Daniel studies his reflection in the mirror as he shaves. After a sleepless night, his appearance is haggard, with dark circles under his eyes and deep lines in his forehead. He really messed up this time. It’s going to take a lot of groveling to worm his way back into his children’s good graces.
Dressing in khaki slacks and a golf shirt, he descends the back stairs. He anticipates the intoxicating smells of frying bacon and fresh-brewed coffee, but Marabella’s not in the kitchen. He finds an envelope on the counter with his name scrawled in her tiny script. He tears open the envelope and reads the note. After decades, she’s resigning from her position as the family’s cook. He ran the help off. Things are worse than he thought.
Eyeing Ruthie’s basket of cheddar muffins, he bites into one, but it’s gone stale, and he spits it back out in the sink.
He’ll go to the diner for breakfast. It’ll give him a chance to assess Ruthie’s anger. But when he arrives at the diner, Tanya, the head waitress tells him Ruthie has left town.
Daniel narrows his pale green eyes. “What do you mean, she left town?”
Tanya, smacking on a piece of chewing gum, says, “She called late last night. She woke me up, and I was too sleepy to comprehend much of what she was telling me. She didn’t say why, but she needs to get away for a while to clear her head. She didn’t know where she was going or when she’d be back. She left me in charge, because I have the most seniority, not because I have a clue how to run this place. Ruthie does everything around here. She hates delegating authority.”
Daniel lowers himself to a stool at the counter. “Did she leave you in charge of her finances as well?”
“Heck no! She asked her accountant to do that. I expect she’ll call today to check on things. Want me to tell her you stopped by to see her?”
“That’s probably not a good idea.” Daniel orders a coffee to go and leaves the diner.
He goes to Ruthie’s house to search for clues of her whereabouts, only to discover his key no longer fits the locks. Which means she called an emergency locksmith late at night to change the locks before she left town. She means business. Her message is clear. She is done with Daniel Love.
His spirits plummet as he returns to the vineyard. Making amends for his deception is proving to be more difficult than he imagined.
Irritation creeps up his neck when he finds Hugh waiting for him in his office. He’ll eventually get to Hugh, but right now he’s more eager to speak with Sheldon and Ada.
Sitting down at his desk, Daniel says, “I have a full morning, son.”
“This will only take a second. You don’t owe me any explanations. I’m certain you had a legitimate reason to pretend like you were dying.”
“The pathology department in Charlottesville mixed up my results.”
Hugh frowns. “Is that what really happened?”
Daniel looks at his son as though he’s an idiot. “Of course not. But that’s what I’m telling people. I expect you to do the same.”
“Yes, sir.” Hugh squirms in his chair. “I thought you should know Sheldon is trying to turn the others against you.”
Daniel tenses. “Can you be more specific?”
“He invited us all to breakfast to inform us he’s taking a leave of absence from Love-Struck. Casey is considering making a change as well.”
“Was Ada at this breakfast?”
“She was. But I didn’t hang around long enough to hear her bashing you. They’re bailing on you, Dad. But not me. You have my full support. I’m here for you, whatever you need.”
Daniel notices Charles passing by in the hallway and calls out, “Charles! Can you come here please? I need a word with you.”
Hugh, realizing this is his cue to leave, hurries out of his office.
Charles appears in the doorway, and Daniel motions him to Hugh’s vacated chair. “We need to talk.”
“What about? I have a call in a few minutes.”
“Sit.” Daniel motions him to a chair, and Charles eases down to the edge of the seat.
“Did you attend the breakfast meeting at Sheldon’s this morning?”
Charles stares down at his lap. “He invited me, but I didn’t go.”
“The family is divided on how to proceed after learning of my miraculous recovery from cancer.”
His attempt at making a joke falls short. Instead of laughing, Charles glares at him.
Daniel drops his smile. “I need to know whose camp you’re in.”
Charles casts a nervous glance at the door. “I’m not in anyone’s camp. However, this might be a good time for me to do something different with my life. I’ve been contemplating it for a while. I’m tired of living under Hugh’s shadow.”
“What would you do?”
“I haven’t figured that out yet. But I need to support my wife. I hope you’ll allow me to stay here while I do.”
Daniel works hard not to show disgust for his weak son. “Of course, Charles. Whatever it takes to make you happy.” He stands and walks Charles out of his office.
