“Green Earth Apothecary & SerendipiTEA Gardens,” my dad read from the business plan.
“Yeah, Green Earth Apothecary…Gea, like a play on the Earth Goddess’ name. And I thought I’d use Mrs. Aster’s old business name, Serendipity Gardens, change it up a little and marry the two together.”
“This is your wish?” my Dad asked, looking at the paper.
A chill went down my spine, and goosebumps rose on my skin. Wish? Dad took another bite of the cake as he looked at my business plan.
“It is,” I whispered.
“Then, done!” he said, raising the fork triumphantly. “Now, let me get out of my monkey suit, and let’s have some of that pizza! Wow, Jules, this cake is amazing…butter, lemon, and anise. Zap. Tastes fabulous. My daughter is the next Martha Stewart,” he said then wandered off, taking his fork with him.
I crossed the room and picked up the recipe card: Make a Wish Cake. Surely, it had to be a coincidence, right?
Chapter 8: Horatio
I left Alice’s deli and headed back to the ice wine event tent feeling completely defeated. Not only did I not get the property, but I’d also scared away the most interesting prospect I’d come across in months. Julie Dayton…a boho Botticelli. At that moment, I hardly cared what Dad had to say. He could do his worst.
And, of course, that’s exactly what he did.
Grabbing a glass of Merlot, I crossed the tent and took a seat across from my father.
“Well?” he demanded.
“The property isn’t available anymore,” I said, sipping the wine. While I know I should have been concentrating on the red hue that was rising up from Dad’s neck and across his face, the only red I could think of was that of Julie Dayton’s hair. How in the world was I going to find a way to apologize to her? I’d acted like a complete ass.
“What do you mean the property isn’t available anymore?” Dad’s voice was icy as he glared at me across the luncheon table.
Viola, who’d been chatting with another winery owner, must have sensed a family dispute was about to erupt. She pulled out a chair and sat, strategically, between us. “And what are we arguing about?” she asked as she pushed her long, dark hair over her shoulder. She was smiling as she lifted her wine glass and toasted someone across the room. “The tension between you is practically palpable. Can you two at least try to act civil in front of everyone?” she said while smiling and waving.
“Once more, Horatio has managed to screw up something both simple but important,” Dad said, jerking his tie roughly.
“Well, all I’ve heard all day today is what a fabulous event he organized on the beach this morning,” Viola said as she pulled a tube of lipstick from her purse and freshened up her makeup. “Horatio pulled off a bloody miracle, Dad. He raised a ton of money for the arts council.”
“But he still managed to lose the property. And where are we supposed to put the restaurant parking now?” he asked sharply.
Viola sighed heavily. “They can just park at the city lot. It’s just a few blocks up Main. We’ll get the city to give us some valet spots. Think outside the box. You don’t need to flatten everything—or everyone—just to get what you want.”
Frustrated, he glared at Viola. “And what about you? Have you heard back from the city about The Grove? What have they said?”
“Same thing they always say,” Viola replied then paused to wave at yet another grower. “Love Dew was amazing this year,” she called to the owners of one of the California vineyards participating in the competition. “You aren’t going to get that land. It’s a historic site. Chancellor is very particular about that kind of thing. We won’t have room for the outside wine garden, but our patrons will have a beautiful view of the park.”
I smiled at my sister in admiration. She knew how to handle Dad. Her I couldn’t give a shit less about his hardheaded ways attitude was one I needed to adopt. But it had always been like that. Viola was strong-willed and had a good sense of right and wrong. Even when we were kids she would correct Dad when he punished us unfairly. Now, she did her job at the winery the way she thought was right. Me, I was still Dad’s lackey, forever trying to please him.
“Mr. Hunter, they’re ready for you now,” the event manager said, distracting Dad who was now glaring at both Viola and me. He rose and headed toward the stage. In a moment, he’d give his annual speech congratulating the winners.
“You need to pull an Elsa on that crap,” my sister said, turning to me.
“What?” I raised an eyebrow at her.
“Dad…just let it go,” she replied in song.
I laughed. “You know how it is.”
“Seriously. Don’t even think about it anymore. We’ll just get valet spaces at the public lot. It will be cheaper anyway. I’ll convince him tomorrow. Don’t let him freak you out. You rocked that event this morning. Everything was perfect. You should be doing more of that kind of thing, not chasing some haggy old real estate agent all across town.”
“Actually, she was…well, not a hag.”
“Oh! Do tell,” my sister said then, leaning closer to me, her interest now piqued.
“The agent…her dad owns the business. She was adorable, smart, funny, and I pressured her over the property so she ran away.”
“Good job,” Viola said with a half-laugh, half-sigh. “Don’t worry, you’ll meet ten more just as pretty tonight and will forget all about her.”
I thought back for a minute about those long red dreadlocks, how she bit her lower lip nervously when I touched her back, and how polite and kind she’d been with Alice. I frowned.
“Oh, whoa,” Viola said, looking more closely at me. “Like that kind of fabulous?”
Dad tapped a knife against his wine glass, silencing the room.
I nodded.
“Flowers and an apology in person. Tomorrow. Wow, Horatio finally saw someone he liked,” my sister whispered in amazement.
“It was bound to happen eventually,” I replied.
“Was it? I wasn’t sure. I thought maybe you and Rayne were planning to be perpetual bachelors…or maybe a couple,” she said then grinned wickedly.
“Shut up.”
“Make me.”
We giggled, but then fell silent as Dad launched into his speech.
“Mom would have been happy to see you’ve at least noticed someone,” Viola whispered.
“Yeah, but now I have to fix it.”
“Then fix it. Oh, and the theater committee called the office right after the event this morning. Professor Lane works fast. They want you to organize the renaming ceremony. You should do it.”
“But Dad—”
“Screw Dad. You know you want this. Take care of the renaming then go for the job at the Chancellor Arts Council.”
“Dad will disown me.”
“You won’t need him anymore. You’d be free of him, the vineyard, and everything else…free to be your own man. And you’re totally going to hire me, right?”
I grinned at my sister. My heart pounded in my chest. There had never been any discussion of what I was supposed to do with my life. The vineyard was everything. We were Hunters. We’d take over the dynasty. But what if that wasn’t, exactly, what I wanted? What if I had different passions?
My mind drifted back to my memory of Julie Dayton’s face. For the first time in what seemed like years, I’d met a girl who was real, a girl who didn’t seem a bit interested in my name, at least not until I’d used it to arm wrestle the property from her. Alice was right. I was a moron. I’d make it right first thing tomorrow. I’d make my mother proud. To hell with what my dad thought.