Like Bees to Honey | gxg

33. A Hundred Years of Petty

Two days later, Sabina was seriously regretting the overconfidence that had let her call Summer Harvest Winery and talk the staff into adding six more people to the Verger dinner reservation before she had even learned anything from great-grandpa Engberg's faded letters.

"Remind me why I'm doing this again?" she whispered to Christina as the host led them between tables gleaming with white cloth napkins and golden cutlery.

"Because you've gone mad with heartbreak?" her sister whispered back, but she smiled. "And also, because you're hella brave, I guess."

On her other side, Helena poked her arm. "If this works, it'll be amazing."

"I don't like that if. You don't think it'll work?"

Her sisters exchanged glances. Then Christina patted her shoulder. "You're gonna do great."

That wasn't very reassuring, but then, Sabina also didn't have a lot of confidence that the information she had found would change anybody's mind.

She had gotten a headache from squinting at the letters and diary notes she had found in the suitcase, but she'd got more than that, too - deep in those barely legible pages she had learned the secrets of Swedish Creek. Unfortunately, the real story of how the feud had started wasn't the earth-shattering revelation she had hoped for. In fact, it was pretty underwhelming. It had less drama than when Mel had parked in Sabina's spot at the farmer's market.

The inciting incident that had led to a century-long battle of wills between the Engbergs and the Vergers... had not been caused by any member of either family at all. Her family had not diverted the stream as Joan had claimed. And while the Vergers did eventually move the fence illegally, that hadn't been until years later.

The real thing that had started this whole family feud? One year it had rained more than normal, and as a result, the stream that had formed the border between their properties had changed course.

Even though she had seen evidence confirming her suspicions that neither family's story about the source of the feud was true, she still found it hard to shake a lifetime of believing that their hatred was justified. How was she going to convince her whole family, not to mention the Vergers, that the past hundred years of antagonism had been for nothing?

Her parents, who thought they were here at the restaurant to celebrate Sabina before she left for university, were oblivious to her nerves. Cousin Wyatt was already looking at the menu on his phone so intently that he nearly walked right into several tables.

"This is a nice place," Mom said.

Dad smiled. "Great choice, Bina."

"I can't believe they have so many vegan options," Wyatt said.

With its floral arrangements on every surface and upscale farm-to-table vibe, the restaurant wasn't the sort of place Sabina's family often ate. If she couldn't pull off this miracle, she hoped the luxe setting might at least prevent any more embarrassing shenanigans like the Three-Legged Showdown.

The host led them from the air-conditioned indoor restaurant out onto a patio splashed with rich evening sun. "And here you are!" With a smile, he gestured to a long table set for twelve.

"Oh, I think there's been a mistake," Mom said. "Our group is only six people."

"No, this is right," Sabina put in before that pinch in the host's brow turned into questions. "I invited a few other people."

"I see." Mom tucked a loose curl behind her ear. "I didn't realize you were inviting friends. Well, that's lovely!"

Sabina didn't correct her. She felt guilty lying to her parents, but the ruse would end as soon as the Vergers arrived.