Page 76 of Legs

I was the last person he needed to convince. Unfortunately, I let that ship sail and broke my compass. “You don’t have to worry about me reconnecting with Sophia. I just needed to sort some things out. And yes, Rachel is amazing. I love her and plan on fighting for her, but it’ll take a miracle to get her back.”

He grunted his approval, quite the honor from him.

My mother’s eyes shone. “She’s wonderful, Jimmy. Such a sweet woman. I have to believe she’ll forgive you, in time. I owe you an apology as well. I should have jumped in when things got heated, at least forced this conversation earlier. It was poor judgment on my part, but your father and I have talked a lot, and we’d love nothing more than for you to come back to the winery. Dimitri wants that, too. He actually wanted to be here today, but we asked him to allow us this time. Is that something you want? To rejoin the family business?”

In some ways it was too little too late, but I’d opened up to Rachel, talking about the land and the grapes, unaware how much I’d missed it. Not just any vineyard. My vineyard. The one where my grandfather had taught me to test the fruit and smell the air. The one where I’d sipped my first Cabernet Sauvignon.

Yes, I wanted to work that land, but only under one condition. “Not with the current winemaker. Not by breaking the rules. If I came back, things would have to change.”

My mother smiled, rueful. “Dimitri forced the issue a year ago. We kept Alex on staff, but your brother insisted we fix his recipe. Dimitri has met a lovely woman, Natalia, and they’re getting married next summer, at the winery. She’s been wonderful for him.”

I planted my elbows on my knees and shook my head, unsure when my little brother had become a man. He’d stopped cutting corners, had fallen in love, and I’d missed it all. I’d also almost destroyed our business when they’d already righted their wrongs. More apologies to give. More fences to mend.

I was ready for it. “Then it looks like we’ll have a lot to discuss. I have other plans, too—events I want to host in Napa, including being part of the Healing Hearts luncheon. Rachel’s mother is a volunteer and I’ve been helping her. I’ll come to the valley in a few weeks and talk to Dimitri. We’ll go from there.”

My mother pressed her lips together, tears welling, and I couldn’t keep my distance. I pushed to my feet and pulled her into a hug, letting her cry against my chest. My own emotions burned behind my eyes. She still smelled like lilac, the soft scent returning me to days helping her in the garden and cleaning up after a meal. I missed her. It was as simple as that. We still had talking to do, but holding a grudge hadn’t exactly worked in my favor.

“Is Dad okay?” I whispered in her ear. He wouldn’t like me asking after his health. Headstrong until his last breath.

She patted my back. “Fine. High blood pressure, but the exercise is helping.”

I released her, and she wiped the corners of her eyes. My father stood, and we shared a handshake. He’d never been a hugger.

As I headed for the door, he called my name. I turned to catch another scowl. “No more tattoos, yes?”

“I was planning on getting one on my face,” I replied, leaving before he could throw a fit.

Probably not the best joke for his blood pressure.

I should have felt a thousand pounds lighter, but I was still heavy with thoughts of Rachel. Winning back the love of my life wouldn’t be easy. I’d treated her like shit. Insulted her. If I were Gwen or Ainsley, I’d warn her to keep her distance. Tell her dating me would only end in heartache.

But Rachel and me—we were legendary. We were meant to be together, and I’d do whatever I needed to prove my worth. Matter of fact, there was one thing in particular that would blow her mind. Something that would prove how serious I was, whether she chose to forgive me or not.

Twenty-four

Rachel

“I’m a bad person,” Ainsley said. Her back was, thankfully, to me as she dried her hair, the gym locker room empty except for her, Gwen, and me. Ainsley liked to dry her hair topless, nothing but a towel around her waist. Talking to her boobs always made me uncomfortable.

I knotted my towel around my chest. Snugly. “You’re one of my best friends, so technically, you can’t be bad.”

“Did you kick a puppy today?” Gwen asked. “Trip an old lady on purpose?”

“No. Seriously.” Ainsley ran a brush over her last section of hair, her honeyed strands billowing like a shampoo ad. She shut off the drier and faced us. “If karma is a real thing, I’m going to end up so screwed.”

Boobs. All I could think was: Boobs.

Gwen wasn’t fazed. “Is this about Emmett? Because he turned you down?” She dropped her towel and pulled on her thong. Only her thong.

“No,” Ainsley said, but she smirked. “You were right, though. The guy is a one-man pride parade. I never had a chance.” Her smile slipped. “It’s just, I love being a personal shopper. I really do. But I’m contributing to the downfall of society.”

Gwen tousled her hair, a quick flick of her fingers that had every wave landing just right. I ran my fingers through my straight strands, but it reminded me of Jimmy’s hand in my hair, his nails dragging along my scalp.

Everything reminded me of him, including the piercing I’d gotten last week. The event had involved me jumping out of the chair five times, while Gwen rolled her eyes and I panicked and the piercing guy laughed, but I did it. Every time I looked at the hoop through my belly button, a thrill rushed through me. I’d signed up for motorcycle classes, too. I was finally owning my inner bad girl.

Without the man who’d helped me find her.

“You may not be contributing to world peace,” Gwen said, “but I don’t see how your job is setting back humanity.”