"I'll be damned. You're in love with him. That's perfect."
How did he know?
I wipe my eyes, laugh, and sniffle all at once, while keeping the wine tucked close to me.
"I'd rather you didn't go announcing that to him," I mumble, making him laugh again as his eyes continue to water.
"You have no idea how happy it makes me to hear someone loves my boy. This is all going to be his one day. In fact, I originally had Paul deeded parts of the property, but Kade has proven himself, so I had a new will drafted just yesterday. I plan on keeping it a secret and surprising Kade with it in a few months."
I start to say something else, but the ancient relic of a phone on the wall rings loudly, drawing his attention. I glance around at the othe
r bottles in the room, amazed at all the hard work that has to be done to produce wine.
A picture catches my attention next. It piques my curiosity because of the fact it's a fraction of a centimeter off the wall. It's hiding a secret. I know hidden secrets.
With his back turned, he doesn't see me when I tilt the picture out to take a look behind it. The Annex Goliath safe. Unbelievable. I know that safe because Annex is my father's old cohort in crime. He turned over a new leaf and started designing unbreakable safes. I find humor in the fact a con is keeping Kade's grandfather's secret treasures safe.
I let the picture fall back into place, and I turn to face Thomas just as he hangs up the phone. He smiles at me, but it's weak. I'm not sure what just happened during that call, but it has dampened his spirits.
"Come on. Let's go find Kade. I'm sure he's already sold half my stock by now. The boy needs a life, and you're the right woman for the job."
I chuckle lightly and follow him.
"So is this where all the wine is fermented?" I ask, hoping to bring back his real smile.
"No, dear," he chuckles out. "This is just where I make my favorites. There are two other buildings on the property designed just for fermenting. Several men work the fields, and my manager oversees the production."
As we top the stairs, a guy with salt-and-pepper hair walks across the room while holding a clipboard. He looks to be mid-forties, and his goatee matches his time-dusted hair.
"Well, speak of the devil," Thomas says with a grin.
The man looks up and smiles at both of us, letting the clipboard drop to his side as he clutches it with one hand. "Thomas, you have a guest."
"This is Raya. She's dating Kade."
"It's about time that boy made time for something other than this place."
Thomas chuckles. "You're one to talk."
"I'm old," he jokes. "I'm supposed to be wrapped up in work."
Thomas turns to me and holds a hand out to gesture to the guy. "This is Harry Talbot, my manager. He keeps the place running like a well-oiled machine."
I shake his hand just as Kade walks in with a balding man who is half Kade's height. Well, maybe not half, but he's short... very short. Especially compared to Kade.
"And that's Leonard Mars, my lawyer who keeps all the licenses, contracts, and legal things running just as smoothly as Harry keeps the farm."
"Vineyard," Kade interjects, smiling.
"It's a farm with a vineyard on it," Thomas says, swatting at him.
Kade walks over to me and pulls me in his arms before delivering a chaste kiss on my lips. I keep the bottle of Merlot tucked against me, and he looks down to see what I'm holding.
"I gave the girl a gift. I told her I might not ever get this chance again," Thomas says with a salacious grin.
Kade smiles until he sees what I'm holding, and then his eyes widen in shock. I really want to give this back.
"The '93 Merlot? Have you lost your mind?" he gasps.