by C. M. Owens
I keep waiting for him to acknowledge what I said, because I'm sure as hell not saying it again until he tells me he feels the same. I'm so stupid for letting my emotions run free. I rushed this. What was I thinking?
"I mean it, Raya," he breathlessly releases.
He means what?
"Hmm?"
I'm almost scared to move my lips after my accidental slip. I don't trust my mouth to say the right things.
"I want you to stay here. I don't want you leaving at the beginning of the semester."
That's a long way away. So he's not freaked out by my confession... I guess.
I smile, though it's weighted. We're apparently not going to address what I said. It's fine. He needs more time. That's completely understandable. So why do I feel a little hurt?
"I won't leave," I say without thinking. That's not a promise I should be making.
"Good. Now how the hell am I supposed to drive to the vineyard after that?"
I giggle when the conversation lightens, and he smiles while lifting his head to kiss me. Those blue eyes will haunt me forever if this doesn't work. I really do love him. I can wait on him to feel the same.
With the top down, I was forced to wind my hair up on my head to keep it from beating me to death on the way here. I love Kade's convertibles, but they wreak havoc on a girl who doesn't have short hair.
"So... this is it," he says as we pull in.
His grin is ridiculously huge. He's excited... very excited. I don't know if I've ever seen him so giddy about anything.
"Colton Wines?" I ask when I read the sign. "This is your family's?"
He nods, letting his grin grow bigger. "My grandfather's. My dad's dad."
I look around at the enormous vineyard that stretches on farther than I can see. My mouth falls open. This is where Paul Colton came from? And they thought he was poor? Shit. They must think I live in the gutter.
"So not what I was expecting, considering the way everyone has depicted father's upbringing."
He laughs as we idly make our way down the hellacious long drive.
"It wasn't like this when Dad lived here. My grandfather owned the land, but he hadn't planted on all of it. He didn't have the manpower he needed back then, and he didn't have the funds to make his dreams come true.
"Granddad sold wine that should have been worshipped, but he was a small businessman with few clients, so the prices were extremely low. This land is so fertile that it's ridiculous, and he found the gem others overlooked. But he couldn't capitalize. Mom and Dad changed that.
"When Dad met Mom, he brought her a bottle of wine, not really thinking about it being something so fabulous it would change Colton Farms - the name at the time - forever. Granddad made more money off tomatoes and cabbage than he did on wine before that day.
"Mom was amazed, and she accused Dad of spending too much money on wine when she knew he couldn't afford it. She didn't want him trying to impress her. When he explained it was from his dad's farm, she was shocked. She came out, brought her parents, and then from there... Colton Wines became a brand in every rich household.
"Most people don't associate it with Dad because he's the fashion capitalist. Dad loves this place, but he loves the challenge the world of fashion presents more. He has to stay on his toes to keep one step ahead, and he loves it. The vineyard is a lot of work, but it's not really a competitive edge sort of thing... at least not with my granddad's wine.
"It's the best. There's no competing. If you don't have his wine at a function, people snub you. They've gotten spoiled. More pride and heart goes into the bottles than people will ever know. That's what makes it so good."
I've never seen him so excited to talk about anything. He's like a child on Christmas right now. Then it dawns on me. How did I miss this?
"This is the business you'll be taking over?" I ask, not really meaning for it to be a question.
"Yep. People assume I'll be taking over Burndell Industries, but I could care less about all that boring shit. This... this is me. It's my home. When I came out here as a kid, I couldn't get enough of the farm. Granddad taught me about the grapes, the lands, and the farming portion of the business. The older I got, the more I came out here. I'm here once a week usually. It's been a little longer since I came out here... since I haven't been able to tear myself away from you since you moved in."
His smile makes my heart flutter, and he pulls my hand to his lips to kiss it just before we stop in front of a beautiful chalet sort of home. There are windows lining every wall, and each bit of rich cedar only adds to the appeal. It's so perfect.
