I looked around before pointing at my duffel bag on the ground, reminding her exactly why I was here in the first place. “It doesn’t look like it.”

“So, you’d really be okay with sacrificing your dream guy for your job?”

A guttural laugh escaped from my throat. “My dream guy? And it’s not just any job, Jeanine. It’s my family. It’s our legacy. It’s what I’ve worked for my whole life. I was raised on our winery and always knew it would be mine one day. If it doesn’t stay in the family, then where does it go?”

She didn’t hide her disapproval. “Maybe your dad should have thought about that before kicking you out and making this ridiculous demand.”

I could tell she was holding something else back. I could see it written all over her face, so I prompted her. “Just say it.”

She raised her eyebrows and gave me a look.

“I know there’s more spinning in that head of yours. Spit it out already.”

Her lips pursed as she admitted, “Just hear me out first before you interrupt, okay?” she asked, and I nodded. “I think you could have both. I think you could have James and still work at a winery. You’re insanely talented, and any number of companies would be thrilled to have you on their team. Hell, they’d probably start World War Three, trying to compete over you. You have to stop acting like your family’s is the only gig in town. If you love making wine and doing what you do so much, you can realistically do it somewhere else. You’re just being stubborn and scared.”

I started to speak up, and she held five fingers in the air to stop me.

“Eh. You promised.” I closed my mouth, and she continued, “You need to really ask yourself what you’re fighting for and why you’re fighting so hard for it. I understand that you feel an obligation toward your family, and I get it. But, if it costs you your personal life, that doesn’t seem fair.” Her head was shaking as her eyebrows pulled together. “You’re willing to walk away from James because you’ve fallen into alignment with your dad’s demands. He’s ingrained it in your bones that it’s either one or the other. But that’s not true. And, even if it were, you’d really be okay with giving up James forever and pretending like he isn’t the one person in the world who is meant for you?”

“Can I talk yet?” I whispered.