“It is true, Zio Edoardo,” Julietta said. “I didn’t believe it either.”
“Well, maybe not.” Edoardo sighed. “What is done is done.”
“How is Donna?” Sofia asked.
“She is all right. She said she was relieved it was over,” Julietta said and hugged her. “She hopes you are not going to leave because of this. She likes you. We all love you.”
“Yes.” Edoardo gave her one of his rare smiles. “In spite of everything, I am glad you are here with us. I hope you will stay and help with the blending.” He put his hand on Sofia’s shoulder. “Thanks to your family, your father, we are here today on this estate.”
“Thank you.” Sofia was touched by his kindness and warmth. “I hope your father will get the psychological treatment he needs.”
“We hope so too. Time will tell. But I think it is time we did some work.”
They jumped down from the flatbed truck and walked to the field where a lot of workers were busy picking grapes. While Edoardo went up to speak to the foreman, Sofia and Julietta grabbed their shears and began cutting off the clusters of grapes.
A smiled teased Sofia’s lips. For the first time in weeks, she felt at home again in this environment. She waved at Nicholas who was helping to load the full plastic crates with the picked grapes onto the truck. He threw her a kiss.
In the evening, Sofia joined the other helpers and Nicholas, who sat around one of the outside fireplaces, drinking lemonade and wine, sharing some appetizers—nuts, olives, and cheese. With the crimes solved and the suspicions gone, everybody relaxed. The mood was friendly and warm again. People talked openly about the situation and expressed their sadness and outrage about Umberto’s and Silvio Santucci’s attempt to hurt or even kill Sofia.
Most of them thought of the men as a little odd and unpredictable but would have never suspected them of being outright criminals. A few of the workers spoke broken English, but Sofia tried to answer in Italian as much as possible. She and Julietta had been practicing together. Sofia was able to understand the general gist of a conversation, as long as the speakers didn’t talk too fast or, what was worse, in a local dialect. She noticed, however, that they made a real effort to include her in their conversations. Nicholas, who knew Italian fluently, translated for her.
One of the men, a teacher from a nearby town, played his guitar and soon everyone was singing. Sofia who didn’t know the words to the songs hummed the melodies. She shared a blanket with Nicholas who had wrapped his arm around her. She leaned against his shoulder, feeling the warmth of his body. They watched as the sun disappeared, leaving a strip of crimson on the horizon, and Sofia felt more joyful than she had in a long time.
The October evening air got cool quickly. Sofia pulled her jacket closer and Nicholas hugged her tighter. “Getting cold?”
“A little.” She tried to find a good opportunity to invite him home without being too obvious. He didn’t seem to have the same qualms.
“I would love to watch the sunset from your home,” he said, kissing the corner of her mouth.
“Then let’s go,” she said with a smile.
The last purplish hues on the fields faded. The light breeze brought a scent of lavender. Nicholas and Sofia stood outside on the patio, their arms around each other. Nicholas gently traced his fingers over Sofia’s jawline, which sent ripples of desire through her. Her heart was thumping. She bent her head back to look at the sky. “Have you noticed how much brighter the stars are in Tuscany than in California?”
She didn’t really mean to say that but she was nervous. It’d been several years since she’d made love to a man. She’d been twenty-two when she and James divorced after their failed marriage of barely three years.
Nicholas raised an eyebrow and chuckled. “I guess it’s because there aren’t any big cities nearby. City lights dim the glow from the stars,” he responded to her remark. He let his hand softly glide down her back, then kissed her earlobe. A moan of pleasure escaped her.
“Come,” he said and lead her inside.
They didn’t make love in the bed upstairs. Instead they were lying down on a thick throw-rug next to the floor-length patio door. They had left one of the windows ajar and the honey-sweet fragrance of a patch of gardenias drifted from the corner of the patio. Nicholas was gentle but intense, lapping her skin with his tongue and filling her with heat, and Sofia knew she’d been given another chance at love.
Later, Nicholas lit the wood in the fire place. The dried-out branches almost exploded and the flames shot up, then nestled more gently around the logs. They drank a glass of Sofia’s estate wine and made love again. Toward morning, they went upstairs to rest for a few hours.
As Sofia was succumbing to sleep, her father’s face flashed up before her eyes. She was sure he’d been smiling. He must approve of Nicholas.
Chapter 43
When Sofia woke up, the bed next to her was empty. For a second, she was afraid Nicholas left. A moment later, she smiled as she inhaled the smell of coffee. Nicholas brought two cups, which he put on the nightstand.
“Coffee in bed, what a treat,” Sofia said, sitting up.
“That way you don’t have to get up.” Nicholas handed her a cup and took a sip from his. After letting her drink a little, he put both cups on the nightstand. He slipped into bed again and kissed her breasts, tracing a line from her chest to her abdomen with his fingers.
They had breakfast on the patio. It was a warm October Sunday and the estate was quiet with everyone taking the day off.
“I just realized something,” Sofia said as she bit into a piece of white bread slathered with butter and jam.
“What is it?” Nicholas asked.