"Wow," I murmur as he steps out of the car.
He takes quick strides to my side to open the door for me, and then he helps me out while I gape at the beauty surrounding me.
With it being the off season, the grapes aren't in bloom, but everything is still... amazing. I can only imagine what it'll look like when the grapes are dripping over the large fences built for their clingy vines.
The wrap-around porch has hand-carved rocking chairs that look so inviting. This is so peaceful. I can picture Kade here. So much about him makes sense now. He loves this place. I don't know that I've ever seen him love anything.
"There's my boy," a raspy voice announces, drawing my attention.
Kade grins as he leaves my side to head over to the older man who doesn't seem to have a problem getting around. I've seen Kade with his mother - stiff hugs, soft smiles, and polite gestures. I've seen him with his father - no physical contact, stale conversation, and the same polite gestures. With his grandfather, he greets him with a real, genuine hug, a warm, incredible smile, and a carefree abandon that makes me tingle.
It's like he's a different person here. I already loved him. I don't know if I can be around him here for very long. I may very well ask him to marry me. He's so happy right now - so real and unguarded.
His grandfather claps his back as the embrace ends, and he lets his eyes find me before letting out a low whistle. "How the hell did you convince a pretty girl like that to ride out here with you?" he teases, making Kade laugh as he jogs back toward me.
He laces our fingers together as he starts tugging me toward the man who is grinning at our connection.
"Granddad, this is Raya Capperton. Raya, this is my grandfather, Thomas Colton."
"That's the best you can do?" Thomas pokes. "You're supposed to introduce her as who she is to you as well. That's how it works. Friend? Girlfriend? Fiancée? Wife?"
I laugh as Kade rolls his eyes. "You'd know it if I got married. This is my... girlfriend?" he says, sounding more like it's a question.
"Are you asking or telling?" Thomas prods, making Kade laugh nervously and squirm uncomfortably.
"I suppose... telling?" he asks again.
I'm not used to seeing Kade so nervous. Is it me or his grandfather that's making him act so awkward?
"I swear, boy. If you have a girl that looks like her, you say 'girlfriend.' You don't stumble around like an idiot who's waiting on her to clarify. Be a man."
I burst out laughing when Kade turns red and shakes his head.
"Be a man," I tease, poking at him while I have the chance.
"Don't encourage him," he groans, making both me and Thomas laugh louder.
He leans over and kisses me lightly on the lips, making my smile grow. He's different with me in front of his grandfather than he is with me in front of his parents. He doesn't ignore me by any means, but during our stay in Aspen, he only acted this affectionate when they weren't around.
I didn't expect him to maul me in front of his parents, but I thought it'd be different. He's not the same in front of them. He's a different person most of the time. He keeps some fences up, as though he has to separate different parts of his life. I'm glad he's not that way when it's just the two of us.
"Come on in. Show her around."
We walk into the enormous building that is loaded with wine bottles, beautiful fruits and vegetables, and numer
ous jarred goodies. It's like a colorful explosion of tasty treats. I'm almost salivating.
Wine glasses hang in various places, adding elegance and function - considering the wine-tastings. A cedar staircase leads to a loft that has a view to overlook the vineyard. It's breathtaking, all of it.
It's spacious, and despite the built-in wine racks, it's not cluttered. The counter at the front reminds me of an old malt shop; not a fancy wine place. Each room holds a new selection of wines. Glamorous signs hang to explain the different tastes, awards won, and foods the wines best complement.
Even a rookie like me could walk in and find the right wine. I'm amazed at the range in prices. Some sell for a hundred dollars, and some sell for ten thousand. I tuck my hands in the pockets of my jeans to keep from accidentally breaking something I can't afford.
"You good?" Kade asks, running his fingers through my hair.
"Paranoid," I murmur as I back away from a Merlot that screams expensive.
He chuckles lightly. "If you break something, I'll try to talk to the owner about giving you a pass. We're pretty close."
