Page 9 of Something Old

William’s voice hardened, the hammer after persuasion failed. “Who said anything about enjoying it? It’s a job, work. And it’s your family obligation. You’re a Van Owen. This is what we do.”

“Then let Sam do it. She loves it. Marriage won’t change her that much. She’s just like you.” He thought of his younger sister, more of a shark than he’d ever been, always out to prove herself. She wanted it more than Ethan did, craved it. And he was more than happy to let her have it.

“Pish.” William dismissed his daughter as an afterthought. “You’ve been raised for this role. Is it that Winters girl? Delaney? Ethan, I understood when you wanted to get away for a while and try something new. But it’s been five years. Time to get over her and move on. She isn’t even in society anymore. You’ll never have to see her. You wouldn’t let a woman chase you from your family, would you? Your stepmother and I want you home.”

At the mention of his stepmother, he winced. Kira Van Owen had sunk her sharpened, blood-red claws into a grieving William shortly after his wife’s death, when Ethan was just sixteen. He and Samantha were grieving and hurt, following the loss of their mother. To have a new stepmother foisted on them, especially Kira, had been a bitter blow. She had seemed all sweetness and light, at least to William, but they had seen her differently. She didn’t want Ethan home any more than she wanted Sam taking over the business. If either child had too prominent a role in their father’s life, she did her best to excise them from it, keeping his attention all on her and Ethan’s half-brother and sister, both of whom were growing up as nasty and deceitful as their mother, earning her the title of stepmonster. No, Kira didn’t want Ethan home, taking over a business she wanted her children to have. But she would use him for a time.

“This has nothing to do with Delaney. Maybe at the beginning it did, but now, I love it here. I’m making my own way and want to stay here.”

His father grunted. “I’m not getting any younger, Ethan. It’s time you come home and settle down with that sweet girl, Cami Spencer, right? She’s perfect for you.”

“As Delaney was five years ago?” Ethan couldn’t resist the taunt, even as his heart twisted, an emotion he thought he’d long gotten over, along with the girl. “Cami is a diversion, nothing more.”

“She could be more. She’s young, from a good family, and already great friends with your stepmother. She’ll step into the role of society wife easily.”

“I don’t want a society wife.” Not that it mattered.

“Tell me you’re not dallying with a farmer’s daughter?”

The horror in his father’s tone had Ethan laughing. What he wouldn’t give to bring home exactly that, just once. Maybe his father would leave him alone. The only thing worse would be bringing Delaney back into the family fold.

The silence dragged on, leaving his father to fill the empty space. “We’ll talk about this further. Maybe next week.” His voice changed, no longer the gruff businessman but now the father. “Kira wondered if you would take us over to the island when you go. You’re headed over Thursday or Friday?”

He glanced at his calendar, debating whether to lie or tell the truth. He hated flying his stepmonster anywhere, with her absurd theatrics and fake tears. “I’m supposed to head over Sunday, but I might have to delay that. Big storm coming off the gulf.”

“Well, let me know. I could always charter something if you can’t make it. See you next week, son.” The phone clicked.

“Bye, Dad.” Ethan spoke into the buzzing phone line.

Conversation over, but only for a time. He’d bought himself a week, but the pressure would be on after the wedding.

But his father had brought up one thing. Facing Delaney was going to be difficult, but it was the perfect opportunity to make the final break with his past, to find out what had happened between them and get the closure he needed to finally move on with his life. Just because he had moved to Hermitage and away from Houston didn’t mean he had left everything behind. No, he was still tethered to the past, and it was time to deal with it. He wouldn’t be inviting Cami. He’d confront the past head-on, put it to bed, and come out stronger.

Decision made, he grabbed a pair of gloves and headed out to the truck. Walking the vines and checking the grapes for fungus and ripening, and taking sugar counts would be a great way to work off his frustration and figure out how to deal with Delaney and his father. And how the hell he’d survive a week in Delaney’s company without getting sucked back into that black hole.

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