by SJ McCoy
He turned off the highway and took the road that led up by Dawson Dale. He’d deliberately not been up here since he arrived in Napa. He’d wanted to, but he didn’t know how it would feel. He slowed the car as he approached the driveway. He wasn’t going to go in; he just wanted to take a look. The grand archway over the entrance didn’t look so grand anymore, and the sweeping lawn that came down to the road looked more like a meadow. He sighed. Maybe he shouldn’t have come at all? He looked up at the house in the distance. He couldn’t see if it, too, was run-down, but he knew somehow that it was. The whole place felt neglected. He’d asked around and heard that the new owners weren’t doing well. So many wineries came and went in Napa. Not many were able to establish themselves and claim a place amongst the big names who’d been here for generations. He hoped Chelsea and Zosca would be one of the few who did. Judging from the look of the place, whoever was operating out of his grandad’s old winery wasn’t going to make it. He sighed and drove on. Why had he even come up here? It wasn’t like he could ever bring Dawson Dale back to life.
He turned around and went back the way he came, no longer wanting to make the loop through the hills that he’d been planning to. There was nothing he could do up here—nothing but look back and feel sad. He wanted to get to work, to Zosca and to Chelsea. He knew that there, with her, there was so much he could do, so much to feel happy about and to look forward to. Even if he moved on and left her to run the place her way, he was hoping that they’d still be seeing each other for a long time to come and that he’d be able to offer his help and advice.
He pulled into the little lot behind the offices when he got there and took a moment to just sit and take in the beauty of the place. In some ways, he envied Chelsea. She had this place. Soon she would own it outright; she was the mistress of her own destiny. He’d spent his whole working career helping people move forward with their own endeavors, and this morning, it struck him for the first time, that he didn’t have an endeavor of his own. He frowned. He’d never thought of it like that before. He shook his head and got out of the car. He didn’t need to start thinking of it that way now. He loved his work. Even if it had panned out a little differently this time.
Gene greeted him with a smile as he made his way inside. “Good morning, Grant.”
“Morning, Gene. Thanks again for Saturday night. It was a great time.”
Gene gave him a knowing smile. “I’m glad to hear it.”
Grant smiled back feeling a little awkward. It dawned on him that he and Chelsea hadn’t said their goodbyes before they left Gene and Rita’s place, and their absence would no doubt have been noted.
Gene patted his shoulder. “Don’t worry about it, son. Everyone’s rooting for you, not against you.”
Grant stared at him for a moment, wanting to ask what he meant. Who was rooting for him? He wanted to ask, but he thought it better not to.
“I was just on my way back to the estate. I’ll see you around.”
Grant was still staring after him when Chelsea game out of her office. She smiled when she saw him. “There you are. I was starting to wonder if you got lost.” Her smile faded. “Or if you’d driven away as fast as you could.”
He went to her and took hold of her hand. “And why would I do that?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s Monday morning, the weekend’s over. Reality sets back in. Maybe we spent too much time together, and you don’t want that.”
He smiled and slid his arms around her waist, drawing her closer to him. “You don’t really think that, do you?”
She shook her head and gave him a sheepish smile. “No, I don’t, but you took ages, and I don’t know, it’s all so new, I started to doubt. Then my imagination got a little crazy, and I had visions of you packing up and getting out of town just to get away from me.”
He dropped a kiss on her forehead. “No chance. I wanted to drive up by Dawson Dale, that’s all. And then when I got there, I didn’t know why I’d gone, and all I wanted was to get back here to you.”
She planted a quick peck on his lips and then stepped away from him with a smile. “I’m glad, but we should probably step into my office.”
He waggled his eyebrows at her. “I like the sound of that.”
She shook her head and led him into her office, closing the door behind them. “Sorry, but no such luck this morning.” She eyed her desk then met his gaze with a smile. “I’d love us to christen that at some point, but for now, I just wanted to stop hugging on you in public.”
“Yeah, sorry.” Grant was surprised at himself.
“I’m not, I like it. But I’d rather people get the idea that we’re together a little more gradually, not just have them find us in the corridor groping each other.”
“I wasn’t groping. I thought I did very well to keep my hands to myself.”
She laughed. “You did. I did, too. I’m not sure how long I can keep it up, though.”
He stepped toward her and her arms came up around his neck. He loved the way she kissed him so eagerly, loved the way her soft body felt pressed against his. He started to walk her backward until she was up against her desk. She stopped kissing him and put her hands on his shoulders and shook her head. “Please don’t tempt me anymore. I’m not going to be able to resist, and now really isn’t the time.”
He stepped back and hung his head. “Sorry.” He smiled up at her through his lashes. “What should we be doing instead?”
“Getting ready for Dad’s visit.”
“Oh.” His head snapped up at that news. “Shit. Sorry.”
She laughed. “It’s not a problem; it’s just that him walking in to find us naked on my desk might be.”
