by Lucinda Race
“We’ll make room. Now come on in and meet everyone.”
A young woman with dark hair but Colin’s eyes burst out of the kitchen into the foyer. She gave Anna a broad grin. “Anna, it is so good to meet you. I’ve heard so much about you and don’t worry; it’s all good things.”
Confused at first, Anna remembered that the woman she had seen Colin with had blond hair. “I thought she’d be blond like you.”
He said, “Marie changes her hair color frequently. She was recently a blonde, then a redhead, and now a brunette.”
Marie pulled Anna into a warm hug. “It’s my rebellious nature.”
“It’s nice to meet you.” She hugged Marie and appreciated the warm welcome.
“And to take the heat off today, I brought one of my parents’ favorite people, Ginny, and my good friend Drew.”
Colin set the jugs on the counter next to the bottles of wine. “That’s a lot of information in one gush.”
Marie laughed. “Just bringing your girl up to speed.” She grabbed Anna’s hand. “Let’s go meet the parents.”
“I’ll do the introductions, sis.”
“Um.” Anna looked over her shoulder as Marie ushered her to the sliding door. “I should help Colin with the wine.”
“Plenty of time for that in a minute.” She urged her forward and whispered in Anna’s ear, “They already love you because we all can see how happy you make my brother.”
He was behind them as she was led through the sliding door onto the brick patio. An older version of Colin stood up. He graciously held out a hand to a woman as she came to her feet. She clasped Anna’s hands before Colin could do the introductions.
“Hello, Anna, I’m Addie and this is my husband Walt. We’re thrilled to meet you.”
They instantly put her at ease. “It’s nice to meet you as well, Mrs. Grant. Did you have a pleasant trip here?”
“Call me Addie, and we did. Let’s sit and get acquainted.”
Addie directed her to the table and chairs under the large yellow-striped umbrella. Anna took a seat and flashed an inquisitive look at Colin.
“I’ll take care of the wine and be right out.”
He quickly reappeared with a tray of lemonade and glasses. He gave her a wink.
“Marie volunteered for KP duty.”
Another man about Marie’s age walked across the backyard with a woman she guessed was Ginny.
“Hey, I’m Drew. Nice to meet you.” He stuck out his hand and gave it a firm shake.
He looked vaguely familiar to Anna. Then it dawned on her. She had seen Drew’s picture in the paper. His family was very wealthy and personally, he spent a great deal of his time working with several well-established children’s charities, including one for juvenile diabetes.
“Drew, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” She returned his firm handshake. “I believe we have some common friends.”
His brow arched and he gave her a curious look. “Perhaps.”
She turned to Ginny, who gave Anna a friendly hug. She was tall and slender with long black hair and deep blue eyes.
“It’s nice to meet you, Anna. Colin has told us all about you.”
“It’s great to meet all of you.” She had questions for Colin later, like what exactly he had said, but everyone was welcoming so she guessed it really didn’t matter.
Addie watched the exchange with interest.
“I’ll go and give Marie a hand.” Drew crossed the patio and disappeared inside.
Addie dismissed Drew’s departure and turned her attention to Anna. “Colin tells us your family owns a winery in The Valley. We’d love to hear all about it, and he mentioned you’re going to be mentoring a group of girls in the fall for an after-school program. That’s very exciting.”
Colin said, “Mom, please don’t interrogate Anna about every minute aspect of her life. We should enjoy conversation and food. Okay?”
She pursed her lips. “I’m sure Anna wouldn’t mind telling us more about herself.”
“Not at all, Addie. My life is an open book.” Over her shoulder, she flashed Colin a reassuring smile but for now, she was on the proverbial hot seat.
“How was London and the wine conference?” Addie asked.
Anna said, “It was wonderful. I gave a lecture on blending specific types of juice and how to measure the success—other than sales, of course.” She sipped her lemonade.
Addie beamed. “That sounds very exciting. Is it a big event?”
“It’s actually the largest wine event this year.”
“Mom, you don’t need to drill her.”
“Not drilling, Colin. Just interested in what Anna does.”
“Why don’t you come to the winery tomorrow and I can give you the behind-the-scenes tour and we’ll do a tasting. I can even arrange for us to have dinner in the gazebo.” She looked at Marie, Ginny, and Drew, who had returned with a tray of appetizers. “You should come too.”
“That sounds like fun. What time should we be there?” Addie asked.
Anna looked at Colin. “You are out of work at four, so we can do the tour at two. Colin can meet us at the winery, and then we’ll all enjoy a nice dinner.”
He leaned in and kissed her cheek while whispering in her ear, “Thanks.”
She looked around the table. “Dinner for seven?”
Colin’s family nodded an enthusiastic yes.
“Then it’s settled. You’ll see behind the scenes and tour the entire operation, so wear comfortable shoes. We’ll be wandering in the fields too.”
Addie said, “We’ve never done a winery tour so this will be very interesting. Thank you, Anna.”
“You’re welcome.” She winked at Colin and grinned.
23
Anna relaxed in a lounge chair with her legs stretched out. Liza’s deck overlooked the backyard, where Johnny and George were wrestling in the grass.
