Page 67 of Champagne and Daisies

“I would, too. I wasn’t sure. I didn’t know …”

She looked as relieved as he felt. “Well, now we do know, right?”

He nodded and held his arms out to her. After the day he’d put himself through, he couldn’t wait any longer to hold her again. She got up and came to him, looping her arms up around his neck. He closed his around her waist and drew her to him. He loved the way she rested her head against his shoulder. It felt so familiar like they were a whole lot closer than he had any right to believe they were. He stroked her hair. “Is it weird to say I missed you, today?”

She looked up into his eyes and smiled. “Maybe, but I missed you, too.”

“I’m still here.”

She nodded but didn’t reply.

~ ~ ~

Chelsea looked around the cottage when she got home. She was so glad he’d agreed to come have dinner with her. She needed to pull herself together. Just because she’d figured out that she was in love with him, it didn’t need to change anything. She didn’t need to tell him. They were just starting out. They had all the time in the world. Everything was going along at a normal pace—other than her premature falling in love. She was sad that he wasn’t going to stay at Zosca and work with her, but it wasn’t a huge deal. It wasn’t like he was going to be leaving to work in New York or somewhere. He was staying right here in Napa; he was going to be working with Cam. She needed to relax and just go with the flow. She needed to keep her big, silly heart in check, and give him time. Hopefully, he might feel the same way someday.

She went into the kitchen. She didn’t know what kind of takeout he was going to bring, but she could still set the table. She looked at the wine rack, but they could choose a bottle when he got here. She smiled and went to check the fridge. Yes. She had a couple of bottles of champagne in there. She knew that for the rest of her life, she’d always associate champagne with Grant. If she hadn’t drunk so much of it that night, she might not have had the nerve to go home with him! She sure as hell didn’t regret it, though.

She looked up at the sound of a car approaching. It wasn’t him. It was Mary Ellen. What did she want? She normally called before she came over. Chelsea hurried to the door to greet her.

“Hey, what’s up?”

“Nothing. Not with me. I just wondered what’s going on with you. I was a bit surprised to hear that Grant’s starting with us on Monday.”

“Oh, that. Yeah.”

Mary Ellen frowned. “What’s going on? Aren’t you going to invite me in, so you can tell me all about it?”

Chelsea smiled. “I am, but not for long. He’s on his way here.”

“Oh.” Mary Ellen grinned. “Am I glad to hear that. I thought something must have gone wrong between the two of you. I honestly thought he’d be staying at Zosca and helping you run the place.”

“So did I.”

“What changed?”

Chelsea shrugged. “I don’t really even know how it happened. Dad came over this morning, and we talked about me buying him out and how the transition would go, and he asked me what was going on between Grant and me.”

“Uh-oh, and you told him, and Papa Hamilton doesn’t want Grant around his daughter?”

“No, it wasn’t like that. He asked me if I thought there was a future in it, and I told him I don’t know and then all of a sudden it was all decided. Grant was going, and that was it.”

“And you didn’t argue? That’s not like you.”

Chelsea made a face. “No. I guess it isn’t, is it? But I kind of distracted myself when I had this huge moment of truth.”

Mary Ellen folded her arms and raised her eyebrows. “About what?”

“I’m not sure I should tell you. You’ll think I’m crazy. I think I’m crazy.”

“We both know you’re crazy, so, just tell me already.”

Chelsea chuckled. “Thanks. You always put it in perspective. It hit me that I happen to be …”

“What?”

“In love with him! I don’t know how it happened, but I’ve gone and fallen in love with the guy, Mary El.”

“Oh, wow!” Mary Ellen grinned. “That’s awesome.”

---