Winemaker's Dilemma (Avila Beach Winery series)

Lightning shocked the ground by his feet.

He took a shaky step back, just as another bolt struck.

Falling backwards now, scared stiff… he scooted as fast as he could, but it was no use.

The lightning kept following him, sneering and taunting…

Bathed in sweat, he woke up.

He forced himself out of bed and took a walk down the beach to steady his nerves. Drawing uneven breath, Scott felt the incoming tide wash over his bare feet again… and again.

But the harbor offered no relief to his troubles, as he stared blankly into the darkness. The chilly water should have resurrected him, but … threatened instead to pull him under.

Usually the savior, water was now the enemy.

And an unbeatable one at that…

* * *

CHAPTER ONE

Would you like to try the red or the white?

Debra, Scott’s sister, was happily pouring wine tastings for the tourists that visited Granger Winery six days a week. She was a pretty, vivacious brunette who enjoyed socializing and was good with the customers.

Let’s start with white, smiled Melissa. What do you think, Maria?

Maria looked at her friend for a minute. Do redheads prefer white wines?

Melissa laughed at her. Only if brunettes prefer reds…

Ha… Okay…Dumb question… Maria looked at Debra. We’ll start with the whites and work our way through the list here.

Debra laughed at them both. You must be good friends.

Yep, said Melissa. …Ever since high school.

… She depends on my opinion and good taste, added Maria. Without me, her business would be a mess. Melissa shook her head and waved her away.

Oh? What’s your business? Debra poured the first wine, a Pinot Grigio.

I have a small event planning company in San Luis. I plan any kind of party – wedding, engagement, birthday, whatever…

Melissa and Maria put their noses into the wineglasses and sniffed the poured wine. Melissa took a sip to roll around her mouth, getting a preliminary taste. They swallowed and nodded.

This is terrific.

It’s our reserve white that won a blue ribbon in the last competition in San Francisco, smiled Debra.

Wow… Great taste, commented Maria.

This next wine is a Chardonnay. It’s been in the oak barrel for nearly two years. She poured and watched as they took tentative sips. Your business sounds great. Are you really busy right now?

Maria’s head bobbed up and down, nearly spilling her wine. She’s always busy.

Why do you ask? Melissa sipped the delicious Chardonnay with a smile. I really like this one.

Debra’s smile became bigger. Good… My brother’s the winemaker and he’ll be thrilled you said that.

…That must be a big job, said Melissa. Has he always been your winemaker?

No. He’s been gradually taking over for Sam Taylor, who’s been here since my dad took over the winery from his dad. She looked over at her. And I asked about your business because I just got engaged and I’d like some help with our engagement party.

Congratulations! They both said at the same time…

The girls took a last sip of the Chardonnay pouring. Melissa poured the residue into a container on the counter.

…Do you…

Hey Deb… I need to talk to you for a second. Scott Granger walked in from the back of the winery wearing worn overalls and an old white tee shirt while shaking leaves out of his hair. They all turned when they heard him. Debra took one look and started laughing. When Scott glanced around and saw she was with customers, he immediately stepped back.

Nice, Scott, Debra laughed. I just cleaned up from the last time you came up front.

He shyly smiled at the two women he had almost bumped into and reached out a hand. Scott Granger…

The brother I mentioned.

He shook Maria’s hand. Nice to meet you.

…Maria and likewise. Maria gave him a cursory once-over and liked what she saw…Muscles, messy dark blonde hair, deep blue eyes. Yummy…

Turning to shake Melissa’s hand, Scott stood still and held on a little longer than was necessary while staring at her.

Melissa…

I think we’ve met.

She raised an eyebrow. I think you’re right. A class at Cal Poly maybe?

…Yeah…English?

She laughed. Probably. I never worked so hard…

Me either. All the writing, sharing and critiquing drove me nuts. He hadn’t let go of her hand yet. Debra noticed and so did Maria – They glanced at each other mischievously.

Scott and Melissa gazed at one another.

