The Night Before the Winemaking Contest, Floating Comments Exposed His Plan Chapter 09

The Night Before the Winemaking Contest, Floating Comments Exposed His Plan Chapter 09

The grape leaves outside the window swayed gently in the breeze.

I turned and poured myself a glass of wine.

“There’s one last snowcrest chardonnay mother vine still growing in Northpine.”

“If we can cultivate it successfully, Northpine stays alive.”

Wesley froze.

“You had a backup plan this whole time?”

I raised the glass and took a small sip.

“All those years growing grapes taught me one thing better than anything else. You never stake everything on

a single vine.”

His eyes stayed on me.

A long beat passed before he laughed, quiet and low.

“You’re stronger than you were back then.”

I said nothing.

He didn’t leave.

The silence stretched until he finally spoke again.

“Laurel.”

“I’ve thought about you. A lot. Over the years.”

My fingers went still on the glass.

The wine rippled in my hand.

“About what?”

“How you’d stay up all night guarding the vineyard.”

“How you’d check every single vine seedling even when you were too exhausted to stand.”

“How you held your whole family together after your father died.”

I kept my eyes on the window and said nothing

Wesley swallowed hard

After you left, Camille and I weren’t as happy as we thought we’d be

She depends on me A lot I used to think that was a good thing

His fingers curled into a fist He paused like he was trying to arrange thoughts that had arrived years too

late

“But somewhere along the way, I realized that being needed can turn into a weight you can’t put down

if I come home late, she cries if I say one thing in someone else’s defense, she’s convinced I don’t care

about her anymore

“I know she doesn’t mean to But half the time, I have no idea what to say

I raised my head

“So”

“Why are you telling me this?

Wesley fell silent, and his lashes trembled

“Laurel, if none of that had happened back then. If I hadn’t made the choices I made

“Would things between us have been different?

The room went dead quiet.

It held until a sharp sound broke it from behind me.

A wineglass hit the floor and shattered.

Camille stood in the doorway, dead pale.

Just like six years ago.

She looked at us, and her eyes filled with tears.

Wesley

The moment he saw her his body shifted toward her on instinct

But he caught himself

“Camille, just go home. Please.”

Camille stared at him like he’d slapped her.

“What the hell was that? What did you just say to her?”

Wesley’s jaw clenched. His hands slowly balled into fists at his sides.

“Go home, Camille.”

The tears she’d been holding back spilled over.

“You always took my side. No matter what.”

“Even when everyone turned on me, you were there. But now…”

She looked at me.

“Laurel comes back, and suddenly you’re a different person?”

Wesley’s brow furrowed hard.

“This isn’t about her.”

Camille froze.

I didn’t look at either of them. I grabbed the documents, turned, and walked out.

Behind me, Camille’s voice cracked.

“Wesley. Do you regret it?”

Wind swept through the open window, and Wesley’s voice was barely a murmur.

Too quiet, too far behind me.

I didn’t catch it, and I didn’t stop.

Whatever he said, it didn’t matter anymore.