The Italian's Unexpected Heir
And another of his father’s sayings: Forgiveness is one of the greatest things you can give yourself and others.
It was almost like his father knew this day was coming and in his cryptic way, he was guiding his son. But Enzo just couldn’t brush aside what his parents’ secret had done to his sisters. It wasn’t right. Maybe his father should have taken some of his own advice.
“Enzo—” Sylvie’s voice put a halt to his thoughts “—if you don’t want to go, you can just say so. You don’t have to scowl at me.”
He was scowling? He hadn’t realized his thoughts had transformed onto his face. With concerted effort, he smoothed the frown lines. “Sorry. It wasn’t you. I just had a memory.”
“Of your parents?”
He nodded. “It was of my father. He used to share with me these little bits of wisdom.”
“Like what?”
Enzo told her what he could remember. As he was talking about his parents, he started to see them in a new light. They were more than a married couple running this estate with nary a hiccup. When you scratched beneath the surface, they were flawed individuals. But when you went even deeper, they were loving parents.
“Maybe you should reconsider selling the estate,” she said.
He shook his head.
“But you have good memories. Maybe not all of them are happy—”
“Sylvie, stop!” He paused as though reining in his frustration. “It’s too late.”
“But you haven’t signed any papers yet—”
“I gave my word.”
“That’s not the same as signing a sales agreement.”
“For me it is.” And with that he walked away.
Sylvie let go of the subject—for now. Instead, she focused on the work. Sooner or later she was going to have to admit defeat. Just not today.
CHAPTER EIGHT
THEY WORKED WELL TOGETHER, complementing each other’s skills. He did the heavy lifting. She did the final touches.
After Enzo placed the last print on the wall, he glanced around the room. His gaze settled on Sylvie as she arranged some mementos in one of the light
ed glass cases. The winery looked as it had before. No. Sylvie’s little adjustment here and there had made it look picture perfect.
It was late in the evening when Enzo said, “That’s it for tonight.”
He noticed that Sylvie didn’t argue.
He led the way to the exit. He paused by the door and flipped off the lights in the winery. He knew he wouldn’t sleep that night, not with all the thoughts darting about his mind. Still, it was no reason to keep Sylvie from getting some rest.
Darkness fell over the building as they stepped outside. He typed the code into the security pad before turning back to Sylvie. In the moonlight she looked like an enchantress. And it’d be so easy to forget all the reasons he shouldn’t hold her close and kiss her like he’d wanted to the other day.
Instead, he started to walk. To head to the main house, he would need to walk straight ahead but instead he turned down the path to the left and continued moving toward the guesthouse. In silence they walked in the moonlight. His thoughts were filled with memories of another night when he’d been along with Sylvie. It had been an evening they’d thrown caution to the wind. It was a night they wouldn’t repeat.
All too soon they were standing outside Sylvie’s door. He turned to her. “Thank you for all your help today.”
“You’re welcome. But I think it should be me thanking you since this photo shoot was my idea.”
“I know I wasn’t thrilled with the idea in the beginning. And I’m sorry.”
“And now?”