Coming Home

by Judith Keim

  After seeing that Becca had the housekeepers under control and Darren was prepared to handle the dinner crowd, Cami hurried home for a break. A couple of hours with a book and Sophie curled up next to her on the couch seemed the perfect way to end the afternoon. She’d return to the hotel to greet their happy hour guests and then hopefully have an early evening at home. Tomorrow, she’d do a recap of the weekend with Becca, Imani, and Vanessa to determine any improvements they needed to make to handle the slew of upcoming weddings. She, Gwen, and Laurel would also analyze the sales of wedding-related gifts to determine if they’d expand or delete the program. Not every group would be as well-heeled as this one.

  ###

  Cami was into a good book by one of her favorite authors when the doorbell rang. She reluctantly set the book down. The heroine and hero were finally getting together after several misunderstandings.

  Her irritation at the disruption fled when she saw Drew on the porch. She opened the door. “Hello! What brings you here on a sunny afternoon?”

  “Are you up for a talk with a friend?” he asked. “Maybe even a glass of wine?”

  “How about a cup of coffee instead? I’ve got to handle the pre-dinner cocktail hour at the inn.”

  He grinned. “Sure. I need the talk more than anything else.”

  Wondering at the worry reflected in his eyes, Cami waved him inside.

  They headed into the kitchen. Sophie eagerly followed them, vying for Drew’s attention. He sat at the kitchen table and stroked the dog’s black and tan head. Sophie wagged her tail and licked his hand in appreciation.

  “What is it about you and girls?” Cami teased, carrying a mug of coffee to him.

  Drew laughed and then straightened in his chair. “I’ve been totally honest with you about my feelings about family, marriage, and my goals in life. I wish others understood that I don’t play games.”

  Cami retrieved her coffee mug from the kitchen counter and took a seat opposite him. “What’s going on, Drew?”

  “It’s Vanessa. She’s in a real hurry to get married. I tried to tell her it was too soon, and now she’s mad at me.”

  “You’ve been dating only a few months,” said Cami, struggling to hide her alarm. Drew looked as disheveled and unhappy as she’d ever seen him.

  “I know,” said Drew. “But what do you do when you think you’ve found someone you see possibilities with for the future? Do you take a chance and let her go?”

  “I thought you and Vanessa had already talked about marriage,” Cami said. Vanessa had already spoken to her about marrying Drew.

  Drew’s cheeks grew pink. “I told her I cared for her, that’s all. It’s too soon for anything else.”

  Cami’s emotions were so mixed, she knew she couldn’t help him. Not really. Not when she’d changed her mind about having him as only a friend. Even now, disappointment tore at her insides like the talons of a hungry hawk. It was too late for her to say anything about her feelings for him. Even though he said he didn’t want to marry Vanessa, he sounded as if he really cared for her enough to think about the possibility of a future together.

  “Drew, I think you and Vanessa need to talk it over with a professional, maybe someone like a life coach.”

  Drew slumped in his chair. “Maybe you’re right. I knew I could count on you to steer me in the right direction. I like that honesty about you, Cami. It means a lot to me.”

  She felt like a fraud. But if she said the words that nudged her throat, she might hurt both Drew and Vanessa by adding to their problems.

  “Can I ask you something else?” Drew said, studying her a moment.

  She nodded, dreading another question.

  “When I saw Lulu and how much she looks like you, I got to wondering if there might be a real connection between the two of you. I know enough of your family history to think of it. Do you believe there might be more to it than a mere coincidence?”

  Cami pushed her coffee mug away and faced him. “I do. I tried talking to Lulu about it, but she became very angry. She thinks I’m after money, but all I want is the truth from her father. Lulu claims he’s a pillar of their church and may even run for president one day. She told me to stay away from her family in a very threatening tone. I’m not sure what to do about the circumstances. But I’m asking you not to discuss this with anyone else.”

