8. Chapter Eight
Chapter Eight
A ntonio
I handed over my card, and the machine accepted it without a hitch. As I picked up my bags, I glanced over at Kendra. She seemed like she was still processing what had just happened. Her eyes met mine, and for a brief moment, I thought I saw a flicker of something—gratitude, maybe? But it was quickly replaced by her usual wariness, like a reflex.
As we stepped outside the store, Kendra turned to me, a forced smile plastered on her face. "Thanks, Antonio. I owe you one." Her tone was polite, but there was an edge to it.
I chuckled softly at the awkwardness of the moment. Of all the people I could’ve ended up doing a favor for, I hadn’t expected it to be her. Not after everything.
Grinning, I decided to push my luck. "You can repay me by letting me give you a ride home." I knew it was a long shot, but I couldn’t resist the opportunity to spend a little more time with her. More importantly, it felt like the right moment to properly apologize for... well, everything.
Kendra’s eyes narrowed, her guard going up again. "How does giving me a ride repay you? Actually, don’t answer that. Just give me your details, and I’ll repay you once I sort out the issue with my card."
I raised my hands slightly, as if to ward off her insistence. "That won’t be necessary."
"But it is… I don’t like being indebted to people," she replied, her face tightening with determination.
I shrugged, trying to keep my tone light. "Then consider it my apology for getting you in trouble with your boss the other day."
Her expression wavered. For a second, her eyes softened, the tension in her face loosening, before she caught herself and tightened up again.
“Okay,” she said at last, adjusting her grip on her bags and walking away.
I fell into step beside her, the grocery bags weighing down her hands. "So, how about that ride?" I offered again, casually.
She shook her head, her ponytail swishing. "No, I’m fine. I’ll just catch a cab."
I raised an eyebrow. "But we’re going the same way. It doesn’t make sense to take a cab when I’m headed in the same direction. Besides, you’re not exactly flush with cash at the moment, are you?"
She stopped walking, frowning. "I walked down here, didn’t I?"
"Before you had all those bags," I pointed out, nodding at the grocery bags straining her arms. I softened my expression, hoping to ease her resistance.
Kendra bit her lip, her eyes darting towards the bags.
I shifted my tone, making it softer, more persuasive. "Come on, just let me help you out. We can throw your bags in the car, and I’ll drive us home. If you insist, you can pay me what you would’ve used for cab fare once your card is sorted."
She hesitated, clearly weighing her options. The sun was beating down on us, heat radiating off the pavement. I could see the sweat beginning to prickle on her skin, the exhaustion in her posture.
Finally, she exhaled sharply, her shoulders sagging in defeat. "Okay. Thanks. But just to get home. No talks, just a quiet drive. Okay?"
I nodded, relieved. "Deal."
As we walked toward my car, I could sense her lingering hesitation. I popped the trunk, and we loaded our bags inside. Then I hurried to open the passenger door for her. Her eyebrows rose, surprise flashing across her face. I could tell she wanted to argue, to say she didn’t need me to open her door, but she kept silent, sliding into the seat with stiff movements.
I closed the door gently behind her, feeling a small sense of satisfaction. I made my way to the driver’s side. When I got in, I noticed how her eyes scanned the car’s interior, like she was cataloging every detail. I started the engine and glanced at her. She immediately turned her gaze out the window.
“Mind if I play some music?” I asked, keeping my voice casual.
She nodded without looking at me, her expression unreadable as she stared out the window.
The drive was exactly as she’d requested—quiet. Kendra alternated between staring out the window and checking her phone like she was waiting for a call. I focused on the road, and we didn’t exchange a single word. The only sound was Adele’s velvety voice playing from the speakers.
As we neared our apartment building, I felt a slight pang of disappointment that our quiet drive had come to an end. I had hoped the drive would give me a chance to build on the fragile connection between us, but she kept her guard firmly in place.
Still, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief that the tension between us had eased, even if only slightly. Getting her to accept a ride from me was a small victory, and I took it as a sign that maybe, we could put our past disagreement behind us.
When I pulled up to the curb, Kendra was out of the car almost before I could turn off the engine. "Thank you," she said curtly, her voice distant. She disappeared into her apartment without another word.
I watched her go, frustration gnawing at me. There was so much I wanted to say—an apology, maybe even a thank you for letting me help. But the words got stuck in my throat.
Sighing, I grabbed my bags and headed inside. “Baby steps, Antonio. Baby steps,” I muttered as I closed the door to my apartment.
I unpacked the groceries mechanically, my mind still on Kendra. But just as I was about to start cooking, my phone rang.
"Hey, bro," Damon’s voice came through, low and serious. "Have you seen the news?"
I frowned. Damon wasn’t one to care about stuff like that. "No. Why?"
"Just… check it out. It’s about the winery."
Unease coiled in my gut. I quickly pulled up the headlines, and my blood went cold: "Bellavista Winery: Built on Blood?"
It felt like a punch to the gut. What the hell were they talking about? Our business was built on hard work—legitimate work. I scrolled through the article, my mind racing.
Damon’s voice broke through my thoughts. "Dad wants to see us. He’s called a meeting with the top execs, but he wants to talk to us first."
I nodded, though he couldn’t see me. "I’ll be right there."
***
The last week has been a whirlwind of meetings. Tense, accusatory meetings. Someone had leaked documents to the press—sensitive ones that made it look like our family had ties to some kind of criminal enterprise in the winery’s early days. No one was admitting to anything, and the search for the culprit had hit a dead end. For now, we were focused on damage control.
After another long, heated meeting, I needed to clear my head. I drove aimlessly, city streets blurring together as I tried to make sense of everything. I couldn’t go back to my studio; Jake had warned me about the carpenters working late on the roof. It has been eight days since I’ve been to my apartment.
So, I ended up at a quiet park, the soft glow of streetlights illuminating the playground. I pulled over, shutting off the engine and sat in silence for a moment.
I stepped out of the car and took a deep breath of the cool evening air, letting the stillness wash over me. The park was empty, except for a few scattered benches and a children’s playground.
I began to walk aimlessly, my feet carrying me towards the playground. As I sat on one of the swings, gently swaying back and forth, I gazed around the park and a wave of nostalgia washed over me.
This place was full of memories—Jake, Elon, and I used to come here after school. We’d spend hours exploring the playground, laughing, climbing and forgetting everything else.
But now, the park felt… different. Elon’s sudden disappearance had left a gaping hole in our group, and we’d never come back here together after that.
We had often wondered what had driven him away, what had made him leave so suddenly. He’d just left a note, saying he was sorry. No other explanation and we’ve never heard from him again.
My mind snapped back to present, and the weight of the day’s events crashed down on me. I sat on one of the swings, swaying gently. My father was hiding something about the winery, and I couldn’t shake the frustration building inside me. Why couldn’t he just tell me the truth?
As I sat there, lost in thought, I heard a faint sound carrying on the wind. At first, I thought it was just the rustling of leaves or the distant hum of a car, but then I heard it again—a soft, muffled sob that caught my attention.
I froze, listening carefully. It was coming from a nearby bench, partially hidden by trees. I stood, moving toward the sound. As I rounded the trees, my heart skipped a beat.
It was Kendra.