Handsome guy…Look at those blue eyes and chiseled chin…Tousled sun-streaked hair…

Beautiful woman…How come I never asked her out? Prettiest auburn hair and green eyes… Man, oh man…

Debra cleared her throat and Scott dropped Melissa’s hand.

You…ahem…wanted to talk to me, Scott? smirked Debra.

…Ah…right… Scott took a step back. Could I see you a moment? He glanced at Melissa and Maria. Ladies, if you’ll excuse me.

He and Debra walked into the next room that contained all the huge oak barrels of aging wines. Maria turned to Melissa with a sly expression.

What was that?

What was what?

Don’t be coy with me, missy. That guy…

…What about him?

Maria rolled her eyes. Do you mean to tell me that you didn’t feel any sparks there?

It was Melissa’s turn to roll her eyes. Maria, you’re making way too much of a casual encounter. We took a class together at Poly, that’s all.

Casual, my eyeballs… That guy has the hots for you. I got singed by those sparks myself and they weren’t even flying my way.

Shh… They’re coming back.

Debra frowned as she returned to her pouring.

Trouble? asked Maria.

Debra took a good look at the women in front of her. They were the only customers in the tasting room at the moment and seemed like nice people. She decided to confide in them.

My brother’s upset.

Why? asked Melissa. One look at Debra’s downcast eyes and she backtracked immediately. Sorry, it’s none of my business.

… No, it’s fine. It’s just that… She trailed off and began pouring a new wine. Debra cleared her throat. This is our award winning Sauvignon Blanc.

Maria and Melissa took sips and then looked at Debra. …It’s just what?

Debra put down the wine bottle and her eyes were serious.

He and my dad are constantly at odds about this new grape my brother wants to grow.

What’s the problem? asked Melissa.

It’s a new variety of drought tolerant grape and my dad says it’s a waste of time and land for experimenting. My brother has been researching different grapes for some time and says it’s time to take a chance at a new grape.

California’s in that much of a drought? Maria took a sip of her wine and raised approving eyebrows.

Melissa frowned at her. Watch the news much?

…Um…

…It’s big time and for a while now, replied Debra. She shook her head. But you’re not here to listen to my family’s tale of woe…

Let’s buy a bottle of this terrific Sauvignon Blanc and sit out in the back, suggested Melissa. We’ll listen… you talk. Maria nodded.

Behind the winery grew an acre of grapes. Twisting vines draped themselves on low wooden fences arranged in short rows. Tucked into the light green grapes, was a neat sitting area with chairs and picnic tables. A small creek ran along one side with huge trees providing a shady canopy for customers to sit and relax. For an added bonus, colorful peacocks roamed the area either dragging their beautiful blue and green tail feathers behind them or occasionally spreading them like enormous fans to delight onlookers. Maria, Debra and Melissa settled in a few chairs and watched the peacocks stroll haughtily by.

Thanks. I guess I have a few minutes, said Debra. My sister, Sue, is there if more customers show up.

First, tell us about the drought, asked Melissa. I know California has been in one for several years now, but how is that affecting the wineries?

Debra sadly shook her head. It’s bad. There are probably too many vineyards in the central coastal area and up in the north county, and not enough water to go around. The wineries are pitted against homeowners for water usage.

Wow…

My dad has been buying our grapes from a vineyard up north in Paso Robles for some time now, but there’s some kind of problem with the irrigation flow -- They’re threatening to cut off water to our grapes and it could be devastating for our winery.

Can’t you buy your grapes somewhere else? asked Maria.

Sure, but not when we’re so close to harvest. Besides, those negotiations take a while – it’s just not the time… We’re stuck.

Melissa thought about that for a minute.

… Is that what your brother was upset about?

She nodded and took a sip of her wine. That and the ongoing battle with my dad.

What battle?

We own several acres south of here in Arroyo Grande where Scott wants to grow his new grape. My grandfather used to grow grapes there, but for the past few decades, Dad has leased it out to a flower grower.

Your dad doesn’t approve of Scott growing his own grapes?

No. It’s an expensive outlay of cash for plants and equipment. Dad’s afraid of change, I guess, and Scott’s idea is pretty radical. Cash flow is an ongoing problem with most wineries, especially those just starting up. Dad thinks Scott’s grape will sink us.

