Discovering Pleasure Read Online Free Page A

matter-of-fact voice.
    “That Private Investigator’s licence has come in handy, huh?” Vince asked.
    Nathan just nodded.
    “So what’s the problem?” Vince continued.
    “The problem is I read the letter from her dad’s lawyer. I did a little investigative work on him as well. Her dad graduated from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale with a double degree in agriculture and business. Six years ago he started up his own winery in southern Illinois—Blue Jay Hills. The place is doing okay, but not great. Seems it’s a fair distance off the beaten path. Still, the guy is solvent and appears to be an upstanding businessman. Volunteers to help with underprivileged kids, pays his taxes, been married to the same woman since three years after earning his degree.”
    Nathan gulped down the rest of his beer then continued. “He recently hired his own PI to find Melinda Hester. I’m guessing that’s how he found out about Rose.”
    “Why do you think Rose wants nothin’ to do with the guy? I mean, hell, you’d think she’d be glad to know she has a dad and that he wants to contact her,” Vince questioned.
    “She’s angry. I know that much, but at what and why I’m not sure,” Nathan answered.
    “Duh!” a female voice joined in.
    “Hey, Joe. Didn’t notice you standing there,” Nathan said with a brief glare. He trusted pretty little Joe but still didn’t appreciate anyone eavesdropping on his conversations.
    “That’s because you’re kind of self-absorbed, but don’t think I heard everything. I might be sneaky, but I’m also respectful of other people’s privacy. Still, Rose is my friend and what hurts her pisses me off. You really don’t know why she’s angry?” Joe persisted.
    “If I knew I wouldn’t be here would I?” Nathan retorted.
    “Now, now, don’t get testy with me, big guy,” Joe scolded. “Put yourself in her shoes for a minute. She watched her mom turn tricks to put food on the table, probably saw more depravity before she was twelve than all three of us put together, which is sayin’ something considering I was raised in a bar and you guys are…well…guys.
    “Anyway, she found her mother dead from an overdose and survived the foster care system. Luckily, her foster parents were good people and got her some counselling. They were friends with my folks so that’s how I met her. Then, suddenly, a father appears out of nowhere? Where the fuck was he when she needed him?”
    Nathan glanced at Vince, who was keeping his eyes focused on the top of his shoes. Obviously, Vince would offer no help. Nathan ran a hand over his face and scratched his bald head.
    “Damn. You’re right, Joe,” Nathan admitted.
    Joe placed a soft hand on Nathan’s shoulder before she said, “Of course I am. You need to be careful. Really careful. Rose has been through hell and survived on her own wits and very little else. She won’t take kindly to having you root through her business without her knowledge. And let me warn you—if you hurt her, I’ll castrate you.”
    Nathan looked into Joe’s steely blue eyes, held her face in his hands and kissed her soundly. “Joe, if I hurt her, you won’t have to castrate me. I’d rather die myself than see her suffer any more. Vince, your woman is a godsend.” He gave Vince a friendly slap on the shoulder and left the bar. He had work to do.

Chapter Four

    Catawba—An all American grape filled with innocent sweetness. The perfect after dinner sweet wine.

    Rose puttered about her yard, pulling weeds from around the herbs and picking aphids off her tomatoes. Bugs—yuck! But still, she much preferred growing her own vegetables so that she could avoid as many chemical fertilisers and pesticides on her food as possible. And while she hated dealing with creepy crawlies, she’d take them over ingesting unknown chemicals any day. She had a few hours to herself before her first appointment that afternoon—an elderly woman who suffered from