* * *
Caden tried to be patient as the phone rang several times. He released a sigh of relief when it was answered. “Dr. Timmons.”
“Sedrick, this is Caden Granger.”
There was a long pause and for a minute Caden thought the call might have been dropped. “Yes, Caden, what can I do for you?”
“I’m trying to locate Shiloh.”
There was another long pause. “Are you?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Caden wondered how much Sedrick knew about the situation and quickly figured he knew all of it since Shiloh and her brother were close. “I need to talk to her. Your mother came to see me today, and she told me everything.”
There was a flow of muttered expletives from the other end of the line that almost burned Caden’s ears. “Mom had no right to do that. I’m surprised that you listened to what she had to say when you wouldn’t listen to Shiloh when she came to see you.” Sedrick’s tone was sarcastic in the extreme.
Caden rubbed a hand down his face. “Yes. I believed things about her that I shouldn’t have. I was wrong.”
“Yes, you were. And you hurt her. Badly.”
Hearing these accusations from Sedrick only reinforced how deeply Caden had wronged Shiloh and how much he needed to correct the mess he’d made. At this point, he couldn’t place the blame entirely on Samuel Timmons and use the man as a scapegoat. He should have believed in Shiloh and trusted her. “I know, Sedrick, and I plan to make things right,” Caden said solemnly.
“Not sure if you can. I just talked with her today. She’s moved on with her life, Caden, and I think you need to just let things be and move on with yours.”
It was on the tip of Caden’s tongue to tell Sedrick that he really didn’t give a royal damn what he thought. But now was not the time for that, especially when the man had information he needed. “I can’t move on, nor can I let things be. If I ignore this situation, it means your father has won. And I refuse to let him continue to call the shots—even from the grave.”
Something he’d said must have resonated with Sedrick because, after a few moments, he said, “I’ll tell you where she is, but you have to promise me something.”
“What is that?”
“That if she asks to be left alone, you do just that and leave her alone.”
Caden knew he couldn’t make such a promise. Even if Shiloh refused to forgive him for the things he’d done, he would not give up on her. He still loved Shiloh and hoped there was a chance that she still loved him.
“Caden?”
“I heard you, man, but I can’t make you that promise, Sedrick. The only thing I can promise is to never hurt her again. And if you don’t tell me where she is, I will eventually find her. It might take me longer, but I will find her.”
Sedrick must have heard the determination in his voice. “Fine. I’ll tell you where she is.”
“Has she left Charlottesville?”
“No. She has a place in town and has opened a wine shop on Vines Boulevard. The Wine Cellar Boutique. She’s there every day, except for when she’s away on business. But fair warning—you’re the last person she’ll want to see.”
“I’ll just have to deal with that. Thanks.” And then Caden quickly hung up the phone, grabbed his jacket and headed for the door.
Six
Shiloh Timmons glanced around her wine boutique, thinking that everything was coming together nicely. After that huge argument with her mother and the confrontation with Caden, she had thought about leaving Charlottesville and returning to Boston but, in the end, she was glad she had decided to remain in Charlottesville. It was where she wanted to be. Besides, she had already invested a ton of money to get the shop up to her standards. Also, she figured that by living in town she would rarely run into her mother. And as far as Caden was concerned, it would be just a matter of time before he left on another one of his tours.
She’d heard about the deathbed promise he and his brothers had made to their grandfather to take over the running of Granger Aeronautics. Of the three, she could see only Jace being the one to stick it out. Caden was a musician, for heaven’s sake, and a very good one. He had a great following, and it was expected that his recent album would be nominated for another Grammy. And as far as Dalton was concerned, she knew he considered Europe his home and he was probably champing at the bit to return.
“I just love this wine boutique, Ms. Timmons, and I appreciate you hiring me. I know I will enjoy working here.”
Shiloh turned and smiled. The young woman she’d hired to work in the boutique was Tess, a junior at the University of Virginia. Tess was one of four students working for her. They were bright, energetic, dedicated and ready to learn the business. She understood how they felt since she had worked at a wine shop in Boston while attending college. She had learned a lot from the owner, Valerie Motley. Valerie had been more than an employer; she’d been a friend. And she still was. Valerie, whose family owned a winery in Italy on the island of Sicily, had taught her a lot about the business. Shiloh knew that if she could be half the businesswoman that Valerie was, then she would do well herself.
“Thanks, Tess. The next two weeks are going to be busy as we get ready for the grand opening. I’m going to need all hands on deck.”
Excitement spread across Tess’s face. “We know, and we can’t wait. We’re ready to do whatever you need. You do everything with class, Ms. Timmons. Just look at this place.”
Shiloh glanced around again, and she couldn’t help but be filled with pride. She had known this place would be perfect the moment the Realtor had shown it to her, and she couldn’t think of any better way to use the money from the trust fund her grandparents had set up for her. She loved the location—right in the middle of Charlottesville’s gorgeous historical district. The brick streets and sidewalks, the quaint shops, the old-fashioned light posts and the thousands of tourists ready to spend money were the perfect complements to her new business. The patrons could purchase a bottle of wine to take home, or they could sit and enjoy a glass of something special at one of the café tables in front of the shop. The huge overhanging oak trees helped provide shade in the summer and a blanket against the snow in the winter.
Once in a while, she would go outside and look up at the huge sign over the large storefront window. The Wine Cellar Boutique. She’d had the sign custom made to blend in with the shop’s architecture, and just seeing it made her feel that at least she had accomplished one of the things she’d always wanted: to become an entrepreneur. One of her own choosing.
She knew her father had been disappointed that neither she nor Sedrick ever showed any interest in joining his million-dollar retail business. Samuel had ended up reaching out to his brother and nephews. He had brought them into the business. Her uncle Rodney was the complete opposite of his brother, and Shiloh often wondered how the two ever got along.
Shiloh looked out the large front window. It was late August and pretty soon it would be September. Forecasters were predicting a short fall and an early winter. Shiloh hoped they were wrong, especially since the winter being predicted would be colder than usual. She much preferred the fall, when the days were still somewhat warm and the nights were cool. What she loved the most was the changing of the leaves—the colors turned from a bright green to a rusty-red.
Inside the shop, the floors were covered with tile that had been imported from Italy, and she had installed shelves made of rich mahogany wood that held racks and racks of the best-tasting wine available anywhere. Most of the wine had been purchased directly from the vineyards. In addition