by Amy Gamet
“Yeah.”
He saw his father’s reflection in the window, Martin drying his hair with a towel, and saw again how much he looked like his father. Surely, the resemblance didn’t simply stop with the physical, and Rafael hoped his old man had some good qualities to inherit, along with the bad.
Hey, you’re doing okay.
“Mind if I have one of your beers?” asked Martin.
“Sure.”
“You know,” said his father, walking into the living room. “You didn’t have to bring me here. I could find someplace to go on my own.”
“It’s okay. You’re welcome to stay with me.”
Martin sat down. “There are halfway houses. Programs for people like me. I just hadn’t given up on you enough to move on yet. That’s why I was staying in the winery.”
Rafael met his eyes. “Are you going to do the right thing, and live on the right side of the law?”
“Yes.”
“Then you’ll stay with me. But I warn you, if you step over that line, you’re gone. I’m not going to have that kind of thing in my life again.”
His father nodded. “I wasn’t much of a father to you.”
“We’re starting over, you and me. Let’s not speak of it again.”
“Agreed.” Martin patted Rafael on the back, then finished the rest of his beer in one long sip and walked into the kitchen, Rafael’s eyes following his reflection the whole way.
* * *
Melanie knocked on Rafael’s door with a trembling hand, and Lobo started barking.
She’d spent this day thinking about what she was going to say to him. The only thing she couldn’t predict was how he was going to react.
Rafael opened the door wearing only a pair of sweatpants, and her mouth went dry. “Hi,” she said. “I was hoping you and I could talk.”
He opened the screen door. “Come on in.”
“Sorry.” He gestured to his chest. “I was sleeping.”
“Oh, gosh. I’ll come back later.” She turned on her heel. “I wasn’t even thinking of how tired you must be.”
“It’s okay. Let’s just talk now.”
She was holding onto her umbrella like it was trying to get away, and she forced herself to relax her grip. “Okay.”
She followed him to the couch and took a seat, then tucked her hair behind her ear. “I told Greg about us.”
Rafael lifted his chin and sucked in a breath, but said nothing.
Not the reaction I was hoping for.
Melanie bit her lip. “I told him you mean a lot to me.”
“Why did you do that?”
She closed her eyes, then opened them again. She had to get through this conversation, say what she came here to say, and be done with it. If he didn’t want her back, that was his choice.
“Because I can’t be with Greg. Even if I should. Even if it’s the right thing to do. I missed him for so long, and I was so stuck on him, that no matter what I tried to do, I couldn’t seem to get past it. But being there with him, I finally realized I don’t want the same things anymore. I don’t want to be with Greg.” She took a shaking breath in. “Not when I’m in love with you.”
His mouth dropped open and he stared at her.
Melanie felt a deep blush color her cheeks. “I know…I know, you probably don’t feel the same way…”
He reached out and grabbed her arm, pulling her to him. “Say that again.”
“You probably don’t feel the same way.”
He laughed. “No, the other part.”
“I love you.” She smiled. “I never should have tried to go back to Greg. I knew my feelings for him had changed, but I felt so guilty.”
“You tried to do right by him. No one can fault you for that.” He took a deep breath. “Melanie, did you and he…”
She shook her head. “No. Nothing happened. We talked. But I’m still going to be his friend. I hope you can understand that.”
“I do, and I think he needs all the friends he can get right now.”
“He’s not a bad guy, Rafael.”
“If you loved him, I don’t see how he could be.” He pulled her into his arms, holding her there as he leaned back on the couch. “I thought I’d lost you forever, do you know that?”
“I’m sorry.”
He kissed the top of her head. “Please, don’t do it again.” He stroked her arm, and the sensation made her feel like she’d come home after a long, stormy voyage at sea.
“I love you, too, you know.”
She looked up and smiled. “You do?”
He nodded, stroking her hair. “I was living in a shadow, until you came and shined your light in my life. You’ve changed everything for me, and I love you more than I knew I could love anyone. But there’s something you should know.”
“What?”
“It appears I now live with my father.”
She laughed. “Don’t worry, you can always sleep over at my house.”
“Can we go there right now?”
She took in his expression, trying to decide if he was serious. His eyes were dark and hooded, and something deep inside her belly came alive. “My mom doesn’t move out until Friday.”
“I don’t think I can wait until then.”
She kissed his curvy lips, loving the taste of him. “I don’t think you have a choice.”
He rolled her over, pinning her to the couch, and she felt the urgency in his body.
“Rafael?” called his father.
Rafael closed his eyes as Melanie scooted to a sitting position. “Yes?”
“You have any of that minty toothpaste? The kind with the sparkles?”
“No.”
Melanie smiled and stood up. “I’m going to go now.”
“And leave me like this?”
