Love in the Vineyard (Tavonesi #7)(89)

Then she did tell Delia about Eddie. And about Enrique.

Delia’s eyes sparked fire. “You are not responsible for this Enrique’s actions. He took advantage of you—can’t you see that? No one could blame you for such a thing. And I don’t care if Eddie is Tyler’s father. I have attorneys, lots of them. Unless he has truly reformed, he’s not getting within a country mile of my grandson.”

Natasha fought back tears as she wrapped her arms around Delia and sank into the scent of lavender and the comfort of her arms. “Welcome to Team Tyler.”

Delia patted her back. “Don’t you worry, dear. I’ll deal with the law and Eddie. You deal with Adrian. Genuine love comes from knowledge, not from a sense of duty or guilt. Does he know you love him?”

Delia’s blunt question broke through the brief sense of peace that being held had brought to Natasha.

“Maybe.”

Delia pulled away and put her palms on Natasha’s shoulders.

“For goodness’ sake, Natasha. Maybe is not good enough.”

A cellphone sounded from Delia’s purse.

“That’s my driver. He can wait a few more minutes.” Delia slid off the stool and planted her feet firmly on the floor. “I have business in the city all day tomorrow and a meeting in the evening. Perhaps we can have dinner the day after tomorrow? I’d like to meet Tyler. Unless you think it’s too soon.”

“He’ll be thrilled to know he has a great-grandmother. He’s always wished we had a family. Lately he’s been asking questions about his father too.”

“May I offer some advice?”

Natasha nodded.

“Wait to tell Tyler about his father. Until we know better what might lie ahead—until we have a better grasp on what sort of man Edward Markiston truly is and how involved he might be in Tyler’s life. Until we know what is best to tell Tyler and how to orient him to such news.”

“Tyler really likes Adrian. In a deep place, I wish…” Her voice trailed off as her heart warred with her mind. “I wish so many aspects of our lives had been different.”

“Wishing is a coward’s way out, Natasha. Marburys don’t have that gene, dear. And I rather doubt your mother had it either.” She tapped a finger to Natasha’s heart. “The heart always knows its way forward. You might need to listen a bit more carefully to its advice.”

She headed for the door. Natasha grabbed the photos off the counter. “You forgot these.”

“Those are for you. I can see them anytime. I’m planning to move to Sonoma as soon as my real estate agent finds me a place near town.” She withdrew her gloves from her purse. “Oh, and one more thing, my dear—nothing happens in the universe by mistake. Keep that in mind.”

After Delia left, Natasha paced in front of the window overlooking her little green square of lawn.

She’d have help dealing with Eddie. And she had family. That was maybe the best part of all.

And Adrian? She needed to buck up and face the truth. She loved him.

But was Delia right? Was she a coward?

No, she was a realist.

Early on when she was falling in love with him, she’d fooled herself by believing it was money and privilege that created the gap between her and Adrian. Somehow believing that made her think she might surmount the problem. Win the lottery or something. Anything. But what she’d told Delia was true: their lives didn’t mesh and never would. But even beyond that truth was another, a fact impossible to deny—he liked her, she was sure of it, but he didn’t love her. He’d never even hinted at anything long term.

But then, neither had she.

She curled up in the chair where just an hour ago Delia had sat like some fairy godmother. The scent of lavender rose from the upholstery, a reminder that Natasha hadn’t hallucinated the entire episode.

She glanced around her small apartment.

Loneliness coursed through the shock waves bouncing around in her brain. Whatever the future held, she’d be living without Adrian. It didn’t make her feel any better to know she couldn’t have stopped herself from loving him. But she truly had thought she was ready for any outcome. She’d been wrong.





That night Natasha stood in the field beside her apartment and stared up at the stars. They appeared so tranquil, but yet there they were, busy burning away and spilling their energy out into the night sky. She thought of Delia’s last words to her—nothing happens in the universe by mistake.

She almost believed it.

She’d changed since moving to Sonoma, since she’d met Adrian and begun her work at the vineyard. Confidence bloomed, fed by facing truths she’d once feared.

One truth stood out—her life with her foster parents wasn’t her doing, not her fault. Deep in her body she felt the shame of those days release, freeing energy for her life ahead. The hole that had lurked deep and wide was filling. It wasn’t full yet, but she had firmer ground to stand on instead of sinking as she’d done in the past. Trust was beginning to grow in her, tender and still tentative, but there. And along with her budding trust in life, in herself, courage grew too. The gift of freedom loomed, calling to her.

But a constant question nagged—why hadn’t she told Adrian how she felt? Wasn’t she doing exactly what he’d done, making a choice for him by not revealing her true feelings? By not telling him she loved him?