by Claire Raye
“Never, Nate, never, honestly. I wish I never even knew you.”
He’ll debate this all day with me and I know Jack is in my house wondering what is going on, left with a million unanswered questions.
The day after the wedding, Nate showed up like nothing had happened. Telling me he just wasn’t ready to get married and that my life would always belong to the vineyard and my job. He wanted me to walk away from it all, leave it all to Ellen and get a job in what he dubbed “the real world”.
This place is my real world and it always will be; something he could never appreciate or understand. He claimed he’d been having cold feet for months before the wedding but couldn’t bring himself to tell me, so instead of growing a pair he found it wise to let all one hundred-fifty of our guests show up blissfully unaware.
It wasn’t like a movie; there was nothing humorous or silly about it. It was just me waiting and eventually Ellen walked back to the small bridal suite to tell me that Nate’s mom said he’s not coming.
He didn’t even have the common decency to tell me himself. He sent a text to his mom who was seated in the front row as clueless as everyone else.
I was the one who returned all the gifts, sent back all the checks, apologized to everyone in attendance, and I did it all without tears.
I saved those and the embarrassment that lingered for later.
“That’s harsh, Lauren,” Nate says, his hand over his heart like I’m supposed to feel sorry for him. There wasn’t an ounce of sympathy given for what he did to me and as much as I’m not a vendetta kind of person, I owe him nothing. He gets nothing from me anymore, including my time.
“It’s reality and if you show up here one more time, I’ll call the police and report you for harassment.”
He holds his hands up defensively but smirks at me like this is all one big joke. He steps closer and I shake my head, my lips set in a firm line.
“You know I don’t give up that easily,” Nate says, a smarmy smile on his face, my words not sinking in at all.
“Try me, Nate, just try me.” I have no qualms about picking up my phone and hitting those three simple numbers to let him know I’m not playing around. I want nothing to do with him.
“You’re being ridiculous, Lauren,” he says condescendingly, this time trying to make me feel small and out of control, like my feelings don’t matter.
“I’m going to ask you to leave one more time and then I’m calling the police,” I answer back, my words firm and this time louder than I would like, because he doesn’t get to control anything about me.
“Seriously…” Nate starts, but his words fall short and his eyes shoot to the doorway of my house.
“Hey, mate, I’m pretty sure she’s asked you to leave,” Jack says coming up behind me, but moving so he’s now standing just slightly in front of me.
“I got this, Jack,” I whisper, my hand sliding down his arm as I give his hand a little squeeze.
“I’m sure you do,” he replies back, turning toward me and pressing a kiss to the side of my head. “Just in case,” he adds, winking at me.
It only takes Nate a few seconds to catch up, watching Jack and me together before he walks back to his car without saying anything else.
Something tells me this won’t be the last time I see him though.
Without missing a beat, and not that I blame him, Jack says, “Care to explain?”
“Honestly, no,” I answer back, but knowing it’s totally unfair of me to leave him in the dark.
Jack laughs a little when I smile at him, all jealousy from earlier is long gone and what’s left is confusion.
I take in a deep breath and let it out slowly before starting. He’s at least owed some semblance of an explanation.
“That’s my ex. He’s not of that much importance, but whenever he gets wind that I’m dating someone he comes back around. He doesn’t want me, he has no interest in me, but…”
“But he doesn’t want anyone else in your life either,” Jack says, finishing my thought.
“Exactly.” I nod my head, smiling at Jack thankful that he gets it and doesn’t seem to be scared off by Nate and his ability to show up unannounced and unwelcome.
“What do you think about the whole thing?” Jack asks, pushing for my thoughts, because as much as he isn’t one to pry, I get why he’s feeling out the situation.
“I think I’d like him to disappear, and he will eventually,” I say, trying to give off a nonplused vibe about the whole thing.
“If you want, I’d be more than happy to throw around some of this Aussie muscle and make sure he doesn’t come back,” Jack jokes, flexing his arm as he slips his other arm around my waist pulling me close.
“I’m pretty sure it wouldn’t be a fair fight,” I tease back knowing Jack would completely kick Nate’s ass.
