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My realtor had sent me a link with the property when she heard the owners were selling, and I fell in love with the idea of fixing it up immediately. The vineyard had been abandoned when the owner passed away. The wife left it in the hands of their children and moved into a small retired community in the city. The house hadn’t been lived in for probably five years and hadn’t been remodeled since it was built forty or fifty years ago.
Matt thought I was crazy, and was turned off at the idea of a fixer upper. He was as uninvolved as one could be, so I was thankful he didn’t put up a fight for the property.
In four years, I turned the rundown house into a home, built a barn toward the back of the house and filled it with horses. I grew a small vegetable garden by myself and even maintained the grapes so they wouldn’t die off. This year I’ve retired from the firm, so I can focus on learning how to bring back the winery.
Before I bought the place, I hadn’t a clue how to make wine, let alone sell it. I really just wanted the house so I could raise any type of animal Charlotte wanted, and the price was a steal. I never intended to restore the winery, but plans change. Divorced with no job and too much money saved, I had nothing better to do.
I was in the best shape of my life–well, my arms were, my stomach was still squishy from childbirth and too much cookie dough and wine–and I needed to keep my mind engaged, too.
Charlotte finishes her food, and with my help, she climbs off the chair. She places her dish in the sink and runs for the back door to put on her boots. I follow behind.
She opens the glass door that leads to the backyard. We step out onto the large wrap-around porch and go down the steps to the bottom together. When we reach the yard, she runs ahead to the small gated vegetable garden, and grabs the basket I keep hanging on a hook outside of the fence.
By the time I reach her, she’s picked a bunch of carrots and is bouncing excitedly on the balls of her feet. “Come on, Mommy!” She shrieks excitedly. “I have six carrots. I counted. They each get two!”
“All right, let’s go!” I say, matching her enthusiasm. Closing up the gate behind her, she hurries ahead again and reaches the large pasture. This time, I run to catch up to her, as she climbs the fence and leans over.
“Jackpot!” She attracts the chestnut stallion’s attention by waving a carrot in the air. “Come and get it, buddy!”
Jackpot, the little jerk that he is, turns around so his ass faces Charlotte. He’s completely unfazed by the notion of carrots. I’ve brought him some mints to coax him over.
Standing beside Charlotte, I rest my elbows on the fence as the other two horses happily trot over to us. Ace is a beautiful gray. He’s older, and a pasture companion for Jackpot and Joker, but he’s Charlotte’s by proxy.
The old geezer nuzzles his nose into her hand, and she lets out a giggle at the tickling sensation of his whiskers. “Hey Ace. I gotta treat for you, buddy.” She hands him the carrot.
He takes it happily as Joker makes his way to me. Joker is a brown and white paint, and Charlotte’s been riding him since she was four. He’s the perfect starter horse for her. He is gentle and patient and lets her pull too hard on the reins.
Jackpot, on the other hand, is all attitude. I bought him from the vineyard down the way, who also dabbles in racing. Jackpot is a dud according to Billy Day. He is all spunk, but refuses to leave the starting gate on the track. He gives me a run for my money when I get a saddle on him, but I’ve managed just fine. When he realizes that I’ve pulled out the mints from my pocket, he lifts his head up from his grazing, and struts over.
“Hey JP. Nice of you to join us.” I scratch behind his ear as he takes the mint from my hand.
“He is a grump. Grumpier than old man, Ace,” Charlotte points out, letting out a giggle.
“He is. He gets bored out here,” I say, because it’s true. Jackpot has too much energy for his own good. I’ll have to ride him tonight after Matt picks up Charlotte.
“Can we ride today?” Charlotte asks.
“Not today. Daddy is coming to get you in an hour.”
She gives me a pout, but hops off the fence. “Fine. Can I play in the tree house?”
“Sure. I’ll call you when daddy is here.”
She nods, then hurries away to climb up the tree house, leaving me alone. The horses have left me, too, now that I don’t have food for them.
My phone vibrates in my pocket, and I pull it out to read the message from an unknown number. I’m going to kill Terry for giving Dominic my number. I scowl, typing out a message, telling him to leave me alone.
Dominic:I hope you liked the flowers.
Andi:They’re in the trash like the ones before them.
Dominic:I’ll give you all the time you need.
