Page 85 of Reclaimed Dreams

“Sure you are. You look positively torn up about it.”

The light grin deepened into a sultry smile. Jo rolled even closer, hooking her leg around one of his. “Now that you’re flat on your back though, all sorts of ideas are coming to me.”

“Food, woman! I need food!” He chuckled and scrambled to his feet.

She slapped his butt as he walked past. “Quitter!”

That spun Dom around on his heel. “I never quit on us before, and I’m not about to start now.” He dove back into bed with his wife and proceeded to show her just how good it could be when they turned toward each other instead of away.

Two hours later, freshly showered and lingering over their lattes at the café on the ground floor of their building, Dom and Jo took stock of the day.

“We could go visit that winery Elena and Tony told us to try, or we could go explore the castello on the hill…” Dom trailed off as he connected to the café Wi-Fi and a slew of emails downloaded. The chiming of his phone drew Jo’s attention.

“Is everything okay?” Jo asked.

“Just got a lot of emails from the kids. The first one is from Sofia. Baby Gabe picture updates.”

“Oooooh, let me see!” Jo snatched the phone and beamed as she scrolled. “He’s getting so big! That is the only hard thing about being gone for two whole months—not seeing all the babies.”

“Yes, well, I’m not anxious to get on a plane again any time soon, so let’s make this trip last as long as possible.”

Jo raised her latte in a toast and handed the phone back. “Not complaining. Looks like the next one is from Adrian.”

“Hmm, he’s got a question about one of our suppliers.”

“Then he should call the supplier. It’s his company now. Well, it’s all the kids’, but you know what I mean. You don’t have to step in and solve every problem.”

“I know. And I’m not solving the problem, just giving him information so he can solve it. It’s a ten-second reply that will save him a fifteen minute chatty phone call. I promise I’m not getting sucked back in.”

“Ten seconds?”

“Well, maybe fifteen between these fat thumbs and autocorrect. Honestly, I think he just likes making me feel like I’m in the loop.”

“Okay, then.” Jo waited while Dom typed out a quick reply. “What’s next?”

“Huh.” Dom frowned at the phone.

“Huh? What does ‘huh’ mean?”

“The next one is from Jake and Frankie. They are still pitching ideas for their new network, and they asked if we’d like to do a show—”

“Oh, dear God, absolutely not.”

Dom held up a hand to stop her before her rant caught steam. “They want us to film our travels and vineyard explorations as a tie-in with the vineyard back home and then follow our journey to becoming winemakers.”

“Dom. You were so nervous on the other shows that Fi and Frankie had to step in to host.”

“I know, but you’ll be there. I can just be the doofus learning new things and stomping grapes. I’ll be the Lucy to your Desi.”

Jo put a hand over his on the table. “You’re the Dom to my Jo, and that’s enough for me. I’m not saying no, but I don’t want to do this right now. Not this trip anyway. We can revisit the wine series later, but this vacation is just for us.”

“Agreed. Just for us.” He turned his hand over and laced his finger through hers. “I’ll tell him no, but gently.”

“Any more urgent emails?”

“Natalie sent a video of the twins hiccuping in sync, and a picture Daisy drew.”

“Ha! That I need to see.”

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