I shake my head while letting a small laugh free. My hands aren't coming out of my pockets.
"The Merlot is my favorite. They said Napa was the best for the grapes, but there are plenty of clay spots here that are perfect for growing the Merlot grapes."
He's so cute when he's excited.
I knew he was a wine connoisseur, but I didn't realize why until now.
"Cabernet?" I muse, offering him a chance to tutor me more.
"Ah, red wine. Yes. The Cabernet actually dethroned burgundy in the mid-1960s. By the late 1980s, Cabernet was the generic term used for red wine."
From there, he lectures me on all the origins of the wines. Each time he speaks about a new grape or different fermenting process, his eyes light up. This really is his niche. It makes me want to study up on every wine just so I can be a part of his passion.
"I need to go check on a large order we're supposed to ship out tomorrow. Care to hang out for a minute?"
I smile and nod as he kisses my cheek before rushing off to play Mr. Important.
"He's a go-getter, that one," Thomas says from behind me, startling me a bit.
"I've never seen him so happy."
He smiles as he moves around the room with his hands behind his back. "That's funny, because his parents told me the same thing - after seeing him spend a week with you in Aspen a few weeks ago."
The crazy flutter returns to my heart.
"Come on, blushing girl. Let's show you the good stuff."
I grin bashfully as I follow him to a large stairwell that leads underground. We're going to a basement?
"The wine cellar and all the good stuff is this way."
He smiles up at me once before returning his view to the stairs. My mouth tries to drop open. It's massive down here, and it doesn't look anything like a basement.
Tuscany thrives in this underground paradise. It almost looks like the pictures I've seen of Italy with all the stucco surfaces, warm cobblestone-inspired floors, and the art that hangs proudly helps the feel as well. Then the barrels catch my eyes.
There are at least thirty barrels on one wall, and then there are at least thirty in the middle, creating aisles to walk down. Large stainless-steel containers descend from the ceiling with numerous dials and instruments on them.
"What are the barrels for?" I ask, curious.
"Fermenting the wine. It takes several weeks to do it in the oak barrels, but it's well worth the wait. The taste is so much purer. These big bastards speed it up, but it kills the best flavor," he says, pointing toward the stainless-steel containers. "This was Margaret's project. She wanted mass production for the lower-cost wines. The high-dollar stuff comes from the barrels. I don't know. I never did this for the money. I did it for the love of my land and the love of the plants. But I enjoy the fact more people get to enjoy the stuff."
"I was expecting you to be a poor man, and then we got here... I was surprised."
He chuckles. "I've been many things in my life, Raya, but never poor. I may not have had a whole lot of money, but I had a woman most men would cut their heart out for, a son no man could be prouder of, a grandson I couldn't have imagined would be so amazing, and a life most would envy. I've always been a rich man, Raya. Always."
I must be hormonal or something, because tears well up in my eyes. That was beautiful.
"When this place started going crazy with business, I decided to set up a trust fund for Kade. I knew his other grandparents and his parents were perfectly capable of such, but I only needed a little money to survive on. I didn't care for the excess of it. I also wanted Kade to start out life easier, hoping he wouldn't have to work so hard like I did; like his father did. But that boy is going to outwork us both, I believe. He never slows down. I think the profits have tripled in just a couple years' time because he has marketed the place so much. You'd think he was already in charge."
The twinkle of pride in his eyes is unmistakable. I can't stop grinning, because I love how amazed and heartfelt he speaks about Kade.
"Here, look at this." He motions to a selection of wine on a special rack. Each bottle is tagged differently than the others.
My grin almost splits my face when I see what it says.
"Kade's Pride," I read aloud, careful not to touch the bottle. "Kade's Touch. Kade's Luck." There are so many, and I smile as I read some silently.
"That's the year he was born. Those were the best the grapes ever produced. To this day, those have been the best wines I've ever tasted. All of them. White, red, dry, sweet... Everything turned out amazing that year. It was like I was doubly blessed with a grandson and a thriving vineyard."
