Page 38 of Kisses Sweeter than Wine

“Jesus. That’s obvious.”

“No. It’s not.” His father leaned back in his chair and folded his massive arms across his chest. “You came here to talk and I appreciate that, but I’m not sure Talbot told you the whole story.”

Merlot’s mouth popped open. “What more could there be? Her mother faked their deaths in order to protect them.”

His dad glanced toward his mom and if he thought his world had imploded when he’d been seventeen, he’d been mistaken.

This moment was a hundred times worse.

“What the hell did you do, Dad?”

“What I thought was best at the time for everyone,” his father said with a stern tone. “It was a last resort. I tried like hell to get that man arrested. The first time poor Talbot ended up with a broken nose.” His father pounded his chest. “I had to live with that. It still pains me what that man did to his family. I never wanted to send them away. I tried to find other solutions for months, but when he shot at Talbot’s mother, I saw the writing on the wall. They would have ended up really dead if I hadn’t done what I did.”

“Your father’s right,” his mom said softly. “You don’t know what he went through after they left. The tears. The agony of watching you suffer. That was the last thing we wanted to do.”

Merlot raked a hand through his hair. Part of him could forgive his parents for sending Talbot and her mother far away from that bastard. But the moment she came back, they should have told him. They should have encouraged her to tell him. They of all people knew what her death had done.

“All those things that went wrong at the event last night.” He pointed to his mother. “You did that, didn’t you?”

She nodded.

“You never wanted me to find out. You wanted to keep me in the dark and away from Talbot and you had her playing along.”

“She knew it was what was best. The pull the two of you have for each other is still so very strong and with her father—”

“Oh, fuck that,” Merlot interrupted his dad. “You did it to protect your own ass.”

His dad slammed his hands on the table and stood. “Don’t you dare come into my home and talk to me that way. I’m still your father, no matter how old you get, and I demand respect. It kills me and your mom to see you hurting like this. We have had to live with it, but we have always known we did the right thing when it comes to Talbot. I’m sorry that you were collateral damage in that. But we had to get her away from Richard. He was going to kill her if we didn’t. Something you seem to have forgotten.”

“Oh no. Trust me. I won’t ever forget what he did to Talbot.” He placed his hand over his heart. “You fail to understand that I’m not angry over you saving her. I can get on board with that. But I can’t live with the lies that followed the second she came to town. The way you snuck around to try to keep it from me when you knew damn well I was struggling because I knew in my soul of souls who Talbot was. You should have come to me and all of you should have told me about—fuck it. I’m done with all of you. I quit the winery and I quit this fucking family.”

“That’s a little harsh,” his mom said. “Not to mention rash.”

Merlot laughed. “Right before Dad’s mom passed, she told me how much she disliked Mom. It bothered me because I knew it was unfounded. I had to live with how misunderstood Mom was all these years and I’ve always laughed it off. But the one thing that Grandma said that always stuck with me was how manipulative Mom was and you know what? She was right.”

“You can stop right now, son,” his father said. “I will not allow you to speak to your mother that way, especially when you use my mom as the source. Talk about a manipulative woman. She used her relationship with you to keep me in her life when I should have cut her out long ago. She didn’t love me, much less ever respect me.” His father held up a hand. “Your mom and I have made some horrible mistakes with you kids, which have cost us. And yes, your mother can be a little underhanded at times. But the difference between your mom and mine, is that your mother loves you with every fiber of her being. Everything she has ever done has been to protect this family. My mother only wanted to see me and Weezer get divorced. Did you know that she threw a party a day after that happened and then sent your mom a dozen dead roses? Talk about a bitch move. That was the day I knew, and I never spoke to her again. But I also never took her away from you. So get off your fucking high horse. Be pissed off all you want at the situation, but don’t you dare treat your mom with anything but the love and respect she deserves.”

Merlot wasn’t going to listen to any of it. He didn’t care that most of it made sense. Or that he knew his father was right.

They still lied to him about the one thing that had mattered to him most and so had Talbot. He couldn’t reconcile those two things.

“I’m sorry for that comparison.” He nodded. “However, that doesn’t change what you did or how I feel. Consider this my resignation, and it starts immediately. I need to leave town.”

“Take time off, but don’t leave.” His mother inched closer.

He took a step back, and she thankfully gave him the space.

“I apologize for yelling.” His father blew out a puff of air. “Please don’t leave. But I agree with your mom. Take all the time you need to sort through things and we’re here when you want to talk.”

“There’s nothing left to say. The lies and secrets that keep turning up in this family have done me in. First Eliza Jane and how we stole this winery from her family. Then Trey and the black market baby ring. Not to mention everything that went down with Riesling. Now me? What’s next?” He waved his hands. “I’m seriously done. You don’t need me. I’m a swing in the winery anyway. I’m like the kid you don’t know what to do with, so you give him the job no one else wants.”

“That’s not true,” his mom said. “We’re trusting you and Zinny with—”

“Mom, save it for someone who cares. I’ve got a flight to book.” He turned and marched toward the door.

His parents called after him, but he didn’t bother glancing over his shoulder. He had something else he had to take care of and the closer he got to the cottage, the more his blood boiled.

He stormed into his house with his heart in his throat. His anger filled his soul like a bad rash. He couldn’t get past it. Even after calming down a little at his parents’, the rage bubbled into every muscle of his body.

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