building owner doesn’t take credit cards. I have to pay with a monthly check.”
    In a flash, his French mood-o-meter did a one-eighty. “You are explaining to your papa how this works?” he huffed, fingertips sharply tapping his chest, face reddening. “Perhaps you forget that your papa has the successful business, eh? I will have Thomas set it up as an