“Cru needs some help with the water heater. I don’t know why Ma didn’t call me in the first place, since I’m the one who fixed it the last time. What about you? Why are you here?”
“I need to talk to Cru and Daphne about something.”
“What?” he pressed.
I kicked at the dirt in the driveway. Bit had the kindest, gentlest soul of anyone I knew, so his direct approach had neverbothered me. In fact, running into him first was probably a good thing. I could explain it all to him before Cru and get his take on it.
“Saffron Hope just asked me for a massive favor.”
“What kind of favor?”
I laid it all out—the Christmas Blessing Wine, the grapes, the equipment, the partnership, the insane timeline. “It’s weird, Bit. She’s desperate. Scared even, and I can’t figure out why.”
“I’ve heard some things,” he said as we walked toward the house.
“What?”
“About Hope Family Winery.” He rested against the rail of the porch steps. “They’re in trouble.”
“How bad?”
“Foreclosure.”
“Jesus Christ,” I said under my breath.
“I don’t know all the details, but from what I’ve heard, the bank is ready to act.”
Everything clicked into place. The desperation. The tears. The insistence that it had to be this Christmas. Which meant I had to convince my brothers and sister to go along with it.
“What would you do?”
He put his hand on my shoulder. “For the woman I loved? Everything humanly possible.”
“Is it that obvious?”
Bit chuckled. “To everyone but you. At least until now.”
My eyes widened. “Everyone?”
“Except youandSaffron.”
We foundCru exactly where Bit said he’d be: in the basement, looking at the water heater.
“Time to replace it,” Bit muttered.
“Figured that out,” Cru responded. “I got one on the way. I’m just trying to piece this one together enough that Ma can get through until tomorrow.”
“Let me do it. Snapper needs to talk to you.”
Cru looked up at me, then moved out of Bit’s way.
“What’s up?” he asked after I led him up the cellar steps and out onto the porch.
I reiterated everything I’d just told Bit.
When I finished, Cru leaned against one of the barrels and crossed his arms. “That’s quite an ask.”
“I know. Do we even have the grapes?”