“Yeah, I think that’d be a pretty big problem. What time’s he going to be here?”
“Not till ten.”
“And did he say why he’s coming?” Grant felt guilty. Mr. Hamilton had brought him in to do a specific job—to find ways to make Zosca more efficient. He had done that, but he still felt as though he hadn’t done his job. He felt like he was letting Mr. Hamilton down, although it beat the alternative, which would be doing exactly as Mr. Hamilton wanted and letting Chelsea down.
“Yeah. It’s crunch time. He and I talked a little on Saturday night, and knowing my dad, he mulled it over yesterday and now wants to put things in motion. He doesn’t do well waiting around. Once decisions are made, he likes to move straight to implementation.”
“So, this is it? You’re going to buy him out?”
“Yep.”
“And my work here is done?”
She shrugged. “That’s something we still need to talk about. I don’t want it to be.”
Grant nodded. Neither did he. At the same time, he thought it may be best if he moved on. “What do you need to do before he arrives? Is there anything you need to prepare?”
She shook her head. “No, it’s not a formal meeting or anything, he just called to say he wants to stop by and talk it all over.”
“Still, I should pull everything together, show him my findings. I don’t have the full report ready yet, but it won’t take me too long.”
“Okay. Why don’t you go work on that? I want to do the rounds. I need to go up and see the foreman and then stop into sales. They’ve been working on a big new order, and I want to see how that’s going. Do you want to meet me back here a little before ten?”
“Okay.”
She reached up and planted a kiss on his lips. “I like feeling that we’re in this together.”
Grant nodded. He did, too.
~ ~ ~
Chelsea smiled to herself as she walked up through the vineyard. She loved it out here. This was the beginning and the end of it all for her—the grapes, the place where they grew. She’d known when she was just a little girl that she wanted to spend her time growing and producing great wines. Now it was all coming true. Granted, she’d been running Zosca for a while already, but going out on
her own, that would make it so much more real. She’d succeed or fail all by herself. She pursed her lips. Would she be all alone, or would Grant be by her side? She didn’t know what he wanted—she wasn’t entirely sure what she wanted. She’d told him last night that she knew her wines would have a great business to support them if he were running it, and she knew that was true. But would it work? She knew she could happily turn her back on the business considerations and just focus on making wine. But would Grant even want to do it? Would he want to stay in one place, work in just one business—with her? She didn’t know, but she did know they’d have to figure it out very soon. Her dad wanted to know what she planned to do. She needed to talk to Smoke and figure out the shares and the loan, there was so much to work out. Her dad wouldn’t expect all the answers today, she knew that much, but, as she’d told Grant, it really was crunch time.
By the time she got finished visiting with the foreman and going over the plan for the week and then checked in with Sally in sales, it was almost quarter to ten. She’d wanted a few minutes with Grant before her dad arrived, but as she crossed the foyer heading back to her office, she realized that wasn’t going to happen. She could see her dad’s car pulling up outside. She overcame the urge to run and find Grant, and instead, went out the front doors to greet her dad.
“Good morning, buttercup.” His smile told her he was in a very good mood. Better than she’d expected.
“Hey, Pops,” she went to hug him. “You’re very cheery, are you happy to finally be rid of me?”
He shook his head. “No, you know better than that. I’ve wrestled with my sadness that this little venture of ours isn’t going to be the daddy daughter project I’d initially thought. I’m happy because I’ve finally made my peace with the fact that my littlest bird is about to the fly the nest.” He put his arm around her shoulders, and they walked inside. “I’m happy because I know that in one way or another you’re about to spread your wings and soar.” He winked at her. “I have a feeling that I’m going to need to learn to appreciate the flight of the hummingbird.”
She gave him a puzzled look. “I’m a man who’s always aspired to greatness. I see greatness as an eagle soaring high in the sky. When you think about it, the flight of the hummingbird is much more impressive. It may not soar; it may not be the conventional greatness, but those little birds achieve miracles—just like you will.”
Chelsea chuckled. “Thanks, Dad. I think. You’re right, I don’t need to be one of those big, obvious birds in the sky who everyone admires while overlooking the fact that they’re killers.”
Her dad chuckled with her. “See, you are different because you think so differently.”
“I suppose so. Do you want some coffee before we get started?”
“Yes, please. I don’t have all morning. I have to meet your mother at lunchtime, but I thought we could sit down and have a chat and then bring Grant in?”
She nodded.
“Is that okay with you?”
“Of course it is; why wouldn’t it be?”
“I just wondered how the two of you are getting along if you’ve decided whether his future is with you.”
Her gaze flew up to meet his.
“Will he be helping you to make Zosca a success, or will he be moving on?” He winked, and she knew he’d meant a whole lot more than that, just as she’d suspected.
“I don’t know yet, Dad. There are positives and negatives.”
He nodded. “There always are.”
