Blush, Book 3 the Crescent Lake Winery

by Lucinda Race

  “I can’t help but wonder if you should keep Owen and me at arm’s length.”

  He could feel his face scrunch up. “I’m not following you. Why would I want to put distance between us?”

  “To protect you.” Or was she protecting herself from exposing her vulnerable side to Jack for a second time?

  “Sweetheart, can you be more direct?” He wanted to pull her into his arms, but on a deeper level, he knew she had to get this off her chest and put it to rest forever.

  “Will Owen be a constant reminder to you about what happened to me?” She lifted her head, her eyes bright with unshed tears.

  He put her glass aside and held her hands. “Sweetheart…” They were ice cold. Rubbing them together with his, Jack said softly, “Look at me.”

  Peyton averted her eyes.

  “Please.”

  Slowly, her eyes met his.

  “I want you to hear what I’m about to say and never for one single second forget these words.” He gave her a look that was intense and unflinching. “I love you, Peyton. I have loved you for longer than you realize. Every day, it deepens and my heart expands a little more than the day before. I love Owen. I would lay down my life to protect either of you from anything or anyone.”

  He watched as her eyes grew wide. She blinked and the tears that hovered in her lower lashes slipped down her cheeks. “You love us?”

  He withdrew one hand and, using his thumb, wiped her face. He smiled. “Yes. I do.”

  “But what about—”

  He cut her off. “I know what you’re going to ask and you have nothing, absolutely nothing to worry about. There is not one person in my family who doesn’t see how happy I am with you. And believe me, in this family, you can’t hide anything, especially if you wanted to. And Owen is your son. That’s all anyone needs to know.”

  Peyton bent forward. She whispered, “I love you too, Jackson, with all my heart.”

  He groaned. “Now I know I’m in trouble.” He gathered her in his arms and said, “This is the real deal, Peyton. I have never felt about anyone the way I feel about you.”

  “Me either.”

  He kissed her lips and then said, “Is it too soon to tell you this is the ‘grow old with me’ kind of love?”

  She placed a finger across his lips. “Can we table that part of this conversation for a little while?”

  He chuckled as his heart thudded in his chest. “We can wait as long as you need. On one condition.”

  “Oh yeah?” Her voice held that sweet teasing tone that drove him wild. “And what’s that?”

  “You tell me what you want to do on our next romantic date.”

  A slow, sexy smile filled her face. “As long as I spend it alone with you, every night is special.”

  He was surprised. Out of all the possibilities she could have asked for, she had said something so sweet. “Then I’ll plan something amazing.”

  She pulled him in for a kiss and shivered.

  “Are you cold?”

  “No.” A devilish look came into her eyes.

  He would love her always. His kiss was his unspoken promise.

  * * *

  Jack and Peyton strolled to the truck, arms intertwined.

  He kissed the top of her head. “Remember, you can depend on me for anything and everything.”

  “I know, Jack. Trust me, I know.”

  The drive to Peyton’s house went by fast, but when he pulled into her driveway, she noticed he kept the engine running as if it were a signal. She cupped his cheek in her hand and pulled him in for a tender good-night kiss. “I had fun tonight.”

  “Me too. Let’s have our special date night very soon. I can’t wait to be alone with you again.”

  Her heart fluttered. She was already looking forward to it. “Definitely.” Her lips hovered over his. “Good night, and text me when you get home.”

  “I’ll walk you up.”

  She grinned. “That means we’ll end up sitting on the porch and neither of us will get any sleep.”

  He gave her a slow come-with-me smile. “Not a bad way to spend the rest of the night.”

  She gave him one long, lingering kiss and then said, “That should hold you for a few hours.”

  She hopped out of the truck and ran up the stairs, blowing him a kiss from the doorway. She smiled into the darkness as he drove away. Oh, how she loved that man.

