by Jane Graves
He had more to say to her. So much more. But right now she needed to rest, and he needed to help Daniel get as many grapes processed as he absolutely could. He was going back outside to finish what he should have started, because this place was his future. Nina and Daniel might be part owners, but Cordero Vineyards was his responsibility, now and forever.
And he never wanted it any other way.
Chapter 20
Three hours later, Marc and Daniel came back into the kitchen. Marc grabbed two dish towels out of a drawer and tossed one of them to Daniel. They rubbed the excess rainwater off themselves and collapsed at the table. Marc had sent Nina and Angela back to the house an hour ago. Nina wanted to drive home, but with the storm still raging, Marc insisted she stay the night. She and Angela were probably already asleep in Angela’s room upstairs.
“You look like shit,” Daniel said.
“That’s because I feel like shit,” Marc said. “You don’t look so hot yourself.”
“That’s because harvest sucks. Particularly when you’re doing part of it in the rain.” Daniel sighed. “Okay. Let me have it.”
“Let you have what?”
“Oh, come on. You’re not letting this one go by. Just say it. If I’d harvested when I should have, this wouldn’t have happened. And you’re right.”
“Maybe you were right,” Marc said. “Maybe the grapes needed another week on the vine.”
“But the storm—”
“You couldn’t have seen that coming. At least you got things moving when it looked as if rain was on its way.”
“Yeah, well…”
“What?”
He rubbed his hand over his chin, staring at the tabletop. Then he looked up at Marc. “That wasn’t me. I wasn’t the one who decided we needed to try to harvest with or without a crew.”
“Then who was?”
“Kari.”
Marc blinked with surprise. “What?”
“I was ready to give up. She wasn’t. I found out the rain was coming, and I just sat there like an idiot. She’s the one who kicked everything into action. If not for her, the crop would have been ruined.”
Marc would have liked to have said he was surprised, but was he really? That little piece of dandelion fluff was tougher than he ever gave her credit for.
“You’ve always made the hard decisions,” Daniel said. “I’ve always depended on you for that, mostly because you’re always right. So I’m going to listen to you from now on. Do things your way. I’m going to run this place the way it should be run, the way it’s always been run. We had a deal, and by God, I’m going to live up to my end of the bargain.”
“No, you’re not.”
Daniel blinked. “What?”
“This isn’t the place for you. It never was.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You can leave Rainbow Valley anytime you’re ready. Because I’m staying.”
Daniel shook his head, as if Marc’s words didn’t compute. “Wait a minute. I don’t get this. You spend years telling me you want out of here, and now suddenly you don’t?”
Marc reached into the bag he’d taken on his trip. He pulled out the ultrasound photo and tossed it on the table in front of Daniel.
“What’s this?” Daniel asked, and then his eyes grew wide. He flicked his gaze to Marc. “Dude. You gotta be kidding me.”
“I’m going to be a father again.”
Daniel’s face fell. “Oh, crap.”
“No. This is good.”
“Good? How can it be good? I thought you were gung ho about getting off the daddy track.”
“I was.” He took the photo from Daniel and looked at it again, and he couldn’t stop the smile that crossed his lips. “Then I met Kari.”
“So you’re staying in Rainbow Valley?”
“Uh-huh.”
“And Kari is, too?”
“Yep.”
“That’s what you want? To stay here and raise a baby?”
“That’s what I want.”
Daniel shook his head. “Holy crap. I sure didn’t expect this. You must really be crazy about her.”
“You have no idea.”
“Well, thank God she’s staying. You’re not nearly as much of a stick-in-the-mud when she’s around.”
Marc shook his head. “I’m so glad to be getting rid of you.”
Daniel grinned. “I’ll be coming back just to irritate you. And to see my new…niece? Nephew?”
“Too soon to tell.”
“This is crazy,” Daniel said. “So have you told Angela?”
“Not yet.”
“How do you suppose she’s going to feel about this?”
“I don’t know. We haven’t had a chance to talk yet. I’m sure she’s upstairs asleep by now.”
“So how’s she feeling about college?”
“As far as I know, she’s still there. And if I have anything to say about it, she’ll stay there. So that means my finances are going to be pretty tight for some time to come.”
“For God’s sake, Marc! I told you I could fix that problem. Pay her tuition. But if you refuse to even consider—”
“Thanks for the offer. I accept.”
Daniel looked at him with surprise. “Seriously?”
“Seriously.”
A smile lit Daniel’s face. “I’ll transfer the money first thing in the morning. How much? Twenty grand? Fifty? I haven’t kept up with college tuition, so I have no idea—”
“She’ll likely end up in vet school. That alone will be at least one Porsche. Sorry you offered?”
“Nope. I’ll make it a hundred.”
“We can work it out later.”
“And if that’s not enough—”
“Will you shut up? I told you we can work it out later.”
Daniel gave him a satisfied smile. “I’m going to hold you to that.” He rose from his chair. “I’m heading to the cottage. Don’t wake me for the next two days.”
“Nope. We have some cleanup work to do tomorrow.”
