Chapter 21 Cru
CRU
Daphne and I spoke almost every day, but with each that passed, I felt us growing farther apart. While we didn’t acknowledge it in our phone calls, it would be six weeks tomorrow since she left California. No doubt she knew the passage of time, given it was equal to when her father had his stroke.
From what she said, he was recovering, just at a pace that frustrated him more than Daphne or her mom. Consequently, Noah was surly and unpleasant to be around, not unlike myself.
Most of the time, I barked orders rather than ask, to the point where Bit had suggested we have a meeting first thing every morning so I could outline my expectations and he could make sure most of them were accomplished.
It seemed as though every time I glanced in a mirror, I looked more like my dad.
The stress of managing all the vineyards on my own and the amount of time I spent in the sun made me look haggard.
Worse was the perpetual frown I wore. It was the same expression I’d seen on his face in every candid photo taken of my dad in the vineyard.
I remembered seeing them when I was a kid, wondering why he’d done a job that required he work seven days a week and left him so miserable. Now, I understood.
“How’s Daphne?” Bit asked when he walked into my house like he did every morning.
“Call her yourself and ask,” I snapped since she and I hadn’t been able to connect yesterday or the day before.
“Sit down.”
I was dumping my coffee in the sink but spun around to see if it was me he’d just talked to like I was his pet dog.
“What the fuck, Bit—”
“I said to sit down.”
I grabbed the barstool hard enough it almost toppled over, but I righted it and took a seat. “What’s up?”
“You need to go see Daphne.”
I smirked. “Right. And who will take care of things when I’m gone?”
He got closer to me and leaned in. “I will, motherfucker, just like I have been.”
“Are you saying I’m not pulling my weight?”
He scoffed. “You work your ass off every day, but no one wants to come within ten feet of you.”
“Smell that bad, huh?”
“No, you’re that much of a dick.”
“You seem to have forgotten your place, little brother. I’m the boss. Not you.”
He shook his head. “You remind me so much of Brix right now. How he was before he got together with Addy. He was just as miserable as you are now.”
“Throw all the insults my way that you want. Nothing hurts, Bit. I’m numb.”
“That isn’t it, Cru. You’re in so much pain that you can’t feel anything else.”
I hung my head, wishing I hadn’t dumped my coffee since I didn’t feel like getting up and making another cup even though I could sure use one.
“Daphne doesn’t have time for me to visit. She’s got her hands full, helping Noah recover and trying to save Cullen House.”
He pulled out another stool and sat beside me. “Maybe you should consider helping her.”
My mouth hung open. “It’s the middle of September.
We have to pay attention every single fucking day to what little we still have hanging on the vines and decide when to pick.
Do you even know how long it takes to get to Australia?
Sixteen fucking hours. That means thirty-two hours of travel time just there and back.
So, what? I see her for an hour, turn around, and come home? Is that what you’re suggesting?”
He folded his arms on the counter and shook his head. “You know we won’t be picking for a week at least. If you don’t think I can handle it, ask Naughton Butler to come over and check for you.”
I’d never known my brother to stand up to anyone the way he was to me now, even before he was attacked in the caves. As angry as I was, I had to respect what he was trying to do. However misguided it actually was.
“Look, I appreciate this, but I cannot leave. When the harvest is finished, then I’ll go.”
“Okay. You’ve left me no choice.” He stood. “I’m here on behalf of the Los Caballeros’ workforce. Either you leave for Australia on the first flight out tomorrow, or we walk.”
I thought my eyes would bug out of my head. “You walk? What the fuck does that mean?”
“It means there will be picket lines at every entrance to Los Caballeros. Work will not commence until we have a signed contract stating you’re leaving the country and are on your way to Australia.”
I got up, but rather than get another cup of coffee, I grabbed a bottle of bourbon from the pantry. I poured two fingers, finished them in one shot, then poured two more. “This isn’t funny, Bit.”
He stood his ground. “It isn’t meant to be.”
“I can’t leave.”
“Wrong, Cru. You can’t stay.” He looked at his phone. “I’ll be back in one hour. You can give me your decision then.”
Whether it was because of the liquor or just that my brother had worn me down, I started to laugh. Once I had, I couldn’t stop. When I finally did, I stared at him with scrunched eyes. “Thank you, Bit.”
“One hour, Cru.”
I shook my head and glanced down at my phone. “My flight from SLO to LAX leaves in ninety minutes. I need you back here in far less than an hour.”
“I have a better idea. I’ll just stay here until you’re ready to leave.”
“I should probably check with Daphne first.”
“No. Just go.”
I got out of Bit’s SUV when he pulled up to the departure area and got my bag out of the rear seat. The front passenger window was open, but when I went to say goodbye and thank him, I saw he was on the phone.
“That’s right. The Los Cab caves at nine on Wednesday. Everyone will be there,” I heard him say in a hushed tone of voice.
“See ya, Cru,” he said, setting his phone on the console. “Gotta get back to work.” He put the SUV in gear and sped off before I could ask what was going on.
Instead, once I was inside the terminal, I sent a message to Beau.
Do you know anything about a meeting at Los Cab two nights from now?
I didn’t receive a response from him before the plane took off, after we landed in LA, or when we touched down in Sydney. The only time Beau had ever taken that long to answer a text from me was after his mother passed away and he’d disappeared.
I sensed something was going on; however, since I was already halfway around the world, did it matter?