Page 24

“Hello, can I help you?” A lady who looks to be the same age as Mariela greets me as I knock on the house door. It’s Inés, Luca’s nanny in Argentina, who moved here after he married my sister.
“Hi, yes. Is my sister here?” The moment I explain I’m Karina’s brother, Inés’s eyes go wide and a huge smile spreads across her lips.
“Oh my goodness. Mr. Godoy, what a pleasure. I didn’t recognize you. Please, come in. I’m going to call Karina on the radio so she can come see you,” she says as she rushes toward the kitchen. “When did you arrive? I don’t think Karina and Luca knew you were coming. They’re going to be thrilled to have you here.”
I make a herculean effort not to wince at the mention of my brother-in-law. Don’t get me wrong, he’s a good guy, and he adores my sister, but his personality is a little too much for me. I can’t handle him for more than five minutes at a time.
Inés offers memateand pastries while I wait for my sister to return from the field. I thank her for the snack and take a seat on their patio. Even though this house is more modern, it has a homey feeling. Karina has done a tremendous job bringing her own flare to this place.
“Oh wow, it’s really you,” my sister says the moment she spots me.
I smile at her as I get up and lift her up in a hug. “Hey, little sis. How are you?” I ask, setting her back on the ground.
“Exhausted,” she replies, resting her forehead on her steepled hands.
Damn, I can’t believe my little sister is married, a mom, and managing a vineyard. Meanwhile, here I am—a thirty-five-year-old man—still unable to wrap my head around moving back home to take care of our family legacy.
“What’s wrong?” Karina asks as she holds my forearm. Her eyebrows form a straight line.
“Nothing, nothing.” I chuckle, avoiding eye contact, but I should know better. We’re siblings; we know each other very well.
“Vic, don’t do that. Please tell me what’s going on?”
I sip mymateas Inés brings anothermateand a sandwich for Karina.
Noticing the puzzled look on my face, Inés says, “I need to make sure baby Bianchi continues growing strong and healthy. Karina is still breastfeeding, she needs the extra nutrients.”
I see the adoration in Inés’s eyes, and for some reason, it reminds me of Mrs. Evans. I wonder how she's enjoying her retirement?
Once Inés is gone, Karina raises a brow and keeps her sandwich an inch away from her lips, as if to say,I won’t eat until you start talking.
Shaking my head, I release a breath and begin.
“I’m not sure how much you talk business with Father, but I’m here to oversee the harvest because he wants me more involved in the day-to-day of the vineyard.”
Karina nods, letting me know she’s listening.
“I don’t know, Kari. If I’m being completely honest, I’m scared shitless of failing him, of taking charge of the vineyard and driving it into bankruptcy.”
And there it is—the reason I’m so hesitant of taking the next step.
“He’s leaving big shoes to fill, you know?”
When my sister doesn’t immediately respond, I glance up, and find her watching me with so much love in her eyes that it takes me by surprise.
“Oh, Vic. If there’s anyone in this world who can fill Dad’s shoes it’s you,” Karina says.
I huff, but she doesn’t let me brush it off.
“I’m dead serious. You are the golden child. Always following Dad’s rules, excelling at school, then at your investments. I’m not sure if you’re aware, dear brother, but there’s no way Dad’s fortune would be what it is without you managing it.”
I raise an eyebrow, and she chuckles.
“Yeah, I mean, don’t get me wrong—you can make good money with a vineyard. Luca and I have more than we can spend, but we’re nowhere near being billionaires. That’s all you and your savvy investments.”
She takes a bite of her sandwich, lifting a finger, as if to say,Hold on a second. Chewing quickly, she swallows before continuing.
“Besides, do you really think Dad—Gonzalo Godoy,” she says, emphasizing his name like it carries the weight of a dynasty, “would have left you in charge of the harvest if he wasn’t one hundred percent sure you could handle it? Nuh-uh. No way.”