“I thought you said I could leave whenever I was ready.”
“That’s right. And you’re not ready.”
“That’s funny. I swore I was.” He sighed. “Fine. I’ll be there.”
He was halfway out the door when Marc called out to him, “Just so you’ll know, the condoms in the dresser are expired. Don’t use them unless you’re ready to be a father.”
Daniel winced. “Thanks for the heads-up. I’ll be burning those in the morning.”
As Daniel left the house, Marc headed for his bedroom to take a quick shower. Then he climbed into bed beside Kari and gave her a gentle kiss. She stirred a little, then was still again. She was a mess from head to toe, but he didn’t care about that. All he cared about was that she was warm and safe and their baby was, too, and that all of them were home to stay.
The next morning, Marc left Kari sleeping and went to the kitchen, where he found Sasha on her refrigerator perch and Angela starting a pot of coffee. She wore a pair of cotton pajama pants with kittens all over them and a ragged Rainbow Valley Animal Shelter T-shirt. With her dark hair tucked behind her ears, bare feet, and sleepy eyes, he could almost make himself believe she was still only ten years old.
“Is Aunt Nina still asleep?” Marc asked.
“Yeah. She’s sleeping just fine. And if she didn’t snore like a freight train, I probably would be, too.”
Marc smiled. “When did you start drinking coffee?”
“Since I started pulling all-nighters to study for tests. UT is a little harder than Rainbow Valley High.”
She grabbed another cup from the cabinet and set it on the counter, and they stood by, waiting for the coffee to brew.
“Speaking of college,” Angela said, “I need to talk to you about that.”
“Angela—”
“Dad—”
“No, listen to me,” he said. “Your problems at UT will pass. You’re too smart and too nice to be with
out friends for long. There are fifty thousand kids there. There are bound to be at least a few you fit in with.”
“No. I don’t want to stay there.”
“You’re just not thinking this through.”
“No. I have thought about it. I don’t like it there. It’s just so big. It seems like there are more kids in my freshman chemistry class than live in this whole town.” She sighed. “Dad, I just can’t do it.”
Marc felt the most profound sense of disappointment. He’d always seen college as the pinnacle—the thing he was supposed to shoot for with his daughter. And now she was telling him she didn’t want what he’d struggled so hard for her to have. But what was he going to do? Demand that she do something she hated?
He sighed. “Okay. If that’s the way you feel about it. I don’t want you to be miserable.”
“But I’ve been checking into something else.”
“What?”
“Now, don’t freak out when I tell you this.”
“I won’t freak out,” he said, knowing it was still a distinct possibility.
“I was thinking maybe I’d go to junior college for two years.”
“Junior college?”
“Now, just listen, okay? There’s one in Waymark. It’s a lot smaller than UT. I can get a two-year degree as a vet tech. Then if I decide I want to transfer to UT and get my pre-vet classes, what better thing to have? But if I decide to stop, at least I’ll have a degree with a skill that’ll translate into getting a job in a field I already know I like.”
Marc blinked with surprise. That actually made sense.
“I can either get an apartment in Waymark, or I can live here and commute.” Angela took a deep breath and let it out. “So what do you think?”
“Are you sure you wouldn’t rather transfer to another four-year college?”
“That would probably mean moving to Dallas or Houston, and they’re even farther away from Rainbow Valley.”
“Most kids your age can’t wait to get away.”
“I know. Maybe I’ll feel that way some day. But for now,” she said with a shrug, “I think I’d like to stick close to home.”
As disappointed as Marc had felt before, that was how good he felt now. He couldn’t say he hated the thought of having his daughter around a little longer. “I think that’s a really good solution. How did you come up with that?”
“You taught me to take care of my own problems, didn’t you?”
“So you were actually listening all that time?”
“Like I’ve ever been able to tune you out?”
Kari had been right. Things really did have a way of working themselves out.
“Where’s Kari?” Angela asked.
“Still asleep.”
“I don’t doubt it. She worked really hard yesterday.”
“You look a little tired yourself.”
“Yeah, but I’ve done it before. She hasn’t. Most people would quit after fifteen minutes, but she didn’t.” Angela sighed. “I’m sorry I treated her the way I did. It’s just weird for me. You know. The two of you.” She paused, staring at her hands. The coffeepot hissed and gurgled. Then she looked up. “Do you love her?”
The question hung in the air for several seconds while Marc made sure he could answer without his voice choking up. It was official. Kari had turned him into a total sap, and he didn’t even care.
“Yeah,” he said. “I do.”
“Okay. If she makes you happy, she makes me happy.”
Marc was ecstatic to hear those words. “I’m glad you’ve decided you like her.”
“I never really didn’t like her. I’ve just never had to share you with anybody. That takes a little getting used to, you know?”
“I know. So I hate to tell you that the sharing thing is getting ready to happen again.”
Angela blinked. “What do you mean?”
“There’s a reason Kari is so worn out. She hasn’t been feeling too well lately.”
“Is she sick?”
“Not exactly.” Marc took a breath. “How do you feel about becoming a big sister?”
