“I saw the light on here. What’s going on?”
Joey jumped, then calmed herself when she saw it was only Loretta standing in the doorway to the cellar. “Oh, wow. Did not see you there. God.” She exhaled and quirked her head. “It’s three a.m. Loretta, what are you doing up?”
She scoffed like that was a silly question. “I’m a night owl. Always have been. I saw the light and just…Well, it was usually Jack out here this late, tinkering with the acid levels or dreaming up some new profile while everyone else slept.”
“And you’d join him.”
She nodded, subdued. “I’d keep him company. Sure.” Loretta absently wrapped her arms around her body, from the cold or old memories. It was hard to interpret which. “Those were some good nights, full of interesting conversation.”
“And more.” Joey gestured with her head in the direction of the tasting room, one building over. “You as much as said so before.”
Loretta sighed and came into the large room. “We were in the early stages of something. I tell you what, when I think of all that time we wasted, dragging our feet, playing coy.” She shook her head. “We were foolish, and now it’s too late.”
The words hit home every bit as powerfully as the ones she held in her hand on that strip of paper. “I don’t want to make the same mistake.”
“Don’t you dare,” Loretta said vehemently. “Let me be the one to learn that lesson for the both of us. Life is here, and then it’s not, so we have to seize every single moment that is offered to us.” She stepped forward on a motherly mission. “If you’re not doing that with Becca, then you fix it. You hear me?”
Joey nodded wordlessly as an all-encompassing wave of peace came over her. She accepted what she should have understood all along, that life was messy but so worth living. Hell, messy was even beautiful, wasn’t it? When you considered the alternative. Loretta was right. Her father was, too. She was wasting precious time. Keeping her feelings bottled up achieved exactly nothing. Self-preservation was a sham because she wasn’t in control of the universe anyway. Her thoughts sped out of control but all in one very defined direction: Becca.
“You think on that,” Loretta said, likely perplexed by the look on Joey’s joyful face. “I’m going next door to put on some hot cocoa. Helps me sleep. Join me if you want a cup.” Joey nodded again and watched as Loretta headed out. She turned back to Joey one last time. “You okay, sweet girl?”
“I feel more than okay.”
“Good. Come get that cocoa. There’s some of the homemade whipped cream left from earlier today when I sold a few cups. Cold tonight, isn’t it?” She rubbed her hands together.
Joey nodded. “Freezing, actually.”
Once alone, she stood there a moment and let her feelings settle and her thoughts slow down. Yet when they did, nothing had changed. She pulled her phone from her coat pocket and walked straight out of the cellar onto the property and kept walking until she stood still between two rows of vines beneath the stars and sky. It was the middle of the night, but Joey couldn’t seem to talk herself out of making the call. It was like Loretta said. Don’t waste a moment.
She put the phone to her ear and waited, and it wasn’t long before a sleepy voice on the other end of the line answered her. “Joey. Are you okay?”
She imagined Becca sitting up in bed, turning the lamp on, Skywalker probably stirring next to her in his dog bed. “I’m so sorry to wake you up. I’m okay.”
“Good. What’s going on?”
“Have you ever had this urge to do something right then, when it’s all consuming, and it’s like you can’t go another minute until you do the thing?”
“Yeah, I guess I have.”
“I love you so much.”
A pause. Becca didn’t say anything, and that was okay because Joey had more.
“I’m in love with you, and I need you to know it. I get that I’ve made things difficult and was harder on you than I ever should have been.” She took a deep breath. “But I just want to spend the rest of time making it up to you and be the kind of person who works through a problem, and maybe gets a little angry, but definitely doesn’t leave.” She exhaled. “I don’t want to leave you ever again, Becca.”
“Where are you right now?”
“I’m standing in the middle of the vineyard like a lunatic, but the thing is, I’ve never felt more sane.”
“I’m coming over.”
“What? You don’t have to do that. Now?”
“Is there a better time?”
