14. Kylie
Chapter 14
Kylie
“H appy National Wine Day!”
Grape Expectations is packed, and I couldn’t be happier. We were all here last night, making the outside yard the most beautiful and majestic scene ever. I’m so proud of the work we put in and more so for Matt. I know this has been a hard transition. While his mom and I were stringing the lights, I filled her in about Patrick and me. She hugged me and told me I made the right decision and her validation meant everything to me. She also teased me about my ice cream date, saying Liam couldn’t stop talking about it. It made me feel so good to know I brought a smile to his face.
“Mrs. Byrne! Liam!” Sadie and I wave as they find us in the crowd. “This is amazing! Look at everyone!”
“I know. This is one of the biggest turnouts we’ve had here in quite some time.”
I smile at Mrs. Byrne. “Did you get everything ready?”
“Yes, Phil is picking it up now and going to drive it in.”
Sadie gasps. “I can’t believe you guys got that car up and running in a matter of days!”
I interject, “There was nothing wrong with it. It just needed a good wash, some air in the tires, a new battery, and a lot of love.”
“Well it certainly got it. Matt is going to freak out when he sees it.”
I smile to myself. “I certainly hope so.”
Kathleen goes on. “He talked about that car all the time when he was little. He was obsessed! Called it his race car , even though Uncle Paul never took it over fifty miles an hour. I don’t think that engine ever broke a sweat.” She gives us a half-smile. “Didn’t matter to Matt though. To him, it was magic. He’d just stare at it like it was a rocket ship waiting to take him straight out of Starlight Bay. Matt made Uncle Paul promise to sell it to him when he was done driving it.”
“I remember him saying that in high school.”
“The last time he was in that car was prom when Uncle Paul allowed him to drive you to the dance.” She twists her lips and raises a brow. “You two looked like something out of a ’50s drive-in movie. I’ll never forget it.”
I’ll never forget it either. How we put the top down and drove around town for thirty minutes before going to the dance. How his hand found mine, how his sly smile promised so much more that night. I get hot when I think about what we did in the back seat after the dance. I hope none of them ever found out what we did. Sadie gives me a small pinch on my arm, no doubt knowing what went on.
“That car sat in my brother's garage for years without being driven. Matt never asked about it until the reading of the will.”
“Is it weird that Uncle Paul didn’t gift it to Matt?”
She has a twinkle in her eye. “I think he had bigger plans for that car.” I furrow my brows at her. “Paul wanted to make sure the winery, the house, and some of his accounts were divided up accordingly.”
“And he never mentioned the car? Isn’t it strange?”
Kathleen shakes her head. “Paul transferred the title to my husband six months ago. I didn’t know why and I guess I should have questioned it, looking back now. He left a letter for me, about a few things he wanted done that he didn't want named in the will.” She takes my hand when I stand there confused. My sister has the same look. “He had specific plans for someone to use that car and present it in a way that would mean so much to Matt. Paul knew you two had memories and time invested in it.” My heart begins to beat rapidly. “He’d want you to keep making memories with it too.” She winks and I want to die. She knows.
“Mrs. Byrne, I hadn’t seen Uncle Paul in months and he hadn’t seen us as a couple in years. Why would he hold that for us knowing we weren’t even in touch?”
“Maybe Paul knew that you weren’t going to marry Patrick after all.”
I think back to that day Patrick and I had the appointment here at Grape Expectations. We were there to talk about dates. It was supposed to be exciting in that surreal kind of way you feel when wedding plans start to feel real. But when Matt’s mom showed up, it stung my heart. And not in the bad sense of why is she here, but in the sense that she should have been sitting with Matt and me, planning our day instead. I should have paid more attention to that feeling, because the entire day didn’t feel right. And maybe they both felt that too.
“Grandma!” Liam comes running over and hugs her. Then he looks at me and we do our handshake. “Hi, Sadie. I just saw Mr. Love. He was asking if you were here.”
My sister looks shocked. “He was?”
I give her a little shove. “You should go say hi.”
She thinks for a moment before rolling her eyes. “I’m sure he just wants to point out something I did wrong.”
“Or maybe he wants to tell you how great everything looks.” She ignores me so I say, “Okay let's get this show on the road. Tell Mr. Byrne it's time! Liam, where's your dad?”
“He was with Mr. Love by the tasting tables.”
“Perfect. Are you ready for the best surprise ever?” I throw my arm around him.
“A surprise for my dad?” His face lights up with excitement.
“Yup. Your grandma and Pop helped me plan something pretty special.”
“Alright!” he yells. “I’m going to go hang out with them and watch!”
He takes off running and Kathleen moves closer to me. “Kylie, you’re doing a lot more than just making my son happy. You’re making his son happy too. And there’s no way for me to repay that.”
My eyes water and my throat closes, but I push through the emotion. “I just want both of them to feel the love of Starlight Bay. To know how it feels when you come home.”
And I want them both to feel my love. I don’t say that out loud, of course, because it scares me. Without realizing it, I’ve given away pieces of my heart to both of them. Matt already had it, but now Liam gets a piece too. And it’s not something I want to take back. Ever.
* * *
“Hey, boys.”
Sadie and I find Matt and Danny hanging at the tasting table. I don’t miss the way Danny’s eyes scan my sister from head to toe. And my heart grows when I see Liam next to them with a large grin. I give him eyes to keep quiet and he laughs.
“What's going on?” Matt asks suspiciously.
“Oh, nothing,” I sing-song.
There’s a commotion from the front of the winery and the town begins to cheer and clap as Mr. Byrne slowly drives down the circular dirt driveway, stopping at the beginning of the vines, right next to the tasting tables.
“Oh my god,” Matt whispers. “Uncle Paul’s Porsche.”
Danny whistles. “Damn, I remember this car. Where’s it been all this time?”
“Held up in his garage. Until now.” I nudge Matt to walk to the car but he digs his heels in.
“Come on, Dad! Let’s check it out!”
“Go ahead, I’ll be right there.” Liam takes off and Matt grabs my hand. “Did you do this?”
I can’t stop the smile that spreads across my face. “I know how special this car is to you. I thought it was the perfect way to welcome you back and keep your uncle’s legacy alive.”
He blinks. Blinks again. I’m sure he’s remembering everything about this car. From driving in it with Uncle Paul as a kid to being behind the wheel himself. To just seeing it now after all this time. Then, with his hand still holding mine and looking like he’s in a daze, he whispers, “Thank you. This is… wow.”
He releases me and walks toward the car, and I’m left feeling dizzy. I’m so happy to be able to give him something meaningful for his first Wine Day event as the new owner of Grape Expectations. Sadie gives me a quick kiss on the cheek as we watch Danny grab Matt’s shoulders, roughing him up like only guys can do as they walk to the car. Kathleen comes to stand beside me.
“Just friends, my ass,” she snickers as I try to hide my smile. “This was a great surprise, Kylie. What happens next?”
“I guess we take the car out for a test drive?”
Her knowing smile warms my heart as she throws her arm around me and we walk toward the car.