Page 86 of Wine & Dine

“Sit,” Magnolia snaps, and the two turn to look at their grandmother. “Don’t make me make you two hold hands and say you love each other like you had to do as children.” Denton slowly smiles at the mention of their childhood punishments while Dolores huffs, and I have an impression of her as a kid. Stubborn. Strong-willed. She tugs at a chair and sits. Denton grips the back of a chair and remains standing over it. I pull out a seat for Magnolia, who thanks me and sits.

“Here’s how I see it,” she begins. “My house. My rules.” Denton’s face shifts, fear edging his jaw. Dolores looks up in surprise. “Denton already began the renovations with the help of a designer affiliated with Duncan Construction. I like what I’m seeing, but Dolores can have input as it seems she’ll be living here, too.” Denton’s head shoots upward.

“This house has six bedrooms upstairs,” Magnolia reminds them. Her room is off the kitchen, and I have yet to see it. I don’t need to see it. It’s her private place. “Each of you pick a room.” She sighs. “I’m a modern woman. I can accept that you’ll each be keeping your significant others here as well.”

My head shoots up to Dolores who still glares at her brother, and then I glance at Mati. Her brow rises.

“Roommates?” I chuckle.

“You can work that out in a minute,” Magnolia interjects, not finding the humor in the situation. “He”—she points to me over her shoulder—“wants the land.”

It’s Dolores’s turn to shoot her head up, her eyes landing on me, and Denton stands to his full height, crossing his arms. “What?”

I swallow hard at the accusation in Dolores’s eyes. I’ve done it again. Made arrangements without telling her.

“I asked Magnolia for permission to use the land for a vineyard. I’ll have lawyers draw up everything. She told me Charlie is your attorney. You’ll keep everything but let me use the land for this project.”

Denton’s gaze falls to his sister, who lowers hers, and then he looks back at me.

“From now on, I do nothing without talking to Dolores first,” I clarify. He and I were the ones joking about their grandmother’s land as a possibility, and all this miscommunication has led to hurt feelings.

“You do realize this was a chicken farm. Birds for eating. And eggs for…whatever the fuck at first,” Denton reminds me.

“Watch your language, young man,” Magnolia interjects.

“A vineyard is rare here, so it’s an open market. You have all this land not being used for something productive, and I…I want to do this.” I completely understand we’d be starting from scratch, but that’s what I want. From the ground up, literally.

“What about Fox Investors?” Denton questions, still trying to figure out my angle. His brows twitch.

“I’ll still own my company, but this is for me. For the future.” I sigh, looking over at Dolores. “For us.” I smile weakly, but she isn’t looking at me. Does she no longer want this? It’s been another whirlwind twenty-four hours of emotional declarations and business explanations and discussions about the future. We’re moving at the speed of a tornado.

“You really gonna stick this out here, man? This isn’t LA. It’s a small town.” There’s a poke at the community in his words, and Mati’s breath hitches.

“I grew up in a town not much bigger than this. I think I can handle it. In fact, I’m ready for a change.” I peer over at Dolores again, who still isn’t looking up at me. I glare back at Denton. What’s he getting at? He came here. He should understand. He gave it all up for a woman…and happily, I might add.

“What about the diner?” he asks, peeking over at his sister.

Although I should let her speak, I interject for her because I want to be clear. “Dolores is keeping the diner.”

“And the loan on that?” I notice Dolores has covered her face with both hands.

“We’ll work it out. It will all be in the contract.”

“I just wanted to give you something,” Denton blurts out quietly, and Dolores finally glances up at her brother. He swipes fingers through his hair. “I know I wasn’t good to you. It wasn’t fair to leave you with him.” For a moment, I think he means Rusty until Dolores begins rapidly blinking. “I suppose Mother wasn’t much better. I’m sorry, Magnolia.” He’s insulting her child, and his eyes shift to their grandmother, who has remained quiet despite her initial demands.

“I know you understand my reasons for going, and I’m coming to terms with your reasons for staying, which is why I wanted to do this for you.”

“It’s been a lot to take in,” Dolores softly replies. “The diner is a disaster. Then the house. It’s not about the house, though, Denton. It’s about steamrolling over me.”

“I wanted to give you a break.”

“I get that, but it’s also breaking me. I’m used to being in charge. Making the decisions. Living my life on my terms. You’re pulling the rug out from under me.”

I understand how Dolores feels. If she’s done it all on her own for so long, it’s hard to relinquish the reins a little bit. She’s having trouble delegating as she wasn’t given the decision to delegate.

“I’m sorry,” Denton whispers. “I’m sorry for all of it.”

I’m uncomfortable with the heartbreak I hear in my friend, and my eyes meet Mati’s. Maybe we shouldn’t be present for this apology. Then I glance over at Dolores and know I can’t walk away from her. She’s been strong for so long, but she needs someone to be her strength.