Page 96 of Gone With the Wine

“That would be amazing.”

“I picture a round table…over here…with lots of candles, maybe white flowers, beautiful wine glasses. Moody lighting. Instead of those old bulbs, we could put sconces on the walls. And we could fill wine bottles with strings of little white lights! That would be awesome.”

His eyes crinkle up at the corners listening to me.

“The elegant tables with white linens and silver and glass would contrast with the rough bricks walls and floors. And we could serve amazing wines and food. People would love it.”

“You need to be around to make that happen.”

My stomach drops. Right. I won’t even be here. I turn back to him, then make a face. “Yeah. It’s silly for me to have these visions when I won’t even be here.”

“But you’ll still be a part owner. You’re entitled to have visions for what you want it to be.”

I sigh. “We need to make money first. I know that.”

He moves closer to me, sets his hands on my hips, and pulls me against him. “I bet if you talked to Rosa about it, she has visions, too.”

I meet his eyes. “You think?”

“I think…I never had visions about a winery, until I moved here. Now I find myself thinking about it all the time. Ways to improve the winery, things we could do to bring in more visitors.”

I smile at him. “The jock is also a visionary.”

His lips curve upwards in response. “How can you not be? Think about it. Lowly grape juice is turned into art. Liquid art.”

I beam at him, a glow spreading through my chest. “Yes!”

“And it does so many things. I think the most important is that it brings people together.”

My heart flutters as I gaze at him. “You really get it,” I whisper.

“I’m learning.”

I give one last wistful look around the cave. “Maybe some day those dreams will come true. But right now—it’s already a dream come true, owning a winery. Having this opportunity. I want it to be amazing.”

He brushes his mouth over mine. “It will be.”

Chapter21

Bianca

“It’s okay, buddy.” Jansen rubs Moose’s head. “You don’t need those bro globes.”

I spit out my coffee. “Thosewhat?”

“Bro globes.” Jansen gives me a “come on” look.

He’s about to take Moose to the vet to be neutered. I think it’s more worrying to Jansen than to Moose. Well, Moose has no idea.

“Don’t tell him that. He doesn’t know what’s going to happen.”

“He should know. He’s going to lose his manhood.”

“He’s a dog. They’ll put him to sleep and he’ll wake up and?—”

“He’ll be without his bo-jangles.”

I walk up to Jansen and slide my arms around his waist, tipping my head back. “Do you want to hear a joke about testicles?”

---