Wine&Dine: another romance for the over 40

by L. B. Dunbar

  “You doing okay, Dolores?” I don’t shift my eyes to Rusty but keep them focused on James. I slowly shake my head once. No. With that simple look, James rounds on Rusty and sends him to the floor with a blow to the face.

  “You fucker,” Rusty nasally garbles. His hand covers from nose to chin, and when he pulls it back, it’s coated in red.

  “I warned you,” James states, glaring down at Rusty who doesn’t look up at his biker brother. I don’t understand his meaning, but James turns to me. “You okay?”

  “Better now,” I whisper. James looks around the room, noting my bags and the box.

  “Moving?”

  “I’m staying at Magnolia’s for a bit. I’m selling this place.” It’s the first time I’ve said it out loud other than to Garrett. The moment I walked into my little house, I knew I couldn’t stay here with him. While I have no doubt Garrett would be larger than life in this small space, there were too many other memories haunting these walls, and I didn’t want Garrett tarnished by them. I didn’t want us in the middle of them. Being at Magnolia’s would be better.

  “Heard you were away. Come back with some guy,” James states. Rusty spits behind James, and James rounds on him. “You’re going to clean that up.”

  James turns back to me, and I’m taken aback again by his knowledge of my whereabouts. He doesn’t seem like one for town gossip since he was once the center of it. The moment strikes me as unreal as James speaks to me like we’ve been best friends since second grade, which we had been.

  “I did. I was. I mean, yes. I was in California, and I met someone. Someone special.” I chance a glance at Rusty, who slowly stands from the wood floor behind my couch. “We’re together.”

  Rusty huffs, and James tips his head to the side, but only his eyes shift to Rusty. “Duly noted.” He’s making a statement to Rusty, warning him to stay away from me. “We’ll miss you at the club.” Rusty’s head shoots up, glaring daggers at the back of James’s head while I absorb the lie James tells. James will never miss me. He hasn’t missed me in years, but he’s also offering me this protection.

  “Need some help here?” he asks, nodding at the bags, although I don’t know how James could help me on a bike. I’m about to explain how Denton is coming in his truck when Garrett barges in the door with a concerned Denton behind him.

  “What’s going on here?” Garrett questions, taking one step toward me and gripping both my shoulders. James steps back, strategically placing himself between Garrett and Rusty. Denton enters farther into the space between my couch and front door, which is clearly too small for five adults.

  “James?” Denton questions next, ignoring the presence of Rusty behind a seething biker.

  “Long time, no see,” James says. He offers Denton his hand, and a silent conversation seems to ensue between two men who were friends long ago.

  “What happened?” Garrett murmurs, not letting me go, and I draw my focus back to him. I lift my arms for his neck and step into him, closing my eyes against the glare coming from Rusty behind James’s back. “You’re trembling.”

  “It’s nothing,” I lie, not realizing the level of my fear until I’m in Garrett’s arms. He moves as if to release me, wanting another look at me, but I don’t want to let him go, so he spins with me still clutching him. One hand removes from my back, and he shakes hands with James.

  “Garrett Fox. Want to tell me what the fuck is going on here?”

  “We were just leaving,” James’s roughened voice speaks. “Just checking in on our girl, but I see she’s in good hands now.” There’s more to James’ words. He’s releasing me to Garrett. Not that James has any hold on me, but the intention is clear. He’s going to keep Rusty away from us.

  “You should stop by sometime. See your sister,” Denton interjects, and I slip in Garrett’s hold to rest my cheek against his chest. I avoid looking at Rusty but watch James as his expression hardens.

  “I’ll consider it,” he mutters, but there’s no conviction to what he said. He won’t be visiting his sister anytime soon.

  A silent nod of understanding takes place between James and Denton, and then James spins to tilt his head at Rusty as a signal to move. Without a glance back at me, Rusty passes his superior, anger still vibrating off him as he exits my house. James follows right behind him and tugs the front door shut.

  With only three of us in my tiny entry space, it’s still too close quartered, but Denton doesn’t move.

