by Lucinda Race
* * *
Sam said, “There is nothing like it in the world. A couple of times we went on vacation to California and France to check other wineries, but to repeat a beloved phrase, there is no place like home.”
She teased, “You’re quoting the Wizard of Oz?”
He grinned. “Mom and I watched it every year. It was her favorite movie and the line stuck.”
“It had to have been awful losing her.” She placed her hand on his arm. The heat of her hand caused his skin to tingle.
“It’s an adjustment, but I don’t think I’ll ever get over it.” He eased into a parking space down the street from the pizza place. The movie theatre was across the road and down a block. “Is this okay?”
She beamed. “Perfect. Are you going to put the top up?”
He chuckled. “With a white interior, absolutely.”
Together they secured the top and he held out his hand to her. They strolled down Main Street. It was pretty quiet.
“Are many kids from high school still around?”
“Bob Sawyer is, and he’s talking about opening a diner. Not that he knows how to cook, but since Maggie’s closed, there’s been a void in town.”
She laughed and he liked the sound of it, musical and carefree. “I worked for Maggie in high school, and Bob could probably get the hang of flipping pancakes and eggs if he wants to. I’m sure some of the former waitstaff is around and maybe he could get some kitchen help.” Her voice trailed off.
She glanced his way and then looked at the sidewalk. “I told Mom I wanted to come back after graduation and stay with them for a while so I can look for work and then find an apartment.”
“I figured you’d take off for a city instead of coming home.” Their clasped hands swung as they strolled. He pulled open the door of the restaurant and let her go in first.
“A year or so ago, I would have said there’d be no way I’d come back, but this past week, I’ve realized I don’t want to live in a city—at least not right now.”
He steered her to a vacant booth overlooking the sidewalk. They could watch the world go by or not. She slid across the hard wooden bench and placed her hands on the red Formica tabletop. “Besides, I like catching up with former classmates.” She gave him a shy smile. “Who knows what will happen after graduation, but I’m looking forward to the future.”
Could she mean spending time with him?
She took the menu he handed her and flipped it open. “Want to share a pizza?”
Sam found it hard to believe he was sitting across from Sherry on a date. She had just asked if he wanted to share a pizza when what he wanted was to lean across the table and kiss her pink lip gloss off. She had this cute way of chewing on the middle of her lip that was enticing.
“Order whatever you like. I’ll eat anything.” He was happy to let her take the lead.
A high school girl came over to the table. Sherry ordered a medium pizza loaded, minus the anchovies. “Do you want a beer?”
He nodded and she said, “Two Buds.”
She fumbled with the paper napkin dispenser and handed him a small stack. The waitress had returned with their beers and moved to wait on an older couple who had come in after them.
“I can’t remember the last time I was in here, but it must have been senior year.”
He leaned forward. “Why haven’t you been back much since high school?”
Color flushed her cheeks. “I did a semester in Europe, and then I had two different summer internships, both with large financial firms in the Buffalo area. Dad thought it would look good on the ole resume.” She made a hand gesture that reminded him of taking one for the team. “To be honest, I’ve been drifting. It was easier to go along with my parents’ suggestions.”
“And now. Do you still want to follow along?”
With a slow shake of her head, she answered, “No. What I’m going to do is see how I can make money gardening while I work in an accounting office. When I come back at the end of May, I’ll see if Mr. Blake needs help on weekends. This way, I’d have the best of both worlds.”
“Do you want me to ask Dad if we need any help? You could learn about grape cultivation.”
Her laugh was musical. “I’ll leave vines to you. I prefer flowers and vegetables. I wasn’t sure he even liked what I did. He didn’t want to plant any early spring vegetables like peas or lettuce.”
“No one would take care of them.” He took a sip of his beer. “It’s hard for him to talk about that since it was something that meant so much to Mom. I’ll bet Dad would like you to come back and take care of the gardens. If things don’t work out with Mr. Blake.” He could see her eyes grow larger. Was that a flicker of hope or excitement hovering there?
“She did a wonderful job with plant selection. I got the sense they were her pride and joy.”
The waitress crossed the room and set their pizza and two plates on the tabletop. She pointed to the jar of crushed red pepper and extra parmesan. “If you need something else, just holler.”
Sherry said, “Thank you.” She dished up two slices for each of them and gave hers a liberal dose of red pepper flakes. She gave him a sheepish grin. “What can I say? I like things spicy.”
He chuckled and held out his hand. “Me too.”
When Sam and Sherry came out of the movie theatre, the sky was dotted with pinpricks of light. The air was warm, which was a disappointment. If it was cool, maybe Sherry would have wanted to have an arm around her to ward off the chill.
She slipped her hand in his. “Let’s walk to the park.”
He wasn’t in any hurry to end their night. Should he ask if he could visit her at school or would she be too busy finishing her senior year and finals?
“You got awfully quiet.” She bumped his arm with her body.
“Just thinking.”
“About what?”
He looked at her sideways. All she could do was say no, so he asked, “Could I come and visit you when you’re back at school? Maybe we could grab dinner or do something on a weekend.”
