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Sansi was Alan’s daughter. Again, the family appearance didn’t fit the original image she’d had in her mind. What had she expected? A group in Birkenstocks and white robes, maybe some dreadlocks? A little Bob Marley playing in the background? Patchouli flowing through their auras or chakras, or whatever they were called? Not this, though. This was a total surprise. Here was Alan Sansi, polo shirted out, and his daughter, looking as if she’d just walked out of a store on Rodeo Drive with her light brown hair stylishly cut into a layered bob, and her makeup looking as if it had been applied by a professional.
    “Nice to meet you.” Hayden shook Nikki’s hand.
    Strong, confident handshake.
    “I appreciate you having my father and the S.E.E. members here at Malveaux.”
    “Certainly.”
    “While you two work out the schedule and arrangements, we’ll take Alan and everyone for a tour of the grounds and over to meet with Derek,” Simon said.
    “Can I get some wine first?” A striking young woman with long brown hair and dark brown eyes approached the counter.
    “Sierra,” Alan said with a hint of warning in his voice.
    “What, Daddy?”
    Daddy? The other daughter—Sierra Sansi. Nikki knew there was a son as well, but she didn’t spot him. There was only one other woman with the crew, and Nikki was banking that it was Mrs. Sansi.
    “I think it will be time for a glass of wine when we have our meals. Timing is everything.” Alan looked at his daughter and smiled.
    “I thought it was everything happens at the perfect time,” she said with a hint of sarcasm. “And now is the perfect time for me to have a glass of wine. We are in Napa Valley, for God’s sake. If I want a glass of wine, why should you care? I’m perfect. You’re perfect. We’re all perfect, remember?”
    Whoa, ho, ho. What was this? A little family dysfunction going on with the guru and his grown kid? Might be interesting.
    The pretty, middle-aged woman who looked like her daughters—but a bit rounder and with shorter hair—placed a hand on Sierra’s shoulder. “Of course you’re perfect, as your dad says, but it will be a long day and you’ll need to be available to the attendees. And isn’t it true, Ms. Sands . . .” the woman began as she reached her hand out elegantly. “Sorry, I’m Mrs. Sansi. Call me Lulu.” Nikki nodded and Mrs. Sansi continued, “We do have a lovely train ride trip planned for this evening, isn’t that right? The dinner train, I believe.” Lulu Sansi had a style all her own, with a page boy haircut and a poet blouse that flowed over a long flowered skirt that almost reached the ground, where pretty white sandals with a faux yellow daisy in between each big toe adorned her feet. She wore a half dozen gold and silver bangles on her wrist.
    “We do. The Napa Valley Wine Train. I’m sure we’ll see a beautiful sunset and I promise there will be plenty of wine and fantastic food.”
    Sierra frowned but reluctantly agreed to hold off on drinking any wine. “Okay then.”
    “Thank you,” Alan said. “I think we’ll take that tour with Simon and Marco now. If you and Hayden want to go over the rest of the details together, that would be perfect. I know that my publisher, Rich Higgins, should be arriving shortly, along with my son, Eli.”
    Sierra rolled her eyes. “What? You didn’t tell me that Hayden’s fiancé and Eli were coming. That’s great. Perfect. I can deal with Eli, but Hayden with Rich? God! She’ll be pouring on her holier-than-thou act. Give me a break. Why didn’t you bring the entire family with us, Dad? Yo could have asked Aunt Fran, Uncle Joe, every cousin . . .”
    Simon immediately wrapped his arm through Lulu’s, obviously sensing the tension. “Shall we?”
    Marco strolled up next to Sierra and almost forcefully wrapped his arm through hers. She squirmed, but then received a stern look from her mother and sighed, allowing Marco to lead the way. “Come now, Bellissima,