Page 71 of A Little Bit Whiskey
He stared at the crackling fire. His other grandchildren, the lot of them, played at his feet while his wife sat on the floor, smiling and laughing. His children and their spouses were all present. Even Corbin, his oldest grandchild, had managed to come home for New Year’s.
He swiped at his cheek.
“Are you crying, old man?” Weezer tapped his knee.
“I most certainly am not.”
Noir laughed. “Between my daughter, Nebbiolo’s son, and Zinny being pregnant again, he’s an emotional wreck.”
“He gets all teary-eyed every time I walk into the house,” Corbin added. “Asking me what day I leave.”
“I was helping your grandma chop onions this morning for her famous omelets.” Carter hated to admit his family was right. He’d spent a lifetime doing his best to protect his wife. His kids. And their spouses. His life hadn’t been easy. It had been riddled with lies, manipulations, buried secrets, and pains of the past that could have destroyed each and every member of his family. It had taken a world of hurt to get them to this point.
It was hard not to wait for the other shoe to drop.
But for the first time in his sixty-plus years on this earth, he’s spent an entire year with no drama.
Okay, that wasn’t entirely true.
Weezer had still cheated to win the Holiday Showcase. However, this time the whole town stood back and let it happen.
And everyone pulled together to make it the best showcase this community had ever seen.
For the first time in years, no one was trying to take something from the River family. There were no secrets hanging over their heads. Nothing buried in the vineyard to be unearthed. No one gunning for their destruction.
They had peace to be a family. To love one another. To walk through town with their heads held high, and the only whispers or gossip was that of old stories that made people laugh.
“Grandpa,” TJ said. “Aren’t you the one who always tells me that showing emotion is a good thing and that if we let it stay bottled up, it will come out sideways and at the wrong time?” He inched closer to Weezer, helping with one of the smaller children. TJ was good like that. God, that boy had grown so much in the last year. He was almost six feet tall. His hockey playing skills had exploded. He was on the starting line. He thrived under Dax’s coaching. But what really made that boy come out of his shell had been being adopted by Zinny.
What a proud moment that had been for the entire family.
It was hard to believe that TJ could be leaving for Juniors up in Canada come September. That would be both exciting and sad for Carter. TJ might not be biologically a River, but Carter loved that boy like his own flesh and blood.
More tears filled Carter’s eyes. This holiday season had been both the easiest and the hardest. But only hard because Carter had realized he didn’t know how to handle life without conflict. He’d dreamed of it. Hoped for it. Even prayed for it. Now that he had it, he cherished it. He honestly did. He just didn’t know how to live in it day in and day out.
“Your grandfather is turning to an old softy.” Weezer smiled. “I’m liking this new version, except now he’s threatening to retire. He doesn’t have enough hobbies in order to do that.”
“Maybe I’ll take up golf,” he said.
Malbec laughed. “Why don’t you join the gun club with Silas? And we can always use good babysitters.”
Elizabeth wiggled in his arms. Her little arms flapped. Her big blue eyes squinted, and her lips quivered.
“I think this little girl is getting hungry,” Carter said. “As soon as I finish these last few cases I’m working on, I will be officially retired, and I was thinking that your mother and I would take a trip to Europe this spring. For like a month. She’s never been.”
“But I’m not retiring.” Weezer glared.
“Oh, yes, you are,” Merlot said. “We can handle the winery. You don’t work that much anymore as it is.”
“Not the point,” Weezer said. “Besides, you all still come to me for advice.”
“We can still do that,” Eliza Jane said.
“She’s right.” Noir lifted his fussy daughter from Carter’s arms. “We always have you close if we need you. It’s not like we want you out. But you and Dad deserve to enjoy the years you have left.”
“I agree.” Nebbiolo held his little boy like a pro. He was a natural at being a father, something that honestly shocked Carter. Nebbiolo hadn’t been the most mature kid, or adult. But June had changed all that in a flash.
“This feels like you kids are trying to get rid of us,” Weezer said.
