Page 18 of The Forbidden

After removing my boots in the mudroom, I enter through the kitchen. It’s Miranda’s day off, so there’s no delicious smell of simmering dinner or baking sweets. I do find Marcie and Sylvie at the kitchen nook table, bent over a workbook together.

Their heads raise and both smile at me before Marcie stands up. We move toward each other, a hug first on our agenda.

“Long time no see, stranger,” I say as I bend to wrap her small frame in an embrace.

“You’re working too hard,” she murmurs, squeezing me tight. She then lowers her voice so only I can hear. “Thank you for helping Ethan. You and your brothers really stepped up and it’s made all the difference.”

“Glad to,” I assure her and after we pull apart, I ruffle Sylvie’s hair. “What’s up, munchkin?”

She hoists her book. “Fractions.”

I wrinkle my nose. I still hate math. “Gross.”

“So easy,” she counters in her lilting French accent.

“Oh yeah,” I tease, grabbing the book to look at her work. “If it’s so easy, why is Marcie helping you?”

Marcie laughs as I look at Sylvie’s answers, her handwriting absolutely perfect. “Not helping her. Checking her work.”

I toss the book back down. “Glad you’re doing that because I draw the line at math.”

Sylvie giggles, sliding the workbook closer to her. Marcie’s hand comes to my arm. “Ethan’s finishing up a few things in his office, but we’re going out for Italian after he’s done. Want to join us?”

“I’d love to but I’ve got a date with a handsome boy later tonight,” I reply, my grin broadening into a playful smirk.

Marcie’s eyes flare wide and she dips her head in close. “Oh, really. Do tell?”

“He’s tall, muscular, dark and handsome.” Marcie’s eyes twinkle with interest. I hold my hand up above my head. “He’s about seventeen hands tall and has the maturity of a toddler.”

She rolls her eyes. “A freaking horse? Why can’t you be normal and date so I have interesting gossip to discuss with Ethan?”

“Who has time to date?” I ask, walking backward toward the hallway that leads to Ethan’s office. “Besides… I much prefer horses.”

Marcie waves me off, shaking her head. I start to turn away but Sylvie stops me. “Aunt Kat, have you talked to Uncle Gabe lately?”

I’m not ready to tell her about our meeting today because Ethan needs to hear those details first, but I nod at her. “Saw him just a little bit ago and I’m on my way to discuss some things with your dad now.”

Sylvie’s eyes alight with hope but thankfully she doesn’t press me on seeing Gabe right now. It’s not my decision to make, but I’ll push Ethan to allow it to happen.

I find Ethan bent over his desk, consternation on his face. His head pops up when I walk in and he rubs at his eyes before yawning. “Hey.”

“Hey,” I say as I settle into a chair. I toss the envelope on his desk and nod at it. “Gabe amended the trust agreement, removing the reversion clause. All you need to do is sign it and that winery will never go back to the Mardraggons.”

Ethan’s dark eyebrows rise. “Seriously?”

“Seriously,” I confirm with a nod.

“I didn’t think he’d ever do that.”

I shrug. I had my doubts, but part of me could see Gabe doing what was in Sylvie’s best interests. “Means that winery will stay within the Blackburn family.”

“Guess we better really learn the business now, huh?” Ethan muses, settling back in his chair.

“Why not? Trey and Wade think we should get into breeding thoroughbreds.”

Ethan groans as he shakes his head. “I don’t need one more thing on our plate right now.”

“We just stay the course with everything,” I say, injecting a note of firm assurance into my voice. “There are apparently some decisions that need to be made about the winery. Gabe and I are going to set up a meeting to go over everything.”

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