CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
LORI
When Griff’s lips met hers, Lori felt the tension in her body release and then begin to build again.
God! It felt fantastic to be in his arms, kissing him like this.
She’d missed intimacy with her husband and liked being close to Griff.
Lori forgot all her worries back home and told herself to simply enjoy the moment.
This surge of desire for a man she was growing to love felt right.
“Ah, Lori, you make me feel alive,” Griff murmured, drawing her closer and letting her know he wanted more than kisses.
She responded with a soft moan of pleasure, and when their kisses became lovemaking, it was as if she’d been waiting for him her whole life.
Later, when she and Griff lay together sated, Lori allowed herself to relish what was happening between them.
Nick had told her over and over again to find someone new, someone special in her life after he was gone.
She’d been horrified at the idea then, but now she was grateful for his generous words.
###
The next morning, Lori awoke in her bed and turned off the alarm, giving herself a moment to relive the time with Griff before hurrying to get ready for another day.
She wanted to be on time to meet with Kayla.
First, she’d have to face the family at breakfast. Sarita was going all out for Cristina with a family meal this morning.
As she left the cabin, Lori wrapped her sweater tighter around her, surprised by the cooler temperature. But then, it was only April. Back home, snow wasn’t uncommon in the hills at this time of year.
Lori couldn’t help feeling a little nervous about seeing Griff this morning. Last night’s lovemaking was very special, freeing her in a way that was new for her. She wanted to be with him again and hoped he felt the same way.
She walked into the house and, hearing voices in the kitchen, went there. Sarita was standing at the stove cooking scrambled eggs, Carlos was buttering toast, and Cristina was sitting at the kitchen table sipping a cup of coffee.
“ ’Morning, everyone,” Lori said, accepting a cup of coffee from Carlos. “Where are the guys?”
“Outside,” said Sarita, giving her a curious look. “They’ll be in shortly. They’re just reviewing the day ahead. Have a seat. Eggs, bacon, and toast are on their way.”
Griff and Pete came into the room.
Lori relaxed when she saw the way Griff was looking at her, his smile telling her what he couldn’t say aloud.
After everyone had been served breakfast and were seated at the table, Sarita said, “I thought it would be nice to give Cristina a healthy send-off to her meeting downtown.”
“Good luck,” said Lori. “I’m sure you’ll be successful.” There was something stylish and appealing about Cristina. This morning, she was wearing a pair of white slacks with a raspberry-colored sweater and beautiful turquoise and silver jewelry. Lori loved all of it.
“I can drive you into town,” Pete said to Cristina.
“Thanks, but Sam has given me the use of his car while I’m here,” said Cristina sweetly.
“Okay,” said Pete, looking a little glum. “Maybe later, the four of us can get together in town.”
“That’s a good plan,” said Sarita. “I want Cristina to see how Napa has changed. The four of you should go out together and enjoy the evening.”
“Oh, okay,” said Cristina.
“That will be nice,” Lori added, seeing the look of concern on Sarita’s face.
Sarita smiled at her. “You should see for yourself how much fun it can be.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll see that she has a pleasant time,” said Griff, giving Lori a wink that made her toes curl with anticipation.
Griff stood as the last of them finished their meal. “Lori, I’ll walk you over to the barrel building, where you can spend some time with Kayla.”
“There’s more to the property?” Lori said.
“Oh, yes. The barrel cellar is the most important building of all,” said Griff.
He waited for her to grab her purse, and then they headed out of the house.
“Where are we going?” Lori asked as Griff started walking toward the barn.
“Our barrels of wine are kept in a racked warehouse, also known as a rickhouse. Barrels are stored off the ground in a cool, well-ventilated cellar away from direct sunlight to prevent mold growth and excessive temperature swings.”
“I don’t remember seeing a warehouse,” Lori said.
“It’s a one-story building covering a cellar,” Griff explained.