Sofia swallowed. “I don’t even know your last name. I can’t believe I never asked. Just goes to show how involved I was with my own stuff.”
Nicholas smiled mischievously. “You mean to say you slept with a man whose name you don’t even know?”
Sofia grinned. “Terrible, isn’t it. So what is your last name?”
Nicholas hesitated and sipped his coffee. “Well, my full name is Nicholas Roberto Segantino.”
Sofia stared at him. “You mean … from the Segantino winery?”
“Yes,” Nicholas said. He blushed a little. “One of the early Italian immigrant families.”
“Wow, they are big from what I heard,” Sofia said. “Why did you never tell me?” Sofia tried to wrap her mind around the fact that she had been working and associating with a member of one of California’s famous early winemakers and vintners.
“Well, you never asked. And, besides, I don’t like to mention it. First of all, I’m a student of winemaking in Tuscany and I don’t like to brag about my family’s name. Besides, I’m not exactly one of the ‘chosen few’ of the family.”
“Meaning what?” Sofia asked.
Nicholas shrugged. “My father assumed all his children, meaning my brother, my sister, and I, would in one way or the other go into the business of winemaking. Since I am the oldest, he expected me to take over the family estate. But I had other plans and this was a big disappointment for him.”
“Oh? Why?”
“Well, for one thing I wanted to learn as much as I could about winemaking and not just from my family. I wanted to study in other places. My father was okay with this but he expected me to come back once my schooling was done and run the family business together with him until he was ready to retire. I didn’t do this.”
“Why not?”
“My family’s estate is too large for me. It has grown so much that my father seems to do everything but grow vines and produce wine. He constantly travels, takes part in prestigious contests, spends an enormous amount of money on advertising and all kinds of entertainment for the visitors. A few years ago, he installed a huge real underground cellar. It’s beautiful but in my opinion it doesn’t make the winemaking process any easier or better. It’s more of a show piece for tourists.” Nicholas took a deep breath.
“It sounds a little what my father and his friends had up at the Russian river. Very functional, nothing fancy, but from what I heard, they made pretty good wine,” Sofia said.
“Yes, exactly,” Nicholas continued. “But my grandfather realized that my father had big plans and that by being so old-school, he was holding him back. So he split the estate. My grandfather kept the old winery and three of the vineyards with the Italian varietals for himself and handed the rest over to my father.”
“That’s generous of your grandfather,” Sofia said.
“Well, he knew that there would be tension between him and my dad with their different approaches. I think he was smart. He still works his three fields and produces some excellent wine. I like his approach. In fact, I get along better with my grandfather than with my father, at least when it comes to winemaking.”
Nicholas brushed his hand through his hair. “I work with him taking care of his vineyards. He also told me he would hand the fields over to me as soon as I was ready to be on my own.”
“That sounds great,” Sofia said.
“Eventually, I would like to buy the land next to it for a fourth varietal, not sure yet what. Most likely Zinfandel.”
“How is your relationship with your father now?” Sofia asked.
Nicholas shrugged. “Fine, in general. My father is still a little resentful, but I hope he’ll get used to me being my own person. He finally accepted the fact that he had to find another heir for the estate and now my younger brother and sister are running it together with my father and will take over once he is ready to retire. I’m happy about this. That way, the estate remains in the family.
“I admire my father. He has a lot of courage and he taught me a lot and he will always be one of my important mentors.”
Sofia felt Nicholas’s enthusiasm and it spurred her own passion. “I look forward to working with you, Nicholas.”
He bent over to kiss her. “I look forward to it, too. And I’m very happy it won’t be merely a working relationship.”
Sofia chuckled. “I think we eliminated that possibility last night.”
Chapter 44
Sofia was getting ready to drive to Florence to pick up her aunt at the airport. Emma had two weeks off from teaching, a sabbatical of sorts, which she decided to spend visiting Sofia in Tuscany. Edoardo, going out of his way to make up for the damage his father caused, gave Sofia free use of his car, a dark-red sporty-looking Fiat that didn’t seem to fit Edoardo’s serious character and conservative attitude. Perhaps it reflected his wilder inner-self he would never show openly. Sofia smiled at the thought. Edoardo and wild didn’t seem to go together but who knew? He’d also paid for the damage to hers and Nicholas’s rental cars. Fortunately, they both had insurance, which covered part of it.
Sofia started the car and drove the gravel path to the road. As always since the accident, she tapped the brakes to make sure they were working. She assumed this habit would stay with her for the rest of her life.
The air was crisp this October morning but the sky was clear and the sun would warm and dry the now dew-soaked grass. Sofia inhaled the whiff of eucalyptus in the air. As she drove by the neighbors’ olive groves, she waved at a few of the workers, who checked the olives and were getting ready to pick them. The Santucci family and their neighbors, the Brunellis, helped each other out during the grape and olive harvest. The farmers supported each other during this crucial harvest time when everything depended on the weather and the right timing of the work flow. It was one of the things Sofia enjoyed most about farming. No matter how many modern machines and instruments the farmers had, in the end it was up to nature and the help of loyal friends that made all the difference.
