Page 22 of Blush
“Yeah, I’d say it’s a whole big thing. A very big thing!”
“Why are you getting hysterical? You don’t live here. You don’t work here.”
“Are you joking? You think just because I don’t live here anymore I’m not upset to lose this place?”
“Leah, come on. This had to happen at some point. Dad’s getting old.”
She sat next to him. “I thought that was what you’re here for. You’re supposed to be helping him—take some of the pressure off.”
Asher pulled a stress ball out of the pocket of his cargo shorts and tossed it into the air, catching it. “This is what Dad wants. I guess nothing lasts forever.”
“This winery could have lasted a long time. I’m sure Grandpa Samuel would agree with me if he were still here.”
“Why? Gelleh Estates doesn’t exist anymore.”
“But Hollander does—his son’s winery. We’re still a winemaking family.”
“You’re getting all emotional about it. And then you wonder why Dad doesn’t hire more women.”
“Oh, my god, you didn’t really just say that.”
“Say what?” Bridget appeared in the doorway. She wore cutoff denim shorts and a bikini top, her brassy red hair loose and wet, evidently from the swimming pool. Leah glanced at her ring finger.
“Bridget, hi. Congrats on the engagement,” she said, trying to smile.
“Thanks...sis.” Bridget winked. “Are you having a fun vacay?” She took a seat in the chair behind Leonard’s desk, her hair dripping onto it. Leah felt her breath catch in her throat. She wouldn’t dare sit at the desk, and she was his daughter.
She exhaled. “I am. But Asher and I are just in the middle of something. Can you excuse us for a few minutes?”
“Sure. No prob,” Bridget said, jumping up. She leaned over and gave Asher a kiss before strolling out of the office.
“Was that necessary?” he said.
“Yes. Unless you want me to say, in front of your new fiancée, that I think you’re dropping the ball.”
He threw the stress ball into the air again and this time caught it with an exaggerated flourish.
“Very funny,” she said. “Asher, you should be fighting to keep the winery in the family.”
“And again, I ask, what do you care?”
“Fine, forget about me. Think about Mom. Whether she admits it or not, I can tell she’s devastated.”
His hand stilled, no longer tossing the ball. For a moment, he said nothing. And then: “She’ll come around. Selling is the right thing to do.”
“What about Javier and Mateo? Have you told them?”
“No. Not yet. I advised Dad to wait until the sale is finalized. We can’t risk losing them when it could take a while for this to go through. Why are you looking at me like that?”
“They have a right to know.”
“Well, Dad agreed with me. Do you really doubt that Dad knows what he’s doing?”
“I doubt thatyouknow what you’re doing. Have you even tried talking him out of this?”
“No,” Asher said. “Because I have no intention of spending the rest of my life with Dad standing over my shoulder, barking orders.”
“So you’re encouraging Dad to sell this place so you can sail off into the sunset with Bridget?”