He picks up a Merlot and holds it out to me - the one that said "Kade's Pride."
"This one is the best out of all of them. It's special because it's one of the two I have left. I... I want you to have it. Save it for a special occasion."
My eyes widen in disbelief, and I take a step back, refusing to touch the bottle that holds more sentiment than the ridiculous price. "I can't. I couldn't possibly. Thank you so much for even offering, but I can't."
His grin grows as he pushes it toward me again.
"I've waited on the day when Kade would drive up with a girl in his car, holding her hand, and sharing this with her. Until today, that's never happened. You're special to him, and that makes you special to me. Take this. Put it up somewhere until you find the perfect day to pour it."
He's lost his mind.
"Please don't make me, Mr. Colton. I'd feel terrible."
"Terrible?" he laughs. "Girl, you don't understand. I may not ever get this chance again. Kade took his sweet time bringing a girl around here. I could be ninety before it happens again. I'd rather this thing be in the hands of someone now so I can quit worrying about what happens to it."
I laugh a little, and for no real good reason, a small tear falls from my eye as I stare down at the bottle in his hands. I slowly reach up to take it, careful to be gentle, and then I cradle it to my chest as though it's an infant.
A proud grin spreads over his face as his lip trembles, and unshed tears glisten in his eyes as he studies me intently.
"I'll be damned. You're in love with him. That's perfect."
How did he know?
I wipe my eyes, laugh, and sniffle all at once, while keeping the wine tucked close to me.
"I'd rather you didn't go announcing that to him," I mumble, making him laugh again as his eyes continue to water.
"You have no idea how happy it makes me to hear someone loves my boy. This is all going to be his one day. In fact, I originally had Paul deeded parts of the property, but Kade has proven himself, so I had a new will drafted just yesterday. I plan on keeping it a secret and surprising Kade with it in a few months."
I start to say something else, but the ancient relic of a phone on the wall rings loudly, drawing his attention. I glance around at the othe
r bottles in the room, amazed at all the hard work that has to be done to produce wine.
A picture catches my attention next. It piques my curiosity because of the fact it's a fraction of a centimeter off the wall. It's hiding a secret. I know hidden secrets.
With his back turned, he doesn't see me when I tilt the picture out to take a look behind it. The Annex Goliath safe. Unbelievable. I know that safe because Annex is my father's old cohort in crime. He turned over a new leaf and started designing unbreakable safes. I find humor in the fact a con is keeping Kade's grandfather's secret treasures safe.
I let the picture fall back into place, and I turn to face Thomas just as he hangs up the phone. He smiles at me, but it's weak. I'm not sure what just happened during that call, but it has dampened his spirits.
"Come on. Let's go find Kade. I'm sure he's already sold half my stock by now. The boy needs a life, and you're the right woman for the job."
I chuckle lightly and follow him.
"So is this where all the wine is fermented?" I ask, hoping to bring back his real smile.
"No, dear," he chuckles out. "This is just where I make my favorites. There are two other buildings on the property designed just for fermenting. Several men work the fields, and my manager oversees the production."
As we top the stairs, a guy with salt-and-pepper hair walks across the room while holding a clipboard. He looks to be mid-forties, and his goatee matches his time-dusted hair.
"Well, speak of the devil," Thomas says with a grin.
The man looks up and smiles at both of us, letting the clipboard drop to his side as he clutches it with one hand. "Thomas, you have a guest."
"This is Raya. She's dating Kade."
"It's about time that boy made time for something other than this place."
Thomas chuckles. "You're one to talk."
"I'm old," he jokes. "I'm supposed to be wrapped up in work."
Thomas turns to me and holds a hand out to gesture to the guy. "This is Harry Talbot, my manager. He keeps the place running like a well-oiled machine."
I shake his hand just as Kade walks in with a balding man who is half Kade's height. Well, maybe not half, but he's short... very short. Especially compared to Kade.