Even though there’s a ton of stuff to get done here at the vineyard, Jack and I decide to take a drive into San Francisco and do some sightseeing while he’s here. I can’t remember the last time I just threw everything aside and spent the day away from here, but with Jack I want to.
“It’s a lot colder near the bay,” I warn Jack as we leave the vineyard with him dressed in shorts and a t-shirt.
“You think I’d miss an opportunity to wear shorts while on holiday?” he asks and I laugh at his lingo as I pull out onto the road.
“Suit yourself, but I refuse to be seen with you wearing an “I heart San Francisco” sweatshirt from an overpriced tourist stand. And I don’t think I’d classify this as a holiday, you work for me, remember?”
“It’s actually called a jumper not a sweatshirt,” Jack says, teasing me as he twirls a few strands of my hair around his finger. “And would you be more inclined to not take the piss if I just called it a vacation?” He says the word vacation in his cheesy American accent and it makes me smile even more, but I’m laughing so hard I can barely get my next sentence out.
“Take a piss…what? Who is taking a piss where?” I ask, totally confused now by his obviously Australian comment.
Jack just laughs though, shaking his head as he leans over and presses a kiss to my cheek and whispers, “You’re fucking adorable.”
Traffic is light given it is a Monday and we’ve missed all the commuters by at least a few hours as we make our way into the city. I find a public lot and park the car figuring we can walk to pretty much anywhere.
It only takes about twenty minutes before Jack admits he’s freezing, his ice-cold hands slipping under my shirt to the warm skin on my stomach.
“Someone may have mentioned this, but I guess I’ll give you a pass since you are from the country where people can literally fry an egg on the ground.”
We avoid the tourist shops and duck into a shopping mall so Jack can grab something that doesn’t have San Francisco plastered all over it.
“You’re lucky we found that mall because if we hadn’t I planned on calling you “Alcatraz” the rest of the trip,” I tease and Jack gives me a little push before pulling me back against him and kissing me.
We spend the entire day visiting every tourist spot in the San Francisco area and eating and drinking our way through lots of bars. We find ourselves laughing at the number of people taking a ridiculous amount of over posed selfies at all the prime locations: in front of the Golden Gate Bridge, outside the house from Full House, on Lombardo Street and a bunch of others.
It’s not like Jack and I don’t take pictures, we do, but we tried to live more in the moment and enjoy our time together. Just because it isn’t plastered on social media doesn’t mean it didn’t happen.
Our last stop is Alcatraz, something that if not booked in advance there isn’t a chance of seeing it. Since this trip to the city was on a whim, we don’t have tickets and there’s none left for the day.
One of the perks about working in the tourist industry is that you make friends with a lot of people; people who can sneak you onto the boat to Alcatraz without a ticket.
; I flag down Julie, a girl who worked for me hosting tours back a couple of years ago before she relocated to San Francisco and took a job as a tour operator on one of the boats that goes to Alcatraz.
She smiles at me when I catch her eye and she opens the rope that’s keeping the waiting people from entering the boat before it’s time.
“Hey Julie!” I call, as we make our way over to her. We hug and I introduce Jack as we make small talk. “Any chance you can get us on the boat?” I ask, a hopeful smile on my face.
“Sure, no problem. Let me print you a couple of tickets,” she says, holding up one finger as she slips off to the side and into the ticket booth.
She returns a few seconds later and hands me the tickets.
“You’re on the next boat,” she announces, and I hear a few people behind us let out some muttered curse words.
“Thanks, we’ll see you on board.”
The day flies by and before I know it Jack and I are back in the car and heading back to Somerville’s as the sun sets behind us.
“I had a great time with you today,” I say, sliding my hand into Jack’s. He lifts my hand, pressing a kiss to each of my fingers.
“Me too. There’s no one I’d rather be with than you,” Jack says back, and his words make my stomach flutter, a feeling of happiness settling in my chest.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Jack
The week passes quickly. There are no more surprise appearances from that wanker, Nate, and Lu and I don’t talk anymore about it. Even though I know she was being kinda cagey with her explanation when I asked her about him, I didn’t really want to push it with her.