  “What happened here?”

  I give an abbreviated version of Rusty’s surprise visit and James’s even more surprising appearance. Garrett holds me tighter to his chest, his lips lingering at my hairline. Denton stares at me, silently assessing me.

  “I’m okay,” I whisper to both men.

  With a short nod, Denton questions, “So where are we taking your stuff?” His voice is a little too high when he asks, and I’m a little shocked Garrett hasn’t already told him.

  “I’m moving into Magnolia’s.”

  Denton’s been rubbing his hands together, either to warm them or to signal let’s get busy, but the scrubbing palms come to an abrupt halt.

  Then I add, “With Garrett.”

  33

  Contracts and deals

  [Garrett]

  Dolores and Denton remain eerily quiet after she drops the bomb about us moving into Magnolia’s together. I feel like we should air everything out before we move a single object, but brother and sister circle one another, spacing out their movements like only siblings can, and begin to pack Denton’s truck.

  Denton handles the rocking chair while Dolores and I tuck her boxes in the back of the truck. When we arrive back at Magnolia’s, the silence is thicker than a yellow brick. Denton and I tackle the boxes, television and rocking chair, carrying everything to the second floor and leaving it in the hallway after Dolores told me we could rearrange everything in the morning.

  I slip into the bathroom for a moment and then pad in stocking feet to the staircase. From the top, I can hear raised voices. I travel down the two flights until I see Mati sitting at the base of the steps. Her head bowed, she holds a beer in her hand.

  “What’s going on?” I ask, still hearing voices from the kitchen.

  “I’m letting the pot steam for a bit before I intervene,” she mutters.

  “Don’t you think we should have discussed you moving in here as Mati and I already live here?” Denton asks, and Mati winces next to me.

  “I didn’t think to ask as you hadn’t asked me about renovations on the diner,” Dolores rebuts. I complete the descent down the wooden stairs and take a seat next to Mati.

  “Did they always fight like this?”

  “Denton spent more time fighting with his father than his sister. They were typical older sister, younger brother. She liked to play mother. He liked to annoy her. But when he left, the dynamics changed. I think they’re trying to find their way around each other. So many years have passed,” she mutters, taking a sip from her beer.

  “How long was he gone?” I knew Denton was estranged from his family. His sister was the only person he mentioned and only on rare occasions.

  “Twenty-seven years.” She sighs, letting the time lapse linger. Sweet Jesus. I could never stay away from my family for that long. Then again, I didn’t have the history Denton had with his dad. Mine was just gone.

  “I didn’t want to worry you,” Denton snaps in the background.

  “What are they arguing about?” I question, thinking I better make myself comfortable on the stairs.

  “She wants to know why he didn’t tell her about the diner or the house. He’s trying to defend how she’s handled everything for years. He wanted to give her a break.”

  I’d surmised as much from Dolores and then when Denton asked me to look after her. When I saw him in Atlanta, he told me how his sister had handled everything back in their small town.

  I just want to do something nice for her. For both of them. He referenced his g
randmother, as well.

  “She’s pissed he made a deal with you without discussing it with her.” Right. “And he doesn’t have a good rebuttal for that.” Mati smirks.

  I’m not certain I do either as I didn’t know then the scope of Dolores’s involvement in Magnolia’s property. But I sigh, content that we’ll have lots of time to figure everything out—together. While Dolores told me she has no intention of leaving me again, I assured her equally that I wasn’t going anywhere. I understand she needs to be here for her grandmother and her diner. It’s who she is, and I wouldn’t change a thing.

  “My brothers fought constantly, never good at a true argument. It’s a wonder Charlie became a lawyer.”

  “I heard he’s the mayor.”

  “Yep. That too.” She doesn’t say more, and I remember Dolores telling me her father had been mayor.

  “Did you know their dad?”

  “Unfortunately,” she mutters. She doesn’t offer anything else. We hear a tap, tap, tap coming from our right and turn in unison to see Magnolia struggling down the hall from the front of the house.