“Yep.” She kissed his nose. “And leave you just like this. Go buy some sparkle toothpaste for your father.”
“You’re killing me.”
She walked to the door.
“The next time you see me, I’m going to be dead,” he said.
Happiness made her steps light as she crossed back through the kitchen. “I love you. I’ll see you at work tomorrow.”
“I love you, too.”
* * *
Melanie walked into the tasting room, and found Doris and Bonnie sitting down on either side of the bar.
“Morning,” said Melanie.
“Blanc de Blancs?” offered Bonnie. “We’re sharing a toast to my imminent departure.”
“It’s ten o’clock in the morning.”
Doris laughed. “We started before nine.”
“Sure, I’ll take a glass.” She sat down with the women. “Congratulations on your trip, Bonnie.”
“I don’t really want to go,” said Bonnie.
“Why not?”
“I like it here, and it’s so final, selling the vineyard. I don’t think it’s necessary at all. And now, with the damage from the fire, we need to rebuild. And we have to try to save this year’s wine. I want to be here for all that, not pass it off to the next person while I get some silly stamp in my passport.”
Melanie sipped her champagne. “Does Edward know?”
Bonnie chuckled. “Of course not. Why would I tell the one person who could change our trajectory?”
Doris refilled Bonnie’s glass. “It’s not too late. Edward loves you. He wouldn’t make you sell if you didn’t want to.”
“But the cancer.” Bonnie shook her head. “It changes everything. You go from a duo with shared purposes to one singular focus. It’s what he wants, what he needs to be happy. Who am I to deny him that pleasure? It could be the last year of his life, for all we know.”
“It could be the last year of any of our lives,” said Doris. “He could outlive you yet.”
“True.”
The bell over the door jingled and Edward walked in. The women exchanged a look.
“Tell him,” whispered Melanie.
Doris talked into her h
and. “If you don’t, you’re never going to get Crescent Moon back again.”
“What are we drinking to, ladies?”
Bonnie turned around on her chair and faced him. “To our upcoming adventures.”
Edward cocked his head. “Then why do you look like you’re about to cry?”
“Oh, it’s no use. I have something to tell you, Edward. Something I should have said long ago. Let’s go somewhere we can talk.”
“You don’t want to sell the vineyard,” he said.
She shook her head. “No, I don’t. This is my home, and it makes me sad just to think about it.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked.
Melanie looked away, wondering if she should leave the room and sharing a glance with Doris.
“It was important to you,” said Bonnie. “I didn’t want to disappoint you.”
“Disappoint me?” He crossed to her. “You could never disappoint me, Bonnie.”
“This is where I want to be, Edward. It’s where I belong. I would go with you around the world and all the way to the moon if that would make you happy, but please don’t make me sell the vineyard.”
“I didn’t think I was forcing you. I don’t want you to anything that would make you unhappy. Rafael tried to tell me you didn’t want this.” He shook his head. “I should have listened.”
“I should have told you myself.”
Edward turned to Doris. “May I have a glass of champagne, too, please?”
She poured him one, finishing the bottle, and he held it up.
“A toast. To seeing things as they really are. For only when we see the truth, can we truly be happy.”
Melanie and Doris raised their glasses as well.
Edward put an arm around Bonnie. “And I still want to go to Belize.”
“We can do that.”
The bell jingled again and Melanie turned to see Rafael walk through the doorway. His stare was intense on her, and instantly reminded her of his desire.
“Rafael,” said Bonnie. “I’m afraid there’s been a change of plans. Edward and I will not be selling the winery after all.”
He tilted his head. “No?”
“No.” She threaded her fingers with her husband’s. “But now that Peter’s gone, I’d like to officially make you the general manager of Crescent Moon. The person we hire to replace him, will report to you.”
A smile spread across Rafael’s face. “Thank you, Bonnie. I’d be honored.”
“You’ve earned it,” she said. “And one day, you will have the chance to buy Crescent Moon again. Have you had a chance to consider what we can do about this year’s wine?”
Rafael put his hands on his hips. “Yes. I made some phone calls, and three local winemakers should be here within the hour to help us decide what to do.”
“Why, that’s wonderful!” said Bonnie.
Rafael moved to Melanie, putting his arm around her shoulders. “It’s all because of Melanie. If it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t know any of these people, and they certainly wouldn’t be coming to our rescue.”
“Here, here,” said Doris, holding up her glass once more, and everyone drank a second toast.
“Together, we can all make this winery the best it’s ever been,” said Doris. “To new beginnings.”
“To new beginnings,” they cheered.
* * *
The first chill of winter was in the air as Melanie got out of Rafael’s truck in the high field at Crescent Moon. “I think you’re out of your mind.”
