"Colton Wines?" she asks, her eyes trained on the sign. "This is your family's?"
I wanted her shocked, and she is.
"My grandfather's. My dad's dad."
Her eyes scour the land, taking everything in, and her mouth drops as it all registers. Then she looks back to me.
"So not what I was expecting, considering the way everyone has depicted your father's upbringing."
I snicker while turning down the ungodly driveway. I always forget how long this damn thing is.
I explain the summarized version of how Colton Farms became Colton Wines, enjoying the way she seems to be hanging on every detail. She never once seems bored or annoyed as she soaks it all in. In fact, she seems to be mesmerized, which only empowers me.
"This is the business you'll be taking over?" she asks when I finish, letting all the pieces work together, and I can't help but smile bigger. It feels good to be sharing this with her and seeing her so interested.
"Yep. People assume I'll be taking over Burndell Industries, but I couldn't care less about all that boring shit. This... this is me. It's my home. When I came out here as a kid, I couldn't get enough of the farm. Granddad taught me about the grapes, the lands, and the farming portion of the business. The older I got, the more I came out here. I'm here once a week usually. It's been a little longer since I came out here... since I haven't been able to tear myself away from you since you moved in."
I see the house just ahead, so I pull her hand in mine to kiss it before parking the car. Her grin is infectious.
"Wow," I hear her gasp in awe as I step out of the car.
Her eyes are moving around quickly, making sure she takes in every bi
t of the cedar, hand-carved details, and breathtaking landscape. I'm not sure why it matters so much to me for her to like it, but now it feels as though I can take a breath.
"There's my boy," Granddad's voice announces, making me smile as I head toward him.
The chemo seems to be working good for him, considering how well he's getting around. I'm not big on hugging usually, but he's an exception, considering he's the only person in this world who has ever had complete and total faith in me.
He pats my back roughly, proving he has plenty of strength, and then he whistles when he sees Raya, appraising her as though he's impressed. If he's impressed now, he'll be blown away once he gets to know her.
"How the hell did you convince a pretty girl like that to ride out here with you?" he jokes, prompting me to laugh as I make my way back toward the nervous girl.
Threading our fingers together, I pull her toward him, happy to make introductions.
"Granddad, this is Raya Capperton. Raya, this is my grandfather, Thomas Colton."
"That's the best you can do?" Thomas pokes. "You're supposed to introduce her as who she is to you as well. That's how it works. Friend? Girlfriend? Fiancée? Wife?"
Wife? He's lost his mind if he thinks I'm ever getting married. But... what is Raya? Shit. We should have discussed this earlier.
"You'd know it if I got married," I say, stalling as I try to think of how to introduce Raya. "This is my... girlfriend?" I say, but I sound pathetic when it comes out as a question.
"Are you asking or telling?" Granddad teases, making me feel all the more awkward. Of course he couldn't let that go. God forbid he let me hold onto my dignity.
"I suppose... telling?" Hell. It sounds like a question again.
Why is such a simple question so hard to answer?
"I swear, boy. If you have a girl who looks like her, you say 'girlfriend.' You don't stumble around like an idiot who's waiting on her to clarify. Be a man."
Granddad was my favorite in the family. Until this moment.
Raya bursts out laughing, and I'm sure I'm turning pretty damn red right about now. Mean old man.
"Be a man," Raya adds, teasing me. But it actually makes me relax to hear her joking about it.
"Don't encourage him," I grumble, making both of them laugh.