Prologue
A retirement announcement? Tonight?
Dad implied it would be years before he left Starlit Fields to us kids. Now it’s happening sooner than any of us imagined. Well, except Pierce, he seems to be in the know about everything. A few of my other siblings as well.
The only ones shocked by the announcement are me, Piper, and Paula. I’m usually the one Pierce confides in. The person he’s always been able to rely on. What makes this night different than any other?
I watch my baby sister, Piper, storm off the porch. She’s never been able to hide her emotions. I used to tease her about it when we were kids. Showing how you feel always seemed like a weakness.
Right now, though, I’d give anything to be able to show the frustration flowing through every inch of me. She would laugh if she knew how jealous I am of her confidence in herself.
Glasses clinking and congratulations pepper the air around me and for once, I don’t want to partake. Piper has the right idea. I follow the path she took because there is only once place, she could be going.
I take my time walking toward our childhood swing set. I don’t want Piper to think I’m hovering. It’s the one thing she has complained about since we were kids. Apparently, the big siblings hover too much.
“I thought I might find you over here.” Piper is sitting in one of the swings and jumps at the sound of my voice.
“Peter? Why aren’t you eating with everyone else?” She sounds sad. Not that I can blame her. The news took at least half of us by surprise.
“I didn’t much feel like it.” I press down on the swing next to her, making sure it can hold my weight, and take a seat.
“So, you really didn’t know Dad was announcing his retirement tonight? I figured being so close to Pierce would make you privy to this sort of information.”
It takes me a few moments to answer her. Because she’s not wrong. Up until tonight, I thought I knew everything Pierce did.
“Yeah, I thought so, too.” I shuffle my feet in the dirt, making two tracks.
“It sucks being on this side of information, doesn’t it?”
I flinch at the words. I know she doesn’t mean anything by them. At least, not completely. I know a dig when I hear it. The feeling isn’t any better, though. Being on this side of finding out, isn’t fun. If anything, it puts how the rest of my siblings feel into perspective.
“Yep.” I nod and swing slightly. The fear of going too high and falling off keeps me from letting go completely. “Maybe I’ve been putting too much of myself into the winery and being at Pierce’s beck and call.”
“I could have told you that.” She snorts and swings a bit higher. “You’ve been so far up his ass since we were kids I didn’t know where he ended and you began.”
I gag at the insult. That’s really how the rest of them see me. As a kiss ass ready to do whatever Pierce wants. It’s not exactly hard to deny since I constantly do everything. But he always makes it sound like nobody else will take care of things. I need to have more faith in my brothers and sisters.
“That is not a great visual. You could have put that more eloquently.”
“Not really.” She shakes her head. “It’s literally the only way to describe your relationship to our elder brother. Take a step back, you might realize you’re a completely different person.”
The sigh passing through my lips is louder than I thought. Hopefully she doesn’t hear it. How pathetic is it that I’m getting lectured by my baby sister? She’s never been afraid to go after what she wants, even when Pierce consistently shoots her down. She gets up and tries again.
I don’t even know who I am without the winery. So many years have been spent proving to Pierce that I’m capable of doing everything he does. That he can count on me. His opinion of me has been the only thing pushing me forward. Even as far back as my teen years.
Do I even have any hobbies? The only thing I do outside of work is hang out with Miles at the bar. Sometimes we’ll go to the next town over and play pool. Shit, I’m turning into my big brother. That’s just…sad. Nobody wants to wake up one day realizing all they do is work.
Piper drags her feet on the ground, slowing down the momentum of the swing. An owl hoots in the distance, and I didn’t realize how dark it’s gotten. I didn’t think we’d been away from the back porch that long. Time flies when you have the sudden realization you have no idea who you are as a person. I’m pretty sure I’m too young for a mid-life crisis, but maybe not.
“Do you think we should get back?” I nudge Piper’s shoulder as soon as she comes to a stop. “I’m sure they’ll send out a search party for us.”
“You can head back.” She nods her head toward the house. “I’ll be up in a minute. Just need to fix my expression and gather my wits.”
“Okay, don’t be too long or I’ll be back to drag you to the house. You need to eat something.”
I had the good sense to eat a snack before we got started. Piper probably didn’t. She has a habit of forgetting to take care of herself when she’s caught up in something.
“You act like I haven’t been stealing bites the whole time we’ve been here.”