Joey laughed and placed her palm on her forehead and turned around in disbelief. “No. This would be the best one for me. I happen to be very, very available at the moment.”
“Don’t go anywhere,” Becca said and clicked off the call.
Joey returned to the end of the row and stood in the open area between the grapes and the building, hands on her hips in amazement. What a night this had been. It was only a few moments before headlights appeared on top of the hill, and a few moments later, there was Becca. She wore jeans and a red winter jacket she must have tossed on. Her hair was glamorously tousled from the pillow, one of Joey’s favorite looks on her. When Becca spotted Joey, she ambled over with a grin on her face.
“Hi,” Joey said.
“Say it again.”
“Hi.”
Becca laughed and shook her head. “Not that.”
Joey stepped forward and grabbed Becca by the lapels of her coat. “I’m standing here in the middle of the night and I’m in love with you.”
Becca closed her eyes as if to let the words wash over her. When she opened them, their eyes met. “I love you, too.”
“I want us to be together, Becca. It feels like we’re destined. The minute you walked through those doors, I knew you were someone who was special. In the months that followed, I realized that you were meant to be special to me. We’re meant to be.”
“I know,” Becca said, the vibrant moonlight illuminating her eyes. “I was just waiting for you to catch up.”
“Kiss me in the freezing cold.”
Becca didn’t need prompting. She caught Joey’s mouth with hers, and she sank into the most wonderful, memorable, heartfelt kiss of her life. The warmth of Becca’s mouth and the proximity of her body heated Joey nicely.
“God, I’ve missed this,” Becca said against her mouth before diving in for more.
“What is going on out here?” Joey heard Loretta say. She turned and saw her moving toward them with a thermos of hot chocolate and some stacked cups.
“Hey, Loretta,” Becca said. “I just popped in.”
Loretta grinned and handed her a cup. “Yeah, you did.” She began to divvy up the cocoa. “You two are out here causing a scandal beneath the heavens.” She grinned. “The best kind, too.”
That’s when the moon seemed to get extra bright. Too bright. Joey turned and squinted at the flashlight shining in her eyes. She held up a hand. “Madison?”
“How did you beat me here?” Madison asked and let the beam brush the ground.
“What are you talking about?”
“Time to pick.”
Another voice called out, “Oh, Joey’s already here. Were they just kissing? I think they were just kissing. Hi, Becca!”
Joey craned her neck to see Gabriella just a few yards behind Madison and Uncle Bobby behind Gabriella. Becca waved. Over her right shoulder, more headlights appeared, as two cars—no, three—approached. Make that four. “Is this what I think this is?” Joey asked, her delight bubbling over because what were the odds?
“It’s ice wine time!” Madison called out on a euphoric high. She held up her special thermometer. “Just over sixteen degrees. Let’s do this.”
“What is happening?” Becca asked. “These people are all showing up to pick grapes? Right now?” She checked her phone. “It’s three twenty-six a.m. Did you know about this? Is this why you were awake?”
“I had no idea. The only thing keeping me awake was you.” Jo
ey laughed. “I’m just as surprised. When Madison makes the decision, it’s a go—a text blast goes out to all those signed up to help pick. It’s an event. We’ll make gallons of cocoa and open sparkling wine for mimosas, and we stay up all night picking the grapes, and Madison and her crew will take it from there. It has to be close to seventeen degrees.”
“And that’s tonight?” Becca asked, incredulous and excited. The crowd was growing.
“Yes,” Joey said in amazement. “Can you believe it?”
Becca laughed. “I can, actually. It’s perfect.”
The voices around them grew louder as the number of people rose. Madison organized the grape pickers and offered some brief instruction, but Joey kept her eyes on Becca and her hand firmly in hers. There weren’t a million grapes to pick because the batch of ice wine would be limited, but it was still important.