  25

  Some days, everything just seemed to fall into place. It had been over a month since Jack and Peyton had taken the boys bowling and today Jack watched Owen jumping on and off the swing and zipping down the slide in the backyard at the Briens’ house. Peyton had her feet up and was enjoying a glass of wine while he manned the grill. Ken and Mary were coming out to join the party. Mary was carrying a tray of sliced vegetables and Ken had a bowl of what looked like potato salad. There was nothing like an impromptu family get-together.

  Jack wanted to get Ken and Mary alone for a few minutes. As if sensing something, Peyton smiled at Jack and then looked at Owen. “Young man, sit your butt on the slide—you’re not going to run down it.”

  Mary took the tongs from his hands. “Why don’t you join Peyton and I’ll watch the chicken?”

  He glanced at Ken. He dropped his voice low. “Actually, I wanted to talk to you and your husband. Alone.”

  Her eyes sparkled with curiosity. “Talk to Ken. He’ll fill me in later.” She nodded toward the house. “Go on now.”

  Jack turned. “Ken, Mary’s asked if we can go look for something for her in the kitchen.”

  A flash of surprise slipped over his face until he saw Mary surreptitiously place a finger to her lips. “Oh, right. Yeah.”

  Peyton began to get up. “I’ll help you, Dad.”

  A bead of sweat trickled down Jack’s spine. He was really doing this. “You sit and relax. I’ll help your dad.”

  Before she could get up, Jack followed Ken inside and firmly shut the door behind him.

  “Let’s go out to the front porch.”

  Ken chuckled under his breath. “This is going to be interesting.”

  Jack was nervous. They stepped on the front porch and Ken closed the door behind them, effectively blocking their conversation from Peyton. Ken sat down in a wicker chair and patted the arm of its companion. “Have a seat and tell me what’s on your mind.”

  He paced in front of the chairs. Clasping his hands together, his knuckles went white.

  “Jack, you’re acting like you’re picking my daughter up for a first date.”

  “Well, I’ve never done this before.”

  Ken folded his arms over his chest and leaned back. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. Was he enjoying Jack’s discomfort? “Go on.”

  The man was not making this conversation any easier. Jack cleared his throat. “I had wanted to talk to you and Mary, but I didn’t see any way to get the two of you alone without your daughter getting suspicious.” He swallowed hard. “I’m in love with Peyton.”

  “We know you are. It’s as plain as the sun in the sky.”

  “And I’d like you to know I plan to ask her to marry me and to adopt Owen.”

  Now Ken leaned forward, his eyes steady on Jack. “I know you’ll be a good husband to my daughter, but do you love my grandson as a father loves his son?”

  Nodding, Jack said, “I do. He’s a terrific kid and I think of him as mine already. I want us to have a couple more kids, if that’s what Peyton wants too. You know I come from a big family and I’ve always wanted to have lots of kids.”

  Ken leaned back and crossed his legs. With a slow smile, he said, “I’m glad to hear you say that.”

  “Does this mean you’ll be happy for us?” Jack held his breath. He was determined to marry Peyton. But he really wanted her parents to be happy too.

  Ken chuckled and shook his head. “Of course we will. Mary and I can see how much you love Peyton and Owen. We’ll be proud to call you our son.”

  Jack could feel
his face relax into a grin. “Great. I don’t know when I’ll propose, but can you keep this between us and Mary for now?”

  “Absolutely, and thanks for giving us a heads-up.” He opened the front door but before walking inside the house, he said, “Have you bought the ring?”

  “Not yet. That’s my next step.”

  “I’m sure Mary can help you with the size. That way, it will be perfect for Peyton the moment you propose.”

  “That’s a great idea. Thanks.”

  Ken clapped him on the back. “We men need to stick together.”

  He grinned. He couldn’t wait to buy the perfect ring and pop the question.

  * * *

  The family was sitting at the picnic table when Owen said, “Hey, Jack, do you want to go with me and Mom when I meet my teacher and see my classroom before school starts up?”

  “That sounds great, champ. Are you looking forward to school?”

  “Yup, and I’ll get to see all my friends and tell them all about fishing and stuff we did this summer.”

