by Lucinda Race
She turned the corner. In her driveway was Colin’s car, the man himself leaning against the driver’s door. No time like the present. She jogged across the dew-covered grass, unable to see his eyes. They were covered with dark sunglasses, but his smile said it all. He was happy to see her.
“Hey, you. You’re early.” She leaned in and gave him a lingering kiss.
“I hope it’s okay I came over early.” He slipped his arms around her and pulled her close while he brushed at the strands of hair that had escaped her ponytail. “I thought we could have coffee together before we meet up with Marie.”
“Why don’t you make coffee while I shower, and we can sit out back and have quiet time before we jump into the rest of the day.” She stood on her toes and kissed him.
“I can do that.”
Arm in arm, they walked up the wide front steps. It felt so natural and comfortable to just be in the moment. She’d bring up dinner with her parents and France over coffee.
She gave him a kiss on the cheek. “You know where everything is in the kitchen. I won’t be long.”
“Take your time. We don’t tee off for a couple of hours.”
She could feel him watching her as she climbed the stairs. Smiling, she closed the bedroom door behind her.
Colin shook his head as he watched Anna close the door to her bedroom. He would like to have followed her but there was a time for everything and besides, in his book, she hadn’t given a clear indication that he was invited. Or was the flirty kiss and wink an invitation and he’d missed it?
He put together a small pot of coffee. No sense in brewing more than they’d drink. He selected two large mugs from the cabinet, set out the cream and sugar, and then turned on some soft jazz. From past experience, he knew the music could be heard in the rest of the house, including the back deck. Anna had done an amazing job with the remodel of her home. If they were to make their relationship permanent, could they start over in a place they purchased together, or settle here? He could see himself living here with Anna. His house had zero personality and it was too noisy. It was an investment instead of paying rent. I’m getting ahead of myself. We’re not ready to make long-term plans. At least, not yet, but the time will come. Of that, I’m certain.
The sound of footsteps crossing the hall made him look up. His breath caught. Her hair was damp and falling around her face. She wore her usual touch of makeup, just enough to enhance her eyes and lips. His eyes trailed down the length of her. She wore a light-purple top with matching plaid shorts. Her feet were bare and today her toenails were a deep-lavender color.
“Coffee smells delicious.”
He swallowed hard. “You look nice.”
With a throaty laugh, she said, “Wow. Don’t overwhelm me with flowery words like I look beautiful or great or hot.”
In two long strides, he was in front of her. His mouth claimed hers. As his lips trailed down her neck, he murmured, “You’re smoking.”
This time, she laughed harder. Putting her hands on his shoulders, she put distance between them.
“If we start that, I won’t want to go anywhere anytime soon and you promised Marie we’d meet her. Besides, there’s something I need to talk to you about.”
“I can see where making plans with Marie was a mistake.”
She eased away from him. As she did, her finger trailed down his face and across his chest.
“You promised me coffee too.”
“It just so happens I was waiting on you and now that you’re here, I’ll pour a mug and as promised, we can sit and plan our strategy for winning today against my sister.”
Anna added a spoonful of sugar and a splash of cream to her mug and held it out for Colin to add the coffee.
“Is she bringing Drew?” She took a tiny sip.
“Doubtful. I don’t think he plays often, and Ginny is pretty good, so my guess is she’s our fourth.”
They strolled out to the back deck. Anna ran a hand through her hair, fanning it out as it continued to dry.
They sat in the two cushioned lounge chairs.
“What a perfect day.” She tilted her head back and let the sun wash over her face. “Hmm.”
“Do you always have weekends off?”
She gave him a sidelong look. “Unless we’re harvesting or it’s crush time. There are weekends I help out in the tasting room or the café.”
“Before me, did you spend more time at CLW on the weekends?” He was curious how much her life had changed since they started dating.
“More or less.”
He looked at her over the rim of the mug. “I wouldn’t mind helping out occasionally if you needed to be there.”
She looked at him. He wasn’t sure what was going on in her head. “Be careful what you volunteer to do. The winery is like a needy child sometimes. The more you give, the more it takes.”
“It would be worth it to be with you.” He set his coffee down on the table and got up. She moved her legs so he could sit on the edge of her chair.
“You have an important career and hanging out at the winery on your days off wouldn’t give you any time to relax,” she said. “How about we save trips to the winery for fun stuff only.”
“I’m not saying I’d want to spend every free moment working at the winery, but I know how important the business is to you and your family. As long as we’re doing it together”—he took her hand—“and you teach me everything you know”—he gave her a cheeky grin—“I’m happy to pitch in.”
“You might be sorry you brought this subject up. Especially if you tell my folks. They thrive on turning people into wine nuts.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” He took her chin in his hand. His eyes twinkled. “I can promise you that I will never ask you to help out at the hospital.”
Anna grinned and fanned herself with her hand. “Whew. I was getting kinda worried. I’m not really keen on the whole blood thing.” She picked up her mug. “Speaking of which, do you see a lot of blood?”
