Under the Vineyard Sky

Chapter 10

Beginnings

The morning after the festival, Isabella woke to the gentle sound of birdsong outside her window. The golden light of the Sonoma sun spilled across her room, but her mind was already far away. She couldn’t shake the lingering warmth of her evening with Ethan—their easy banter, his smile, the way he made her feel like she’d never left. And yet, she had left.

That thought sat heavy in her chest as she got out of bed and padded to the kitchen. She made herself a cup of coffee and leaned against the counter, staring out the window at the vines stretching toward the horizon. It was beautiful here. Peaceful. Nothing like the chaos she’d lived in for years in New York.

But that chaos had been her choice. When she left Sonoma for college, she told herself it was the only way to follow her dreams of becoming a writer. She hadn’t thought about what—or who—she was leaving behind. Ethan had been her best friend, her safe harbor. But she had been selfish, too focused on her ambitions to see the pain her departure had caused.

And when she didn’t come back after college, when she’d stayed in New York to build her career, the distance had only grown. Ethan had reached out countless times, but her responses had been half-hearted, sporadic at best. She told herself she was too busy, too focused on her future. But now, looking back, she knew she had been afraid—afraid of the pull Sonoma had on her, afraid of facing the depth of her feelings for Ethan.

She took a sip of her coffee and sighed. Last night had been a start. But she couldn’t ignore the tension that still lingered between them. Could she really expect Ethan to forgive her for walking away, for choosing a life that didn’t include him?

Her thoughts were interrupted by the buzz of her phone on the counter. She picked it up and saw a text from Ethan:

Ethan: I was thinking about meeting up later. Maybe we can grab lunch or take a walk?

Her heart skipped a beat. She hadn’t expected to hear from him so soon, but the thought of seeing him again sent a nervous flutter through her chest.

Isabella: Sure. I’ll be ready at 1.

When the time came, Isabella stood outside a small café in town, smoothing the skirt of her dress and trying to calm her nerves. She spotted Ethan as he walked up the street, his broad frame and easy stride impossible to miss. He looked just as he had last night—effortlessly handsome, his hair slightly tousled by the breeze.

“Hey, Izzy,” he greeted her with a soft smile, his voice carrying the familiar warmth that had always made her feel safe.

“Hey,” she replied, her voice a little shaky. She hated that she still felt so uncertain around him, as if the years apart had undone all the closeness they’d once shared.

Ethan opened the café door for her, and they slid into a booth by the window. The hum of quiet conversations around them provided a comfortable backdrop as they ordered coffee and sandwiches. For a while, they talked about the festival and the people they’d run into, keeping the conversation light. But it wasn’t long before the air between them grew heavier, weighted with all the things left unsaid.

Finally, Ethan broke the silence. “You know, last night reminded me of what it was like before you left.” His tone was calm, but there was an edge to his words—a hint of vulnerability that made Isabella’s chest tighten.

She swallowed hard, her gaze dropping to her coffee cup. “Ethan, I… I’ve thought about that a lot since I came back. About how I left and how much it must’ve hurt you.”

“It did,” he admitted, his voice steady but quiet. “You were my best friend, Izzy. We did everything together. And then, one day, you were just… gone. I get why you left—I always knew you had big dreams. But you never gave me a chance to understand. You didn’t even say goodbye.”

Isabella winced at the truth of his words. She had been so consumed by her desire to leave, to chase a life beyond Sonoma, that she hadn’t considered the fallout. “I was scared,” she confessed. “Scared that if I didn’t leave right then, I never would. And… I think I was scared of what I felt for you. Scared that it would hold me back.”

Ethan’s expression softened, though the hurt in his eyes didn’t fade. “I never wanted to hold you back, Izzy. I wanted to be there for you, to support you. But you didn’t let me. You just… left.”

The pain in his voice was palpable, and Isabella felt a wave of guilt crash over her. “I know I hurt you,” she said, her voice trembling. “And I’ve regretted it every day. I just didn’t know how to fix it. I thought maybe it was too late.”

Ethan leaned back in his chair, letting out a slow breath. “It’s not too late,” he said after a long pause. “But if we’re going to try to rebuild anything—friendship, or… whatever this is—it’s going to take time. And honesty.”

Isabella nodded, relief and uncertainty warring within her. She had wanted this chance—to explain, to make things right—but now that it was here, she realized just how much work lay ahead. “I want that too,” she said softly. “I don’t know what the future holds, but I want to try. I owe you that much.”

Ethan’s lips curved into a small, tentative smile. “Then we’ll start there.”

They left the café a short while later, walking side by side down the cobblestone streets. The tension between them had eased, replaced by a cautious hope. For the first time in years, Isabella felt like she was beginning to find her way back—not just to Sonoma, but to Ethan.