by Lucinda Race
“What else?”
Jack balled his fist and rested it on his leg. He knew what she meant now. “Your son, Peyton. It’s not that I don’t ever think about what happened to you, but it doesn’t define who you are or who Owen is.”
Slowly she nodded and looked at him, her gaze steady. “Thank you.”
“You have nothing to thank me for. It’s how I feel. I would do anything for either of you.”
Peyton took his hand.
“Can I consider that a yes? Are you ready to go out with me?”
“Yes, but can I ask you one question?”
“Of course. Anything.”
“When Don told me about the changes for the tasting room, I wondered if I got the promotion because you pulled some strings.”
“Peyton…” He waited until she looked into his eyes. “You’ve been around my family’s business a long time. Have you ever seen anyone be handed a promotion just because? Everyone earns their place in the organization, even if you’re a Price.”
She grasped his hands tighter. “I really did get it because sales are up over thirty percent?”
He beamed. “Yes, you nut. You’re a natural salesperson and shame on Don for taking so long to tell you.” He brushed her hair from her face. “Besides, if push came to shove, Don might choose you over me. You’re much prettier and you can sell sand in the desert.”
She sighed. “You say the sweetest things.” She leaned into the crook of his arm and rested the back of her head against his chest, gazing up at the stars. “This brings back memories of sitting on this bench, doing this very same thing a long time ago.”
He dropped his voice. “Those nights always ended with a good-night kiss.”
She eased away and turned her head so that she could look in his eyes. “A spark is not a fire, Jack.”
“Understood.”
She settled back into his arms. “But this is nice.” As far as she was concerned, they could sit like this all night. It was just about perfect. “So you haven’t said. When do you want to have dinner?”
“Is tomorrow night too soon?” he asked.
“I think that can be arranged.”
She could hear the smile in his voice. They were falling back into an easiness that she’d missed but wasn’t going to take for granted. Not this time.
9
“Shoot.” Peyton fished her pearl earring out of the sink and tried to stick the post through the hole in her earlobe. Last night, sitting under the stars, it had been a great idea to have dinner with Jack, but tonight her hand was shaking with nerves, making it tough to line up the earring and the hole. Thank heavens she’d closed the drain before fussing with her earrings.
She shouldn’t be nervous. Jack had agreed they would take things slow. She’d offer to pay for her own meal just to keep them in an easy-breezy kind of relationship. But it didn’t make her nerves lessen. After all, this was Jack.
“Damn it!” She finally pushed the post through the hole and secured the back.
“Mom?” The door to the bathroom creaked open.
The sad hitch in her little boy’s voice made her heart skip and she dropped to one knee and pulled the door wide open. “Hey, Owen. I thought you were helping Grammie make a salad.”
His lower lip quivered. He covered his eyes with the back of his hand. Softly he asked, “How come I can’t go out with you and Jack tonight?”
She eased his hand away from his eyes and tilted his chin up. She brushed a lock of blond hair off his forehead, mentally adding the barber to her never-ending list of to-do items. “Buddy, it’s grown-up time tonight.”
His deep brown eyes locked on hers. “I promise I’ll be good. I won’t even ask for dessert.”
Peyton smothered a laugh. He was so darn cute that she wanted to say yes, but this was the first time she had been on an important date in years. He had never known when she dated anyone else. And much to her surprise, she was looking forward to having dinner with Jack. Just Jack. He had been one of her best friends since childhood, her first love, and he’d been angling to take her on a date for the last couple of years. He had been moving slowly just to get her comfortable with him as a friend; it had taken all this time. But recently something had changed. Was it seeing him help out with the kids’ baseball team?
“The next time Jack and I go someplace fun, you can go too.” She tousled his hair. “Okay?”
He nodded as she studied his face. Kicking at the area rug with his bright-blue sneakers, he asked in a small voice laced with hope, “Is Jack gonna be my dad?”
She sank to the floor, heedless of her dark-blue pencil skirt, and pulled him into her lap. Kissing his cheek and holding him close, she said, “Jack and I are good friends.”