  “I understand,” said Drew. “Getting into the middle of that family might be a huge mistake. He’s a powerful man, and I can’t imagine he’d be happy with questions from you. Be careful, Cami.”

  “But I need to know the truth,” Cami said, stubbornly. However, the thought of Edward Kingsley’s being her father wasn’t turning out to be what she’d once hoped for.

  Drew got to his feet. “Thanks for being here for me. It’s nice to know I have a friend like you.”

  Cami rose. “Of course.”

  He pulled her close and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

  His soft lips and warm breath sent goosepimples racing down her body. She stepped away and gazed at him, confused by the way his arms around her had felt so right. Had he felt it too? That magical connection?

  “See you later,” said Drew turning and leaving the kitchen. “Becca and Dan are throwing a party next Friday to celebrate their engagement. Maybe I’ll see you there.”

  “Sure,” said Cami, wondering if she could arrange to be too busy to attend. The thought of seeing him with Vanessa was painful.

  After Drew left, Cami plopped herself down on the couch and pushed the book aside. She needed to deal with the real issues that faced her, not some made-up story that almost surely would bring about a happy ending.

  ###

  When Cami arrived at the inn, she was pleased to see a number of dinner guests had already arrived and were enjoying refreshments in the library. The restaurant was open every night but Monday, when Darren took a well-deserved night off. Having locals and guests of other properties come to the restaurant was an important factor in maintaining visibility and spreading news of the hotel by mouth. Cami sometimes got tired of the responsibility of being around for this time every evening, but she tried to make it as often as she could. It had paid off many times, allowing people to get to know her and to arrange special events. The inn was small but served many purposes for assorted groups and individuals.

  Cami was making her rounds, visiting with everyone, when Bernard appeared and headed right for her. Uneasy about confronting him in front of other guests, Cami looked for a graceful way to make an exit.

  “I need to talk to you,” said Bernard, rushing up to her. “I understand you’ve told your staff that they are not to recommend wines from Lone Creek Winery. How dare you? Rod Mitchell’s wines are as good as anyone else’s in the valley.”

  She forced a fake smile and led him out of the room. “Let’s go someplace else to discuss this.”

  Cami led Bernard into her office and stood behind the desk. “I’m not sure where you heard such a thing, but it isn’t true. We did a recent wine tasting here at the hotel for our staff and purposely included Rod’s wines.”

  “That’s right. That’s when your staff was told not to recommend them,” said Bernard. “That’s what I heard, anyway.”

  Her lips thinned. “Who told you this?”

  “Someone who worked the wedding over the weekend. Rod sent me over to give you a warning. He says that if you keep up this kind of thing, he’ll run a smear campaign against you and the inn that you won’t believe.”

  “Bernard, you can tell Rod that Chandler Hill has never done business this way and I don’t intend to start now. His wines speak for themselves.” Though she spoke calmly, she was unable to keep the irritation out of her voice. Dealing with Rod was bad enough, but now Bernard was doing his dirty work for him.

  His manner changed. He smiled at her. “You know the big party on Friday night for Becca and Dan? I’ve offered to host it, being new neighbors and all. You coming?”

  “I don’t know yet,” Cam
i replied.

  “Hope to see you there.” His eyes lingered on her. “I haven’t given up on us yet, chérie.”

  “You know it’s over between us,” said Cami firmly. “I won’t change my mind.”

  Bernard studied her with genuine surprise. “But we’d make such a great team.”

  “No, we were never a team. Not then. Not now.” She checked her watch. “I have to get back to my guests. Remember to tell Rod what I said. I have no desire for bad feelings between us.”

  “You’re being stubborn. You’ll regret your decision about us. I promise you.”

  Cami felt a momentary flutter of fear as Bernard stormed out of her office. Why did some men get so angry when they were spurned? And he was hosting the party for Becca and Dan? How did that happen?

