The Crush (Oregon Wine Country #1)(69)

“It’s mine to do with as I please.”

“He’s right, Jen. This is a business matter. Let us handle this,” said Alexander.

Jennifer turned to Tom and yelled, “This is family business. You stay out of it.”

Then she stepped into her son’s personal space. “And you listen to me, Storm. I’ve had it with you. You’ve known how attached Junie was to this land since the two of you were children. Why are you so greedy when you don’t need the money? What’s happened to you? Your father would be appalled.”

At that last comment, Storm flinched and averted his eyes from his mother’s probing glare.

Jennifer leaned in for the kill. “You’re going to sell your sister’s land back to her at the price she paid for it.”

For a moment the only sound was Jennifer’s breath, rushing in and out of her lungs.

Slowly, Storm lifted his head and drawled, “Or what?”

Manolo moved to Jennifer’s side. “Or I’m going to rip off your arm and ram it down your throat, nuts-for-brains.”

“Touch him and I’ll have you arrested,” said Alexander coolly.

Jennifer whipped her head around. “Who’s going to arrest him? Everyone in this town knows what Manolo Santos did for Junie. They know what her father’s dream was for her. That includes his fellow lawmen.”

Junie pointed across her desk to Tom. “And you’re going to stay out of my way, starting right now, or I’m going to see that everyone in town knows how you’ve been trying to manipulate me for your own gain.”

“How dare you threaten me?”

“Don’t you know?” cried Junie to her mom, “Tom’s been using you, too. He knew I didn’t have enough money to buy you out. He convinced you to get me and Storm to buy your share of the property, knowing I’d have to take his loan at his exorbitant interest rate. He was sure I’d default and he’d end up majority shareholder of the vineyard.”

When Jennifer regarded Tom again, there was a new clarity in her eyes. “Well, you were wrong about that, weren’t you?”

“Say anything you want,” replied Tom. “Who’s going to believe you?”

Then Sam appeared, and immediately Manolo knew his old comrade had been listening from the tasting room. He could always count on Sam to have his back.

“You relish your reputation as the local doctor-slash-vintner, don’t you, Alexander?” said Sam. “It’s a variation on the ‘big fish in a small pond’ theme. I happen to have a little bit of influence, myself. If I should let word of this matter slip out to my consortium members, I guarantee you’ll be persona non grata at every wine event in the valley from now on.”

*

“Think I’ll hang around here a little while,” Manolo told Sam after everyone but Junie had gone.

“Call me if you need a ride. Tonight, tomorrow, whatever,” said Sam on his way out.

When they were alone, Manolo followed Junie into the house. “Still no living room furniture, I see.”

“It’s not a priority. I never have time to sit down. Want to come out to the kitchen?”

He followed her, devouring every detail of her body from the top of her head, over her slender curves, to her boots.

“Hungry?” she asked.

He scrubbed a hand over his eyes. “Starving. I came directly here from the airport. I haven’t eaten all day.”

“Let me make you something.”

“You? When did you start cooking?”

“I didn’t. But there’s pasta in the cupboard, and I inherited some good recipes.”

He eyed her hungrily while she moved around the kitchen. He hadn’t realized how much time he’d spent alone since he left this place, now that he lived by himself in the apartment in Belize. He cooked alone, ate alone, and slept alone. It was good to be in her company.

“How’d you know what was happening with Storm?”

“Sam told me.”

“Is that why you’re here? To check up on me?”

“Sam invited me out to go skiing. He filled me in after I got here.”

“Is that the only reason?”

Manolo scraped the chair aside and crossed the floor to stand behind her. He cupped his hands over her shoulders like he was warming them over a campfire, basking in her aura. After a moment they settled on her like a butterfly landing. He bent his head to inhale the hippie-dippie scent of her hair.

She stopped stirring, turned the burner off deliberately and turned around.

His hands stroked down her bare arms.

She melted into to him in a warm embrace. “I can’t believe you’re standing here, and I’m touching you, and you’re real. Just this morning I was afraid I’d never see you again, and now, here you are. It’s a miracle.”

“You’re the miracle,” he said.

They kissed, and it felt like a homecoming to Manolo.

“Stay?” she whispered.

He nodded and they went upstairs, the half-cooked food forgotten.

And when the new day crept over the windowsill, Manolo felt a peace he’d never known.

*

The next day was the winter solstice. Manolo helped Junie dig through the frozen ground in the middle of the vineyard. She thrust her gloved hands into the hole and pulled out the cow’s horns and brushed the soil off the wine bottle they had buried last summer, when the birds had been singing and the sun shining on their shoulders.