  He had barbeque sauce smeared across his cheeks, and Peyton pointed to his napkin. “Wipe your face, please.”

  “Mom said I can get a new book bag too. I’m gonna get Spider-Man.”

  Jack smiled. “Would you mind if I tagged along for your back-to-school shopping trip? Maybe we can go out to dinner at that pizza place with the arcade afterward.”

  His eyes got big. “That’d be great. Right, Mom?”

  “It does sound like fun.” She took a sip of water. “Jack, after dinner, how about we run over to your place and I can take a look at those curtains for you?”

  He gave her a quizzical look. Then he winked. “That’s a good idea. We could.”

  Her mom said, “Why don’t just the two of you go? Owen can stay with us.”

  Peyton mouthed Thank you. She wanted to spend a little alone time with Jack since they had been kind of busy the last few weeks. Maybe they could sit by the firepit, have a glass of wine, and see where the rest of the night took them.

  When Jack and Peyton arrived at his house, the sun was beginning to set. A stack of large flattened cardboard boxes leaned up against the side of the garage, so she figured he must be starting to decorate more rooms. She noticed the new porch swing he had installed and a large planter with scraggly red and pink geraniums on the top step. The porch gave the house a focal point. She loved the old, rambling farmhouse; it had a lot of potential and Jack had barely scratched its surface. It was the kind of house she’d love to live in, and Owen would want to explore the woods out back. At the rate she was socking money away for a house, who knew, maybe she’d be able to find a deal like this when it was time for her to purchase her first home.

  “It’s looking good, but what’s up with the boxes?”

  He held out his hand. “Come with me and I’ll show you.” They walked in through the tidy but outdated kitchen and he opened the patio door.

  She lingered in the doorway, looking back over her shoulder. “This really is a great space.”

  He leaned against the doorjamb. “What would you do to make it functional and a space for a family to gather?”

  She let go of his hand and crossed to the sink, taking in the room. “I’d replace all the cabinets and add a center island with stools on the other side for a breakfast bar and install a small sink in it for meal prep.” She gestured to the stove and refrigerator. “Next, I’d move the fridge so there is a triangle pattern and get it away from the heat of the stove. With the additional space, add a six-burner gas range. The cabinets should be maple and the uppers, glass fronts. Granite countertops, but in a light color so they don’t make the room dark. Last but not least, I’d have oak floors, durable but warmer than tile.”

  He teased, “All that off the top of your head?”

  She crossed the room and gave him a lopsided grin. “It’s my dream kitchen. But since you are in desperate need of a kitchen makeover, I’ll let you borrow any of those ideas. Besides, when I buy a house, it’ll be years before I get to do something as grand.”

  He nodded thoughtfully. “I like the suggestions.” He steered her to the door. “Now, weren’t you curious to know what was delivered in those big boxes?”

  She looked into his eyes. “Am I going to like it?”

  “I hope so. I bought everything with you in mind.”

  She stepped through the door and onto the slate. “You fixed the patio.”

  He took her hand and gave her a smile. “I didn’t want anyone to trip and get hurt.”

  That’s when she saw a large seating area with a love seat, a chaise lounge and four side chairs, and a copper firepit in the middle of it all.

  “What do you think?”

  “It’s perfect, but I’m confused.”

  He kissed her lips tenderly. “We’ve had several wonderful nights around a fire this summer, and I wanted to create a space for us here.”

  “It’s beautiful. Thank you.” She brushed his arm.

  “The only downside is that the canopy hasn’t arrived yet.” He nuzzled the nape of her neck.

  “It’s going to be a star-filled night; I don’t think we need to worry about rain or sun.” She tilted her face up and brushed his lips with hers as he pulled her closer. She stepped back and took his hand.

  “We should try out the love seat.” Her voice was soft and husky. Desire hovered in his hazel eyes.

  A come-closer smile slid over his face. “I couldn’t agree with you more.”

