“I love you.” Remi smiled at her only child. Blew her a kiss. “Bye now.”
Remi ended the call with a soft sigh. She leaned back in her chair, stretched her legs across the wicker ottoman, and took a slow sip of wine. The warmth of it lingered on her tongue, but her thoughts had already drifted elsewhere. The thought of being here without Gerard tugged at her heart. This was their space, their home. His absence lingered in every corner of every room. She felt it in the silence where his voice used to be. It especially echoed in the kitchen, where he once prepared their meals … the clatter of pots and pans and utensils would already be in full play by now. Even the familiar smells—the Creole spices—that used to linger long after the food was put away. The warmth of his presence was gone.
The road without him wasn’t going to be easy, she knew that much. It would be long. It would certainly be hard. But she was ready to face it.
Chapter Five
Bianca
Bianca thought of Harry. The idea of him proposing to a woman he’d only known briefly unnerved her more than she let on. She remembered his proposal to her, on her front porch in Louisiana, twelve roses in his hands, his palms sweating. He hadn’t dared ask permission from her Abuelita Josefina, who had insisted they focus on their studies, not marriage. Harry had quieted the chaos inside her. He made her believe she could be okay, normal. Despite all the bad circumstances in her life.
Now, someone else had taken her place in Harry’s life. It clawed at her whenever she let down her guard. She hated herself for what she’d done—the thing that had driven Harry away—and she hated the woman he was with even more, though she didn’t even know her.
She was shaken from her thoughts by the sliding of the back door. “Here you are.” Remi handed her a glass of red wine. “Penny for your thoughts.”
“Nothing, really. Just enjoying the night,” Bianca lied, stretching out her legs on the lounge chair. The wine helped dull the ache, but not enough. “I needed this getaway too.”
Remi sank into the chair beside her. “How many times have you called Amelia since we left?” she teased.
“Not many.” Bianca smirked. She’d called the girl three times in the past hour—maybe four. She couldn’t help it. Her business, like her life, needed constant control.
“You’re too much.” Remi shook her head.
“I know it. I can’t help it,” Bianca replied, leaning back into the cushions.
“I’m a little tired,” Remi murmured. “We’ll rest tonight, explore tomorrow.”
Bianca smiled, but her thoughts had already drifted elsewhere. They lingered, uninvited, on Harry and the woman who now occupied the space Bianca once called hers. A life she had built. A man she had loved. Gone now, yet some part of herstillrefused to let go.
It was her first night in Napa and she couldn’t sleep. It was always like this when she traveled—whenever she lay in a bed that wasn’t her own. It usually took her a couple of nights before her body settled, before the unfamiliar felt safe enough for rest. She spent most of the night staring at the ceiling, listening to the faint chirp of crickets outside the window. The sheets smelled fresh, clean, but they weren’t hers.
Around seven o’clock, she crept downstairs and wandered into the grand kitchen. She needed motion. She rummaged through the cabinets, pulled out a pan, and pulled fresh vegetables from the fridge. She sliced, diced, and sautéed. The garlic sizzled—its sharp, pungent aroma filled the house. The beat of J Balvin’s “I Like It” invaded the kitchen. She turned the volume down lower, so as not to wake Remi—but danced, with hips swaying anyhow.
But it was too late. She’d already awakened her.
Remi appeared in a pink robe, rubbing her eyes. “You sure know how to wake up a house.”
Bianca twirled and kissed her cheek. “Time to rise and shine, amiga!”
Remi chuckled. “You couldn’t resist this kitchen, could you?”
Bianca smirked. “I couldn’t wait. And that garden outside? It’s paradise.”
“Well, welcome to wine country,” Remi said, but her tone was off.
“You okay?” Bianca asked, catching the shift.
“Fine. I was thinking we might stay in today.”
Hadn’t she promised that they would explore the city?
“Absolutely not. We can’t sit here all day and allow your emotions to get the best of you. We’re going to see what’s going on in Napa Valley. Maybe we’ll even drive down to Sonoma Beach, show off our bikinis …”
“Maybe you’ll show offyourbikini.” Remi laughed. “I’m a one-piece girl.”
“You could totally do a bikini with that bod, girl—a body that you don’t even have to work hard to maintain. God gave it to you just because he felt like it. On the other hand, people like me … we gotta work at staying in shape.”
“I have my challenges too.”