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“Does that mean I can call you daddy?” Caleb asked softly.
Dad blinked, and standing, he approached Caleb, scooping him from his seat. Spinning him high in the air, he dropped him down onto his hip, kissing him gently on the forehead. “Of course, it does, son. And you can call Lucy mommy too.”
Caleb wrapped his arms around Dad’s neck, resting his head on his shoulder.
Appearing emotional, Dad cleared his throat, taking a seat at the table with Caleb still in his arms. “Jake? You had a few things to add.”
Jake was looking a little choked up himself as he stood.
“Zane’s going to be making a few appearances at the Inn before he goes on tour with Danny and Eve. It should make him a little more comfortable when he’s in front of a larger crowd.”
Zane looked surprised, but grinned, nodding his thanks.
Jake continued, “I also wanted the boys to know that if there’s any trouble, I’m always available too if for some reason you can’t reach Gabe. You never know, someone from the past might just pop into town, and since my trafficking investigation is ongoing, I don’t want you to be afraid to come to me, even if you think you’re imagining something. Usually after living in the conditions that you’ve been forced to live, what seems unlikely just might not be. Trust your instincts. Okay?”
Although Harry had heard it all before, he nodded along with Lex and Zane.
“Okay. That’s all I have for now. I’m sure I’ll be seeing you around, but all of you should still be on guard. The good thing is, you’ve each been transformed and don’t look at all like you did when you arrived. At first glance, none of you should be recognizable.”
Jake went on to tell them that the movers would be coming tomorrow, so all the furniture would be in their bedrooms by tomorrow afternoon. Apparently, some brand-new booths, tables and chairs would be arriving tomorrow too for the winery café since the furnishings they’d been using the past few years were second hand.
“Okay, everyone. Go enjoy the rest of the day,” Gabe said, resting Caleb on the floor and patting his head. “Tomorrow is going to be a busy one. Next week, you’re going to learn about harvesting grapes.”
When Izzy groaned, Amy smiled. She’d always had fun when they spent that week or two picking the ripest clusters of grapes for them to use for the wine. Dad had hired some guys to help with the actual wine-making part of the business, which was done across the road in a building near the greenhouses. This would be their first big year of harvesting though, since it had taken the vines a while to become established. Dad experimented too with a new variety every year.
As everyone went their separate ways, Amy went to help Mom clean up the kitchen.
Chapter Eighteen
Despite the fact that it was Saturday, the entire household woke earlier than usual the following morning since the movers would be coming at eight.
Gabe told Zane, Lex and Caleb to stay out of the way for a while, because there would be a few surprises after the furniture they’d chosen was unloaded in their rooms. Harry and Eve were assisting Amy and Izzy, who had the lists and were supervising the furniture arrangements since they’d already discussed those things with Zane and Lex. Caleb had pretty much been open for anything, and even though his room would be near both Amy’s and Harry’s, all he had to do was walk down to the end of the hallway to be with either Zane or Lex.
Since the three of them were on their own, they decided to go for a swim, something they hadn’t done together since they’d first arrived.
“I guess I’ve been pretty busy with Danny and Izzy, haven’t I?” Zane asked. “Everything seems so different now. Are you doing alright, Lex?”
“I think so,” Lex answered. “At first, I’ll admit I felt a little left out. I was thinking about leaving.”
“Really?” Zane shook his head, suddenly looking shocked. “I can’t believe I didn’t even realize…” He hesitated. “Are you sure you’ll be alright if I take off on tour? I’ll stay if you need me.”
“Don’t be an idiot,” Lex said dryly. “Things have changed since then. I’m not going to be the one who stops you from becoming a star.”
“Especially since it was you who worked so hard to get me here before the music camp began,” Zane answered, smiling wryly.
“You figured it out, huh?”
Zane nodded. “I think you might have been disappointed when Izzy came along and pushed it.”
“At first, I was a little jealous,” Lex admitted. “It was just you and me and Caleb for so long.”
“The audition went really well, by the way. Danny made me perform at an outdoor concert at the Inn a few days before she began working with me. I would have invited you, but it was spur of the moment and Izzy didn’t get to go either.”
“It’s hard to be mad at someone like Izzy, who doesn’t have a mean bone in her body.”
“Amy, either. You two have gotten kind of close, I think. I see the two of you talking all the time,” Zane said as Lex stood from the water, making his way toward the beach.
“She’s the oldest ten-year-old I’ve ever met. She’s the one who talked me out of leaving.”
