The Best Man (Blue Heron #1)(119)

The faint smell of bacon was in the air; Mrs. J. would be making breakfast at the New House.

Faith got to work. The frozen clusters of grapes came off easily in her hand, firm, cold little bundles. The stars were brilliant overhead; no moon tonight, the brief snow squall finished. The night air was filled with the sounds of her family bickering, laughing, shouting insults and encouragement to each other. Lights shone over at the Lyons Den, too, as just about every vineyard around made ice wine.

Mom had always loved the ice harvest. She used to bring cocoa in Thermoses, and muffins hot from the oven. One year, there’d been enough snow to go sledding, and Faith could recall, in a bright flash of memory, the feeling of her mom’s arms around her, the sound of her laugh, the thrill of flying down the hill, knowing her mom would keep her safe.

She glanced up to find Dad looking at her with a smile, as if he was thinking the same thought.

After a good hour, they heard another motor. “Ahoy, Hollands!” came Jeremy’s voice. It was another tradition started when the Lyons had first moved to New York; the two families took turns bringing coffee to the other. Attached to Jeremy’s tractor was a small trailer, and leave it to the g*y guy, he had a bright red plaid blanket, a huge Thermos, thick ceramic mugs, matching sugar and creamer set, two trays of sugar cookies and a flask of good brandy to lace the coffee.

“Thank God,” Abby said. “I’m freezing.”

“If your eighty-four-year-old great-grandmother isn’t complaining, should you be?” Pru said. “Jeremy, pour me a coffee, easy on the coffee, okay?”

“Will do, will do,” he said. “And how’s pretty Faith?” He gave her a warm hug, which she returned. He’d called her almost daily while she was in San Francisco, sent her funny emails, and she knew he was doing his best to make her feel better about Levi.

“What a great night!” he exclaimed, releasing her to serve as coffee host. “Beautiful skies, don’t you think?”

“A great night,” Honor quipped. “Easy for you to say, lord of the manor. You have people to do the work for you.”

“Good point,” he agreed, handing her dad a cup of coffee. “I should’ve done what you did, John, and just had a litter of children. Would’ve been cheaper that way.”

“Better get adopting,” Abby said. “I know I’m available.”

Jeremy put his arm around Faith’s shoulders, his dark eyes smiling. “You know, it’s my biggest regret about our breakup. We would’ve made beautiful babies.”

“That’s a lovely sentiment, Jeremy dear,” Goggy said, pouring a liberal amount of brandy into a mug and handing it to Pops.

“She’s not making babies with anyone but me.”

Faith jumped.

Levi stood just outside their little circle, jeans and a couple of layers of flannel, seemingly oblivious to the cold. His hair was rumpled, and he looked tired.

Faith felt that slow, golden heat starting in her heart. Her knees wobbled; her heart did, too. He looked so...good. Kind of grumpy, but good, too.

“You look tired,” Jeremy said. “Getting enough B12?”

“Shut up, Jeremy,” he said irritably. “I am tired. I’ve just spent nineteen hours flying back and forth across the country.” He shot Honor a glare. “Couldn’t have made a phone call, Honor? It would’ve been nice to hear she was on her way home.”

“Oops,” Honor said, unsuccessfully trying to hide her smile with a coffee mug.

“Faith, listen,” Levi said. He stood in front of her, glanced at her family, then back at her. “Look.”

“Look. Listen. He’s so bossy,” Pru said.

“Quiet,” Faith said. “Not you, Levi. You go ahead.”

He ran a hand through his hair. A big, masculine, capable hand that, in the fairly recent past, had elicited all sorts of interesting noises from her. Down, girl, Faith’s brain murmured. Let the man say what he came to say.

Her heart was pretty sure it was going to be good.

“Faith,” he said again. “I know that Jeremy is pretty damn near perfect—”

“Thank you, Levi, I appreciate that,” Jeremy said solemnly. Faith shot him a look, and he smothered a smile.

Levi glanced again at her family.

“You know what? Ignore them,” Faith said, taking him by the hand. She towed him away a few rows, farther from the little cabal. “Do not follow us,” she said over her shoulder. She turned back to Levi, wanting so much to simply wrap herself around him, to kiss him until he smiled. “It’s good to see you again,” she whispered.

“Yeah, you, too.” He scowled, most definitely not looking happy to see her. “I went to San Francisco to see you. But you’d left already.”

“Right. So you said.” She raised her eyebrows, hoping to encourage him. It didn’t seem to work. He just stared. “Was there anything else, Levi?” she asked.

“Right. Yes. There is.” He fished something out of his pocket and pressed it into her hand, then curled her fingers around it, holding her hand in both his own. Despite the temperature, he was warm. “I love you, Faith. I’m sorry for being an idiot. I hired someone to help at work, and I’ll try to tell you more about...stuff. But I don’t want to lose you, I love you, and...and that’s all I’ve got.”