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Mary Ellen raised her glass to her. “Cheers.”
Chelsea shook her head. “It’s not like you, Molly. Don’t go thinking that. Antonio’s been gone a week. From what he’s told Mary Ellen and Grant, he’ll be back by next weekend. It’s not like he’s moving back there.”
Molly nodded. “I know. Sorry.”
“I don’t get it,” said Mary Ellen. “Why would you think he’s moving back there—and why would it matter to you?”
Molly blew out a sigh. “I have to get back to the kitchen.”
Chelsea raised an eyebrow at her. “Can I tell her?”
“Sure, why not. It’s no secret.”
“What isn’t?” asked Mary Ellen, as she watched Molly walk away. “She seems upset about something.”
“That’s because she is. Still. After all this time.”
“Still what? Give me a clue here. Why would she think that Antonio would go back to Sicily for good?”
“Because that’s what Marcos did.”
“So?”
“So, Molly and Marcos were like the golden couple in high school. He was a year ahead of her, and even when he went to college, they kept seeing each other. Right until he graduated.” Chelsea shook her head. “At that point, instead of him coming back to run the winery here, he went back to Sicily.”
“Wow! I had no idea. She didn’t want to go with him?”
“She had this place. Her dad started this place when she was little, and he named it after her. It was always her destiny.” Chelsea shook her head. “She didn’t bother going to college, even though she could have, because she always knew she was going to run Molly’s.”
“Did Marcoshaveto go, or did he choose to?”
Chelsea shrugged. “That’s the million-dollar question. Everyone thought he was going to take over Di Giovanni’s here. They had a general manager, but everyone expected Marcos would take over as soon as he could.”
“Was Antonio supposed to go to Sicily then?”
Chelsea chuckled. “No one ever knew what to expect of him. It turned out that with Marcos gone, he stepped up and took over the winery here. And it’s never looked back since.”
Mary Ellen smiled, happy to think that he’d stepped up for his family and that he hadn’t just been a stand-in but had made a great success of the label. Her smile faded as she thought about Marcos and Molly. “How do you think she feels now, knowing that he’s getting divorced and having such a hard time?”
“I have no idea. I keep trying to get her to talk to me, but she won’t open up.”
“I hope she’s okay.”
“She will be. She’s a tough one is our Molly.”
Mary Ellen nodded and watched Molly. She was smiling and laughing, bantering with customers as she took their orders, but now that she knew her story, Mary Ellen thought she could see sadness lurking behind the smile.
Her phone rang, and she fished it out of her purse. Chelsea snatched it out of her hands. “If that’s Antonio, you can tell him you’ll call him back later. This is girls’ night.”
Mary Ellen laughed and grabbed it back. “Oh, it’s my mom.”
“You’d better take it, then.” Chelsea looked serious. “But don’t let her upset you. Remember, whatever she says, she’s only looking out for you in her own way.”
Mary Ellen gave her a grateful smile as she answered. It was good advice. “Hi, Mom. How are you?”
“Hello, Mary Ellen. Are you busy this weekend?”
“Not particularly, why?” Mary Ellen frowned, wondering what was coming.