As she slipped a CD with songs by Andrea Bocelli into the CD player, she thought of Nicholas and smiled. Who would have thought a couple of weeks ago that things would turn out so well and that she would be happy here and even find love in this place? She hummed the song and let her eyes wander over the fields and vineyards and the occasional small village and farm houses.
When she got closer to the edge of Florence, she took a deep breath and focused intensely on the now increasing traffic, hoping she wouldn’t get lost. She was somewhat worried about driving alone to Florence. She would have preferred having company but Julietta was at school and she didn’t want to ask Nicholas because they were still very busy at the vineyards. Besides, she wanted to prove to herself that she was independent enough to fight her way through that crazy traffic. Fortunately, Edoardo’s car had a GPS and she’d activated the English language function at home. Now, the mechanical-sounding male voice guided her safely to the airport. She parked the car and breathed a sigh of relief.
From what she remembered when she arrived here three months before, the airport was modern and quite easy to get around. She found the arrival gate where Emma would appear. She had to wait for about half an hour until the passengers disembarked. Scanning the arriving people, she saw her aunt right away. Emma looked lively and didn’t seem to show any signs of the long, tiresome flight.
“Look at you and that great tan. Have you been lying on the beach all the time?” Emma said, greeting Sofia with a kiss.
“No, not lying on the beach. That’s from hard work and picking grapes, Emma.” Sofia chuckled.
“I’m so happy to see you. Is everything okay now? You really gave me a shock when you told me what happened to you. Why didn’t you call me? I would’ve taken the next plane to come and get you.”
“That’s why I didn’t do it, Emma. I didn’t want you to worry. And yes, everything is okay now. The old lunatic is in jail and I feel so much better again.”
“Great, and how about that nice young man of yours?” Emma winked at Sofia.
“I’ll tell you all about him,” Sofia said. “Let’s go home though. You must be tired from your trip.”
“Na, I’m fine. Jet lag will hit me later.”
At home at the main house, Luisa stepped outside when Sofia parked the car. At the same time, Edoardo came walking over from his home. Emma got out of the car and waved at Luisa and Edoardo. Unlike Sofia, who’d approached the people at Vignaverde with caution, Emma seemed to have no such concerns. She went up to Luisa and stretched out her arms in a welcoming gesture.
“I’m so happy to finally meet my Italian sister-in-law,” she said. “It’s a crime and a shame that it took us so long to get acquainted.” She hugged Luisa who looked startled at Emma’s enthusiasm. Then she embraced her and smiled at Sofia amused.
“This is my brother, Edoardo,” Luisa introduced him.
“Benvenuta, signora,” Edoardo said in his serious manner.
“Oh, for heaven’s sake, forget the ‘signora’,” Emma said and hugged him. “I’m Emma, your sister-in-law … I guess that’s what we are, isn’t it? Henry was my brother and you’re the brother of his significant other, so yes, indirectly I guess we are related.”
Edoardo seemed to have trouble understanding Emma’s explanation of their shared family history. He smiled indulgently at the American woman’s exuberance. “I am very happy to meet you, Emma,” he said and hugged her back.
“And where is Julietta?” Emma asked looking around.
“She is over at Sofia’s house getting her things, so you can have her bedroom while you are here,” Luisa explained. “She has been staying with Sofia once in a while but now, she will stay in her room in the main house.”
“Oh, no, I don’t want to chase her away.
I can sleep on the couch for those few days,” Emma said. “Is there a sofa?”
“There is an extra bed in Henry’s former study,” Sofia said. “So it wouldn’t be a problem. There is enough room really.”
“Well, we want you and Sofia to have some privacy,” Luisa said.
“Oh, stuff and nonsense.” Emma waved her hand. “We can have all the privacy when we’re back in California, can’t we, honey?” She patted Sofia’s arm. “I’d really love to get to know my Italian niece. If this is all right with you?” She smiled at Luisa and Edoardo.
Luisa and Edoardo glanced at each other. They seemed to be surprised and somewhat flabbergasted at Emma’s enthusiastic acceptance of them as family.
“I guess if you insist.” Luisa gave Sofia a questioning look.
“Yes, let her stay, please,” Sofia said. “You know, Aunt Emma raised me. She’s great with kids and young people.”
“All right.” Luisa smiled. “Would you like something to drink? Lunch will be ready in about half an hour.”
“May I offer you some wine as an aperitif?” Edoardo asked with a warm smile in Emma’s direction. He seemed to be charmed by Emma’s outspoken nature.
“Actually, I wouldn’t mind freshening up a little beforehand,” Emma said. “It’s been quite a long trip. But I would love some wine a little later on,” she added. “I heard only good things about your wines.”
Edoardo nodded. “It will be waiting for you.”
Chapter 45
Sofia suppressed the giggles. “You charmed the man, Emma,” she said on her way over to her house. “I’ve never seen him so lively. But be careful, he is married.”
Emma chuckled. “I have no intention of complicating my easygoing life with a married man, thank you very much. I leave such entertainment to your father. Sorry that was bad taste.” She patted Sofia on the back.
The Italian Sister (The Wine Lover's Daughter, Book 1) Page 20