She looked at him dumbly. Then all at once a look of total disbelief came over her face. “A baby? That’s the deal? You guys are having a baby?”
Marc nodded.
“Is that why she looked so sick out there? I thought she just wasn’t used to picking grapes.”
“Nope. Morning sickness. But that’s supposed to get better with time.”
“So you’re good with it?” Angela said carefully. “It’s okay?”
“Yeah,” he said with a smile. “It’s okay.”
“Oh, my God. I don’t believe it! Wait. So does this mean you’re staying in Rainbow Valley?”
“That’s right.”
“Are you really good with that? That’s okay, too?”
“That’s okay, too.”
Angela squealed and leaped into his arms. He caught her midair and spun her around. As he set her down, she whispered, “I love you, Dad,” into his ear, and he whispered that he loved her, too.
Kari appeared at the doorway. Still in Marc’s arms, Angela turned around and smiled. “Kari! You’re up. Dad told me about the baby.”
Kari’s smile slipped away. She flicked a questioning gaze to Marc. But before he could say anything, Angela held out her hand to Kari.
Kari paused only a moment before hobbling over, and Marc enveloped both of them in a warm embrace. He figured Kari had never had a family hug, which probably explained why he could see her trying really hard not to cry. But sooner or later she’d have to get used to it, because this was the way it was going to be from now on. He never intended to stop closing his arms around the people he loved.
A few days later, Marc and Kari sat on the deck, watching as a stunning red-orange sunset gave way to a star-sprinkled sky. Sasha took up her perch on the windowsill, backlit by the kitchen light and sitting still as stone, looking like an Egyptian statue of a goddess in a cat’s body. Brandy followed Boo around the yard, wearing a doggy smile of total delight. The moon cast a warm glow across the empty vines, and Marc could already imagine what they were going to look like next fall, heavy with grapes that were bursting with juice.
“It’s beautiful even without the grapes,” Kari said. “But I can’t wait for spring.”
Neither could Marc. Spring was the season of new life. By then Kari would be only weeks away from having their baby. He couldn’t wait. He was already a father, and he was damned good at it. But having Kari to share things with this time was going to change everything.
He took a sip of wine, resisting the urge to pick up his phone and check the weather. Once harvest was over, it didn’t matter so much. It wasn’t until next season that he needed to be on alert again. Instead, he found his mind moving from one part of his life to another, one member of his family to another.
Angela was going to work at the animal shelter until she began junior college in the spring, which Shannon and Luke were thrilled about. Tomorrow Daniel was hopping into his little red Porsche to go wherever life took him, probably straight down the road to his next million. Then Marc thought about Nina and felt a twinge of uneasiness.
“I’m a little worried about Nina,” he said.
“Don’t be,” Kari said. “She’ll be fine.”
“Maybe. But she still misses Curtis. I wish I could do something.”
“You don’t have to do anything. Just be there in case she needs you.”
“I like to be a little more proactive than that.”
“You don’t need to be. When you make somebody yours, they know they never have to worry about facing anything alone ever again. Nina. Daniel. Angela. Even if they never need you again, they can live their lives with all the confidence in the world.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re their safety net. And mine, too.” Kari slid her hand over his. “Gus told me the good Lord was watching out for me by bringing me to your doorstep. There are angels on t
his earth, Marc. You’re one of them. You’re a big, handsome, hardheaded angel, and anybody would be better off for having known you. You don’t even know how important you are to the people you love.”
He was finally figuring it out. But that wasn’t the revelation that surprised him the most. What surprised him was how much he needed the feeling of being needed. It had worked its way inside him until it had become an inextricable part of who he was. When he thought about how ready he’d been to walk away from all this, thinking he’d find something better out there, it scared the hell out of him.
“You have a safety net, too,” Kari said.
“I do?”
Her eyes glistened with tears. “Yeah. Me.”
Marc turned his hand over and grasped hers, loving her more with every moment that passed.
“I can be there for you every day of your life,” she told him. “Pick up the slack when things get too hard for you. I’ll never leave you, Marc. Never.”
Marc was living a dream he didn’t even know he had inside him, a dream he’d buried so deeply after Nicole left that it had taken until now for it to see the light of day. The dream of having a woman in his life, one who woke with him in the morning and went to bed with him at night, who brightened his life in ways he never could have imagined. Just seeing that mischievous look in her eyes when she dragged him to the bedroom, or watching her dance in the kitchen to that god-awful music, or seeing that goofy pink streak in her hair made him feel as if he was young again, as if everything he’d ever missed by becoming a father at age seventeen he was experiencing now.
Kari blinked, and a tear rolled down her cheek. “Am I yours?”
He leaned over and gave her a kiss, then brushed the tear from her face with his thumb. “You were mine the moment you showed up at my door that stormy night.”
And because she was his, he figured it was about time the whole world knew it.
“You know I’m not good at this stuff,” he told her, “so I’ll get straight to the point.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a black velvet box. When he opened it and she saw the ring, her mouth fell open.