Page 25 of Conquered Obstacles

“It was Arabella’s idea,” Jamie praised. “New Experiences since it’s alcohol from all over the world and recommends pairings not just picking up a bottle or defaulting to your regular tastes.”

I smiled at him. “Plus, it’s you and Colton branching out into something new that hopefully will take off. Even the way your sommelier will receive bonuses for tastings, not selling expensive bottles—all of it. It’s a testament to doing things differently.”

“Yes, I agree,” Mrs. Kraft said, clearing her throat and giving me a worried look. “I apologize for not calling first or—”

“It’s fine. Really.” I gestured between us. “This is fine. In front of others and with your husband being…”

“I let too much go,” she accepted, looking regretful. “Sometimes you just drop an argument because you’re tired and have a newborn or can’t keep having the same fight. Then it happens again.” She let out a shaky breath and turned away, wiping under her eyes. “Then you blink and too much is a mess and you’re embarrassed how you allowed your husband to treat you.”

“I know that feeling well except it was my brother,” I comforted. “His wife and others, my own priests. I kept thinking if I was strong and let them see how silly they were behaving, sanity would return to them. They’d see what I was seeing and they’d understand soon without my having to be the one to cause the fight.”

She gave me a look of pity, fully understanding my pain. “But it was too late by then. I’m so sorry you know that pain and you suffered so much.”

“Me too. For you. Hopefully, there is still time for both of us.”

She reached over and took Jamie’s hand, giving him a smile when he accepted the gesture. “I’m glad we can fix our relationship.” She smiled at me. “And I’m grateful for what you said to him. You were absolutely right.”

“I’m sorry, but I’m a bit behind here,” Isiah interjected, looking confused.

“I talked to Arabella that I didn’t think my mom was being fair about my starting ‘trouble’ and wanting to leave my family company,” Jamie summed up about our conversation when we’d gone to visit the vineyards. “Arabella said it wasn’t that my mom didn’t want to support me, but she was too overwhelmed as a mother. Barb was a mess and she’d miss too much.”

“It was completely true,” Patti accepted. “I knew Barb was a spoiled brat, but to see how far she’d—threatening teenagers at your bakery and signing you and Colton up for a charity auction. There was more and then Jamie’s miserable, and my husband is making even more messes. I lost it and yelled at Jamie. None of it was his fault, but I couldn’t fail anymore.”

“I’ve been there,” I assured her. “When the twins were younger and I was struggling with a curse I didn’t even know I had. Parenting isn’t easy. Having family isn’t easy. Sometimes we need to be smacked back into place as well. As long as we’re willing to listen.”

“I was, and I thank you for telling Jamie to do that. Truly.”

I was glad to hear it and that the relationship could be saved… Because I had a feeling Jamie’s relationship with his father wouldn’t be.

Nor Patti’s with her husband from the sad look in her eyes.

7

We ended up having a lovely day. We discussed ideas for pairings for the wines they were going to offer samples of at the opening and what else they were planning. It was going to be nicer out since it was the first weekend of April but not too warm yet especially since it would be at night.

Colton was going to have heat lamps from construction sites and more, so it would work out well. The bakery wasn’t going to have a tasting that night but a table of desserts to go with their setup to hopefully help.

I suggested they look at the menus of the restaurants we had deals with. They would want the wine they would be selling, and those owners were always trying to get in my good graces. They wanted to talk to me after Easter about doing more desserts, and now that Jamie was my CFO, he would be the right person to get in good with.

I said they should even go taste a full menu. There were still several I hadn’t, and I would definitely trust their opinions.

Plus, it would be something nice for Jamie and his mom to have a nice night together after they’d been through too much. Patti loved the idea and shot me a grateful look, checking Jamie was willing before getting the list and calling to make a reservation.

We actually had a delightful time even if the date took a weird turn. The meat bun ideas panned out and smoking the fish was fun. We had several ideas for the opening menu planned out, and I had like two dozen new desserts inspired by the sundaes. I loved the combinations and flavors.

My only real complaint was there were too many toppings. That sounded silly, but it was truly overkill. There was almost as much whipped cream as ice cream on the large sundae, and that was too much. I kept making more ice cream appear to eat with the toppings.

It was an ice cream sundae after all, not a toppings dessert.

But I still loved the place. I would simply order pints of plain ice cream to go along with it.

Patti seemed like she didn’t want to leave after we handled all of that and Isiah the same, so next thing I knew, she was helping me with my house. Jamie got in on the idea since he knew it was something to take off my plate.

We started with his room and painted it, changed the light fixture, and then brought over all of his furniture from where it had been stored. Patti seemed to have a lot to say that he wouldn’t be in my room but left it alone.

There was a full guest house, but that was for the twins. There was a main house but like a full other house had been added on to make the impressive square footage, so that was the master suite Jamie had. He said it was much nicer than the apartment he’d had of his uncle’s, so he was happy.

We handled the study there for him and the living room of all of his furniture. He was completely set up.

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