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Without Lexi here, there’s no quiet morning banter over my coffee and her tea. There’s no soft glow of the TV in the living room playing romance movies while I grumble that I’d rather watch an action flick or sports. There’s no eye roll when I rebuke any of her comments with “whatever.”

Hell, if I wanted to find a woman to bed while my wife was gone, it probably wouldn’t be that difficult. But there isn’t one ounce of desire for anyone else. There would’ve never been anyone but her if I’d made better decisions when I was young. Not let my mother’s taunts infiltrate my head.

My wife is all I ever truly wanted.

I peer around the room. It’s just me, my mountain of debt, and an empty house. Once she moved in, it stopped feeling like a bachelor pad where I hung my hat each day. It turned into a home. Somewhere I craved returning to, anxious to be near her. But now this place feels like a fortress holding me captive.

My phone vibrates on the coffee table. I snatch it up instantly, my heart taking an embarrassing, hopeful leap before I even look at the screen.

It’s a text from Sebastian. Dammit.

Bas: Out at Sports Page with Shep. You coming down?

I stare at the text for a second, then toss the phone back onto the table. I don’t want a beer, and I definitely don’t want to answer questions about why I’m pacing around the house like a caged animal while my wife is out of town. Instead, I get up and walk over to the French doors, stepping out onto the balcony that overlooks the dark, sprawling rows of the vineyard. The cool night air cuts through my T-shirt, but I welcome the chill.

Down in the dark, the Sutter Creek vines stretch out for miles. My grandfather gave his life to this land, and I’m breaking my back trying to keep it from slipping through our fingers. But standing out here alone under the moonlight, a cold, heavy truth settles deep into my bones.

Saving the vineyard won’t mean as much if I end up standing here alone when the year is over.

I think about the way Alexis laughed on the deck before she left. The way her eyes sparkled when she tossed out ideas for scavenger hunts and charity walks between the vines. She looked at this land not as an obligation, but with genuine love and affection.

And how do I look at her?

I close my eyes, leaning my forearms against the wooden railing. I look at her like she’s the only thing that’s ever truly mattered. Like a man who spent twenty years pretending he didn’t care, only to fall twice as hard the second she let him back into her life.

This realization makes me feel more than a little unsettled. So I decide to stop brooding. Sitting in that quiet, empty bedroom is driving me out of my mind. I grab my keys and drive down to one of our favorite local pubs, The Sports Page, to meet up with Sebastian and Shep.

The bar is packed for a Sunday night, low lighting cutting through the hum of chatter and clinking pint glasses. The three of us are huddled in a booth near the back, nursing cold draft beers.

Sebastian leans his elbows on the sticky table, staring down into his foam before looking up at me. “I’m going to do it, Sam.”

I raise an eyebrow, setting my glass down. “Do what?”

“Gavin,” he responds, his volume low enough that it doesn’t carry to the next booth. “I’m going to talk to him. I’m going to ask if he’ll allow me to do a paternity test.”

Shep’s brows jump to his hairline as his eyes ping pong between the two of us.

Taking a slow sip of my ale, I lean back against the vinyl seat.

“I thought about trying to swipe a glass or pull a stray hair off his hoodie,” Bas admits, running a hand over his face. “Quietly send it off to a lab. But if this really is my kid, I don’t want to start off a new relationship between us by being underhanded. He deserves better than that.”

“Good for you, Bas,” I say, genuinely impressed. “That’s the mature way to handle it. Take the high road.” I pause, rubbing the back of my neck, a prickle of worry lighting up my nerves. “How do you think Gavin’s going to handle it, though?”

“Honestly? I’m not sure.” Sebastian sighs, shaking his head. “This whole thing is more than a little delicate.”

“You think?” I blurt.

“I know, I know. But I can’t continue to perseverate on this. It’s been years, Sam, and I need to figure this out once and for all. Otherwise, I’ll never be able to let it go.”

“I still can’t help but wonder if she knows more than she’s sharing. If it turns out he’s yours, that’s pretty shady.” I rub the back of my neck again, feeling the tight knot of anxiety there. I’m worried about how this could play out for my brother. In my mind, the odds that Gavin could be Sebastian’s son without Shelly knowing are slim to none. And besides, the Shelly I remember back in high school would’ve milked that opportunity for every penny, wringing as much child support out of a Sutter Creek heir as humanly possible the second a test came back positive.

“Well,” Shep chimes in, leaning forward and deftly changing the subject, “speaking of shady women… Brandy returned to the winery today, pushing for Sam’s business again.”

Sebastian snorts, raising a brow at me. “Is that what she’s barking up his tree for?”

“No.” Shep laughs, shaking his head. “Ultimately, I think she still has a sales quota to make. She’s simply hoping your brother is a bonus.”

“Hey, I’m a happily married man,” I state firmly, holding my hands up in mock defense.