“I’m not interested in fucking someone else. I can’t hop from the bed of the woman I’m in love with to someone else’s. Maybe you can tell me how to do that, Dad.”
Steven doesn’t even flinch. “I deserve that.” He nods slowly for a moment.
“Yes, you do.”
“I think it’s very telling that you’re not interested in other women, Dom. Maybe it’s not as over as you think it is. Seems a shame to give up on something you worked so hard to have in your life.”
“She won’t speak to me,” I remind him. “And now that we’re on the subject, how could you do it? How could you bounce from Gail to my mom?”
“I didn’t bounce anywhere,” he replies coldly. “I thought my marriage was over, and I was an idiot. I regretted it for a long time. I don’t anymore.”
“Why?” I ask with surprise.
“Because of you.” He shrugs and then sighs. “You were the best part of your mother’s life, Dominic. I never saw her again, but I can guarantee you that much. And now we have you in our family, and I couldn’t be more thankful.”
“I disrupted your life, and I’m quite sure I put undue stress on your marriage last year.”
“You did neither.” He waves me off and laughs ruefully. “My wife knew all about your mother not long after it happened more than thirty years ago. It wasn’t a secret between us. Was it a surprise? The biggest of my life. And it was an adjustment for my other children, but I think it’s obvious that you’re accepted and loved, Dominic.”
Loved?
I think back on the past year, at how the Montgomerys have folded me into their family, accepted me unconditionally. I am their brother, without hesitation.
Even Gail has been nothing but gracious.
Yes, they are my family and I love them back. I’d do anything for any of them.
“I’m grateful for all of you,” I murmur.
“There’s no need to be grateful, son.” He grins at me with the smile of a man who has everything he could ever want. “Family just is. Now, about your Alecia.”
“She’s not mine.”
“You’re not interested in anyone else. You’re trying to reach out to her.” He seems to be struggling with what to say, and he finally says, “Give her some time.”
“What do you know?” I ask, suspicious that he isn’t telling me everything.
“I know that it’s not my story to tell. Alecia has had a rough go of it lately, and maybe she just needs some space.”
“Fuck that. If she needs me, I’ll go take care of her.”
“I didn’t say she needed anyone to take care of her,” he replies sternly. “I said she needs time.”
“I’m not a patient man.”
“Well, you come by that honestly,” he says with a chuckle. “I’d like for you to show me your operation here, and then I’d like to have lunch with my son, if you’re up for it.”
My eyebrows climb into my hairline in surprise. “I’m definitely up for it.”
“Excellent.”
We walk through the grounds, the barn where the barrels are stored, the production barn, the store. He’s engrossed in all of it, just as he is each time he comes out here.
“I’d like to develop a special wine for the women in our family. What do you think?”
I grin slowly, then smile widely. “I think that’s an excellent idea. We could surprise them with it for Mother’s Day next year.”
“Perfect.” Steven nods and claps his hand on my shoulder. “I’m so happy you found us, son. I should have said it months ago, but I don’t think you were ready to hear it yet. I’m proud of you.”
I blink hard and stare out at my vines, my heart in my throat.
“I was terrified when the P.I. gave me your information.”
“I was rather nervous myself when I met you for the first time,” he replies. “But just as it is with all of my children, Natalie included, you are important to our family. You are important to me. I’m sorry that I missed out on so many years with you, but I hope that we can have a relationship with each other going forward.”
I nod, not sure what to say, knowing that anything I do say is going to sound rough.
“Good.” He pats my shoulder again and walks back toward the villa. “Let’s go get lunch. I’m starving.”
***
She’s avoided me all damn day.
I’m standing in Steven and Gail’s backyard while children run around, my sisters laugh, and Jax and Logan are newly married.
The happy couple are feeding each other cupcakes, smashing the frosting in each other’s noses.
“I’ve never understood the whole let’s punish the cake by smearing it all over each other thing,” Will says with a frown.
“I don’t understand why you’re not over there trying to snatch some cake,” I reply dryly.
“Holy shit, you’re right!” He runs across the lawn to the patio as if a linebacker is on his heels.
“I think he already stole one from the back earlier,” Caleb says with a shake of the head. “How is he not fat?”
“Because he works out six hours a day,” Leo says as he pulls his wife into his arms and kisses her head.
“This is the man section,” Sam says with a frown. “Where are the girls?”
“I didn’t realize we had sections,” Steven says as he joins us, handing me a beer.
Alecia walks by, completely ignoring me, just as she’s done all damn day.
“Excuse me,” I murmur and follow her.
“Trouble in paradise?” I hear Sam ask.
“Alecia,” I say and hurry to catch up to her. “Stop.”
“I don’t have time.” She presses on her ear, and speaks into her sleeve. “I need more champagne out here, and Logan’s mother is drinking out of a plastic glass, Em. That’s not okay. Get her a glass flute.”
“I’d really like to speak to you, cara.”
She stops and turns to me, finally looking at me for the first time today, and she takes my damn breath away. Her hair is up in its usual knot, her brown eyes are wide, but unsmiling. She looks like she may have lost a few pounds from the way her green dress hangs on her sweet little body.
But rather than answer me, she simply shakes her head and stomps away, talking briskly to Emily in her sleeve.