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  The days flew by as Cami worked with her staff to come up with better ways to handle weddings at the inn based on their experiences over the weekend. Stories were shared about different guests and comments overheard. During that discussion, it came out that Vanessa had been drinking with the guests and had even met them at the bar downtown. Fighting back her annoyance, Cami calmly reinforced to everyone on her staff that socializing with the guests was not allowed beyond their assigned jobs. Vanessa’s cheeks turned bright red and her lips formed a pout, but she kept quiet as the others indicated their agreement.

  After more discussion, the consensus of the group was that Justine and George’s wedding would be the one they’d strive to duplicate. With the addition of extra hired help, things had generally gone smoothly. Most weddings were planned for weekends, but a couple had scheduled their wedding in the fall during the middle of the week so the wedding party could enjoy time before and after the wedding to visit wineries.

  Satisfied that things were moving in the right direction, Cami devoted some time to the outdoors. She walked the land, stopping to kneel and sift the soil through her fingers, remembering all she’d been taught. The soil consisted of marine sedimentary deposits and volcanic rock and appeared light in color because of the clay and the naturally crushed rock. The pulverized rock provided good drainage which was important because grapes didn’t do well in poorly drained soils. The composition of the soil was the reason why most of the vineyards were located in the hills and not in the valley below.

  Cami was sitting among the vines one afternoon when she heard her name called. She turned to find Rafe walking toward her. She lifted a hand in a wave and came to her feet.

  “Taking advantage of a beautiful day?” he said, joining her with a smile.

  Her lips curved. “Just checking on the vines. Things look fine, thanks to Drew and his crew.”

  “Yes, he does a great job,” said Rafe. “You can teach someone the fundamentals of growing grapes and making wine, but unless they love the land and have a good palate, they’ll produce only ordinary wines.” His eyes glazed with memories. “Your grandmother had a sensitive palate. The first time I met her she tasted wines with Kenton and me, and we knew it then.”

  “I hope I can do as well,” Cami said, in awe of all her grandmother had done with both the inn and the vineyard.

  He placed a gentle hand on her cheek and looked at her with both love and admiration. “You will. You’re like her in so many ways.”

  Tears unexpectedly filled her eyes. Nonnee and Rafe had been such encouraging figures in her life. But as grateful as she was to them for all they’d done for her, she wanted to know more about her mother and father’s relationship.

  “Uh-oh. Why the troubled look?” asked Rafe, stepping away and studying her with those dark eyes of his that missed nothing. “Does it have anything to do with the wedding and the girl who looks like you?”

  Cami nodded. “Lulu Kingsley made it very clear that I was to stay away from her father. She even told me he’s considering running for president. In the past, you’ve told me that my mother would never name him because of how it might hurt him and his family. Her reaction makes me believe even more that he might be my father.”

  “Ah, cariño, sometimes it’s better to be happy for what you have than to seek something more. Unlike a gift inside a gaily wrapped package, revealing a secret that’s been boxed up for years can be devastating. Your mother might have been a stubborn woman, but she was smart too. I say respect her wishes. Nonnee and I have. Perhaps you should too.”

  She turned away from him, afraid he’d see the unwavering determination she couldn’t hide.

  He placed a hand on her shoulder. “Leave it alone. Now, come with me. We need to talk, and I know just the place to do it.”

  Cami drew a deep breath and turned to him, forcing back her disappointment at his response to the need that dwelled and grew inside her.

  As they walked, she lifted her face to the sun. Its warmth caressed her cheeks like a kiss from above, and she felt some of the tension leave her shoulders.

  “You know, way back when Rex Chandler started this vineyard, he studied organic farming and set this place up to be sustainable,” said Rafe. “Even today, using only natural products for fertilization has made such a difference. I swear the grapes love it.”

  She studied the straight rows of grapes marching in a north/south direction. Seeing them now, like soldiers in parade formation, a sense of pride filled her. She might be young, she might need to learn a lot, but she was both a Chandler and a Lopez with winemaking in her blood.

