“You should have warned me about your parents.”
“What? That they have no filter?”
“Yes!”
Alistair chuckles. “What would be the fun in that?”
“I hate you.”
We stop in front of a small house that looks like a miniature of the main structure. He pushes the door open, and the first thing I see inside is the king-size bed. Before I can make any comment, he spins me around and crushes his mouth to mine. He runs his hands down my arms and then rests them on my hips, bringing me even closer to him.
Reluctantly, I pull back. “Alistair, your parents are waiting for us. We’re being rude.”
“Sorry, I couldn’t resist.”
“You’re acting like a horny teenager going away with his girlfriend for the first time.”
“I feel like a horny teenager. That’s the effect you have on me, Goldi.”
“You’d better behave or there won’t be any sexy time tonight.”
“Fine. I’ll behave. Just one more kiss before we go?”
I should say no because his kisses are like a drug, but I can’t resist when he looks at me as if I’m the sexiest woman alive.
ALISTAIR
I don’t remember ever feeling this complete in my life before, not even when I was married to Nadine. I watch Chiara talk with my parents—finally more relaxed after a couple of glasses of wine—and I think, This is it. She’s the one for me. I don’t know how I can be so certain—I thought the same before with Nadine—but it’s somehow different with Chiara.
My parents seem to like her; they ask questions, they tease her—something they’d never done with Nadine. And Chiara takes it all in stride. She does get flustered on occasion, but eventually she starts to tease my parents in return. I worried she wouldn’t be able to handle their bluntness and dry humor, but she’s giving it as good as she’s getting.
After lunch, I take Chiara on a tour of the vineyard. It’s not the biggest one in the area, only a few acres, but I’m still proud of it and of what my parents have accomplished.
“This is lovely, Alistair.”
“I fell in love with this property as soon as I came here for the first time. It doesn’t compare to the vineyards in Italy, but it’s very special to me.”
“Have you ever considered retiring from teaching and working full time here?”
“Yes, many times. When I first started to look in the area, that was exactly my plan, but Na—well, she was completely against the idea. Then the separation happened.”
“Before I decided to come to LA to study at DuBose, I briefly considered taking sommelier classes and studying more about the wine business. But the appeal to study far away from my family won out. Plus, I’ve always been fascinated by the film industry.”
“You had no idea who I was, did you?” I ask, not that it would matter if she did.
“No. Your show didn’t air in Italy. Plus, you look so different now. Is that why you’re never clean-shaven? To avoid recognition?”
“In part. Nadine wanted me to remain recognizable for her own benefit, and it grated on my nerves. I don’t like talking about my past celebrity life.”
“Because of your friend Jamie?”
I nod.
Chiara stops in front of me, rising on the tips of her toes to kiss me. “Let’s talk about something else, then.”
I’m glad she doesn’t push to know more, unlike many people I know. Her attitude makes me want to share everything with her, even my darkest parts.
“No. I don’t want to keep secrets from you. If you have questions, ask away.”
She shakes her head. “I don’t have specific questions. I just want you to know I’m here if you need to talk.”
“Do you know why I feel so in debt to Forrester? Why I can’t walk away from my position at DuBose in the middle of the school year?”
“Because you’re friends?”
“That too, but most importantly because he saved my life. After Jamie died, I was in a very dark place. Hanging out with the wrong crowd, drinking too much, doing drugs. I almost killed my mother when I got us into a car wreck. I was stupid drunk that day.”
Her eyes water. “Oh, Alistair. I’m so sorry.”
“Yeah, me too. The guilt still eats at me. I was lucky enough to get a lenient judge who sentenced me to community service and mandatory therapy. Forrester was my therapist, and he helped me more than he knows. I went to rehab, got clean, and walked away from showbiz.”
She cups my cheek. “I’m so grateful you were able to find yourself again.”
“I don’t think I have, not yet. But I know I can with you by my side.”
Her breath catches. She’s staring at me like a deer caught in headlights, making me think that maybe she wasn’t ready for that truth.