“We use both levels for our barrels. Barrels need to be stored away in a place with 65-75% humidity. The barrels used for longer-term storage are in the basement. Wines that don’t need to be stored as long use the upper, windowless level, which is carefully controlled for temperature and humidity. ”
When they came to the road leading to the barn, Griff turned right and followed a road to a squat concrete block building painted brown that made it seem part of the landscape.
He indicated the building with a wave of his hand. “This is where the magic happens. Kayla is a skilled winemaker. We’re lucky to have her. She’ll show you how she does her job.”
They walked past a large overhead door that Lori guessed was opened for transferring equipment and supplies, to a smaller door at the end.
Griff opened it, and they walked into an office where Kayla sat behind a desk.
“ ’Morning,” said Kayla. “I’m glad to see you here, Lori. I understand you want to see what a vintner does. I’m happy to show you.”
“I’ve already told her we’re lucky to have you,” teased Griff.
Kayla laughed. “I love it here, and you know it.”
“I’ll leave you two and check in with you later,” said Griff, giving them a salute before leaving.
“I was unaware of this building,” said Lori. You can’t see it from the barn area.”
“For a reason,” Kayla said. “Some vineyards have their barrel cellars available to the public, but here at Adeline Hills, they prefer to keep the winemaking a separate, private operation. It’s larger than you think.
Let me show you around. This, obviously, is where we keep a lot of records and information, along with daily postings. ”
They left the office and went into what looked like a high school science lab. Glass beakers, test tubes, and other scientific-looking equipment sat on a long wooden table, and a laptop computer rested at the end of it.
“Winemakers perform chemical tests on the initial juice, which can include measuring fermentable sugars, yeast assimilable nitrogen concentration, and spoilage indicators,” said Kayla.
Lori glanced at her. “Where did you learn all this?”
“I have a degree in Viticulture and Oenology,” said Kayla. “In short, for winemaking. It’s interesting, but the real value is having a reliable nose and a sensitive palate for the taste of wine. Griff mentioned that you instinctively have those qualities.”
“But this seems overwhelming,” said Lori. “After the grapes are pressed, what do you do?”
“We test for several other things as the grapes are processed,” said Kayla. “Things like acidity, sulphur, residual sugar, and other components. Every step of the process is important and determines the outcome of the wine. Let’s go into the cellars.”
Kayla led her into the warehouse, which had barrels stacked horizontally on metal racks above the ground.
Lori shivered and pulled her sweater tighter.
“We keep it cooled and well-ventilated here,” said Kayla. “Lighting is low. We also have an actual cellar where our well-aged wine is stored in barrels.”
Lori followed Kayla down a set of steps into an even cooler cellar where barrels were stacked with enough room between to get easily around them.
“It’s morning, but how about a taste of wine that will be bottled in two years?” said Kayla.
She led Lori to an old wooden barrel and poured wine into a glass sitting close to a special stopper. “Taste this. I think this is going to be a very special cabernet.”
Lori remembered how Griff had taught her to taste wine. She inhaled its bouquet, then took a sip of wine, allowing air to enter her mouth.
“What do you think?” asked Kayla.
“I think it’s ready now,” Lori said. “It’s already very tasty.”
“We’ll let it sit for longer, and then the tannins won’t be as strong,” said Kayla. “Let’s go upstairs. I have coffee and will answer any questions you might have.”
###
Kayla led her to a small kitchen off the lab and then outside to a patio where a couple of chairs had been set up around a small, round metal table.
The warmth of the sun on her shoulders felt healing to Lori. She sat facing the rolling hills covered with straight rows of vines. “Such a lovely view,” Lori said. “When Griff told me he lived at a vineyard, I had no idea this property was so large.”
“You’ve known Griff for a while?” Kayla asked.
“Not really. We met in Florida for New Year’s, and then he left to go home. I stayed a couple of days more and then went back to New York. Having a friend win a week’s stay here is almost eerie. But I’m glad he let me come in his place.”
“Weren’t you going to come together?” said Kayla.
“Yes, but we decided not to. We’re just friends,” said Lori.
