“You know, it’s been more than five days since Dad called.” At first, he’d been getting in touch multiple times a day. And then every day. And then every other. It didn’t surprise me at all. “I think it was easier for him too, being away from Grado Valley. Out of sight, so to speak.”
“Have you ever known him to forget about the estate on vacation before?”
“He isn’t forgetting about it,” I clarified. “He’s realizing you’re doing it. We’re doing it. Grado hasn’t just survived this summer. We’ve thrived.”
“We have,” he said, a little amazed. “A lot of it has to do with Brooke.”
The way he looked at her...I said a silent thank-you to the universe for bringing Brooke to the Finger Lakes. To my brother. “Agreed. But a lot of it has to do with you, Cos. You guys might have different styles, but the way you manage the estate,” I shrugged. “I don’t know. It just reminds me of Dad. Everyone is at ease, even when things go to shit. We know it will be okay with you at the helm.”
My brother smiled, as he seemed to do more often these days. “Thanks.” He turned reflective, studying me. And then, “What has you all sentimental today?”
“Six months exactly,” I said.
Cos’s eyes widened. “It is. Holy shit, time flies. Have they really been retired six months already?”
“Yep,” I said as we approached the first stop on this weekend’s tour. “Ready to go schmooze?”
The owners of this winery were old friends of our parents. They made great wine, and they were the first people we contacted when we put together the tour.
“I’m ready,” he said.
And for the first time since he’d taken over, Cosimo really was ready. He reached his hand out to Brooke, who took it and squeezed. I couldn’t wait for our parents to meet her. The woman who had helped Cos come into his own. Who had helped make him the best version of himself.
Suddenly, thinking of the harvest, I was excited too.
Excited to see what the fall would bring for Grado Valley Vineyards.
Excited to know the best was yet to come.
* * *
Jointhe Grado family as Brooke meets Cosimo’s parents for the first time. Click here to read thePop and Pourbonus scene.
Then getready for more Grado Valley Vineyards goodness with Neo and Thayle’s story inLay It Down. Download now or keep reading on the next page for a sneak peek.
lay it down
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NEO
I started to reiterate once again why I was too busy to go on this wine tour, but Min cut me off, blurting out, “Thayle!”
We both turned to look at her.
“You should take Thayle,” she explained, grinning.
I stared at my sister, not fully hearing her. It sounded as if she’d said I should take Thayle on a nearly two-week wine tour around the Finger Lakes.
“That’s a good idea,” Cos jumped in. “She’s never been. I think it would be great for her to chat with some of the other wineries about their clubs.”
No, no, no. “She does plenty of research online. Thayle knows about every wine club on the planet. She doesn’t need to go to actual wineries for that.”
“I heard my name.”
Fuck.
Bergamot and grapefruit. I knew her perfume well.