  “How long we gonna let them yap at each other?” Magnolia asks.

  “I figure they’re almost done. Nothing’s resolved, but most of the accusations are out,” Mati states, smiling up at Magnolia.

  “Well, I’ve about had enough of it.” She slowly moves past us, tap, tap, tapping. I stand, stepping off the final stair to follow Magnolia through the kitchen and around to the breakfast room. Dolores and Denton stand on opposite sides of the table, glaring at one another.

  “Don’t do this,” Denton asks, his voice falling. Dolores crosses her arms and turns her head toward the window. Snow covers the ground, but the room has fallen colder than the outdoors.

  “Sit,” Magnolia snaps, and the two turn to look at their grandmother. “Don’t make me make you two hold hands and say you love each other like you had to do as children.” Denton slowly smiles at the mention of their childhood punishments while Dolores huffs, and I have an impression of her as a kid. Stubborn. Strong-willed. She tugs at a chair and sits. Denton grips the back of a chair and remains standing over it. I pull out a seat for Magnolia, who thanks me and sits.

  “Here’s how I see it,” she begins. “My house. My rules.” Denton’s face shifts, fear edging his jaw. Dolores looks up in surprise. “Denton already began the renovations with the help of a designer affiliated with Duncan Construction. I like what I’m seeing, but Dolores can have input as it seems she’ll be living here, too.” Denton’s head shoots upward.

  “This house has six bedrooms upstairs,” Magnolia reminds them. Her room is off the kitchen, and I have yet to see it. I don’t need to see it. It’s her private place. “Each of you pick a room.” She sighs. “I’m a modern woman. I can accept that you’ll each be keeping your significant others here as well.”

  My head shoots up to Dolores who still glares at her brother, and then I glance at Mati. Her brow rises.

  “Roommates?” I chuckle.

  “You can work that out in a minute,” Magnolia interjects, not finding the humor in the situation. “He”—she points to me over her shoulder—“wants the land.”

  It’s Dolores’s turn to shoot her head up, her eyes landing on me, and Denton stands to his full height, crossing his arms. “What?”

  I swallow hard at the accusation in Dolores’s eyes. I’ve done it again. Made arrangements without telling her.

  “I asked Magnolia for permission to use the land for a vineyard. I’ll have lawyers draw up everything. She told me Charlie is your attorney. You’ll keep everything but let me use the land for this project.”

  Denton’s gaze falls to his sister, who lowers hers, and then he looks back at me.

  “From now on, I do nothing without talking to Dolores first,” I clarify. He and I were the ones joking about their grandmother’s land as a possibility, and all this miscommunication has led to hurt feelings.

  “You do realize this was a chicken farm. Birds for eating. And eggs for…whatever the fuck at first,” Denton reminds me.

  “Watch your language, young man,” Magnolia interjects.

  “A vineyard is rare here, so it’s an open market. You have all this land not being used for something productive, and I…I want to do this.” I completely understand we’d be starting from scratch, but that’s what I want. From the ground up, literally.

  “What about Fox Investors?” Denton questions, still trying to figure out my angle. His brows twitch.

  “I’ll still own my company, but this is for me. For the future.” I sigh, looking over at Dolores. “For us.” I smile weakly, but she isn’t looking at me. Does she no longer want this? It’s been another whirlwind twenty-four hours of emotional declarations and business explanations and discussions about the future. We’re moving at the speed of a tornado.

  “You really gonna stick this out here, man? This isn’t LA. It’s a small town.” There’s a poke at the community in his words, and Mati’s breath hitches.

  “I grew up in a town not much bigger than this. I think I can handle it. In fact, I’m ready for a change.” I peer over at Dolores again, who still isn’t looking up at me. I glare back at Denton. What’s he getting at? He came here. He should understand. He gave it all up for a woman…and happily, I might add.

  “What about the diner?” he asks, peeking over at his sister.

  Although I should let her speak, I interject for her because I want to be clear. “Dolores is keeping the diner.”