“No, not really. I mean I’ll look at incisions for healing but it’s not like I’m in an operating room or the ER. I’m involved in looking at test results, working with patients on cardiac rehab, and the two doctors I work under are both top in their field and my case load is full.”
She ran her hand over his well-trimmed beard. “I love your face.”
He kissed the palm of her hand. “Thanks.”
“There’s something I need to talk to you about.”
“Sure. What’s on your mind?” He laced his fingers with hers.
She stalled.
Quietly, he said, “The best place to start is at the beginning.”
“Do you remember Henri Marchand? We met him at the wine conference in London?”
“I do.”
“He called me yesterday.”
Colin waited for her to continue. His heart gave a thud in his chest.
“He asked if I’d be interested in going to his winery in France and working with his daughter, mentoring her in how to blend different juice into good wine.”
He grinned. “That’s great news. You get to go to France and work in a prestigious winery. How exciting is that?”
“It is. Apparently, Sophia’s interested in working with me after she attended my lecture. She’s grown up in the business like I have, but she could use a different perspective to really take charge of the winery. Sometimes it’s hard being part of the family, especially if people don’t take you seriously.”
“You speak from experience.”
“It was only recently I realized how far into our business I’m entrenched. I knew I was a part, but I had no idea, until I met people in London, how critical what I do is to the success of our wines. I’ve always dreamed of being recognized for my work, and going to London showed me that I was doing a good job. Dad said there is a way to work things out with my work here, but he firmly believes I must consider this opportunity, as it could benefit CLW as well as me.”
His
heart sunk in his chest and he pulled her into a one-armed hug. “I’m very proud of you.” He swallowed the lump in his throat. “When do you leave?”
“I have to call Henri with my decision next week, and the gig is for a year.”
His heart dropped to his feet and he took time to digest the information. “Yeah, we can make it work.” His forehead wrinkled. “But an entire year.” He shook his head.
“My parents asked us to dinner tonight. David will be there; would you mind if we went? I’d like to hear firsthand what his reaction is when Dad proposes a joint venture too.”
His mouth gaped open. “Is this how the winery business works, with some subterfuge and keeping the enemy close?” He rubbed his hand over his face. He got up and crossed the deck.
* * *
“Colin, are you going to change your mind about me going?”
“Not at all.” He turned to her. “It’s still an amazing opportunity and I know you’ve been searching for something to put your mark on. What about the after-school program?”
“I’ll talk to Ms. Kelley.”
“You’ve made up your mind to go.” It wasn’t a question but a statement. “Do you want us to break up?”
“No. I love you.” She rushed to him. “And the last thing I want is to lose you.”
He slid an arm around her waist. “I love you too. Our relationship can withstand a few thousand miles between us. But do you think it would be possible to carve out time every couple of months to meet someplace? We could see Europe together while you’re there.”
She slipped her arms around his neck and held him tight. “I’d love to explore the world with you.” She kissed him full on the mouth. “A year isn’t that long, either. But do you have enough vacation time to do that?”
He looked into her eyes as if he were trying to memorize the soft brown pools. “One good thing about working in a hospital is you bank vacation time for the hours you work. I’ve never been one to take a lot of time off, so I’ve got hours saved up.”
She wrapped her arms around him, holding him tight. Her life couldn’t be any better than it was at this moment. She had the man and now she was going to have an unbelievable career opportunity. “This will work. You’ll see.” Who was she trying to convince, Colin or herself?
* * *
He’d be content to spend all day right here on this deck with her in his arms.
“Then let’s go play golf with Marie and tell her we’ll have dinner with her tomorrow night. Loser is buying.”
She lifted her head. “You know I intend to win, so you’d better bring your A game.”
He stroked her hair away from her face. “I never plan on losing, and you’ll hold your own in this foursome.” He pecked her lips. “Ready, champ?”
“Can we stay right where we are for five more minutes?”
He answered her by tilting up her face for a long, lingering kiss.
30
Anna waved to Marie and Ginny from the parking lot as they unloaded their golf clubs. “Hey there. We’ll only be a minute.”
“No rush; take your time. We’re behind a couple of foursomes who are waiting to tee off.” Marie leaned over the wheel in their cart. “And we’re not in a rush.”
Colin and Anna added the clubs to the back of their cart and Marie and Ginny walked over.
“Hi, Ginny,” Anna said. “It’s nice to see you again. I hope Marie told you I’ve only played once so far, and it was nine holes.”
“Not to worry; we’re playing best ball.”
Anna’s forehead wrinkled. “What’s that?”
Colin said, “Whoever’s ball lands closest to the pin is the ball we play for each hole.”
“Well, then we’ll be playing your ball.”
Marie laughed. “That’s not what I heard. You’ve got a nice swing and some ladies’ tees have a huge advantage.”
She wished the butterfly tornado in her stomach would settle down. “I hope I don’t whiff the ball on the tee.”
“You won’t,” Colin reassured her. “Do you want to drive?”
She wiggled her eyebrows and slightly tipped her head to one side. “Do I have a speed limit?”
