Page 113 of Blush
I’m calling you—please pick up. Need to talk.
She looked up at Dr. Moore. “Um, can you excuse me for a minute?”
She slipped out into the hall to answer.
“Mom, I’m in a meeting. What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong. But I do need some help. Can you come back to the winery?”
The sun set before dinner for the first time all season. Just one of the many signs that fall was right around the corner despite the fact that it was still close to ninety degrees out. Leah pulled her hair off her neck, into a ponytail, walking with Steven to the veranda.
He put his arm around her shoulder. “For the record, I think you’re on to something. And I’m behind you one hundred percent.”
Leah squeezed his hand.
She’d told him the idea that had come to her during the wine and cheese class. Now she was going to spring it on her father over dinner. In this setting, she would at least have her mother’s support, and maybe even Asher would chime in with some of his own. Leonard would be outnumbered—not that it had ever swayed him before. But at the same time, for too long, none of them had had the nerve to stand up for new ideas.
“Having you here has made all the difference,” she said. And it had: she was freed up to consider all of her options with the winery. She wasable to take professional risks because she didn’t feel like she was taking a personal risk just being there. “So... thank you.”
He kissed her, and as they hurried on, she had a moment of déjà vu, back to the first night they showed up at the house for their vacation and rushed to the veranda. She felt a pang, a sort of nostalgia, for her innocence in that moment. She’d believed her family home and the winery would always be there for her, something she could take for granted. Yes, ignorance was bliss. But at least now, under the threat of losing it all, she’d made room for herself. She was taking ownership in a way she never could have if things were running smoothly. For all the cracks, they did create an opening.
Her parents and brother were already seated. Leah was happily surprised to see Bridget back by Asher’s side. Maybe that was at least one family issue resolved.
The table was dressed with a blue cotton runner and set with several vases of pink and blue ranunculus. Her mother wore a white sheath dress and pearls, a pink Hermès scarf perfectly picking up the accent of the flowers. If appearances were everything, her family wouldn’t have a care in the world.
“I just opened the Viognier,” Leonard said, filling glasses. “Would you like some?”
“Sure. Thanks, Dad,” said Leah.
Peternelle set out Boston lettuce salad with blanched, salted Marcona almonds. Leah wouldn’t be able to eat until she’d had her say. Leonard stood at the head of the table:
“Cheers, everyone.”
“Cheers,” Leah murmured in chorus with the rest of the family. Then she stood as well. “I’ve been thinking about the harvest...”
“Leah, it’s been a long week. I’d like to relax over dinner. No work talk,” Leonard said.
“Yes, let’s enjoy just being together as a family,” Vivian said.
Leah glanced at Steven, and he nodded her on. She took a sip of her wine, then continued. “You know, all these years of living in the city,one thing I still miss is the first day of harvest. The way the air smells. The way everything feels sort of electric—all that anticipation of the hard work ahead. And my favorite thing of all is the end of the first day, when it’s almost dusk and everyone gathers to add things to the freshly pressed Chardonnay juice.”
“Oh, we did that last year,” Bridget said, turning to Asher. “Remember I added that pebble from the dock where we met?”
“It’s a great tradition,” Leah said. “And I want to share it more widely.”
Leonard glared at her.
Vivian cleared her throat. “Leah, you heard what your father said.”
Leah shot her mother a look. What happened to her wanting Leah to help save the winery? What happened to her belief in her ideas? Maybe her primary concern now was simply saving her marriage, and that meant being Team Leonard no matter what.
“Yeah, just chill for once,” Asher said.
“‘Chill’? Oh, babe, that expression is so nineties,” Bridget said.
“Technically, it’s probably from the eighties,” Asher said.
Leah could see that there was no way anyone at the table was going to jump in to support her. She would have to switch gears.
