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I shake my head as a smile spreads across my lips—my daughter has officially placed me in the “thank you” zone.
“Hey, handsome. Are you ready?” I hear my favorite female voice calling from somewhere behind me.
I turn to face her with a grin. “I was born ready for you.”
She laughs as she gives me a quick kiss, and we make our way to the oldest vines at the hacienda. That’s where our work starts.
I’ve settled into a routine: checking on the workers and helping where needed in the mornings, having lunch with Camila, picking up Ava from school, and working until dinner.
Lunch dates with my wife are the best.
After greeting everyone, we get to work, making sure the vines look healthy and ready for another season. Once we have pruned them all and cut any dead or diseased vines, we’ll light a fire—a symbolic end to winter and the start of a new vine season.
“How’s the interviewing process going?” I ask Camila as I check one of the vines for possible mold or fungi.
“It’s going,” she says with a sigh.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, turning to face her. She’s been very excited about this project, I want to know if there’s something I can do to help.
“Nothing,” she says with a chuckle. “It’s just I wish I could just hire Sara as my marketing director, but she’s plenty busy with the vineyard.”
It’s my turn to chuckle. Sara has become close with Camila. They have similar personalities, and it helps that Sara is Colombian, so I think Camila feels an extra connection with her.
“Nuh-uh. I can’t let you take my employees away from me. But perhaps you can ask Sara to help you train whoever you hire? You’ll have to pay her for her extra hours, of course,” I say, wrapping an arm around her waist.
“You’re so good at this,mi cielo,” Camila says against my lips.
I immediately kiss her. “I’m good at many other things. I’ll be happy to show you. Any time, any place,” I say, kissing her again.
A deep chuckle bubbles out of her chest. “You’re so silly. Good thing I love you.”
With one last peck on her lips, we get back to work as we continue to chat.
I’m dying to ask her to marry me again, but with our employees as witnesses in the middle of the field, now is not the best time. I want to do it right—give her the best memories.
Checking that I still have the ring in my pocket, I get back to my task.
“Hijo, do you have a minute?” my father asks the moment Camila and I walk inside their home.
We usually have dinner with my parents once a week, but since we’re all going to Karina’s for dinner, we’re meeting them for the afternoon snack.
“Yes, of course,” I reply as I look at Camila, making sure she doesn’t need me to stay with her.
She gets along very well with my mother, but I want to make sure she doesn’t feel uncomfortable. She gives me one of her blinding smiles, so I nod and follow my father to his office.
“Is everything alright?” I ask as soon as I close the door.
“Yes, of course. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. I just wanted to know how you are feeling now that you’re living full-time in Alamo Peaks?”
He pours a glass of seltzer from his mini fridge and offers me one, but I wave him off.
“That’s a good question. I think the answer would be completely different if Camila and Ava weren’t here with me.”
We both chuckle as he settles into his chair, and I take the seat across from his desk.
“The truth is, I feel great. Being hands-on in the vineyard is a completely different experience than managing it from afar. Not that I actually managed it while in London, but you get my point.”
He nods and takes a sip of his drink, so I continue. “Being in charge of only one big task has been surprisingly fulfilling. In London, I had several investments going on at the same time, and the thrill of closing deals and making money—while always a good thing—lost its appeal.”