“Yes. These little electric carts are fun to drive, and it’s surprising how much gumption they have.”
“Then yes. I’ll drive.” She slid across the bench seat behind the steering wheel. She patted the copilot spot and smiled at Marie and Ginny. “I hear there is a friendly wager on this round?”
Marie pointed to Colin. “Blame him. He’s competitive.”
“I’m a handicap for the poor guy.”
Marie adjusted her hat and sunglasses. “From what I hear, you’re a natural, but”—she glanced at Ginny, who nodded—“you can take all the mulligans you need.”
“Huh?”
“Do-overs. Like if you whiff the ball or something, you can do it again with no penalty,” Ginny explained.
“That’s really nice, but it hardly seems fair.”
“Don’t worry, Anna. This is a friendly game, but my brother has the added pressure of winning against me.” She wagged her finger at Colin. “I’ve got my eye on you, bro.”
He nodded. “Right back at ya.”
The two carts zipped to the first tee and they waited for the group in front of them to get off.
Anna placed a hand on Colin’s thigh. “I don’t want to be the reason you lose the bet.”
He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. “Win or lose, I’ll buy dinner. It’s just to keep Marie on her toes. She wants to play in a professional-amateur tournament at the end of the season and I’ve found this is the best way to keep her focused on her game.”
“Does she know you have an ulterior motive?”
“I don’t think so. But I’m guessing Ginny’s figured it out. After I proposed the bet, she gave me a wink.”
“She seems nice.”
“She is, and she really cares about Marie. Which is all I want. I like my sister surrounded by good people.”
Marie’s cart inched ahead in front of them.
“You’re a good brother, and I should know—I’ve got three of them, and they’d move heaven and earth for one of us girls.”
“I knew you’d understand.” He pointed toward the tee box. “Ready to get this party underway?”
“Ready as I’ll ever be.” She depressed the pedal and the cart lurched forward to park on the cart path. With a laugh, she said, “I hope I drive the ball better than I can drive the cart.”
“Darlin’, have fun. That’s all that matters, and remember we’re here to relax and forget about any decisions that have to be made. There’s plenty of time for that later.”
Anna and Colin made dinner plans with Marie and Ginny for another night, and now she was ready to get dinner with her parents over with. She was not looking forward to seeing David. He grated on her nerves.
As they arrived at her parents’ house, Anna said, “I’m not sure what David’s end game is, but Dad felt it was important to have dinner together.” She looked at Colin when he turned the car off. “Ready?”
“I know you can’t stand this guy, and frankly I can’t either, but I’m curious why you would consider working with him. What he did, going around your father and trying to get you to support his idea, was underhanded since technically Sam’s the owner.”
“I won’t be working with David but CLW and Marchand. My father can handle all the Davids of the world. He’s very savvy.”
The warm night air held a hint of rain and Anna looked at the sky. “Look at the clouds. If we get lucky, it’ll rain all night. The land is a little dry for this time of year.”
“Are you a storm watcher too?” He slung his arm around her shoulders as they walked to the back door.
“All part of the job.” She stood on tiptoes and kissed his cheek.
When they walked into the house, David and her parents were on the back deck. The lush greenery gave her a flash of pride. She was a part of what was ha
ppening out there, and her heart was heavy just thinking of leaving.
“Hello, everyone. Sorry we didn’t get here earlier, but Colin and I played golf today and the course was busy.”
Mom gave them a welcoming smile. “You’re just in time.”
Anna knew that wasn’t true since they were about fifteen minutes late.
Colin shook her dad’s hand. “Hi, Sam. How are you feeling?”
“Better than ever.” He returned the hearty shake and offered introductions.
Anna noticed David’s surprise when Dad introduced Colin as her boyfriend.
He rose and kissed her cheeks and shook Colin’s hand. “A pleasure to see you, Anna, and I had the pleasure of meeting Colin in England, but I thought you worked for CLW.”
“That’s right, you did. Colin is a nurse practitioner.” Anna could swear she saw Dad’s eyes twinkle. She gestured for David to take a seat and she and Colin got comfortable on the love seat. Mom handed them each a glass of pinot noir.
David raised his glass. “If I may make a toast.”
Dad inclined his head for him to continue.
“To new friends and a bright future.”
They tapped glasses around the group and Anna sipped the velvety wine. “This is the 2015?”
Dad beamed. “See, David. She knows her wine.”
Colin casually draped his arm around her and said, “It is one of my favorites.”
She smothered a grin. Tonight was going to be interesting.
“It is an excellent vintage, Anna, and my father was right to ask you to join Marchand temporarily and impart your technique to Sophia. My sister is good but under your tutelage, she can become even better.”
“Thank you for the kind compliment. I hope Sophia does find some new nuggets in my process that will help her.”
“Sam, I am curious. Did you ever have a moment’s hesitation about selling me Crescent Lake?” David studied him with an intensity that Anna found off-putting. Was he hoping Dad would suddenly say he had changed his mind?