“You sure you want to help?” Joey asked when Madison concluded her speech and the pickers headed out with extra energy bouncing between them. Nearby, Bobby popped a bottle of sparkling wine and let it overflow while Loretta laughed and dodged the spray. There must have been thirty volunteers there and more still arriving. She forgot how much she loved this time of year.
Becca’s eyes sparkled in the moonlight. “Nothing could keep me away.” Joey went warm in the freezing temperatures and leaned in for a kiss.
“They’re in love again,” Gabriella said in adoration.
Madison looked up from her clipboard and took a moment to grin. “I saw the kissing and was trying to be breezy, but inside there are cartwheels in progress, and the fact that it happened on ice wine night practically means it’s ordained.”
“Maddie’s cartwheels always remain in her head,” Gabriella told Becca.
“Fewer injuries that way,” Becca said with a nod of approval.
“Ready to pick some grapes?” Joey asked, unable to erase the grin. She had a feeling it was now a fixture.
“I’ll follow you.” The way Becca said the words made it clear that she didn’t just mean in the picking of grapes. The sentiment comforted Joey like the most snuggly of blankets. Becca was hers and she was Becca’s, and there was nothing that she’d let undo that.
They picked and laughed at how ridiculously cold it was and stole glances at each other under the big dark sky, enjoying the renewed feeling of being with each other again. When they glimpsed the sun, the job was done, and with her hand in Becca’s she led them up to her bedroom, where they promptly wrapped themselves around each other and fell asleep as the sunlight further illuminated Joey’s bedroom.
When Joey opened her eyes a few hours later, she saw Becca gazing at her across the pillow. Her heart swelled. “You’re still here. Thank God.”
Becca touched her cheek. “Did you think I’d leave?” She shook her head. “Never.”
“What about work?”
“I texted Carla and let her know I had a hard night. She’s covering for me.”
“I love Carla,” Joey said. “I need to send her a gift basket to express it properly.”
Becca laughed. God, she was beautiful. Joey reached up and touched her hair, elated at her presence, her smile, her body in Joey’s bed. They’d thrown their clothes on the floor in exhaustion. Joey still wore bra and panties, which seemed silly now. She eased closer to Becca and savored the feeling of their bodies pressed together. It seemed so clichéd a thought, but everything felt in balance, like she’d come home to her own life again. Becca slipped a hand between Joey’s legs and stroked the fabric lightly. The surprise was how turned on Joey already was and how that minimal contact sent shots of pleasure and longing surging through her. “Oh, I’ve missed you,” she said through shallow breaths. It wasn’t long before the rest of their clothes joined the pile, and they spent the morning in decadent reunion. Becca’s predictive skills and the way she handled Joey’s body had not changed, and the way they fit together so perfectly astounded.
“Well, this has been an entirely fantastic morning,” Becca said when they were happy and spent.
“I can agree that we’ve set the bar really high. Do you think tomorrow will live up?”
Becca met her gaze and held it. “If you’re here, there’s no way it can’t.”
Everything in Joey melted. When she kissed Becca good-bye before heading down the path, she didn’t take it for granted. She understood the importance of their connection and couldn’t wait to come home that night.
“What do you think about me picking Sky up a little later while you work? He likes to lounge around the vineyard.”
“Are you kidding? He would love that.” Becca stole a second kiss. She was showered and fresh and wore a sweater of Joey’s that looked amazing on her. “I’ll leave the key behind the loose brick. You can keep it.”
“Good. I’ll need access to him. And other people who live there. A successful businesswoman, for one. Brunette. Amazing lips. Killer smile. Devastatingly sexy hair.”
“I’ll keep an eye out for her.” Another kiss.
“Hey, Becca?”
“Yeah?”
“I love you.”
Becca grinned. “I love you, too.”
As Joey walked the short distance to the tasting room, she reflected on her year and its many ups and downs. She’d grown up more than she realized was possible over the course of only a few months. She’d learned many of her own weaknesses and how to overcome them. She grappled with grief and the effect it can have on the heart. More importantly, she’d discovered lasting love and how to return it. She passed Gabriella’s truck and grinned at the wonderful aromas that now felt like a staple at Tangle Valley. She’d told her to take the day off, but Gabriella’s commitment to her food was no joke. She spotted Joey and hopped down.