When they part in the hallway, Daniel goes down to Casey’s office. He waits in the doorway until she gets off the phone. She motions him in but refuses to look him in the eye, which Daniel interprets as a bad sign.
He looms over her desk. “A little bird told me you’re thinking of making a change. Is that true?”
“You drove me to it,” she says, scribbling something on a notepad.
“I made a mistake, Casey, and I’m sorry. I never meant to hurt anyone. Can’t you give me another chance?”
She tosses her pen on the desk and sits back in her chair. “You’re a self-serving, egotistical dictator. You’ve been jerking me around for months, playing on my emotions to get what you want. But you went too far this time, Daniel. I don’t know what my mother ever saw in you. Perhaps your relationship didn’t last long enough for her to see your true colors.”
Her insult stings, leaving him at a loss for words. “What sort of change are you planning? I have a business to run. I’m evaluating the situation, and I need to know who I can count on.”
Casey lets out a sigh. “I love my job, Daniel. I don’t want to leave Love-Struck. But I need to minimize my interaction with you.”
Daniel considers this good news. Over time, she’ll soften toward him. “These offices are large enough for us to stay out of each other’s way. Until further notice, I’ll communicate with you via my assistants.”
“Assuming those assistants don’t resign when they find out you were fake dying.”
“Ouch. That hurts,” Daniel says, rubbing his arm. “I guess I deserved it.”
She sweeps a hand at the door. “If you don’t mind, I have work to do.”
Daniel slumps his shoulders and puts on his sad face as he exits her office. Instead of returning to his own office, he leaves the building and drives over to Foxtail Farm, where a field worker directs him down to the barn.
Daniel stands in the barn’s doorway, observing Sheldon as he works on a tractor. His golden boy, his best friend. They’ve been through so much together, and it breaks his heart to think Sheldon has turned against him.
Daniel clears his throat as he enters the barn. “Since when are you a mechanic?” he says in a joking tone.
Sheldon doesn’t look up from his work. “I’ve developed a lot of new hobbies these past few weeks.”
“Being a grease monkey doesn’t suit you.”
Sheldon tosses his wrench into his toolbox with a clang. “You don’t know what suits me. I’m only just learning that myself. Ollie encourages me to try new things. Turns out I can do more than order people around.”
“In other words, you weren’t challenged enough at Love-Struck. Is that why you’re taking a leave of absence?”
“Wow! News travels fast.” Sheldon slams the engine cover shut and faces Daniel. “What do you want, Dad?”
“To apologize and ask for your forgiveness,” Daniel says in his most sincere manner.
Sheldon hangs his head. “You made a real mess of things, Dad. You hurt a lot of people with your little charade. I’m not a crier, but I shed actual tears at the prospect of losing you.”
Daniel places a hand on Sheldon’s shoulder. “I am truly very sorry, son.”
“Your apology is as fake as your terminal cancer diagnosis.” Sheldon walks out of the barn, waiting for Daniel to follow him before sliding the door closed behind them. “Coincidentally, Ada has decided to cancel her reception at Love-Struck, but she’d still like to have the ceremony in the chapel with attendants only. No friends or family, which means you’re not invited. I assume this won’t be a problem for you.”
“Since when are you Ada’s spokesperson?”
Sheldon throws his leg over the seat of a four-wheeler. “Since you betrayed us and tore our family apart.”
“You’re the one tearing our family apart by making your siblings choose sides.”
“Everyone was turning against you. That was your doing. I’m trying to keep us together. I already lost my father. I don’t want to lose my siblings too.” Sheldon starts the engine and peels off, disappearing over a hill into the vineyard.
Daniel waits until he’s in his car before clicking on Ada’s number. After five rings, the call goes to voice mail. He tries two more times before leaving a winded message, apologizing for his actions and begging for her forgiveness.
They’d come so far in the planning process, he can’t believe Ada is canceling her dream wedding. Their dream wedding. And she’s forbidding him from attending the ceremony. In his own chapel, no less. Obviously, he’s not invited to the reception either. Where will she have it? He answers his own question. Probably at Foxtail Farm.
Out of all his children, Hugh is the only one willing to forgive Daniel. And even he has an ulterior motive. Hugh wants Daniel’s title, his office, and his house. Daniel won’t just turn everything over to him. His children need to fight for the privilege of running Love-Struck. May the best man, or woman, win.