Rafael took a blanket out of the bed of his truck, along with a large basket. “This is a perfect day for a picnic.”
“For penguins, maybe.”
He spread a big plaid blanket out on the grass and put the basket on it. “It’s at least fifty degrees.”
“Forty-five and windy.”
“You can be a real party pooper, you know that?” he asked with a smile. He walked back to the truck and she settled on the blanket, holding her arms to her chest for warmth. He came back with two sleeping bags and unzipped one, wrapping it around her.
“Man after my own heart,” she said. “Thank you.”
Rafael sat down and opened the basket, pulling out sandwiches, fruit and wine. “We bottled the last of the wine yesterday. It turned out to be a good year. One of Crescent Moon’s best.”
“That’s amazing, if you think about all the horrible things that happened.”
“And the good things, too. I got you to go out with me, finally.”
Melanie smiled. “That alone makes it a really good year.”
“And my father’s back, and he’s doing well. And your mother’s all settled into her new apartment and doing well, too.”
“That reminds me. My sister’s coming to visit next week. It’s going to blow your, ‘Isn’t life grand’ thing right out of the water.”
“Lisa, right?”
Melanie nodded.
“You never told me why you two don’t get along.” Rafael poured her a glass of wine.
“How do I explain this… Lisa always did her own thing. I would do my homework, Lisa would climb out the window and go partying with her friends. We had family game night and Lisa would make other plans. And when she had to be with us, she was miserable. One time we spent a week in a tiny cabin in Rhode Island for vacation, and you would have thought she was being held hostage. She just didn’t seem to like us very much.”
“Why not?”
“I don’t know. There were always a lot of fights when Lisa was around. Lisa and Mom, Lisa and Dad, Lisa and me. I remember when she went to college, I was struck by how peaceful it was without her.” Melanie shook her head. “And Lisa must have thought the same thing, because she never did come back after that.”
“Did she visit?”
“Once or twice for the holidays. She hasn’t been back here in years. She wouldn’t even come for our dad’s funeral, which was the last straw as far as I’m concerned.”
“Why is she coming back now?”
“My mother convinced her to come. I really don’t know why she bothered to invite her, honestly. It’s going to be a debacle.”
Rafael peeled an orange. “Life with my father has taught me how much relationships can change.”
“And I’m happy for you. But Lisa doesn’t care enough about other people to say so, except for maybe Brandy.”
“Brandy the bartender?”
Melanie nodded. “Brandy was Lisa’s friend first. Brandy and I didn’t become friends until after Lisa left town.”
“Do they keep in touch with each other?”
“I don’t know. I never asked.”
“Hmm.” Rafael gave half his orange to Melanie, just as the sun poked through the clouds. “There we go. That’s what I’m talking about,” he said. “I better go for it before that sunshine goes away.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Melanie, do you know why I brought you here?”
She picked up a sandwich and began unwrapping it. “Besides the obvious quest for frostbite?”
He chuckled. “You make me laugh.” He kneeled in front of her. “And I want you to stay with me forever, so you can keep me laughing for the rest of my life.”
“And? Why did you bring me here today?” She bit into her sandwich.
He met her eyes, smiling. “I just told you.”
She stopped chewing. “I don’t understand.”
“Marry me, Melanie.”
Her eyes went wide. She forced herself to finish chewing her food.
“Marry me,” he said. “Make me happy all the days of my life.”
She swallowed. “You’re serious.”
“Oh, yes, I’m very serious.”
She nodded, her head bobbing as her face collapsed into an ugly cry. “Yes, yes, I’ll marry you!”
* * *
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Thank You
For reading Fortune on Moon Lake by Amy Gamet. Reviews at your favorite retailer are always appreciated.
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Dedication
For my husband, Brian, who in many ways worked harder for this book than I did.
Special thanks to Scott Osborn, President and co-owner of Fox Run Vineyards, and Peter Bell, Fox Run’s acclaimed winemaker. Their help made this book possible, and the beautiful Fox Run vineyard inspired the setting for this book.
www.foxrunvineyards.com
Thanks to Amanda Usen for the friendship and editing advice, and to my mother, Dale Richards, for her amazing artistic talent.
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Copyright © 2015 Amy Gamet
License Notes
Copyright © 2015 Amy Gamet
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Chapter 1
Sometimes, you have to take matters into your own hands.
Barbara Addario shifted in her seat, leaning forward to see out the window. Maybe today would be the day her daughter would return.
There was a knock at her door. "Mrs. Addario, it’s Gwen."
"Come in."
A smiling young woman entered, carrying a small tray. "I have your medicine. How are you feeling this morning?"
"Fine." Barbara took the cup of pills from the tray. "I was hoping it would be you this morning."
Gwen smiled. "I thought Elena was your favorite nurse."