Extended Epilogue
Five years later … Midsummer 2018
Ever since Sagaponack Fields had opened its doors almost four years ago, we had moved our Midsummer celebration over there. The number of people attending Midsummer grew with each passing year, so even if our home was big enough to fit everyone, it was easier to use the restaurant’s tables and the industrial kitchen to cook everything.
William finally allowed others to help him cook that day, and by others, I mean three people: Moira, Jan Parker, and Eric, who had been working at Sagaponack Fields since its grand opening. After graduating, Eric was hired as a kitchen porter because William wanted him to start from the bottom so he would learn how to run every aspect of the kitchen. He was quickly promoted to commis chef and had been doing a stellar job as chef de partie for over a year now.
Nemorino’s Winery was built on the same plot of land next to the restaurant. Although the construction took a bit longer to design and develop, I felt so proud when it was finally done and the first batch of wine came out.
Nina and Cecile’s marketing firm was handling the winery’s marketing and social media strategy, and they were killing it. The public adored the love potion storyline, and it quickly became a national bestseller. Everything William touched turned into gold.
Everyone had arrived, the food was almost ready, the music was playing, and the drinks started flowing. This was the first time we asked some of the restaurant’s servers to stay and help with the service. We usually did everything ourselves, but it made for a more peaceful experience if we didn’t have to argue about who helped the least each year.
“Where should I put these, Lily?” Zara asked as she carried out two medium-sized vases filled with beautiful flowers in vibrant, colorful shades. The restaurant had a lovely outside seating area on the terrace, and that’s where we usually held the party.
“Those should be distributed along the table!” Lily yelled from where we stood, setting up the build-your-own-flower-crown station. Nothing had changed much. We still relied on Lily to tell us what to do.
Moira and Eric rolled in a service cart and spaced out the plated snacks and other typical dishes along the length of the main dining table. Tobias was quick to snatch an olive and a piece of cheese from one of the plates and took them to his mouth.
“Mmm,” he groaned with delight, grabbing another olive and rushing to where Cecile stood to feed her one. Tobias had recently proposed to her with a gorgeous two-stone engagement ring made of a pear-shaped and an emerald-cut diamond on an elegant golden band.
“Ruth, can I get you something to drink?” Zara asked my father’s girlfriend, who was sitting in one of the chairs at the flower crown station, watching us finish setting everything up. Ruth and my dad had met through a mutual friend at an event. She was a widow, too, and a sweet and lovely woman. She’d arrived in my dad’s life at the right moment, and they seemed happy and at peace.
“Wine would be great, dear,” Ruth replied in her usual elegant voice.
“Coming right up.” Zara turned on her heel and strutted toward the bar, where two bartenders were ready and eager to start taking more drink orders.
“Incoming,” Moira warned as she stepped out onto the terrace carrying a large plate. Zara stepped to the side to let her through.
“Careful, princess.” Moira winked at her and left the plate on the table to swiftly return to the kitchen.
Moira and Zara had dated for a while, but it never got too serious. After Lily and Joel’s wedding, they realized they were better off as friends. Moira’s lifestyle didn’t match Zara’s. Moira worked long hours, and Zara was too much of a free spirit. She loved partying and going out with her friends from Juilliard and other celebrities she met through her brothers and the famous Netflix show she’d been working on for the past couple of years.
Aaron parked in the distance, and Sivert and he got out of the car and walked over to us. Aaron had gone to pick him up from the airport. He was still working with us and wasn’t only our private security and driver but also an esteemed member of our family. Naomi and him were still together, but she couldn’t make it to this year’s Midsummer celebration because she had to work in L.A.
My phone’s alarm went off. I killed it and left my phone on the table, letting Ruth know I’d be right back. I walked inside the restaurant and headed straight for the kitchen. “Dad?” I shouted.
“We’re in here!” he shouted back.
I pushed the swivel doors open and stepped in. My dad was carrying Adina as William fed her a strawberry. “Mama!” she yelled excitedly when she saw me walking inside the kitchen. My baby girl was wearing a beautiful pink lace dress with a matching headband made of flowers with the same lace.
“Is Daddy force-feeding you strawberries again?” I laughed, and she gave me the sweetest smile. My dad kissed her rosy cheeks and handed her over to me. Adina was William’s clone, but she had inherited my auburn hair color. Hers was still a bit lighter than mine when I was her age, but there was no doubt she was a redhead like her mama and grandpa.
“Just making sure she doesn’t turn out like her strawberry-hating mother,” William teased, grabbing Adina’s chubby hand and kissing it. My dad laughed.
“Someone needs to take her medicine!” I sang in a cheerful tone.
“Uh-uh!” Adina quickly replied, burying her face in my neck.
“But the medicine tastes like strawberries, Adi,” I reminded her. “And you love them, don’t you?”
“No wanna!” she said, refusing the idea. She’d just turned two last month and was as stubborn a Taurus as William. “Cook, Daddy.” She reached out to William, and he grabbed her.
