Page 216 of Taken Away

Aubrey held her mother's gaze without flinching.

"It's mine."

For a long moment, neither woman spoke.

Then Anne smiled.

"We'll see."

She turned, opened the door, and walked out without another word.

Only after the door clicked shut did Aubrey realize her hands were shaking.

She wasn't sure whether she'd finally stood up to her mother—or declared war.

Mabel’s Office

Thursday Afternoon

Aubrey stood in the middle of Mabel's office, staring at the closed door.

She drew in a slow breath and let it out carefully.

She'd said what she'd wanted to say for years.

She should have felt relieved.

Instead, she felt exhausted.

Her gaze drifted to the windows overlooking the vineyards.

Contracts.

Harvest schedules.

Employees.

Customers.

None of them cared that she'd finally drawn a line with her mother.

That felt oddly comforting.

A soft knock sounded at the open office door.

"Boss?"

It was Savannah.

"They're waiting on you in the barrel room."

Aubrey closed her eyes for the briefest second.

"Be right there."

Savannah disappeared.

Aubrey straightened the Mercer proposal on her desk, smoothed an imaginary wrinkle from the front of her blouse, and caught her reflection in the dark computer screen.