Life is a Cabernet Read online

  “I’d like that.” She tasted the grapes. “These will make fine wine. It’s going to be a phenomenal vintage this year. I can feel it.”

  “So, you do have intuitive powers, just as the woman in Chinatown said.”

  “I’m predicting many good things this year,” she said with a wink.

  Henri squinted in the sunlight of a cloudless sky. “If this warm weather keeps up, we might have an early harvest this year. And now that we have labels, we can start bottling the wine that’s been aging in barrels.”

  “Have more orders come in?” Since they’d returned, the gala and the press coverage of the event had spurred interest. Both of them had been inundated by calls from collectors, hotels, and wine shops.

  Henri laughed. “I’ve taken so many orders I might have to put the girls to work. You’ve been spectacular at generating interest in Chateau Laurent wines.”

  “Your wine speaks for itself. I just gave it a nudge in the right direction.”

  “That was some kind of nudge.” Frowning, Henri said, “Don’t discount what you’ve done.”

  Juliana laughed. “I’m not discounting my work. You haven’t received my bill yet.” She loved teasing him.

  “Uh-oh, how about a special discount?”

  “Are you kidding? After what you put me through, I should charge you double.”

  “Me? What about you?” Henri’s eyes were sparkling.

  They both started laughing, and Henri picked her up and swung her around. Juliana threw her head back, drinking in the pure joy of the moment. One day at a time, that’s how she had decided to live with Henri. Considering the heartbreak she’d been through with Alfonso and the tragedies Henri had survived, she’d learned to never take anything for granted.

  Henri set her on her feet, and she touched her lips to his. “I’m glad you’re feeling more relaxed today, Henri.” Just as he’d promised her, he had seen the doctor she’d told him about in nearby Sonoma. After only a few visits, his hyper-vigilance seemed to have eased. He’d told her he’d been sleeping a little better, though the therapy process would take time. They had even talked about sending Anne and Beatrice to school, much to the girls’ delight.

  “That’s because you have a funny effect on me, Miss Cardona. And someday, I’m going to wear down your defenses.”

  “I wasn’t aware I had any defenses left.”

  “Oh, but you do,” he said, his voice deep with lust. Henri twirled her around as he had when they’d danced the night of the gala. Dipping her low to the ground, he held her gaze. “But you’re worth waiting for, my darling. Someday soon, I plan to carry you over our threshold.”

  Her heart in her throat, she asked, “Is that a proposal?”

  “As a matter of fact, it is. He swung her up to face him, and then he dropped to one knee before her. “I would be honored to be your husband.”

  Juliana was sure he could hear her heart pounding, and she hardly trusted her voice. Yet, she drew a breath, pursed her lips, and put a hand on her hip. “You’re too late. Anne and Beatrice already proposed on your behalf in the letter they sent me.”

  He blinked with surprise. “I swear I didn’t put them up to it.”

  “It was our secret.” Extending her hands, Juliana reached out to him and brought him to his feet.

  “I’ll take that as yes,” he said, whirling her around.

  “Yes, yes, yes,” she cried, laughing between the kisses he showered on her face.

  * * *

  The End

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  Note from Jan

  Thank you for reading Life is a Cabernet, and I hope you enjoyed this novella. If you’d like to remain in beautiful Napa Valley and journey to Tuscany, Italy, The Winemakers is the sweeping saga of Juliana’s best friend, Caterina, whose family secrets threaten to destroy the winery and everyone they love.

  You might also to read Seabreeze Inn, a contemporary beach series about two sisters and a historic beach inn. Or if you’ve read that, return to the shores of Summer Beach in The Coral Cottage. Join three sisters as they each seek haven in the family beach house with their wonderfully eccentric grandmother and recreate their lives.

  To hear about my new releases, please join my VIP Readers Club. Thank you very much for reading.

  * * *

  More to Explore

  If you like historical novels set by the sea, you might like The Chocolatier. Get whisked away into a fascinating world on the gorgeous Italian coast of Amalfi, where a newly widowed chocolatier from San Francisco discovers a mysterious secret. Between chocolate tastings and fabulous 1950s styles and music, this was one of my favorite books to research.

  My next novel is Hepburn’s Necklace, which is set in beautiful Lake Como, Italy. Find out what happens when a costume designer discovers a necklace that Audrey Hepburn gave her great-aunt—and the long-buried secret its discovery reveals.

  You might also enjoy Scent of Triumph, my WWII novel about a courageous young French perfumer torn between two continents, who strives to escape the past and reunite her family. It’s a feast for the senses, with a story for those who love heart-wrenching sagas.

  And if you like reading contemporary series, you might enjoy my Love California collection of linked, standalone books, beginning with Flawless. Meet a group of devoted friends and their romantic interests, and join them on their adventures with a trip to Paris, France. My love of travel inspired these stories, so get your literary passport ready.

  About the Author

  Jan Moran is a USA Today bestselling author of stylish, uplifting, and emotionally rich contemporary and 20th-century historical women’s fiction.

  A few of her favorite things include a fine cup of coffee, dark chocolate, fresh flowers, laughter, and music that touches her soul. An avid traveler, Jan draws inspiration from locales steeped in history. She lives near the beach in southern California and is originally from Austin, Texas.

  Most of her books are available as audiobooks, and her historical fiction is widely translated into German, Italian, Polish, Dutch, Turkish, Russian, Bulgarian, Romanian, Portuguese, and Lithuanian, among other languages.

  If you enjoyed this book, please consider leaving a brief review online for your fellow readers where you purchased this book, or on Goodreads.

  To read Jan’s other novels, visit www.JanMoran.com.

  Acknowledgments

  Life is a Cabernet was written during the summer in which I said au revoir to my mother, Jeanne Fuller Hollenbeck, who shared so many memories of her life during World War II and the twentieth century with me. This was the last book I read to her. So I must say “Thank you, Mama, for urging me to keep writing. Besos.”

  Deep gratitude to my family: my son, Eric; my daughter-law, Ginna; my granddaughter, Zoe; my brother, Mike; my nephews Mitch and Justin; and Michelle. Thank you all for sharing the love in our family.