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Charlie spun in a slow circle, taking in the sweeping views and endless sky. “This is amazing,” he said, his voice filled with awe. “You’re so lucky you grew up here.”

“You are,” Marion agreed, glancing at Charlie with a hint of sadness in her eyes.

Alfie placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled reassuringly. Their eyes met, and she smiled gratefully back at him. In that one look, he understood how thankful she was that he’d brought them here, that he’d helped nurture Charlie’s love of the outdoors.

“My mom and dad would love to meet you,” Alfie said, but then added, “but we could wait until after we collect the logs if you prefer.”

Marion shook her head. “Maybe now would be better. I have no idea what state Charlie might be in after we’ve collected the wood for the bugs.” She tilted her head and looked back at his truck. “Especially since I think he plans to crawl around lookingfor bugs. Maybe I should have brought a change of clothes or a tarp to wrap him in.”

Alfie chuckled. “It’s okay. I don’t mind dirt in there.”

“Good, because I don’t fancy a long walk back to town,” Marion replied with a wry smile.

Alfie led them toward the house. “I need to get my magnifying glass, too.”

“The special one?” Charlie asked, racing to catch up with him.

“The special one,” Alfie confirmed, just as the front door opened and Leanne and Hugo stepped out to meet them.

“Mom, Dad, this is Marion. Marion, this is my mom, Leanne, and my dad, Hugo.” He then placed a hand on Charlie’s shoulder. “And this is Charlie, Marion’s nephew.”

His mother beamed, her eyes shining with joy. “Oh, it’s just wonderful to finally meet Marion,” she said, her voice trembling slightly. “And you, too, Charlie.”

Alfie’s father cleared his throat, clearly emotional. “Yes, yes indeed,” he added, nodding vigorously.

Marion smiled politely, seemingly unfazed by their enthusiasm. “It’s lovely to meet you both as well,” she replied graciously. “You have a lovely home. And the vineyard is amazing.”

“It’s a labor of love,” Leanne said. “And a wonderful place for exploring and finding bugs.” She looked down at Charlie.

“Which is what we intend to do,” Alfie said. “I’ll just grab my magnifying glass from the kitchen, and I’ll be right back.” He darted inside the house, relieved the introductions had gone smoothly. “Okay, got it.”

“Can we go look at the vines now?” Charlie asked eagerly, providing Alfie with the perfect excuse to break up the greetings before his parents could say something revealing.

“Absolutely,” Alfie agreed, catching his mother’s knowing smile. “There’s an entire world waiting to be explored out there.”

As they headed back outside, Marion fell into step beside him. “Your parents are lovely,” she said quietly. “They seem so…happy.”

“They are,” Alfie replied, watching Charlie skip ahead of them. “They love this place.”

“They must miss having you all close by,” Marion observed.

“In some ways, but I think they are enjoying this time having the house to themselves,” Alfie chuckled. “My brother lived here until he met his mate recently.”

“Mate?” Marion asked.

“His partner…” Alfie said, realizing his mistake.

“Alfie, come look at this!” Charlie called out, and Alfie was more than happy with the distraction.

You could just tell her,his bear said.

But now was not the time.

They followed Charlie toward the nearest row of vines, where he was already examining the leaves with intense concentration.

“Can I use your magnifying glass now?” he asked as they approached.

Alfie handed over the cherished tool, showing Charlie how to hold it at the right distance to focus properly. “See those tiny structures on the underside of the leaf? Those help the plant breathe.”