13. Lucy
LUCY
L ucy was tired. She was annoyed with Elliot.
Yet she couldn’t stop smiling as she unpacked her wheelie suitcase in the room that would be hers for the next night.
The vineyard view outside her window was gorgeous, and the activities on offer all sounded like a lot of fun.
Lucy had taken a few trips like this with Dominic in the past, and while there had been a few tricky moments — like the time Lucy had found a snake in her bed while visiting a resort in Ecuador — she’d always had a great time.
Trips like this were one of the biggest perks of the job.
That was part of why Lucy found Elliot’s reluctance to come so annoying.
Of course, he had work to do, but so did she.
Forging great relationships with the app’s clients and understanding what made them special was vital to Borderless’s success.
The fact that Elliot didn’t seem to understand that made Lucy doubly glad that he wasn’t the sole CEO of the company.
Lucy shook her head to clear out unwanted thoughts of Elliot.
Instead of letting herself dwell on him, she took a quick shower to wash off the flight, reapplied her light makeup, and did her hair.
For the first activity on the agenda, the vineyard tour, she selected a breezy blue dress.
It was different from what she usually wore, but on trips like this, she always tried to embrace the vacation vibes.
With a little extra time before the tour, Lucy caught up on emails before grabbing her bag and her copy of the agenda and meeting Elliot outside. He was still in the same slacks and button-down he’d worn on the airplane. His gaze swept over Lucy.
“You look… nice.” Then he turned away, clearly uncomfortable with the compliment. It was like he was a completely different person from the man who’d flirted with her so easily back in college.
“Thanks.”
They headed downstairs in silence to meet Monica in the lobby. She smiled at them and gestured to the door.
“Shall we get started?”
“Perfect.” The trio headed out into the vineyards.
“Do you always offer private tours like this?” Elliot asked.
“Sometimes, although they’re a little pricier. Most of our guests choose to go with a small group. Actually, for some of the activities, you’ll meet a few of our current guests.”
“That would be helpful,” Elliot said. “If we can find out what draws your current clientele, we can understand better how to attract more business.”
“Certainly. Feel free to chat with them or ask me any questions you have. In the meantime, though, let me tell you more about the vineyard. Now that it’s September, we’re right in the middle of the harvest season, which is why our vineyard is a little crowded.
You can see a few tour groups over there and there.
” Monica pointed. “You can also see a few of our farmers picking the grapes. They still pick by hand to enable precise selection of perfectly ripe grapes. You can try picking a few grapes as well, if you like.”
She led them to the first row of vines. “Select a grape to try. We grow a few different varietals here, but you can tell ripeness in the same way for most of them.”
Monica explained more about the vineyard’s microclimates and grape varietals, then pointed out a few key characteristics of ripe grapes.
When she was finished, Lucy lifted onto her toes to select a plump dark purple grape, which she popped into her mouth.
It was sweet, fresh, juicy and very flavorful. It tasted like summer sunshine.
“This is much better than what I usually get from the store,” she said, reaching for another.
“That’s because all the Pura Vida farms use conscientious farming practices to ensure that each grape is cultivated in the best possible way,” Monica explained, looking pleased at Lucy’s comment. Elliot tried a grape as well and nodded.
“It is good.”
“We also process the grapes in-house,” Monica continued, “as you’ll see later today.
Since we’re a small vineyard, we focus on the wine-making process and our guest experience more than manufacturing at scale, although we do always have a few bottles to sell.
You’re welcome to pick one up in our gift shop.
” She winked, this time at Elliot, and Lucy felt a momentary pinch of envy when he grinned back at Monica.
So, he could still flirt with women. Just not with her.
“That’s a tempting offer.”
Monica went on to explain how the vineyard managed their grapes through selective pruning, canopy management, and exact timing.
“We also comply with all regulations to ensure optimal quality,” Monica finished.
“One of the benefits of the Pura Vida chain is that you can sample wines from a variety of our vineyards during your tasting, so you aren’t limited to the wines that we produce at this vineyard. ”
“It must be quite a production to put on tours while also harvesting and processing the grapes,” Lucy said.