  “And the loan on that?” I notice Dolores has covered her face with both hands.

  “We’ll work it out. It will all be in the contract.”

  “I just wanted to give you something,” Denton blurts out quietly, and Dolores finally glances up at her brother. He swipes fingers through his hair. “I know I wasn’t good to you. It wasn’t fair to leave you with him.” For a moment, I think he means Rusty until Dolores begins rapidly blinking. “I suppose Mother wasn’t much better. I’m sorry, Magnolia.” He’s insulting her child, and his eyes shift to their grandmother, who has remained quiet despite her initial demands.

  “I know you understand my reasons for going, and I’m coming to terms with your reasons for staying, which is why I wanted to do this for you.”

  “It’s been a lot to take in,” Dolores softly replies. “The diner is a disaster. Then the house. It’s not about the house, though, Denton. It’s about steamrolling over me.”

  “I wanted to give you a break.”

  “I get that, but it’s also breaking me. I’m used to being in charge. Making the decisions. Living my life on my terms. You’re pulling the rug out from under me.”

  I understand how Dolores feels. If she’s done it all on her own for so long, it’s hard to relinquish the reins a little bit. She’s having trouble delegating as she wasn’t given the decision to delegate.

  “I’m sorry,” Denton whispers. “I’m sorry for all of it.”

  I’m uncomfortable with the heartbreak I hear in my friend, and my eyes meet Mati’s. Maybe we shouldn’t be present for this apology. Then I glance over at Dolores and know I can’t walk away from her. She’s been strong for so long, but she needs someone to be her strength.

  A Tin Man is solid, even if he has a rusty heart.

  Dolores doesn’t answer her brother. She nods, and I hope this is her acceptance of his apology. Words aren’t enough. She needs time.

  “Maybe we need some time to process all of this. A few days. I’ll have my lawyers draw up a contract and have Charlie look things over. Then we can discuss everything.”

  Dolores stands without a word and exits the breakfast room to the dining room.

  “Stunner,” I call after her, but Mati steps in my way.

  “Let’s let her be. Let her work this out for a second without being all in her face.” Mati looks around the room, making a note of staring down Denton as well.

  I nod, not knowing what to do next. Denton looks back at Mati a
nd then stalks toward the kitchen. Mati shakes her head and takes a seat at the table. “Well, I certainly know how to clear a room, don’t I?”

  Magnolia chuckles, and I stare at these two, knowing I’ll never understand the mysteries of women and their ways.

  + + +

  Eventually, I make my way up to Dolores’s bedroom. Her room has a constant chill seeping in from the room next door with a boarded window. This house needs new windows, and I plan to discuss all the particulars of the rehab with Denton first thing tomorrow.

  Snuggling in, Dolores curls to her side, her back facing me. I stroke up her thigh, bare under the covers and massage up her tight back. Periodically, I lean forward and press a kiss to her shoulder. I shudder to think of what could have happened to her with Rusty. Thank goodness for small miracles like James Harrington. Dolores has told me all about their relationship in their teens and early twenties.

  “Are you sure being here will be enough for you?” she mutters in a sleepy voice.

  My hand coasts over her leg. “Being with you anywhere will be perfect.”

  She rolls to look at me over her shoulder. “I mean it. This is a small town, Garrett. Stuff like tonight is going to happen often.” She means the impromptu party with Mati’s children. Her grandchild. Her son’s fiancée. Denton and Magnolia. It was a houseful and strangely made me very happy. I’ve been alone for a long time.

  “I mean it too. I’m perfect as long as we are together.”

  Dolores eyes me from her odd angle. “You seem so afraid I’ll leave you. Why?”

  I duck to kiss her shoulder and speak into her skin. “My father left us as kids. It’s silly, really. I’m an independent business owner, taking and giving as I please, yet I’m afraid to be left by the woman I love.”

  She rolls to face me. “I love you. I’m not going anywhere. But what if you decide this isn’t enough, and you want to go…I’m the one afraid you’ll leave me.”