“Even though I can tell you’ve had sex, I’m going to bypass the juicy gossip and ask you to try this.”
Joey took a bite of the slice of pizza Gabriella handed her and closed her eyes. “Amazing.”
“Garlic white pizza with onion and meatball. I’ve already sold three-quarters of my inventory. Might have to go on the menu. Gotta cook.” She dashed back to the truck.
Joey smiled in the tank room at the crusher she saw pressing the grapes for the ice wine, Madison standing off to the side supervising. When she saw Joey, she offered a wave and a couple of celebratory leaps in the air before returning to business mode.
Good God, Joey was beyond blessed to work with her friends.
She stared up at what had turned out to be a gorgeous blue sky, complete with fluffy white clouds. She missed her dad, but she felt like she was turning a page in a book, and the portion of the story that remained was a good one, full of friendship and love and adventures yet to come. With a happy sigh, she joined Loretta behind the bar and picked up a bottle of her family’s wine for pouring. She grinned at the guest in front of her. “Welcome to Tangle Valley.”
Josephine Wilder had come into her own.
Epilogue
Three Months Later
The big day had finally arrived, and wine had never tasted so good. Joey almost hadn’t slept the night before. The new pinot was ready to meet the world, and that meant the big release party at Tangle Valley for all their loyal customers. The food was laid out, and Gabriella and her new assistant, Matt, a culinary student, were hard at work turning out more. The vineyard was in tip-top condition under Bobby and his team’s care, and the new bottles were ready to meet the world. Joey wished she had a little bow tie for each one. It was a special day, after all. She’d kissed Becca’s cheek as she slept and snuck out of bed early to get to work on the festivities.
By noon, the vineyard was hopping. She’d hired a band and a face-painter for the kids. The lunch Gabriella had laid out for their guests was beyond what she’d dreamed possible when she’d brought her on all those months earlier. Eggplant caponata, goat cheese torta, roasted squash, her famous spinach dumplings, toasted pork ravioli, and fresh margherita pizzas.
“I wanted to talk to you a
bout something,” Becca said, as she landed next to Joey. She had on jeans, white tennis shoes, and an off-the-shoulder white blouse that would have to be fawned over later. Becca looked too good in it.
“Now, you beautiful weirdo?” she whispered quietly as the Millers approached the outdoor check-in station she’d set up for wine pickup. “Oh, hold on just a sec.”
“Holding,” Becca said.
“We’re here for the guest of honor,” Mr. Miller proclaimed loudly.
Joey laughed. “You’ve come to the right spot.” She checked off the Millers’ name on her list and handed over their preordered three bottles. “Thank you so much for coming out. I think you’re going to love this year’s wine. My father outdid himself.”
Mrs. Miller grinned. “Tangle Valley has always been our favorite wine. We drive an hour every year for the release. Can we also place an order for an additional case?”
“I’ll put you down for one right now and have one of my guys load it into your car when you’re ready. In the meantime, enjoy the music, and we have a whole spread for your lunch.”
Mr. Miller leaned in. “I have to tell you, the food is a welcome addition. Amazingly good.”
Joey leaned in, too. “The least we can do for our VIP wine club members.”
The release party was an annual event in the spring, and Joey loved the excitement that surrounded the debut of a new batch. In this case, it would be the very last vintage crafted by her father, which made the day bittersweet. Yet she chose to focus on the celebratory component and kept the smile on her face. He would have loved today, so she would love it for him.
Once they had a moment to themselves, Joey turned to Becca and smiled. “You were saying?”
“Orlando called. They want The Jade to partner with Tangle Valley.”
Joey quirked an eyebrow. “How is that possible? Last I heard, Fable Brook, those smug hacks, had a two-year deal.”
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