Solemnly, he said, “But all my friends at school have a dad and I don’t, and Jack is fun and he likes kids. I can tell.”
She turned so she could look into his eyes. So far, she had been lucky. Her little boy hadn’t pushed the issue of having a dad, but heck, she knew it would only be a matter of time until the subject came up.
“Owen, I have a lot of fun with Jack, like you do with your school friends. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
He nodded and dropped his chin. “I guess so,” he mumbled into his chest.
Peyton eased him into a standing position and got up to her feet. She hugged him tight against her body. “You’re going to have a lot of fun tonight with Grammie and Grampy, and you won’t even know I’m gone.”
He brightened. “I’m going to ask Grammie if we can have ice cream for dessert.” He dashed from the room before Peyton could respond.
She straightened her skirt. Looking in the mirror, she shook her head. This outfit is all wrong. I look like I’m going into an office rather than out for dinner with a handsome blond man with golden-hazel eyes that make my knees weak.
She marched into her bedroom and flung open the closet doors. After pushing garments across the rod, she pulled out a purple floral dress with a scoop neckline. It was a simple A-line style that flowed over her curves. Being petite never bothered her; she could wear heels whenever she wanted to. With a laugh, she thought, who was she kidding? She never had a reason to wear high-heeled strappy sandals. Tonight was an exception.
She shimmied out of the skirt and blouse, tossed them aside, and slipped the dress over her head. She looked in the mirror and was satisfied. Now she looked like she was going on a date.
* * *
Jack parked his truck in Peyton’s parents’ driveway. He felt like a bumbling teenager all over again. Thank heavens he hadn’t got a zit or some other weird flashback. His jangling nerves reminded him of the first time he picked her up for a date, a guy who hadn’t grown into his arms and legs. He’d had braces and yes, a zit smack-dab in the middle of his forehead. Peyton was the only girl who had captured his heart. Finally, he was getting a second chance to take her out again, just the two of them.
He checked the rearview mirror to make sure his hair had stayed in place. He wanted to get a haircut, but a few weeks ago in passing, Peyton had mentioned she liked it a little longer, so he had bought some hairspray to keep it under control. He smiled to himself. Who would have thought he’d voluntarily use a haircare product? There had to be a better way to control it or maybe he’d just cut it off again; it was cooler working in the vines.
He closed the truck door. Owen was standing on the top step of the porch. It was wide and wrapped around three sides of the old white farmhouse. Jack held up his hand in greeting. “Hey, sport.”
Owen came hopping down the steps, making sure his feet thudded on each one as he made his way to the driveway. “Hi, Jack.” Owen squinted up at him. “Mom’s still in the bathroom.”
Jack smiled. “She is?” He couldn’t help but wonder if she was as nervous as he was.
“Uh-huh.”
“Well, I’m sure she’ll be out soon.”
“Mom said that maybe next time you take her someplace fun, I can come too.�
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Jack knelt down to the boy’s level. “I’ll talk to her tonight and we’ll make definite plans. Maybe you’d like to go fishing on my boat again, just the three of us. How does that sound?”
To see Owen’s face light up made him happy. He was a good kid. He had his grandfather, but he needed someone else to do guy things with. “Remember Mom doesn’t like to put worms on the hook?”
“I can help your mom while you catch the big one.”
The sound of a throat clearing caused Jack and Owen to look up.
Jack’s mouth went dry. Peyton was standing on the porch. His gaze drank her in like a man thirsty from time spent in a desert: high-heeled sandals, knee-grazing dress… He stopped at her face, framed by deep-brown hair highlighted with streaks of reddish gold. If she was nervous, it didn’t show in her soft brown eyes.
“Mommy, you look so pretty.” Owen looked up at Jack, his eyes shining.
“Peyton.” He took a step forward. “You’re beautiful.”