  Out of the corner of her eye, she studied Rafe. Still handsome in his seventies, he’d lost the spring in his step that her grandmother Lettie had given him. In fact, the limp that had plagued him from youth was much more noticeable. She realized with a start how frail Rafe had become since Nonnee’s death. Sadness tugged at her heart, snatching a beat of it. She loved him so much.

  He stumbled, and she quickly grabbed his arm.

  “Damn leg,” he grumbled. “It kept me out of the war when my best friend was called to serve.”

  “You mean Kenton Chandler?”

  “Yes. Funny, we didn’t know one another for a long time, but he was and always will be the one friend I hold closest to me.”

  She looked at him with surprise. He’d never been so poetic.

  He gave her a sheepish smile. “Guess I’m sounding like the old, sentimental man I’ve become. Truth is, I’m looking forward to the time when I’m with him and Lettie again.”

  Cami gave his hand a squeeze. “But I’m not ready to let you go,” she said softly.

  He gave her a loving smile. “I know.”

  They walked in silence to the destination that was on their minds.

  Some people might have thought it odd that both she and Rafe sometimes sat in the small grove of trees on the property where the ashes of the Chandler men, Lettie, and her mother had been scattered and buried. It wasn’t a maudlin act. The grove was a peaceful place where memories and new ideas for the inn and vineyard came alive. Cami had always found it a great source of inspiration for both personal and professional reasons.

  Rafe, with a courtly gesture, invited her to sit on the stone bench that had been placed there many years ago. He lowered himself beside her.

  “As you know,” he began, “I’m taking the river cruise in September. Before she died, Lettie told me she had a surprise for me. As ill as she was, she was excited about it. So, as much as I don’t want to leave the vineyard at that time, I’ll do as she wanted and go. My heart isn’t in it, but without her nothing is the same.”

  Cami clasped his hand. “I miss her too.”

  He looked out at the scenery, his expression reflecting the sadness he felt. He turned back to her. “I’m glad you came home. It meant so much to both your grandmother and me for you to do as she’d asked.”

  “Of course. I promised her,” Cami replied, wondering where this conversation was heading.

  “I’m sure you’ve noticed that it’s harder and harder for me to move around. My arthritis is kicking in, and I have other old-age issues.”

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  “The point is that Drew is handling most of the fieldwork himself, along with overseeing the winemaking. I think instead of giving him just a section of the vineyard, I should divide the whole property between you and him. Would you be willing to share my land with him, maybe work together on Taunton Estates wines? Realistically, that’s the only way to keep my business going, which is to take nothing away from you, my darling. I see what you have done and are doing for Chandler Hill, and I think Lettie would like nothing to deter you from your success. You know how much I love both of you.”

  “Yes, I do.” Cami drew a deep breath. His idea made sense. She’d been worried about struggling with the additional responsibility of Rafe’s business after he died. Still, it meant she’d be tied to Drew Farley for the future. It would be especially difficult to work with him if he was married to someone else.

  She drew another breath and told herself it was too soon to worry about any of that. Rafe might be aging and slow moving, but he was basically in good health. She’d see to it he stayed that way. And maybe she could get past the notion she and Drew could be more than friends.

  “Well?” Rafe asked, giving her a worried look.

  “It’s the smart thing to do,” she admitted, pushing away her personal concerns. “You’ve built Taunton Estates Winery and your wines into a highly successful and respected business. It’s right that you make arrangements to keep it that way. I have my hands full with Chandler Hill but not too full to contribute time and energy to Taunton, too.”

  He smiled and exhaled a long breath. “I thought you’d see it that way, but I needed to be sure before I changed things once more. You’re the most important person in the world to me. And I respect what you’ve done and are doing with the responsibility Lettie left to you. Together, you and Drew should be able to grow my business. You have talents he doesn’t and vice versa. The two of you will be a superb team.”

  “Don’t worry. Neither one of us would ever let you down. Drew talks about you all the time and everything you’ve done for him.”