“But I’m done cooking, sweetheart,” William cooed. “You were a great sous-chef today, but it’s time to go out and take your medicine.” Adina loved watching William cook. He loved treating her and making her all sorts of yummy and fun meals and snacks all the time. I was in charge of the yucky medicine, so we all knew who her favorite parent was.
“The little devil is after my job,” Eric joked. He’d been bugging William nonstop about becoming sous-chef, but they didn’t think he was ready yet. He would eventually be, but not yet.
“Everyone’s job is safe until Adina decides to work here, and then she’ll run the place,” William said proudly. I laughed.
“Hey!” Moira complained as she rinsed off her hands in the large stainless-steel faucet. As executive chef, she was the maximum authority here.
We all laughed.
“Come on,” I said to William, waving him to follow me. “She needs to take her medicine.” Adina had a low fever this morning, but it went away quickly after she took her medicine. Since she started attending nursery, she caught a different bug every other week.
I pulled the medicine bottle from the diaper bag, and Adina began to fuzz in William’s arms. But she stopped suddenly at the sight of Aaron. “Awen!” she cried with a smile, holding out her arms for Aaron to carry her.
Adina was obsessed with Aaron, and I knew it made William jealous, even if he didn’t want to admit it. I would see it in his eyes and how his lips puckered when he handed her over to him.
“Aaron, could you help me with her medication?” I passed him the medicine dropper and gave him a nervous grin. She would forgive Aaron for giving her the medication, but not me. It was best if he gave her the ibuprofen.
He raised a brow and grabbed the medicine dropper, offering it to her. She made a cute pout and shook her head, but all Aaron had to do was say, “Please, Adina.” And she opened her mouth and took her medicine with a grimace.
“Why is her face bunched up like that?” Zara said with a laugh, touching Adina’s cheeks.
“She just took her medicine,” I explained as Aaron handed me the dropper, and I put it back in the diaper bag.
“Aw! Poor thing. Want to come play with Auntie Zara?”
“No!” Adina shouted her reply. “I want Awen.” She rubbed her eyes and yawned.
“Don’t be rude to Aunt Zara, Adi,” William said to Adina, grabbing her back from Aaron. “We don’t shout like that.”
“I think it’s time for her nap.” We’d brought her small portable crib and placed it inside the restaurant because we knew she’d get sleepy right after noon.
William took her in, and I followed. “I’ll put her down,” I offered.
“You sure?” William lowered Adina into the crib.
“Yes, of course. You deserve a beer after all the hard work today.”
“You’re the one who slept four hours last night.”
“You know I’m used to it.”
I had stayed up late the night before shooting Empire Magazine’s cover and wrapped around 11:00 p.m. We usually never worked this late, but due to a conflicting schedule, we had started shooting at 10:00 p.m.
Abigail’s column in the magazine became so popular that they promoted her to the cover stories. Since we were a team, I became Empire Magazine’s official cover photographer. This allowed me to step out of my comfort zone and grow even more creatively. Before, they hadn’t used a specific photographer for the covers but had hired a different one for each.
Once I ensured Adina slept peacefully, I tiptoed away and found Aaron by the terrace door.
“I’ll keep an eye on her,” he offered.
“You don’t have to,” I said. “She’s right there. She’ll be fine.”
Aaron was so protective of Adina that even if we all knew she’d be safe sleeping inside, staying closer to her gave him peace of mind.
“I’m tired,” he said. “I could use the rest.” He had driven me back from Manhattan at midnight, so we both went to bed at around 2:00 a.m. when we arrived in the Hamptons. So, I believed him.
“Okay.” I smiled. “Thank you.”
He stepped in, and I walked away.
We ate, drank, sang, and enjoyed ourselves. Aaron walked out with Adina by his side an hour and a half later.
“Someone’s up!” William said, rushing toward her.
“She was sound asleep,” Aaron said. “But the cashier’s desk phone kept ringing, and it woke her.”
“That’s fine.” I grabbed Adina’s hand. “She slept a lot. Right, baby?”
Adina smiled and rubbed her nose.
“But I took the call,” Aaron said. “It’s a man, Graham, calling from the Michelin Guide?”
“What?” William’s eyes popped out, and he almost choked on his beer. “Moira! Eric! Where’s Jan?” he asked me.
I shook my head with a shrug.
“Bathroom, I think,” Joel said, placing a hand over Lily’s six-month pregnancy belly.
Moira jerked her chin, and William waved her over and rushed toward the cashier station where the nearest phone was. Eric was already following him. The three of them disappeared inside and returned five minutes later, cheering, shouting, and kissing each other’s faces. Jan included.
“What’s going on?” I frowned with expectation, not wanting to ask the question. Not wanting to jinx it.
William grabbed my face between his hands and kissed me. “We were just notified that Sagaponack Fields earned its first Michelin star.”
1 Nice to meet you.