Her musical laugh ratcheted up the pounding of his heart. “Thanks, Jack. You clean up pretty good yourself. The last time I saw you at work, you were covered in grease.”
He shrugged with a grin. “The joys of being head of operations and maintenance. You tend to wear the job some days.”
Peyton pointed to the door. “Son, time to go inside.”
He dashed up the stairs, stopping midway, and turned to Jack. “You won’t forget about going fishing again, will you?”
“Not a chance, sport.”
He gave Jack a little wave. “See you later.”
Peyton bent over to kiss Owen’s cheek and then held open the screen door. She looked him in the eye. “You be good for Grammie, okay?”
He flung his arms around her neck. She whispered in his ear and he nodded.
As if on cue, Peyton’s mom stepped into the doorway. “Hi, Jack. I didn’t hear your truck pull in.”
“Hi, Mary. It’s good to see you again.” He smiled at the boy. “Owen must have been watching for me. He was outside the moment I pulled in.”
Mary smiled and mussed Owen’s hair. “You’re all he’s talked about for the last half hour.” She grinned at Jack. “You’ve got quite the fan.”
“Bye, Mom.” Owen zipped inside.
“I’d better go. There’s no telling what mischief he’ll get into.” Mary kissed Peyton’s cheek. “Have fun, you two, and don’t worry about a thing.” She winked at Peyton. “Stay out as late as you want.” She let the door bang behind her.
Jack watched as color flushed Peyton’s cheeks. He thought it was cute her mother could still embarrass her. “Thanks,” he called after her.
Peyton shook her head. A smile twitched her lips. “I’m sorry about that.”
“Don’t be. My mom would have said something similar if the shoe was on the other foot.”
“I need to grab my purse. Two seconds.” She went inside.
Jack took the stairs two at a time. He thought it might be a good idea if he held her hand while she came down the stairs in those shoes. Heck, who am I kidding? It’s just a good excuse to hold her hand.
Peyton came outside and gave him a heart-stopping smile. “I’m ready.”
If she was surprised he’d met her at the door, she didn’t indicate. He held out his hand and she placed hers in his callused one.
“What’s the plan for the evening?” She glanced down. “Am I dressed okay?”
“You look fantastic.” They made their way down the stairs, holding hands like it was the most natural thing in the world. “I thought we’d have dinner in town at La Fontaine’s and then go out by the lake and sit and talk. There’s supposed to be a full moon tonight.”
She tensed momentarily. “That sounds nice.” Her voice was soft.
“We can do something else after dinner if you’d prefer.” He knew she loved the lake. She had taken Owen swimming a couple of times last summer with his family. But her low-key reaction wasn’t what he had expected.
She straightened her shoulders. “We can go to the lake. It’s fine.”
He heard the hesitation in her voice. “If you’re worried you’ll be cold…”
She wouldn’t look at him. “No, not at all. It’s just that, well, I try not to be at the lake after dark.”
Jack could sense her withdrawal. What the hell had he said? “No, it’s fine. Let’s just go for a drive and have a drink somewhere.” What was wrong with him? He had just put a damper on their date before they even pulled out of the driveway.
She placed her hand on his arm before he could open the passenger door. “Jack, I haven’t been at the lake after dark in nine years.”
His heart dropped. He was an idiot. “We’ll find something else to do after dinner.” He gave her a half-hearted smile and opened the truck door. After helping her in, he walked around to the driver’s side, berating himself for reminding her of the worst moment of her life. He got in and buckled up.
As the truck rumbled, she said, “Jack?”
He swung his gaze to her. He loved the curve of her cheek and the dimples that appeared when she smiled.
“You know I hid what happened to me, from everyone, for a long time. It has taken years to come to terms with being drugged and raped. But after a lot of hard work with my therapist, I’m good.” She tipped her head slightly. “Maybe tonight would be a good time to drive to the lake. As long as you’re with me, I know there’s nothing out there that will hurt me.”
She stretched out her hand and he took it. He held on and hoped to reassure her she was safe. “Peyton, I’m never going to ask you to do anything you don’t want to do. Not tonight, not ever.”
