The Day I Divorced Him, I Became His Landlord novel · Chapter 8 of 24

Chapter 8: Ask the Owner

Joaquin was leaning on his truck when I walked back to the gatehouse with Wyatt's coat still on my shoulders.

He looked at the coat.

He looked at the reporter's van pulling away.

Then he took off his hat and held it in both hands.

"The reporter's right," he said.

"Right about what?"

"The order of it." He turned the hat. "The Ashburys came to Dad the week after Conrad proposed. They said families should be partners. Lillian brought the papers herself, and she cried a little, and Dad signed."

"And you let me think it was after."

"You were happy, Mari. I didn't want to be the one to tell you your wedding had a price tag on it."

"I wasn't happy," I said. "I was sedated."

He flinched.

"I know that now," he said.

I didn't forgive him, and I didn't turn away.

I put my hand on his arm, and we stood there until the sun cleared the ridge.

That night was the biggest pick of the harvest.

By nine the crush pad was lit with work lamps, and the bins stood in a long steel line, and every worker on the estate was there.

Conrad came down in a quilted vest with a glass of last year's Cabernet in his hand.

He walked the line of bins slowly, so the crew could watch him do it.

Wyatt stood at the third bin with his sleeves rolled to the elbow, a red stain climbing his forearms.

"We need three more days on the old block fruit," Wyatt said. "The seeds aren't brown yet."

"We pick tonight," Conrad said. "The weather's turning."

"It's not turning for four days. I checked."

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