  Peyton slipped her arm around his waist and guided him forward. All she wanted was to be in his arms. “Come with me.”

  In the early morning hours, Peyton lay wrapped in Jack’s arms. Sometimes she still had to remind herself this was her reality and not a dream. His arms snuggled her closer in the king-sized bed. The windows stood open and the cool morning air wafted over them.

  “Good morning, beautiful.” He nuzzled her neck. “Sleep well?”

  She couldn’t control a sigh of contentment that escaped her lips. “Like a log. You?”

  “I always sleep great with you by my side.”

  Somewhere in his house, a clock chimed seven. “I have to get up. We’re taking Owen school shopping later today.”

  “Just five more minutes?” His breath was warm against her skin.

  She wriggled from his arms and slipped from the bed. “You’re in charge of coffee.”

  She picked up her clothes from the floor as she wandered into the master bath. He had installed the new door, but it didn’t have a knob yet. She pulled it halfway and finger-combed her hair into place. The upside of having chin-length hair was she could do that and it would still look decent.

  She hovered in the doorway. Jack had made the bed, and from the sounds drifting up the stairs, he was making coffee.

  “Hey, Jack,” she called down the stairs.

  He appeared at the bottom step. “Yes, ma’am.” He looked like a man who had slept very well.

  “Any chance you have an extra toothbrush?”

  “As a matter of fact, I picked up a few things for you. There’s a bag on the dresser. Help yourself.”

  “Thanks. I don’t care what your sisters say. You’re a sweetie pie.”

  His laughter drifted up the stairs.

  When she entered the kitchen, he looked over his shoulder. “Coffee’s ready and I’m making toast.”

  “Thanks.” She fixed them each a cup and kissed his cheek. “You know, if you’d rather not go shopping with us today, you can skip it. I can say you have work to do. Owen will understand.”

  “Would you prefer I didn’t tag along?” The toast popped up and he smeared it with peanut butter and jelly. It was one of her favorite quick breakfasts.

  “I’m sure it’s not exactly top ten things a single guy wants to do on a beautiful day.”

  He swept her in his arms and focused on her, then said, “Any opportunity I get to spend with you and Owen is always at the very top of my list. Besides, I promised
pizza, and I never go back on my word.”

  “O’s birthday party is next week; do you want to come over for dinner and have birthday cake with us? I’m going to do a kids’ party on Monday. Sort of a back to school and birthday party rolled into one.”

  “His birthday was a couple of months ago.”

  “With the appendicitis I delayed it.”

  “In that case do you need help kid wrangling?”

  “Thanks, but Mom and Liza are helping out. And I don’t know if you’re ready for ten kids all sugared up.”

  “If you change your mind, let me know, but I’m all in for school shopping.”

  She laughed. “You’ve been forewarned. School shopping with a seven-year-old boy is not in my top ten, but it is something that has to be done.”

  He handed her a mug of coffee. “Sounds like this calls for lots of caffeine.”

  She gave him a quick kiss. “That’s an understatement.”

  26

  Yesterday had been fun shopping for school supplies with Jack and Owen. Peyton wasn’t sure who had more fun: her son or her guy. She smiled as she counted inventory. With a good weather forecast for the weekend, the winery should be very busy. Lily had been a huge help all summer and the weekends were easier with her on board; she was a good hire.

  The door opened and a pretty woman with short dark hair and skin like porcelain came into the room. She was about Peyton’s age but she was impeccably dressed, right down to her Gucci sandals. Her eyes roamed the room, taking in the space, and a smile played across her lips.

  “Hello. Can I help you?” Peyton said as she stepped from behind the bar. “We’re not open for tastings today but if you wanted to buy some bottles, I’d be happy to help.”

  “Thank you. This is my first time to Crescent Lake Winery although I’ve heard a lot about it and it’s exactly how I pictured it, right down to the burgundy door to the tasting room.” She stuck out her hand. “I’m Corine Price and you are?”

  Peyton was confused. Did she just say Price? “Peyton Brien, manager of the tasting room.”