“It is, but it’s worth it. Just look at this.”
Obediently, Lucy swept her gaze across the fields.
The sun was high in the soft blue sky, the grape vines were a bright, healthy green, the hills rolled, and the scene in front of her looked like it had been cut from a storybook.
The grape harvesters began packing up their equipment and walking out of the fields.
Many waved at Monica on the way past, and she greeted a few by name.
“Are you this familiar with everyone at your vineyards?” Lucy asked.
“I wish, but no. Pura Vida Napa Valley is close to our headquarters in San Francisco, so I’m able to stop by more frequently. It always gives me a better perspective to be out of the city and in the fields.” Monica smiled. “That’s part of why I wanted the two of you to come out here.”
Lucy and Elliot exchanged a guilty look.
“We really are pleased to have this opportunity,” Lucy said. “And we apologize for the presentation.”
“There’s no need. It’s water under the bridge.”
One of the farmers called out to Monica with a question, and she waved back. “Just a second.” She hurried off towards the farmer. Elliot and Lucy looked at each other.
“There’s a lot riding on this, huh?” Elliot said. “If this doesn’t go well… Anyway. I think she has really high standards.”
“I think she’s really being very understanding,” Lucy countered.
Elliot sighed. “You can never just agree with me, can you?”
“When you’re right, I will.”
“So, you don’t think there’s a lot riding on this?”
“Of course I do.” Lucy folded her arms. “But I also think that Monica could easily have just pulled her business. Instead, she invited us out here.”
“Yes, to waste our time. All this grape stuff is interesting, but we have real work that’s on pause because we’re here.”
“Come on.” Lucy glared. “Sometimes you have to appreciate your surroundings, even when you’d rather be hunched over your desk with espresso and a pile of work that only you can do.”
Elliot glared back. “This is why I should run the company, and you should be in charge of things like this.”
Just then, Lucy spotted Monica picking her way back to them out of the corner of her eye. “Monica’s coming back. Be civil.”
“You be civil.” Elliot hissed back before turning and greeting Monica with a broad smile. “Everything all right?”
“Yes. Paul had a question about the plans for this evening. We have a grape-stomping workshop, which the two of you have on your agenda, and he needs to work out some logistics.” She looked back and forth between Lucy and Elliot. “Is everything okay?”
Lucy and Elliot smiled. Lucy’s, at least, looked forced. “Of course. So, tell us more about the grape-stomping.”
“Of course.” Monica gestured for them to climb back toward the house. “So, after picking and destemming the grapes, we hold a few batches of grape-stomping. This macerates the grapes in preparation for fermentation. It’s one of the highlights of the year.” She grinned.
“I have to ask,” Elliot said. “I understand that grape-stomping is very traditional, but doesn’t using feet to crush the grapes… interfere with the flavor of the wine?”
Lucy winced. She’d rather drink wine that tasted exactly like feet than question Monica when things were finally starting to go well. Luckily, Monica didn’t seem offended.
“That’s a fair question, and a lot of people ask about it.
I can assure you, though, that our grape stomps are very sanitary.
All guests first wash and sanitize their feet.
We work carefully with the grapes before and after, and professional testers assure that grape-stomping doesn’t harm the flavor at all. ”
“I’m sure it tastes great,” Lucy said quickly. Monica chuckled.
“It does. In fact, stomped wine tends to taste better than machine-processed wine because it doesn’t crush the stems and seeds along with the grapes.
Those stems and seeds release bitter tannins that can disrupt the flavor of the wine, but with stomping, we’re able to strain out the stems and seeds for better flavor. ”
“I never knew that,” Elliot said. “Fascinating. How long does it take?”
“We have short shifts of around an hour each for our guests,” Monica explained.
“The actual process takes up to three days, but we rotate people through and use our farm workers for spare shifts. Otherwise, it gets boring. We also lead our guests to stomp in different ways to keep things interesting.”
Lucy and Elliot exchanged a slightly apprehensive glance, and Elliot’s mouth curved into a smile. Despite herself, Lucy felt her heart flutter at the familiar gesture. She quickly looked away and fell into step with Monica as they headed back toward the farmhouse.
