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“Good. You have to get down to work tomorrow.”
“I know, I know, but that doesn’t help me much today. I was just thinking I should get out for a walk or something—clear my head, get her out of my mind. What are you doing?”
“I’ll come get you. I was going to head to the office for a few hours, but it sounds like your need is greater than mine. I’ll take you out for a drive, tour the countryside and we can catch up.”
“Thanks, Antonio. I appreciate it.”
“Don’t thank me. I’ve missed you. It’s so good to see you.”
“Aww, you’re a softie at heart, aren’t you?”
“Nah. I’m a self-serving egotist really. I just can’t dig that streak of Italian sentimentality out of my being.”
Grant laughed. “I’m glad. I’ll see you in a little while, then?”
“Yeah. I’ll swing by in about twenty minutes.”
Grant went down to the lobby and decided to take a short walk while he waited. Talking to Antonio about Chelsea had made him realize that he needed to get her out of his head. He kept thinking about her, kept having memory flashes, not just of the great sex or her hot little body either. No, he kept remembering little things she’d said. How funny she was. The way she squinted and looked deep into his eyes as if to distract herself from thinking about something else. She was a great girl. She was the kind of girl he’d like to get into a relationship with someday. But, of course, part of the attraction was that she wasn’t the kind of girl who was looking to get into a relationship. Most of the women he’d dated wouldn’t have been anywhere near as philosophical over a breakup as she was. He left the lobby and walked down the street smiling to himself at the difference between Chelsea and Shelly, his last girlfriend. When he’d broken up with her, Shelly had told him how disappointed she was. She’d come to rely on him for her happiness. She didn’t want to hear that she no longer made him happy. Chelsea, by contrast, was happy to let a relationship go since she wasn’t making her boyfriend happy. Grant much preferred Chelsea’s take. When he finally settled down, he wanted it to be with someone who wanted to make him happy as much as he wanted to make her happy. He didn’t buy into the notion that it was all up to a guy to do the happy-making. He wanted to be part of an equal partnership. With someone like Chelsea. No. He was supposed to be getting her out of his head—not modeling his ideal relationship around her.
He looked up at the sound of a car horn blaring. It was Antonio. He’d pulled over on the other side of the street and was gesturing for him to come on.
“Did you forget about me?” he asked as Grant climbed into the passenger seat.
“No. I just wanted to get some fresh air.”
“You’ll get all the fresh air you need. We’re going to the winery. You should see the place, see how the best run winery in the valley looks before you go into some second rate one to try to save it.”
“You mean, you realized you need to go to work after all, and you’re trying to make it look like it’s for my benefit?”
Antonio nodded agreeably. “Yes. That’s exactly what I mean. Could you be gracious enough to accept my generosity in offering to help you out?”
Grant laughed. “Of course. How stupid of me. Thank you so much for your benevolence, oh great one.”
“That’s better.”
Grant stared out the window as the car zipped down the country lanes on the way to Antonio’s winery. “It sure is some pretty country.”
“It is. I can’t believe you haven’t come back sooner.”
“I didn’t want to come back until I thought I might have the chance to stay.”
“And you think that’s a possibility now?”
Grant shrugged. He couldn’t tell Antonio his hopes about working for Hamilton-Groves since he couldn’t tell him who his client was. “I’d like to think so.”
“Why don’t you just buy a little place of your own? You must have enough stashed away by now. You could do what so many do, buy a little piece of ground, grow some grapes and call yourself a winemaker if that’s what you really want.”
“That isn’t what I want. I need to be a successful winemaker. When my grandfather lost his place, I was only a little kid, but it broke my heart. I’ve always promised myself I’d come back and do it right one day. I want to make great wine, but it needs to be a great business, too. Until I’m sure I can make that a reality, then I’d rather keep working on other people’s businesses, helping to make them great.”
Antonio shot a look at him. “Is that why you do what you do? You save businesses, before they fail like your grandfather’s did? I never thought of it like that before.”
Grant nodded slowly. “I don’t think I’ve ever admitted it to anyone before, but yes, it is. My grandad refused to make any of the tough decisions that could have saved his business. It’s easy for me to come in as an outsider and do that. I like to think of it as tough love. I do what needs to be done. It’s not easy, but it’s much better than the companies going bust.”
Antonio nodded thoughtfully. “I still want to know who you’re going to save here. I can’t think of many places that would need you, and even fewer who would admit it.”
“Well, they sure don’t want to admit it publicly. At least not yet. I’m hoping that I won’t be expected to work in secret the whole time. That could prove tough.”
“I’m sure you and your client will come up with a good press line by the end of tomorrow.”