“It went well with Colin’s parents on Sunday and yesterday?” Liza asked.
“Yeah, it did. They’re all very nice.”
“Relationships are easier when the family likes you. I was lucky that Steve’s family and I got along well.”
She sipped on iced tea with her eyes closed against the bright sun. “Marie had a couple of friends over for the picnic.”
“Anyone I’d know?”
“Her friend Ginny and Andrew Cameron.”
Liza sat up in her chair. “Drew? Marie knows Drew Cameron?”
“Do you know him?”
“Are you kidding? He is a benefactor of that new children’s clinic they want to build and just last year, he donated all new equipment to the park, right down to the protective cushion under it.”
“I heard he did a lot of good work but had no idea it was so close to home.”
“He’s done amazing things for the area.” Liza sipped her tea and yelled for the boys to be careful. “Do you think Marie knows who he is?”
“I would say yes.” She gave her sister a side-eye.
“You should find out what the deal is with him.”
“Liza, you’re being a little nosy, don’t you think?”
She chuckled. “Hey, when a nice and good-looking guy like Drew is involved, I’d really like to know if he’s a jerk or upholds my image of him.”
“Colin and I are going to meet Marie for lunch on Sunday. I’ll let you know what I find out and fill you in on all the details. Now, when does Dad go back to the doctor again? I know Mom is itching to book their trip.”
“In a couple of weeks, and he finishes cardiac rehab next month. I’m going to guess they’re cleared to go late summer or early fall.”
Anna nodded. “I never got a chance to tell you about London and meeting the most charming man.”
“Does Colin know?”
Anna couldn’t hold back her laugh. “Henri knew Gramps and is roughly the same age. I hardly think he’s competition for Colin.”
“Henri who?”
“Marchand. We happened to sit togethe
r on the plane, and then I was exploring the convention before I had to speak and we shared one of his newest wines—well, I think it was his. He acted kind of funny when we talked about it. Which was amazing. And then from there, he came to my lecture and sat in the front row. It was great to have him close by, a friendly face and all.”
“Dad knows him too, right?”
“Yes, and he’s been to the Marchand vineyard in France. It is one of the older estates. Henri said if I ever wanted to spend some time there to just let him know. I have an open invitation.” She smacked her hand on the arm of the chair. “But wait until you hear this! Remember David Marchand who dropped in on Dad after his surgery?”
“I didn’t meet him, but Mom told me about it. By the look on your face, you must have bumped into him too.”
“Better. He followed us to Folkestone and invited Colin and me to have drinks with him all under the guise that he had a phenomenal idea. It turns out he wanted me to convince the family to sell CLW to him so he can expand his enterprise as an offshoot of Marchand. David thinks our family business is the perfect solution to expanding his company.”
Liza frowned and tapped her nail on the side table. “Did you tell Dad and Don?”
“Of course. Dad brushed it off as no big deal. I guess this happens from time to time, where different wineries want to expand geographically so they buy up successful businesses when owners are ready to retire. Usually it’s because the family is ready to get out of the business, but in this case, we’re not. I also called Tessa just to give her a heads-up too. Who knows, maybe he’s just got an ax to grind against the Price family.”
“How did you handle David? Did you cut him off at the knees?”
“I think I did pretty good and it didn’t hurt to have Colin by my side.”
“Do you think he’s lost interest?”
“I hope so. He should be able to find another winery that fills his needs. But enough about David Marchand.”
Liza took the hint. “I heard from Don that you did a kick-ass job with your speech, which I, for one, never doubted.”
“It was interesting. It appears that I am better known in the industry than I realized. After the lecture, I spent a long time talking with people, and the questions were very specific. I could probably make a comfortable living consulting if I decided to leave CLW.” Making this trip had shown her that she had made a difference. Not just at CLW, but her methods for winemaking were something that people wanted her to share.
“Do you think you’ll be asked back to the convention next year?”
“I’m not sure. But if they did, I would be honored to go. Especially now that I know what it’s like. In fact, I want to talk to Don and Tessa about a booth. You could go too. We’d have a blast, sightseeing, dining, and shopping. We might even be able to eke out a side trip to France.”
“Now that sounds like fun, but we’d have to make sure Mom and Dad were around. Now that they’ve almost gotten the green light for travel, I won’t have anyone to watch the boys.”
“Leo would take them, and he’s really good with them. He’s the male version of you. Or Jack too.”
“Just because Leo and I are twins doesn’t mean we’re interchangeable.”
“The boys respect Leo and even more, they listen to him. I’ve seen it. When they’re wearing you down”—she pointed to them, still wrestling on the lawn—“all Leo has to do is say Boys… and they behave like normal kids again.”
“It’s only going to get harder as they get older.” Liza’s face fell. “Steve was a good dad and we made a good team.”
“And you miss your husband.” Anna’s tone was gentle. She couldn’t imagine what it was like for Liza to have lost her husband when both boys were under the age of five. Did they remember Steve other than the pictures they saw scattered around the house?
“I miss him like crazy and it hasn’t gotten any easier.”
She considered her next question, but it was something the family had discussed when Liza wasn’t around. “Have you thought about dating?”