She gave him a slow, come-closer smile. “I’d like that, but shouldn’t we focus on this date?”
“I’m totally focused on you, here with me now. However, there’s no harm in planning for the future too.” They approached the park entrance and he steered her toward a bench near the duck pond. There were several antique lampposts scattered around the park. One was close to the bench they chose. It bathed the couple in a soft, warm glow.
Sam draped his arm around the back of the bench and played with the end of her silken ponytail. “I’ve had a great time tonight.”
She turned toward him, her mouth formed in a pretty pink bow. He angled closer and waited. Would she turn away?
She scooted closer. He inhaled the vanilla scent of her shampoo. Her eyelashes fluttered as they closed. Their lips touched lightly at first and then deepened. She melted against him.
Sam’s heart thudded in his chest and his blood warmed. He didn’t want to rush her.
She pulled away and looked into his eyes. Hers held a twinkle. “Do you still want to come to Syracuse?”
He could feel a grin slide from one side of his face to the other. “I thought you didn’t want to talk about the future, but enjoy tonight.”
“Let me say that I suddenly find the value in doing a little planning ahead.” She teased his mouth with hers. “Unless you’ve changed your mind.”
His eyes lingered on her lips and then locked on her eyes. “Is Monday too soon?”
Her laugh was playful. “How about Friday? I need to get through my classes since finals are in a few weeks.”
He pretended to groan. “Six days?”
She placed a hand over his heart and kissed his lips. “I have a feeling you’re not a patient guy.”
“For you, I’ll work on it.” They watched the moonlight shimmer off the surface of the water for a while, and then he lowered his mouth to hers.
“This has been an almost
ideal night.”
Sam tilted her face up with his fingertips. His voice was soft as he asked, “What do I need to do to make it perfect?”
“If you kissed me again.”
“Well, then.”
Chapter 6
Sherry had her car packed with one small suitcase and her bookbag. Mom had a grocery bag full of her favorite snacks sitting on the kitchen counter.
“You don’t need to send me with food. I have a kitchen, and there are plenty of places to pick something up around town.”
Her mom slid the bag closer. “You’re coming into the final weeks of school and with big tests looming. I packed energy bars, nuts, and raisins.”
She wrinkled her nose. “I hate raisins. You know I won’t eat them.”
Mom handed her the bag and smiled. “Maybe you can share them with a friend.” She had put extra emphasis on the word friend.
“Mom, I’m not dating.”
She arched a brow. “What about Sam Price? I heard you come in pretty late last night. I guess you had a nice time.”
Sherry leaned against the counter. “I did. He’s not at all like what I remember from high school. He’s a real gentleman.” And one who could kiss until she felt like she was on fire.
“People grow and change.”
It was a gentle rebuke and one that she had to agree with. After all, she wasn’t the same girl either. Heck, she wasn’t the same girl who came home a week ago. Things could change quickly.
“I’m going to take off. I’ll call when I get to the apartment.”
“Dad and I will be out in a few weeks to move stuff back here. He wants to store things in the garage until you decide if you want to find a place of your own.”
“I guess he’s not looking forward to me coming home.” She felt a little sad as she said that. But financially it was the prudent thing to do, and Dad loved frugality.
“Nonsense. He doesn’t want to put anything in the basement or attic. It might get ruined. There is no reason to have to replace something because it wasn’t stored properly.”
She relaxed; that sounded like Dad. Mom kissed her cheek and pressed a couple of twenty-dollar bills into Sherry’s hand.
“Mom, stop. I’m fine.”
She closed Sherry’s hand and with a shake of her head said, “You tuck that away. If you have company, you could buy a new outfit or something.”
“Thanks, Mom.” She hugged her tight. “The next time you see me, I’ll be on the verge of graduating college.” She picked up the goodie bag. “Tell Dad I’ll call around dinner.”
It was just like her father to play golf instead of saying goodbye. Each time she went to school, it was hard for him to watch her go. What would he have done if she had gone to college on the West Coast or down south?
The door swung open. There was a stiff breeze and a cloud-filled sky. It was a welcome change from the heat wave they had experienced the past week. She stashed the grocery bag in the back seat with her luggage and took one last look at the house. Mom was standing in the doorway waving. She returned the gesture and got into the car. She was tempted to swing by the winery and say goodbye to Sam, again, but she didn’t want to appear eager. Better to just get back to school.
* * *
The drive was uneventful. When Sherry finally located a parking space near her apartment, she unloaded her car and lugged everything to the door. With the suitcase on the ground and the grocery bag perched on her hip, she reached to open the heavy glass door. Before she could, the paper bag was pulled from her hand. She was shocked to see Brad.
She didn’t bother to force a smile. Instead, she hissed, “What are you doing here?”
“Is that any way to talk to the guy you’re crazy about?” He flashed her a crooked grin. His bright-blue eyes were set off by a deep tan and his blond hair dipped low over one eye. He was good-looking even if he was not the smartest guy on campus.
“Ancient history.” She pulled the front door wide and held out her hand. “I can carry my own groceries.” Her backpack slipped down her arm.
