Page 26 of Gone With the Wine

She frowns. “No. Of course not. We’ve talked about that. Nonna wantedusto have this winery.”

“Maybe we were all caught up in the emotion of it,” I say slowly. “I know that’s what she wanted, but I have my job in Argentina, and Allegra is in Romania. Maybe selling is a reasonable option.”

Her brows twitch toward each other, but she says nothing.

“Is this what you want to do?” I continue. “Because we don’t have to do this. It’s going to be a lot of work, and a lot of money, and…well, obviously it would make Uncle Geno happy if we sold to him.”

“Would it, though?” Rosa asks. “I think he wants us to just give it to him.”

I purse my lips. “You could be right.”

“No,” Allegra says, unequivocally. “We are not selling.”

“But you’re not even here, Legs,” I say gently. “Are you going to come home and help with this?”

“I just have a little issue I’m dealing with here.” Her gaze slides off camera. “I’ll be home. I’m just not sure when.”

I swallow my sigh. Sure. Great.

“I’ll admit I had the same thoughts,” Rosa says.

My head snaps around to stare at her.

“Handing the reins back to Uncle Geno and the cousins would be so much easier, so much less stress.” She lifts her hands. “But I don’t want to see Nonna’s legacy swallowed whole by the rest of the family business.”

“Same,” Allegra says.

“I’m prepared to work at this,” Rosa adds. “Jake’s here to help. You’re here now.”

“Not for that long, though,” I remind her. “This is a lot for you to handle if I go back to Argentina.”

She bites her lip. “Is that whatyouwant, Bee? Do you want us to sell?”

I pause. Since I’ve been back, I’ve thought a lot about it. It would be easier. I could go back to Argentina and not worry about my sisters and this beautiful place. But… “No.” I just can’t do it. “But I want to make sure you two are all in with this crazy plan.”

“It’s what Nonna wanted, and I think we should at least try.”

I meet Rosa’s eyes, then turn back to my phone and stare at Allegra in the camera.

“I agree,” she says.

“Okay.” I nod and lift my chin. “Then that is what we’ll do.”

I’m not only relieved, I’m happy. I don’t want to sell to Geno. But I felt we should talk about it again.

“I have another suggestion.” Rosa bites her lip and her eyes meet mine then skitter away.

“What?” I ask slowly.

“We could sell the grapes.”

I blink. And blink again. “Sell the grapes? Seriously?”

“Yes, seriously. It would be one way we could make money.”

It’s not a crazy idea. There are lots of wineries that don’t grow their own grapes, or all of their own grapes. They buy grapes from vineyards and make their wines from them.

“Then we’dreallyhave no wine,” I say. “How would that help us bring Caparelli back to life?”

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