She shrugged and her eyes locked on her sons. “What would they think about their mother spending time with a man other than their father?”
“Iz. You deserve a life too. If you talked about it in a positive light, I’m sure they’d be fine with it.”
“I don’t think I’m ready.” She turned away from Anna but she could still see Liza’s scrunched-up face.
“There’s no rush for you to do anything and until then, we’ll continue to have lots of exciting adventures. Like a rafting trip, or maybe now I could talk you into skydiving?”
George cried out, causing Liza to flip her head in their direction. She hopped up and stalked to the deck railing. “John! George! I would strongly suggest you find a new game before one of you gets seriously hurt!”
Anna watched in amazement as her sister went from vulnerable to powerhouse in seconds. It was even more inspiring when the boys stood up, twigs and grass sticking out of their hair, faces smudged with dirt, looking angelic.
“Okay, Mom,” Johnny said.
George nodded in agreement and grinned.
“It’s easy to get sucked into those little faces.”
Liza returned to her chair. “You have no idea.” She slumped down. “There are times I want to laugh but to do that is to let them know I actually think they’re funny. Then life would be over. I’d lose control of the asylum I call home.”
“If you ever need backup, call in the troops. We’re here.”
“Appreciate that, sis.”
“I’m going to head home and call my handsome guy to see what his work schedule is. Maybe we can sneak away for dinner or something later.”
“Does his schedule bother you? I know he works odd hours and weekends.”
“Not at all. I’ve adjusted my schedule to be more flexible so we can spend time together. Unless we’re in the middle of the crush, I don’t have to be at the winery on a nine-to-five schedule. A benefit for sure.” She gave Liza a hug and ran down the steps. “Toodles.”
Unable to connect with Colin after leaving her sister’s last night, she was counting the hours until she would see him tonight. With feet up on her desk, Anna leaned back as far as she could, stretching her arms overhead. The chair creaked as it crashed backward, taking her along for the ride. As she lay on the floor, holding her head where it had met the wood, she heard the sound of pounding feet coming down the hallway.
Dad popped his head in. “Anna, are you okay?”
She groaned and rubbed the back of her head. Damn, that hurt. “Hey, Dad. When did you get here?”
“I was talking with Don and heard you go head over teakettle and thought I’d check on you.”
“I’ve tilted this chair back so many times, I’ve learned how to fall. I still managed to hit my head harder than I’d like.” She stood and righted the chair.
Dad made himself comfortable in her other chair. “Why don’t you buy a new chair that actually leans back? Less chance of gravity taking control.”
“And lose the challenge of defying it? Not a chance.” She sat down and rubbed her head again. “What were you and Don talking about?”
“I filled him in on my follow-up call to David Marchand and told him again that CLW wasn’t for sale.”
“Is Don concerned? What if David tries to do something underhanded?”
Dad thought for a half second and gave her a wink. “You’ve been reading too many thriller books. No one is going to try to do a hostile takeover of CLW.”
She gave her head a shake and winced. “Dad, be serious. Is there anything David can do?”
“Not a thing. Financially, we’re solid. And I think Henri might persuade him to think differently.”
“If you say so.” She wasn’t convinced Dad was correct in his assessment, but she would defer to his expertise.
“Mom and I are planning a cruise in late September. At least that’s what we’re shooting for if the trip we want is
n’t sold out.”
“A good time of year to travel, and you’ll have fun.”
“We’re looking forward to it.” He eased back in the chair and seemed to have something more on his mind.
“Do you want coffee?”
He shook his head. “Speaking of the Marchand family, Henri called me this morning. He said you gave an excellent lecture and that he believes you’re an even better enologist than I am.”
“Dad, I don’t know what to say.” She could feel heat flush her cheeks. Praise from her father was rare and very much appreciated.
He gave her his trademark grin. “He’s right. You’re top in your field.”
“That is certainly high praise, coming from you.”
He nodded. “I’m not good at telling any of my children how proud I am of their accomplishments, but I’m trying to get better.”
“I appreciate that. It was a good experience and thanks for encouraging me to go.”
“Henri was impressed.” Dad stopped there and Anna had the impression he wanted to say more but instead of continuing, he stood up. “I need to get to rehab. Stop over to the house for drinks tomorrow night. It’s been too long, and bring Colin too.”
“I’ll see if he’s free.” She decided to walk Dad to his car. “Thanks for telling me about your call with Henri. It means a lot that you think I’m pretty good at my job.”
Dad gave her a sharp look. “It takes the entire family to make our business successful, and you’re at the heart of that success.”
She watched Dad drive away, then crossed the warehouse so she could take a few samples up to her lab. But first, she decided, before she went back up, she’d call Colin to see if he was up for drinks with her parents.
“Anna,” Colin said when he answered, “this is a nice surprise. What’s going on? Are we still on for tonight?”
“We are, but my parents invited us to have drinks with them tomorrow night. Interested?”
“Sounds like fun. What time? Six?”
“Perfect. I’ll let Mom know,” she said. “I was thinking about tonight. Are you up for a movie? There’s one in the park on the green. I think they’re playing a screwball comedy.”