Melissa sat back in her chair and blew out a breath. Wow…I had no idea there was so much going on behind-the-scenes at a winery. The place is so pastoral and idyllic…

…So Scott was complaining to you? she asked.

Right. He just needs to blow off steam from time to time. With Dad so negative about his project, Scott loses his confidence sometimes and needs backing up. She gave a short laugh. …I’m his occasional sounding board.

…Well… Melissa was already started to think about their dilemma.

…Enough about our problems, smiled Debra. Let’s talk about my engagement party instead.

Debra hired Melissa on the spot to plan her party and that occupied the rest of their time. When Debra stood to go back to work, Melissa was scheduled to come back the following day to discuss party details. After she’d gone, Melissa and Maria just looked at one another.

Jeez, what a mess…

You can say that again, commented Melissa. I had no idea.

Still, smiled Maria, the brother is very cute…

She grinned back at her. …Yes, very, but I plan to keep myself busy and out of harm’s way. Besides, it almost never works to get involved with a client.

…Almost… Maria laughed. Going to their home tomorrow? Good luck.

I’m just meeting Debra and her fiancé. It’ll be fine… Her brother will be at work.

…Maybe… Maria raised an eyebrow at her.

And maybe not… This could get interesting…

* * *

CHAPTER TWO

The next day, Melissa looked out the balcony of her apartment in San Luis Obispo. She lived on the edge of a golf course and enjoyed watching golfers hit their balls down the fairway, into the sand traps and in the water. Lots of interesting comments were always made especially when a golfer hit a water shot… Neighborhood cats would run on and off the course both delighting and irritating the golfers.

She’d moved to San Luis with her parents as a teenager. After attending the university, she’d decided to start up her own business with Maria prodding her. She had begun by hosting a few events for her sorority and they’d been successful, popular. With Maria pointing out that she could do this professionally, Melissa had borrowed a little start-up money from her parents and worked out a business plan. When her father, a lawyer, told her the plan looked pretty good, she dived into the events planning business with both feet and a do-or-die attitude. It had served her well…

The first few years had been scary and difficult trying to get the swing of how a business actually worked, but the last few years had been really great. She’d grown more comfortable with the process and had always enjoyed the creativity of doing what she loved. Her events planning business was becoming more successful every year.

Maria and Melissa had been neighbors for a few years now. Maria was a beautiful Hispanic woman with a large family living down in the small town of Grover Beach, a few miles further south on 101. They tried persistently to keep in touch with her, inviting her to family functions and being phenomenally interested in knowing why she wasn’t married yet. Melissa had been to a few of those family functions and admired the skill Maria used in fending them off and keeping them relatively uninformed… They only had Maria’s best interests at heart, but Maria didn’t consider herself marriage-material – at this time…

Melissa had been on the listening end of quite a few discussions about why Maria hadn’t married yet. Finding the right guy wasn’t an easy proposition that Melissa knew for a fact.

She’d been dating Phil, a computer technician, for a few months now and was moderately happy with him. She wasn’t unhappy, but that wasn’t exactly the same thing as being happy, was it? Being just barely good enough left her feeling a bit wanting…Unsatisfied. He traveled a great deal for his job and had left for L.A. a few days ago. Before he left, Phil and Melissa had had a heart-to-heart about seeing other people. She wasn’t setting his heart afire either, apparently…

Gathering her invitation and paper samples, plus a notebook, Melissa put everything into her briefcase and headed out to her car. She was currently between events and had some time to talk with a new client. She drove Highway 101 south from San Luis Obispo down to Avila Beach – Turning onto the highway off-ramp, she turned again after a few miles to drive into a grove of tall trees and bushes. Going down the only lane in Cay Canyon, the trees provided an enormous leafy canopy for man or beast… It was a picturesque, rural setting.

Arriving shortly at Granger Winery, she went around back to the family home, as Debra had instructed. Melissa was all set to discuss the details of the engagement party – This was the really fun part of her job, where she and the client tossed around ideas and finally settled on