The Height Of Happiness

Serena laughed, “I wholeheartedly agree. I had my grandmother make me the same blackout chocolate cake with amazing ganache filling for my birthday every year. She would cover it in confetti sprinkles and put a ton of white candles on top. I still claim that as my favorite cake.”

“That sounds delicious. You wouldn’t happen to have some in the freezer, would you?”

Serena looked back into the kitchen as she admitted, “I wish, but I don’t think it would be any good anymore.”

“But yeah, I love chocolate. There are some exceptions.”

“True,” Serena agreed. “I make a pretty mean butter pound cake if I do say so myself, and sometimes I make a chocolate fudge to go with it.”

“And except for cheesecake of course.”

“No question!”

They both let out an indulgent sigh at the thought of cheesecake, and Serena couldn’t help but laugh. It felt so natural to laugh with Teddy, even if he was trying to buy out her business.

“You know,” Serena finally said to break the sudden lull between them. “I think if you weren’t trying to buy my business, I’d offer to let you to stay here tonight.”

“In your bed?” Teddy asked mischievously.

“No!” Serena scoffed and rolled her eyes. “I meant in one of the guest rooms, but with that kind of talk I may make you sleep out in the barn with all the fermenting fruit.”

“I’m a paying customer, Serena. I’ve already booked my suite for the week.”

Serena sighed, “I know. What a shame.”

Teddy looked down at his now empty plate as he replied, “I don’t think I’ve eaten this well in years. In California, you just get a lot of salads.”

“Sounds awful.”

“It is.”

Serena set her own plate aside as she finally asked, “Do you want to watch a movie? I haven’t done that in a little while.”

“How long is a little while, Serena?”

“Ten months… maybe more?”

Shocked, Edward replied, “Dear God, we need to change that.”

The rest of their week passed much the same as the first night. They worked together during the day and at night they had long dinners together at the house. Afterward, they would watch a movie, play a card game, or just talk as music played in the background. Edward would offer to take her down the restaurant, but it seemed by the end of the week that they liked being alone together. They found a quiet rhythm as the forced companionship turned into friendship. As they talked and joked together, Serena remembered why she’d been so taken with that night in New York City at the big party. It hadn’t been his looks or his magnetic aura, but rather the way he always seemed attentive with her as she spoke. Every time she needed his extra hands he was there at home and at work.

She was going to miss that extra help when he was gone.

It was their last evening together. They’d eaten her refrigerator clean of food, and neither of them wanted to go grocery shopping. Serena was having pizza delivered from her favorite local Italian place, and they were going to watch an old movie Teddy was dying for her to see. As the workday ended, they decided to take one last stroll among the vines as they conversed casually before the day officially ended with the sun dipping down past the horizon.

Walking along amongst the endless rows of muscadine grapes, a comfortable silence fell between them after discussing books they’d read in school. Teddy walked with his hands in his pockets, and Serena felt startled of how aware she was of this boy beside her. Well, calling him a boy wasn’t fair, even if it was just in her head. Looking at him out of the corner of her eye, Serena couldn’t deny that the person standing next to her was a full-fledged man. She knew the grip of his broad hands against her thighs. She knew the scent of him as they danced together. The intrusive thoughts grew in mind to the point that Serena had to break the silence in order to end the chaotic memories clouding her vision.

“You know, if you were to buy Belle and Beau,” Serena began.

“If?” Teddy interrupted her. “Is that on the table? I thought Patrick and I were given an outright refusal.”

She shook her finger, “Oh, I’m not selling! I’m just saying that I’m not the only person who would have to be cajoled into such an arrangement. This estate does have investors.”

“I know you’re a privately-held company, Serena,” he said as he stopped to look at the remnants of the harvest where late-blooming grapes still lingered on the vine. “Who would I have to buy out of stocks? Your grandfather? Your parents? The bottling company?”

Serena shook her head, “Everyone we bought from still has a piece of their property. The man who sold us the lavender farm next door, he owns three percent. The men who restored our barn and built our inn, their architectural firm has some of their retirement money in another five percent. We are even employee-owned too. Every hand who has cared for this land profits from it, and those men and women make up about a third of our ownership. I would have it at more, but as the company grows I’ll give out more shares of my slice of heaven.”

She stopped at the top of the hill, looking at the early evening sun beginning its descent over the rolling hills. The trees in their warm hues looked as if they were on fire. She could see her house in one direction, glowing like it always did. She could see the inn bustling with people still lingering from the weekend’s affairs. People who were retired and happy to sit on the grand porch and get drunk on more than just wine. If the guests were anything like Serena, they could feel intoxicated on the landscape alone, and it was moments like this that made pride swell up inside her.

Serena felt so proud to call this place home.

“You okay?” Teddy asked.

Serena realized her eyes were misting up. She wiped away the bit of moisture from her lashes as she did her very best not to look embarrassed. Teddy pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket, and Serena admired the crisp ivory cloth with the silver monogram.