Page 85 of Just for Tonight

“I want to talk to the Grahams, but I don’t want to be pushy.”

I have to think for a minute. “The farm to the east and north of your land.”

“Three hundred acres, Jake, and they’re easing toward retirement.” The excitement in her voice is palpable. “If I had that land, we could be huge.”

“What would you do?” I lean back, loving the sound of her enthusiasm.

“Oh, I’d plant it. More red than white, some special varieties that need a bit of pampering and don’t always perform. When they do, they’d give the winemaker something special to work with. I’d experiment with the irrigation and the drainage. I’d try new techniques for planting.” She laughs a little at herself. “We could build a visitor center with a tasting room and a restaurant. Right now, that would take too high a percentage of our land. But imagine. Imagine! We could host events and even weddings. There could be regular tours and the dining room could look over the vineyards, and… Oh. Sorry. I have so many ideas! It’s not even for sale yet, let alone owned by us, but it feels like I’m being asked to walk away from the only opportunity I’ve always wanted.” She pauses. “Actually, no, I’m not being asked. My plans and hopes are being ignored. It’s assumed that I will want what he wants, forever and ever, and oh, that does not sit well.”

I can’t blame her for that. Mackenzie is too ambitious to just become someone’s submissive little sidekick.

I’m really liking this guy, actually. My mood has improved a thousand times since hearing about him. I don’t need to jinx his campaign to propose to Mackenzie. He’s doing a great job at that all by himself.

I ask about her plan, because the sound of her enthusiasm is the very best thing. “If you got the land, could you afford to plant it?”

“No. Are you kidding? Maybe ten acres a year, at least right now. That’s another thing. I’m not sure where we’d get the capital to even acquire it, but maybe the Grahams would make a deal. You know they’ve been farming organically for thirty years.” Her sigh is rapturous. “Ralph was way ahead of his time.”

“You could rent out the fields maybe while you do incremental planting. Who’s adjacent on the other sides of their land?”

“That might work,” she cedes and I hear her thinking. “There are three farms on the borders or close to it, as well as a greenhouse operation.” She laughs a little. “There hasn’t even been a chance to buy it yet. I feel like we’re just finding our rhythm at Rhodes, like my ideas are finally being given the chance to influence the future and grow our business the way I’d love to see. Opa trusts me now and there are so many possibilities.”

I get it. “You’re being asked or expected to cut bait on your dreams.”

“Yes. Is it wrong for me to resent that?”

“No. You’re just listening to your instincts. In my experience, if the fit requires that one party makes all the compromises, it’s not a good one. It might not even last long as a result of that.”

“I’ve known him less than a week, but he doesn’t appear to negotiate.”

“Ah. A warning sign.”

“I think so, too.”

We sit in silence for a long moment.

“But what if this is the best possible option?” she asks and I hear her real fear. “What if I’m choosing the potential of a dream over the reality of what my future could be? What if passing on him means I’ll be alone forever?”

“You won’t be alone forever.”

“Seriously, Jake. What if this is my last chance?”

“You can’t believe that.”

“I feel like it might be.”

“Well, you can always call me.” I meant it to be a joke, but as soon as I utter the words, I know they’re true.

“But we’re not having either a fling or a thing.”

“So, I guess we’ll have to be friends.”

Another silence, then Mackenzie’s voice is a husky whisper. “I’d like that.”

“Yeah,” I agree, feeling the silence warm between us.

Eventually, she clears her throat. “Did I interrupt anything?”

“No, just working on the big plan.”