Crushed Grapes and Kisses

uldn't have been s

e old churchyard, and blinked behind her oversized sunglasses. The sky was too blue, the cypress tr

anhattan, leaving behind the vineyards of her childhood like a forgotten fairytale. Now, the fairy

ng vines creeping up the side like nature refused to be kept out. She swallowed a lump in her thr

s, women in black with scarves and red-rimmed eyes. Lexi fe

anddaughter," someone

Ameri

high. She didn't

ross the worn pews. The scent of incense and aged wood wrapped around her like a memory.

xand

is white robes and a gentle smile. His eyes crink

she said softly,

" He placed a comforting hand on he

eant to soothe her or guilt he

on to the vineyard, his stubbornness-God, so much stubbornness. When they carried out the casket, Lexi stood but didn

un still refus

-

ines stretched out like soldiers in formation, their leaves trembling in the breeze. This land-this legacy-had once mean

nched h

s were buried

red behind he

He had the kind of face that looked like it belonged in a cologne ad: chiseled jaw, tousl

s French accent curling around th

ked. "Sin

ago." He offered a hand. She hesitated, then

ealize he n

e needed more than help. He needed saving.

ather-strong, proud, invincible-had been strugg

ays," she said coolly. "Th

d better decide quickly what to do. B

leaving her standing among the vines-confu

-

t of olive oil and dust hung in the kitchen like an old secret. Lexi poured herself a glass of

e stars blink awake. A cicada buzzed somewhere in th

lip of the glass, and a

-

was heavy with the scent of fermenting grapes. Lexi crouched beside a cra

kneeling beside her. His voice was rough but fond. "Even i

But I want to be a fashion d

off the stone. "Even a fashi

-

erself back to the pres

ainst the cushion,

mehow, it had waited. And now it was calling her ba

he liked

-

rtled awake by a knock at the door and the sound of chickens fussing in the courtyard. For a mo

ulders and shuffled downstairs. A

tasting room.

full day had passed, and the hand

, she

th dusty sunlight filtering through high windows.

he said witho

re French. I thought you'd a

"In wine, timin

glasses. One deep

is t

plied. "To see

ass. Then she took a

memory c

-

while her friends vacationed in the Hamptons. Giovanni had handed her a n

and scribbled: "Too so

for ten min

-

gain and met É

... honest

s head. "Tha

onger. Something was shifting. N

. But she had a feeling that her r