Within half an hour, Lucy and Elliot were standing with a group of around ten other guests, barefoot and with their pants rolled up above their knees, sanitizing their feet in a large tub.
Lucy and Elliot exchanged a glance as they washed off their feet, and this time, instead of glowering, they shared another grin at the situation.
The manager of the vineyard, a portly man in his late forties, explained the procedure for the grape stomp.
Then they were invited to climb into a large tub of grapes.
“Need a hand?” Elliot asked, extending a raised palm to Lucy. She shook her head.
“I can do it. Thanks.” She stepped over the high brim, and her eyes widened as she stepped onto the grapes.
They provided a very strange texture beneath her bare feet, especially as the grapes began to rupture.
Once the first batch of guests was in the tub, the manager played a song over the speakers.
As instructed, Lucy and Elliot walked back and forth in time with the melody, grapes popping and bursting beneath their feet.
Soon, Lucy’s legs and feet were stained a deep purple. Elliot, slowly treading across the tub, nodded to one of his own purple legs, and they shared a smile.
“Now, grab a partner,” the manager called out. “Hold each other’s hands and get those feet up high!”
Lucy was half tempted to reach for one of the other guests, but before she could, Elliot held out his hands to her.
“Shall we dance?” he asked.
Lucy hesitated for a fraction of a second, then nodded. “All right.”
Elliot’s warm, broad hands enveloped hers.
She lifted her gaze to his, and, for a moment, she spiraled back in time to when those brown eyes of his had looked like endlessly inviting pools of melted chocolate.
Then the manager began another song, and the couples stepped high and brought their feet down, crushing the grapes.
Elliot spun Lucy around, and then she spun him.
The song was catchy, and the atmosphere was very festive.
Lucy found herself grinning, and she lifted her arm to spin Elliot around again.
He did as directed. As the song came to an end, he tipped her back in a dip, Lucy’s head coming close enough to the grapes below to smell their sweet scent.
“For the next song, link elbows and stomp in a circle!” the manager suggested, so Lucy and Elliot did.
Lucy felt like she was traveling back in time, not just to college, but to a time before when all wineries processed their grapes this way and whole communities would gather to make it happen.
When she felt Elliot’s elbow linked through hers and saw his broad grin, she didn’t think of the businessman who cared only about profits and nothing about her.
Instead, she saw the goofy, sweet, caring boy he’d been in college when their futures had seemed bright and open.
After the song finished, the tub they’d been stomping had turned from whole grapes into a purple liquid that reached their upper calves.
They rotated to another tub, and the whole process began again.
Lucy enjoyed herself more than she’d expected.
She smiled at each of the other guests, but especially at Elliot. He was smiling, too.
When the final tub was finished after around an hour, she accepted his hand to help her climb out of the tub. They washed their feet off under a spigot, but her legs were still stained a deep purple.
“You look like you were dipped in jam,” Elliot commented, pointing at her feet.
“And you look like you’re wearing purple socks,” Lucy replied, giggling. “How long do you think this will last?”
“I don’t know, but I hope it’ll be a while.” Elliot turned his leg from side to side. “I think I look quite fashionable.”
Lucy giggled again. “You really do. I think this will add a lot of gravitas to our next pitch. Please wear shorts.”
“I will.” They grinned at each other. Lucy wasn’t even tempted to make a snide comment.
“You guys have great chemistry.”
Lucy and Elliot tore their gaze away from each other to see Monica walking toward them. A wave of awkwardness and nostalgia swirled over Lucy. This was just like all the times they’d hurried apart when they spotted Dominic. She took a step away from Elliot.
“We’ve known each other for a long time,” Elliot said simply. “Since college.”
“That’s lovely.” Monica smiled at them. “Next up, we have dinner followed by a private wine-tasting session for you both. Ready?”
“Ready,” Elliot and Lucy agreed, for once completely aligned. Lucy couldn’t meet Elliot’s eyes, though. They had had great chemistry back in college, but their interactions now were more about insults and anger than pleasantries.
Lucy wished it weren’t so.