“Are you saying you were wrong to push me in that direction?” I can’t help asking.

She laughs softly. “I don’t think I was wrong. I was being sensible. But I don’t think you were wrong for following your heart, either. It’s really all just opinion. Your happiness has always been the most important thing to me, and if this wine stuff—”

“Oenology, Mom.”

“Ee-nology…makes you happy, then it makes me happy too. Besides, if I’d started dating before now, I never would have met Dennis.”

“He must be something special,” I say.

“He is. I’m super excited for you to meet him.”

Super excited. My mom sounds like a schoolgirl with a crush. Her voice is bright pink with energy and puppy love. So unlike her. She’s always been so mature. So responsible. So determined to give me the life she thought I deserved. Living on the street was hell for her. Far worse than it was for me. I didn’t know any better, but she… She thought it was her fault.

I never did.

She was just Mom. My constant, whom I loved and I knew loved me.

Funny. Dale was asking me about my mom—about my love for her, how I showed it. This will be a good thing, Mom coming to Colorado. Dale can see our relationship firsthand. Maybe it will help him heal his relationship with Jade the way he wants to.

“When are you coming?” I ask.

“We’re driving Dennis’s RV,” she says, “and we’re leaving tomorrow.”

“RV?”

“Yes, isn’t that perfect? We have our hotel with us, so we don’t have to bother you for lodging.”

Nice gesture. The Steels have plenty of room, but it’s certainly not my place to ask them to house my mother and her new boyfriend. Er…fiancé.

“When’s the big day?” I ask.

“We’re stopping in Las Vegas on the way to Colorado,” she says, “and we’d both love it if you could be there.”

Shoot. I’d hate to miss my mother’s wedding, but, “I’m in the middle of an internship, Mom. Part of the vineyards were just destroyed in a fire. I can’t ask to leave right now.”

“Oh, Ashley, I’m so sorry! Is everyone all right?”

“Yes, everyone is unscathed.” Physically, at least, though I don’t say this. It will just invite questions. “Some employees are getting laid off, but the Steels are paying them. They’re great people.”

“I’m sure they are.” She pauses a second. “Which is why I’m positive they’ll let you attend your mother’s wedding.”

This isn’t like my mom. She has the work ethic of a Fortune 500 CEO. She must really want me there.

“Would you consider postponing the wedding?” I ask. “You can come for a visit, and then I can meet this man before he’s my stepfather.”

“Oh, honey… We can’t. The plans are already in motion. Besides, I’m just so excited!”

Giddy is more like it. Although I don’t know this man from Adam, if he makes my mother this happy, I can’t be displeased. Still, I hate the idea of her rushing into something.

“All right, Mom. Call me tomorrow. I love you.”

“Love you too, honey. Bye!”

I walk back into the bar.

Dale sits, his second wineglass still full. Unless he downed it in the ten minutes I was gone and this is his third.

But that’s not like Dale. He’s not a heavy drinker.

Then an idea sparks in my head.

My mother’s getting married… Dale is my immediate superior at the winery and can give me a few days off…

Maybe a trip to Las Vegas is just what Dale needs.

Doesn’t hurt to ask, anyway.

“Hey, you,” I say, after giving him a quick peck on the cheek.

“How’s your mom?” he asks.

“Good. Better than good, actually. She’s… She’s getting married.”

His eyebrows rise. “Oh?”

“Yeah. Apparently she’s been dating this guy for a few months, but she didn’t tell me about him until now. They’re going to Vegas in his RV and then coming here for a visit afterward.”

“So I’ll get to meet your mom, then.”

“Absolutely. But I was thinking…”

“What?”

“What if we went to Las Vegas for the wedding? Just you and me. It would be a nice escape for a few days, you know?”

“Escape from what?”

Really? He wants to go there? “You know exactly what. You’ve been through some shit, Dale. The fire. Your vines.”

“I can’t just leave. Not now. Harvest is nearly done, and we’re going to put the grapes—”

I gesture him to stop. “You’re right. I’m sorry I brought it up.”

“You can go, though,” he says. “You shouldn’t miss your mother’s wedding.”

I shake my head. “I made a commitment to this internship. I’ll stay the course.”

“But it’s your mom’s wedding.”

“To a guy I’ve never met. No, you’re right, Dale. Neither of us should go.”

“Ash…”

“It’s okay. I totally understand.”

“You’re not going to miss your mom’s wedding because of me. You’re going. Your internship will still be here when you get back.”

I’m stuck now. I want to attend my mother’s wedding. I don’t want to leave Dale or the internship.

He still says he’s only giving me these two months, and I don’t want to waste a single day.

On the other hand…this is my mother’s wedding. My mother—the one person who was there for me my whole life.

I must be there.

And…

Maybe Dale needs to be without me.

What’s the old adage?

If you love something, set it free. If it comes back, it’s yours. If it doesn’t, it never was.

Damn.

Damn, damn, damn.

I’ll go.

I’ll set Dale free, if only for a few days—a few days after a huge loss. Sounds horrid, but it’s the one way I’ll know for sure if he truly loves me more than anything. Even the vines he lost.

And I’ll pray like hell he comes back to me.