LITMIR.BIZ

       www.millsandboon.co.uk

      This one is for my mom:

      If books are like children, then this book was me at

      fifteen: headstrong, occasionally wilful, and not afraid

      to do its own thing. But, based on your example, I just

      kept faith in it, and it turned out to be fabulous and

      totally worth it in the end (hopefully also like me!).

      I love you, Mom. Thanks for putting up with me.

      Chapter One

      “THEY’RE ready, Brenna. I’ll call Marco and tell him to have the crews here in the morning.”

      “It’s too soon.” Brenna double-checked the number on the refractometer in shock. No one else in Sonoma had grapes ripe this early; that was for sure. “We should have a couple of more weeks, at least.”

      “You doubt me?” Ted’s affront was only partially feigned, and, though they’d been friends and coworkers for years, Brenna rushed to smooth the ruffled feathers of her viticulturist.

      “Not at all. No one knows these vines better than you. I’m surprised, that’s all.”

      Placated, Ted popped a grape into his mouth and chewed, a small, blissful smile crossing his face. “Obviously these grapes like our sunny summers and this drought. You just don’t want to harvest in the heat.”

      “True.” But that was only part of it. The new tanks had only arrived last week and were stacked haphazardly around the building. The main pump was still being temperamental, and there was so much paperwork left to do…and…and…she needed those couple of extra weeks just to finish getting her head together. She wasn’t ready to start the crush right now.

      Brenna looked at the vines, all heavy with ripe fruit—fruit that wasn’t going to hold on while she adjusted to the new situation at a leisurely pace. Amante Verano Cellars was her responsibility now.

      Well, mostly.

      Ready or not, these grapes were coming in. She knew what to do; she’d been doing it her entire life. But she’d never done it alone. That responsibility weighed heavily on her shoulders.

      “I just wish Max were here.” The sigh in Ted’s voice brought her back to reality with a jerk.

      “I know. These vines were Max’s ticket to wineworld domination—or at the very least a gold medal.” She smiled weakly at Ted as her inspection of the grapes digressed to aimless fiddling. “He really should be here for this. It’s not fair.” She blinked back the tears threatening to escape again. She couldn’t fall apart in front of Ted—or anyone else. Max would expect her to solider on, and everyone at Amante Verano needed to believe she had this under control. “Call Marco. We’ll have the first grapes in the tank by tomorrow night.”

      They walked up the hill together, stopping occasionally to test the sugars and make notes on the grapes on different acres. The other vines were being slightly more predictable in their timelines. Another two weeks—give or take—and they’d be ready. September would be high-gear time.

      “Have you talked to Jack yet?” Ted asked the question too quietly, too casually.

      Her heart thumped in her chest at the mention of his name. “Not since the funeral, and then only for a minute.” And that had been awkward and difficult, not to mention painful on more levels than she cared to admit. She’d exchanged condolences, shaken his hand and left. End of story.

      “Does he know?”

      “Oh, I’m sure he does. Max’s lawyer called me to explain the partnership and what it meant, and I have to assume Jack was the first to know.”

      “And?” Ted was the first to brave asking the question she knew was on everyone’s mind.

      “There is no ‘and.’ I’m sure

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