She got them both a mug of coffee and led him to her office. Grant came out just before they reached the door.
“Grant.” Her dad beamed at him and pumped his hand.
“It’s good to see you, Mr. Hamilton.”
“You too, son. I’m looking forward to talking to you about where things go from here.”
“I’ll be ready whenever you want me.”
Chelsea smiled at him. He understood that her dad would want to talk to her alone first, even if she hadn’t.
“Do you want to give me a call when you want me?”
Chelsea tried to hide her smile. That sounded like an offer a girl couldn’t refuse.
Grant’s eyes twinkled as he held her gaze, and she nodded.
Her dad cleared his throat making her start. Had she and Grant really got lost in their own little moment even with her dad standing right there beside her?
“I’ll be just down the hall.” She watched him turn and stride away.
“Shall we?” asked her dad.
“Oh, yeah, sorry.” She took him inside her office and sat down. “So, where do we start?”
“I find the beginning is usually the best place,” he said with a smile. “Let’s lay it all out, shall we?”
She nodded.
“So, we are decided that you’re going to buy me out?”
“Yes.”
“And do you have a viable plan to do so?”
“I do. I still have to hammer out the details, but I don’t think it’ll take too long.”
“Do you mind if I ask how you plan to raise that kind of capital?”
She smiled. “I don’t mind at all; in fact, I think you’ll like it. I’m going to sell half of my Hamilton-Groves shares.”
His eyebrows knit together. “I think we need to discuss that. That’s quite a substantial holding, Chelsea. I’m not sure we want that kind of ownership going outside the family.”
She grinned. “That’s okay because it won’t be.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean Cole wants to help me.”
She’d known that he’d like that idea, but she wasn’t prepared for the tears that welled up in his eyes. He coughed and pulled out his hanky. He regained his composure quickly, but she’d seen enough to know how much it meant to him.
“Of course, we wanted to run it by you first, but if you approve, the plan is for him to buy half my shares. He wants to feel like he’s part of it again.”
Her dad nodded but didn’t speak.
“I know you’re probably thinking that won’t be enough to buy you out, but he’s offered to loan me the rest when you and I work out a reasonable price.”
He nodded again. This time she waited. She’d rushed on, to give him chance to recover, and now he was ready. He dabbed at his face with his hanky before he finally spoke. “I thought this was about the family getting further apart—as is natural when you all grow and go your own way. Now, it feels like it’s bringing the family closer together again. Thank you.”
Chelsea felt the tears well up in her eyes, and she went around her desk to hug him. “I think it’s awesome, Dad. It’s great for me, it’s great for Cole, it’s great for you. Even Cameron, he’s always tried to hold us all together. I know he’ll love it.”
“Have you told him?”
“No, Smoke and I only talked about it yesterday, and I wanted to be sure you’re okay with it first.”
He smiled. “Smoke. It’s funny even I think of him as Smoke now; it sounded strange when you called him Cole.”
“Yeah. He’s become his own person.”
“And now you’re doing the same.”
“I am. So, if you’re happy with the finances, what else do you need to know?”
“I want to know that you have a great business plan. I’d like to think you’ll have some great support and advice.” He held her gaze. “What’s happening with Grant?”
She had the feeling he meant between her and Grant, but he had to be talking about the business. “We don’t know yet. Should I bring him in now?” She made to get up, but her dad held up a hand.
“Just a minute. I mean … I know it’s none of my business, but … well, is he more of a consideration now, than he was at the beginning?”
She sat back down and nodded. “I like him, Dad.”
He chuckled. “I knew that much, but do you think there’s any future to it?”
She shrugged. “I
don’t know, it’s too early to say.”
He nodded. “I’m sorry. Your private life is none of my business.”
He looked so disappointed. “It’s okay, Dad, really. I’m not blocking you out; I just don’t know what to tell you because I don’t know what’s going to happen. I don’t know what he wants. I don’t know what I want, and I don’t want to force any decisions. It may all fizzle out between us, and I don’t want us to be left in a difficult situation if it does.”
“Do you think it will?”
She smiled. “The way I feel right now, no, but then no one ever thinks their love will die, do they?”
His eyes widened, and she heard herself suck in a deep breath. Love? Had she really said that? Did she mean it? She didn’t know, and she didn’t want to think about it right now either.
“If that’s the case, then perhaps he should move on.”
She nodded, barely hearing him. Was she in love with Grant?
“Cameron is eager for him to go and help out over there. Do you think that would be better?”
She nodded absently. Perhaps it would.
“Why don’t you go and call him in then? We can go over his findings, and I’ll give him a few last requests. I suggest he stays here through the end of the week, and I’ll tell Cameron he’ll be free after that.”
Chelsea looked up at him. She hadn’t expected this. The decision had been taken away from her somehow, but she still couldn’t really focus on it. She was still too busy wondering if she’d somehow managed to go and fall in love with Grant.