He took her backpack and slung it over a shoulder and held the door open wider, then leaned in and kissed her cheek. “Come on. Give me another chance; you know you want to. Besides, I was an idiot to break up with you.”
“Correction, I broke up with you after I saw you kissing some girl.” Her cheeks burned at the memory. She should have listened to her instincts and the rumors about him.
“It doesn’t matter who broke up with who. I’d like to pick up where we left off, and since you’re struggling to carry your stuff into your apartment, I can only guess that you’re not dating anyone.” He gave her a grin. “So you’re free to date me.”
He announced it like it was the best idea ever.
She kicked her suitcase through the door, dropped the grocery bag on the linoleum floor, and yanked her bookbag away from him. “I hate to break this to you, but I have no intention of dating you again. In fact, I’ve met someone.”
Brad scanned the space around them. “I don’t see him here.”
How did she not notice the cockiness before they started dating? Blinded by his good looks was the only logical answer. She flicked her hand, wishing that would make him disappear. “He lives in my hometown and we have plans for the weekend.”
He looked at her as if she were making the whole thing up. “Really.” It was a statement, not a question.
“Brad, do us both a favor and take a hike.”
He frowned in disbelief. “Come on. Reconsider going out with me again.”
The wheedling tone grated on her nerves. “We go together like a snowball in July.”
This time, he chuckled. “I’m the hot one, right?
She shook her head. “Whatever.” She pushed the door closed behind her. He finally took the hint and left. She climbed the two flights of stairs with her stuff.
After unpacking the snack foods and putting her clothes away, she checked her answering machine. It had been a gift from her parents so she’d always know when they called. It was thoughtful but unnecessary, in her opinion. Until now. Sam hadn’t called. Well, he was probably busy working so he could get time off next weekend. That was it. He’d call tonight and they’d make firm plans.
Sam stopped, one foot on the pavement and the other in his truck. He couldn’t believe his eyes. Some preppy-looking guy was moving in to kiss Sherry. He looked away so he didn’t have to watch. Had she lied? He sat in his truck and waited until she had gone inside and the guy had walked in the opposite direction. Should he go to the door and ask her what was going on? Hell no. He was going home and forgetting about her. No matter how right it felt being with her, he wasn’t going to be played a fool.
He tore out of the parking lot, tires chirping on the pavement, and Syracuse was in his rearview mirror. It was a much longer drive home than it had seemed driving here. So much for his surprise; he was the one who’d been thrown a curveball. It didn’t matter. It was better he found out now what kind of girl she was before he had fallen hard for her.
Not in a rush to get home, he took the back roads. It would help him avoid the inevitable questions from his dad about what had happened. He drove past the spot where he had picked her up a week ago. Limping, with a growing blister on her toe and a flat tire. She should learn how to change one. With a shake of his head, he decided that was going to be the last time he thought about Sherry Jones.
* * *
He stopped at the winery. His dad was sure to be working in his office; maybe they could talk about hiring someone to help in the tasting room for the summer. If business continued to increase from the new wine trail like it had last year, they’d need at least one extra set of hands.
He walked toward his dad’s office. It was quiet like a morgue.
“Dad?” he called out. His voice seemed to echo off the walls.
He flicked on the overhead lights as he walked up the stairs. “Dad?”
He heard a groan. He ran into the office an
d found his father struggling to get up off the floor. He had a large gash across his forehead and was bleeding profusely.
“What happened?” Sam put his arm under his dad’s. He got them both to their unsteady feet.
“Sam? I was lightheaded and that’s the last thing I remember.”
Sam pulled a handkerchief from his back pocket and held it against the gash to slow the blood. “Sit down. I want to take a look at your head.”
Dad closed his eyes. “I’m dizzy.”
Sam pulled the cloth away from the cut. It was deep. “We need to go to the emergency room for a few stitches, and while we’re there, they can check you out.”
Dad didn’t argue with him, which caused fear to strangle Sam’s throat. “We’re gonna go nice and easy. Do you think you can walk, or should I call for the ambulance?”
Dad grumbled, “No ambulance.”
In spite of the situation, Sam had to smile. His dad was one tough guy. “Here we go. Nice and easy.”
Dad was short of breath as they made their way down the stairs and to the car. Sam moved slowly in the hope his dad wouldn’t pass out again. There was no way he could carry him and keep pressure on his forehead too.
“How are you doing?”
He gave him a sidelong glance. “Aren’t you supposed to be with your girl?”
“We had a change of plans and I’d say it was a good thing, considering you don’t look so hot.”
Dad was pale and sweating. “Do you think we can rest? I’m having a hard time breathing and my chest is heavy.”
“A few more steps and you can sit in the truck.”
Sam half carried him the rest of the way. Within moments, he got the door open and helped his dad inside. He raced around to the driver’s door. Not being a religious sort of a guy, he prayed anyway. Please don’t let anything happen to my father. He’s all I’ve got left.
Sherry’s phone rang and she answered it, hoping it was Sam. “Hello?”
“Hi, Sherry. It’s Mom.”
