We settle in the grass near the crest, the horses grazing a few yards away. The breeze is gentle and carries the scent of wildflowers, and the only sounds are the distant call of a hawk and the soft tearing of grass as the horses graze. Sunny tucks herself against my side, her head resting against my shoulder, and the quiet between us is the kind that doesn't need filling.
"I got some good news this morning," I tell her after a while. "I asked Isabelle not to say anything because I wanted to tell you myself."
She lifts her gaze to mine. "What kind of news?"
"I called an engineering firm a few weeks ago and asked them to assess what it would take to build a wine cave into the hill behind the winery." I watch her face as the words register. "They came back this morning with their report. The geology is perfect. The rock and drainage conditions are ideal for the kind of cave you've always wanted."
Her eyes go wide, her lips parting, and for a long second she doesn't speak. "Charlie."
"Isabelle, Diego and I had a quick call today and we gave the project the green light." I reach over and tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. "Construction starts in two weeks."
The sound she makes is half laugh and half gasp, and then she cups my face and her mouth is on mine, kissing me with everything she has. When she pulls back, her gaze is bright with tears.
"You remembered," she whispers.
"You described that cave like it was a cathedral. The dimensions, the barrel placement, the way you wanted the natural rock to show through the walls." I brush my thumb across her cheek. "I remember everything you tell me, Sunshine."
She kisses me again, softer now, lingering. When she pulls back, the smile on her face is luminous. "I can’t wait to thank you properly tonight," she murmurs against my mouth, and the promise in her voice sends heat racing down my spine.
"I'm going to hold you to that."
"You better."
We sit on the hilltop until the light starts to fade and the horses grow restless. Then we head back to the house, the horses picking up their pace as the barn comes into view. The kitchen windows glow as we approach, and the scent of roasting meat drifts across the yard. I take Pearl's saddle while Sunny brushes her down, and we work in a rhythm that has become second nature between us.
Dinner is roasted chicken with root vegetables and a salad from the garden, and Gran wastes no time. She turns to Sunny before Oscar has finished pouring the wine.
"Charles told me about your ownership stake," Gran mentions. "Congratulations, dear. How are you feeling about that?"
"Like I’m living in a dream or some fairy tale."
“It’s well deserved.” Gran nods, satisfied, and reaches for her wine. I sit back and watch as they discuss the latest at the winery and gossip from Stone Creek, and I can’t get my mind off that ring in my pocket.
After dessert, Gran rises, signaling the end of the evening for her. She kisses Sunny's cheek, squeezes my shoulder as she passes, and pauses at the doorway.
"Goodnight, my dears. I'll see you both in the morning." She disappears down the hallway toward her suite, and the faint click of her door closing reaches us a moment later.
Sunny catches my eye across the table. The candlelight plays in her hair, and the look she gives me carries an invitation that makes my pulse kick up.
"Shall we?" I ask.
She takes my hand. "I really need a shower before bed," she says, already heading for the stairs.
At the end of the hallway, my door stands ajar on the left, hers on the right. I can see her overnight bag sitting on the bench inside her room, and the lamp on the nightstand casting its warm glow across the bed that Oscar made up with fresh linens and the flowers on the nightstand.
"Go take your shower," I tell her. "I'll be waiting."
She gives me a look that combines suspicion and anticipation, then disappears through her door. I cross the hall to my room, strip down, and pull on a pair of clean sleep pants. When I hear the shower start, I slip across the hall to her room, stretch out across the mattress, lace my hands behind my head, and wait.
The shower runs for ten minutes. The pipes groan when it shuts off, and I hear the muffled sounds of her moving around the bathroom, the cabinet opening and closing, the soft pad of bare feet on tile. Then the bathroom door opens, and Sunny walks into the bedroom wrapped in a white towel, her hair damp against her shoulders, her skin flushed pink from the hot water.
She spots me sprawled across her bed and stops dead.
"Charlie Hayden. What are you doing on my bed?"
"I've been thinking." I prop myself on one elbow and give her the grin that I know drives her crazy. "This room is beautiful."
"I sense a 'but' coming."