She dropped her eyes to his lips before giving him a small smile. “I’ve known you my entire life and I trust you. Which is why tonight may be the right time to lay a ghost to rest.”
He lifted her hand to his lips and grazed her soft skin. “We don’t have to talk about what happens after dinner. Let’s just enjoy a leisurely meal and see where the night takes us.”
Peyton’s dimples slowly emerged. “That sounds nice.”
10
Out of the corner of her eye, Peyton watched the sinking sun highlight Jack’s profile. His high cheekbones and strong jawline were softened by his hazel eyes, and those deep killer dimples caused her heart to quicken when he grinned. Tonight, he had a dusting of whiskers. She preferred him clean shaven. But if she were being honest, he was smoking hot and still made her pulse race. It had been this way since she was sixteen.
She wanted to pinch herself. After all these years, they were actually on a date again. He had been so supportive when she finally told him what had happened that summer eight years ago. Since sharing her nightmare, something good had come from it all. She had kept it a secret for so long but when the truth had come out, she had the never-ending support of her parents and friends.
“Look at the vines.” Jack interrupted her train of thought as if he sensed she was going to a grim place. “They’re loaded with clusters of flowers. It should be a good harvest as long as the weather holds.”
“That old saying holds true; April showers bring May flowers.” They drove past acre after acre of Price family land planted with grape vines, old and new.
“Has Anna told you about the new blended wine she’s working on in France?” she asked.
Peyton admired Anna. She knew grapes better than anyone she had ever met and seemed to have the magic touch when it came to blending juices for fun, unpretentious wines as well as the classics. Even now, she and her fiancé Colin were living in France to create two new blends as a joint venture with Marchand Winery.
“She definitely has a knack. Her last summer blend sold out before we had even finished bottling it.”
Peyton laughed. “That’s a slight exaggeration. But as soon as the tasting room opened in February, we were out.”
He gave her a sidelong glance. “You had something to do with that. Kate knew what she was doing when she asked
you to organize the Valentine-themed tasting. Setting it up outside next to the bonfire was a great idea and a huge hit.”
“I’m not a real event coordinator. Liza is, and she’ll handle future events.” She could feel her cheeks grow warm under his praise. “Besides, it was Kate’s food. All I did was set up a table, pour wine, and of course light the kindling. Thank goodness it was a sunny day; people were happy to be outside after the deep-freeze cold snap we had.”
“You’re being modest.” He took her hand from the console. “You planned, advertised, and consulted with our resident chef to select just the right appetizers. I’d say you did more than just pour wine.”
“Well, thank you.” She laced her fingers with his. “You’re pretty good at boosting morale, boss.”
“Now, there is only one boss at CLW, and that’s Don.” She could see his eyes sparkle.
“Is he really thinking of changing the name from Crescent Lake Winery to CL Winery?”
“Nah. He just says that kind of stuff to get Dad riled up. You know how the old man gets. The Price kids messing with his real baby, the winery.”
“Speaking of your dad, how’s he feeling? Has he had any more issues with his heart?” Peyton didn’t let go of Jack’s hand as they entered the charming town of Crescent Lake.
He slowed and put on his blinker. “Are you kidding? Mom keeps after him about what he eats, drinks, and how much he exercises, and even goes with him to doctor appointments. There’s no way he would even think of getting sick again.” He eased into an open parking space a short distance from the restaurant. “After all, Mom would kill him if he did.”
She squeezed his hand before she released it. “Your mom is a sweet lady and she really loves your dad.”
“Did you know they went to grade school all through high school together? But it was after college that they started dating. The rest is history.” He grew serious. “When we came close to losing him, I was more worried about Mom than Dad. He’s her world, and to lose him would be the one thing she just wasn’t ready to deal with.” His finger slid down Peyton’s arm. “Someday I hope to have that kind of a relationship. After watching my parents, I know what it takes to make a marriage work for the long haul.”