Kayla gave her a penetrating look. “That’s what you said about you and Griff, but anyone can see it’s more than that.”
Lori let out a sigh. “It’s true. I’ve fallen for him.”
“Well, he’s certainly attracted to you,” said Kayla. “I’m glad. He’s an exceptional guy, and I’m happy for you. I think you make a terrific pair.”
“Thanks, but I live in New York. My family and my life are there,” said Lori, saying all the things she told herself over and over.
“Bullshit,” said Kayla. “What are you afraid of?”
Shocked by Kayla’s boldness, Lori sank back into her chair, her mind racing.
Kayla gave her a sheepish look. “Sorry to be so blunt. I wasn’t here for the Cassandra mess, but I know how hurt Griff was by her actions.”
“I understand,” said Lori. “I guess I’m afraid that this moment of happiness with Griff won’t last. It didn’t with my husband because of life’s cruelty. What’s to say it won’t happen again?”
Kayla shook her head. “That’s something you have to work out for yourself.”
They both looked up as a boy ran past them and hid in the bushes next to the building.
Lori thought she recognized Bert and rose to go to him.
As she drew closer, he burrowed deeper into the landscaping of grasses and a variety of green-leafed bushes.
“Bert, is that you?” Lori asked. “Is everything all right? You can tell me. I’m here to help you.”
A brown face peered out at her. “Is he around?”
“Who? There’s no one here but Kayla and me. No one else.” She scouted around the corner. “Nope, just us.”
Bert stayed where he was.
“Did you do something?”
Bert shook his head.
“Did you see or hear something?”
“Si,” Bert said. “He wanted to hurt me.”
“Who?” Lori asked, growing increasingly concerned.
“The man at the barn. He was doing something to a tractor. Something bad.”
Lori held out her arms and spoke in a soft, comforting way she’d learned with the kids at Bright Beginnings. “Come to me. We need to talk. Don’t worry. I’ll keep you safe.”
Bert hesitated and then walked out from behind the shrubbery and ran to her.
She swept him up in her arms. “It’s okay, I promise. We’ll get help.”
Kayla came up beside them but remained quiet.
Lori exchanged a worried look with her. “There’s some sort of problem at the barn. Let’s take Bert inside and get him something to drink. Then, he can tell us what he’s afraid of.”
Bert clung to Lori until they got to the kitchen, where he allowed her to set him down.
Kayla got him a glass of water, and the three of them sat at the kitchen table.
Lori spoke softly but firmly. “Bert, you need to tell us what’s bothering you. It’s important. We need the truth. No one is going to be angry with you.”
“I saw a man at the barn. He was hurting the tractor,” said Bert.
“Hurting the tractor? How?” asked Kayla, taking Lori’s hint and speaking softly, slowly.
“He was putting dirt inside. Papa told me that it was bad to do that,” said Bert.
Lori immediately thought of the one worker who’d unsettled her. “Was this man tall, with a mustache?”
Bert glanced at the door.
“Don’t worry. He won’t come here,” said Kayla.
Bert stared at her wide-eyed and nodded.
“Has he been here some other time?” Lori asked.
Bert nodded.
Kayla’s phone rang.
“Hello. Oh, hi, Sarita. Yes, I’ve seen him. He’s here with Lori and me now. He’s okay. In fact, he’s helping us with something. Please tell his mother that we’ll bring him home when we can. Thanks.”
“Guess this isn’t the first time you’ve run around the grounds,” said Lori.
Bert grinned.
“No worries. Let’s talk some more, and then we’ll take you to your mother.”
With the addition of a cookie to keep him speaking, Lori and Kayla learned that Bert, who apparently loved to take off and wander the area, had seen the man hovering around the barrel office the day before, but he’d been frightened away when his father appeared to check the area.
“Griff and Pete need to know about this,” said Kayla. “Why don’t I take care of calling them while you take Bert home?”
“Okay,” Lori quickly agreed. She didn’t want Bert to get into trouble for telling them the truth.