She took in a deep breath. “You know, Leroy, I think it might be best for everyone if I didn’t go back. I’m sure Sophie will understand. Maybe I can write her a letter from Oregon.”
There was another long silence, but it wasn’t a comfortable one this time. “Well,” he began, drawing the word out, “maybe I didn’t put that quite right. The fact is I did promise Sophie I would do all I could to bring you back. But maybe I should’ve made my invitation a bit moreinviting.”
She shrugged. “Hey, I don’t blame you for wanting me out of your hair. I know you’ve got a lot going on, and I caused you some serious stress yesterday.”
“That was yesterday. Here’s the deal, Brynna. This whole thing is awkward. I’ll be the first to admit that. And I guess I’m not eager to sound like I’m begging you to come back—I don’t want to give you the wrong idea.”
“Right.” She nodded firmly, trying to appear stronger than she felt. “And I wouldn’t agree to return if that gaveyouthe wrong idea. I wouldn’t want you to misread my motivation. If I came back, it would simply be to see Sophie and Garth and the kids again. Just to say a proper goodbye.”
“Okay then. It’s settled. I’ll take you back. Let’s swing by the B and B and pick up your things.”
She agreed, but as he drove back toward town, she remembered Mike and Jan. “I nearly forgot that my friends are on their way to pick me up. They’ll be here in a few hours.”
“Why not just have them come out to the vineyard? They can camp overnight there if they want.”
“Really? Mike will love that.”
“I don’t see why not. Unless they’d prefer a real campground.”
“No, I’m sure they’d love to camp one night at Sorrentino’s. Thanks. I’ll text Jan.” Glad for a distraction, she messaged Jan about meeting up at Sorrentino’s and the offer of a free night of camping. But after she sent it, she instantly regretted agreeing to Leroy’s offer. It would be painful to return to Sorrentino’s ... to see the place she’d so grown to love ... to spend one night then tell it all goodbye.
Chapter 27
Brynna did her best to make small talk with Leroy on the way back to Sorrentino’s. They chatted about his grandkids and the baby Sophie seemed determined to name Leroy.
“I keep telling her she doesn’t have to name him that,” Leroy said, “but she’s determined.”
“It’s because she loves you. And,” Brynna added, “she thinks you always wanted a son. She hopes her little Leroy will be extra close to you.”
“You never can tell.”
“I think Gina tries to be like your son,” Brynna said.
“That’s true. Sometimes she acts like she can run the whole vineyard and winery single-handedly.”
“I’ve noticed she’s a real go-getter. Gotta admire that. And she has some really good ideas.”
“Maybe. But she needs to be reined in sometimes too.”
“I really admire how you’ve kept Sorrentino’s a genuine family business.” Brynna gazed out the side window, watching as they passed a huge winery with a Mediterranean-style mansion atop a small knoll. “It makes your place feel truly unique and special.”
“It’s not easy. A lot of family-owned wineries sold out for big money in the late nineties. I’ve been tempted a time or two. Especially after the wildfires.”
“Does your other daughter Luna have any desire to work for you?”
“Hard to say. Sometimes she seems interested—like when she first comes home for a college break—but after a few days she gets bored. Her dream’s always been to be a big-city attorney. And I try to support that, but I have a tough time imagining her being happy with it indefinitely.”
“I heard she’s interning for a law firm in San Francisco. Maybe that’ll give her a good taste of what it’s like.” Brynna didn’t understand how anyone would pass up the opportunity to be part of a place like Sorrentino’s, but she hadn’t grown up there and she understood how familiarity could lead to complacency.
“She called the other day, and it sounds like she loves San Francisco and working for the firm. And I can understand that feeling, being young and wanting to go out into the big wide world.” He laughed lightly. “I was like that, too, a long time ago. I believed the grass was greener elsewhere. But life pulled me back to reality. And, honestly, I don’t regret it. Working the land seems to be in my blood. I just didn’t realize it as a kid.”
“Having spent what little time I did at your place, I think you and your family are hugely blessed to have the land and your work and most of all each other. Not many people get to live like that.” She instantly wished she hadn’t said that last bit. Besides sounding sort of pathetic, it probably came across as a plea to be invited back into his fold. “Of course, I realize it’s a whole lot of work too. I’m well aware you guys don’t live in la-la land. The reason Sorrentino’s is such a great place is because you invest yourself.” She felt like she was rambling now. “Anyway, I respect you for that.”
“Thanks.”
Neither of them spoke for a while, so when Brynna’s phone chimed with a text, she was grateful for the distraction. She read the message then texted back. “That was Jan,” she told Leroy. “She and Mike are grateful for your offer to camp for the night. She said they’ll have dinner on the road and hopefully arrive before sundown.”
“Sounds like a good plan.”
