Saving Grapes - Madeline Kirby Page 0,14
Thom would never come around, but Ben would be here in case he did.
Thom poked around the office, but couldn’t settle down to work on anything. He finally gave up and went out on the porch where cell reception was a little better. He needed to give his grandfather an update anyway.
“Hey, Granddad,” Thom said when Steve Caldwell answered the phone.
“Hey, Tommy boy! How’s life up north?”
“Pretty good, Granddad. How are you doing?”
“Oh, can’t complain. I miss the rain sometimes, how crazy is that?”
“I don’t think it’s crazy. I’d miss it too. I’m gonna get down there after the harvest is in and we’ve got the vineyard ready for winter.”
“Great! I’ll introduce you to my lady friends!”
“How many lady friends do you have Granddad? Have you turned into a playboy?” Thom smiled at the thought of his Granddad with a white-haired lady on each arm.
“There are definite perks to being an old man with your wits about you. There aren’t enough of us to go around! And at our age, the brain really is the sexiest organ.”
“You know what? I don’t want to know. As long as you’re happy and enjoying yourself, that’s all that matters.” Thom listened to his Granddad’s deep chuckle roll down the line. He really missed having the old guy around.
“Fair enough,” Steve said. “What’s new with you then? Last time we talked you were working on the business plan.”
“I just got back from the bank.”
“Well? Don’t leave me hanging, son!”
Thom laughed. “They said yes!”
“Well of course they did! I think you’re the only one who ever had any doubts! So when do you get started?”
“I don’t know yet. You’re the first person I called. When I get off the phone with you I’ll call Ross O’Connor and start the ball rolling.”
“So you think you’ll use Ross, then?”
“Yeah. He’s the best in the area, and his bid was the most realistic.”
“And how’s the new guy working out? Chuck’s nephew?”
“Good. Real good. He’s a fast learner, and smart. He’s been a big help in the office, too.”
“Think he’ll stick around? You could use someone like that full time, especially with the expansion.”
“I don’t know, Granddad. He’s young – fresh out of college. Coming here wasn’t his idea to begin with.”
“Chuck told me. Poor kid.”
“Yeah. So anyway, he seems happy enough for now, but he’ll want to move on once he gets some money saved up and figures out what he wants to do.”
“You never know, maybe he’ll figure out he wants to work on a vineyard and make wine.”
“Maybe.” Thom wanted Granddad to be right, but he was afraid to hope.
“What’s wrong, son?”
“Nothing. Really, Granddad. I guess I’m just tired.”
“You’re sure?” Damn, Granddad knew him too well.
“Yeah, I’m sure. I guess it’s starting to sink in that this is really happening, you know?”
“I know. I was thinking about those trips we took, doing all that research.”
“We sure did have a lot of fun, huh?”
“Remember that place in the Finger Lakes where they had the cheese from the local dairy?”
Thom spent the next few minutes reminiscing with his grandfather about their travels, and signed off promising to visit as soon as he could and bring plenty of pictures of the progress.
Chapter 7
THOM SAT on the porch steps and stared at the phone in his hand. He had to make this call, so better to just do it and get it over with.
“Hey, Thom.”
“Hi Ross. Look, the bank approved the loan, and I’d like to break ground as soon as possible.”
“So, you’re offering me the contract?”
“Yeah, if you’re still interested and can start soon.”
“I can have a crew there day after tomorrow to start some of the prep work. I’ll come by tomorrow afternoon with the contract and some paperwork, and once that’s all signed I’ll start working on permits and ordering materials.”
“Great, thanks.”
“So, Thom. How about we get together, have a drink or dinner to celebrate?”
“No thanks, Ross. I told you, this is business. I don’t want things complicated.”
Ross sighed.
“Ross…”
“Fine, fine. You know I hate taking no for an answer, and no seems to be all you ever say.”
“Ross, please. If you’re going to be doing this job, I can’t have you flirting and trying to get in my pants. It’s exhausting and I need to focus on the job.”
“Well, that doesn’t sound very fun, but if you insist.”
“I do.”
“Oh, hey. What about the new guy – Ben? You think he’d mind if I flirted with him? Or is he a stick in the mud too?”
“Leave