And it had to have been pretty obvious to him that she and I are a thing. We’d both been half dressed when he’d shown up, for fuck’s sake, so he’d have to be an idiot to not realize it was me who was now sharing her bed. Plus, Lu hadn’t tried to hide the fact I was there either, so as much as I want to know more about exactly who he is and what happened between them, I’m okay with as much as she’s given me for now.
“Jack?”
“In here,” I call out, dragging myself out from under the crusher. I’m still waiting on two parts, but I’m taking the opportunity to make sure the whole thing is cleaned out and ready to be properly put back together when they finally get here.
Lu walks into the shed, Oscar hot on her heels. It’s his last day before they head off on holidays to Disney and he’s spent the past week trying to convince me that I should ditch the winery and come with them.
“Hey,” I say, smiling as I take her hand in mine, pulling her closer for a kiss.
“Hi,” she says, smiling back at me.
“Ugh, gross,” Oscar says, rolling his eyes at both of us.
“What’s gross?” I ask, glancing at him. “This?” I add before sliding an arm around Lu’s back, dipping her backwards and planting a hard kiss on her lips, which given the low moan she lets out means it’s one that’s probably not entirely PG either.
“Ewwww,” he says now, throwing his hands up in the air.
I can’t stop the laugh, even as I pull Lu back up and against me, loving the breathy exhale she releases as she steadies herself against me. “Trust me, little dude, one day you’ll get it.”
“Right,” he says, arms crossed over his chest as he gives me and Lu the stink eye. “Anyway, we’ve got a job for you.”
I chuckle. “Is that right,” I say, turning to Lu. “What’s up?”
Lu pulls herself from my arms, swallowing hard as though she’s trying to get herself under control. “A huge favor?” she finally says, eyes meeting mine.
“Oh yeah?” I say, grinning. “What sort of favor?”
Lu swats a hand at me as she gives me a cheeky grin. “Not that kind, filthy boy,” she whispers.
I step closer, sliding a hand to her hip as I lean down and whisper, “You sure? We can ditch the kid, get some...”
“Ah hmm hmmm,” Oscar says, clearing his throat. Lu and I both turn and find him watching us, arms still crossed as he glares up at us.
I chuckle, even as Lu steps backwards so we’re no longer touching. “I’ve got one of our distributors coming in,” she says, weirdly nervous. “But I’ve also got a tour starting soon, so would you…”
“Be able to do the tour?” I ask. “Course.”
Lu exhales, reaching out to squeeze my arm. “Thank you,” she says. “It’s just the sheds and the whole wine making process, whatever you feel comfortable with is fine.”
“Lu,” I say, lifting her hand to my mouth. “It’s all good, beautiful, I promise.”
“I can run him through things,” Oscar pipes up, taking a step toward us. “Show him the ropes and all.”
“Oscar,” Lu says at the same time as I laugh. “I’m sure you can, little dude. Come on, let’s do this,” I say, gesturing toward the shed doors.
Lu follows us out and walks us up to the main office, handing me some brochures to give out to the group as well as some vouchers for wine tasting and a discount in the restaurant. I have a vague recollection of tagging along on these tours as a kid, back when I spent the summer here, and I’m sure I’ll be able to wing this one with no problems.
After Lu leaves, we wander over to meet the group, Oscar apparently deciding he’s taking his wingman duties seriously as he runs through the introductions and explains how this whole thing’s going to work. I don’t miss the smiles a few of the guests have, the stifled laughs as the seven-year-old tour guide asks everyone to fall in and follow him down to the sheds.
“How about you let me handle it from here?” I ask, hand on his shoulder as we walk into the shed housing the broken crusher.
“You sure you got this?” he asks, deadly serious.
I wink at him. “Yep,” I say. “But I’m happy to get your feedback on my performance when it’s over. Deal?”
Oscar thinks for a few seconds before offering me his fist to bump. “Deal.”
The tour goes well, the guests all seemingly loving the easy banter that Oscar and I share as I take them through the intricacies of wine making and the difference in grape varieties, including the whole Shiraz/Syrah story and why Aussies call it one thing and Americans call it another.
Oscar chimes in from time to time with a few random facts about oak casks and cellaring length, explaining to the guests how these affect the taste. It’s funny to watch, particularly considering the kid isn’t even old enough to drink wine. But I have to hand it to him, he knows his stuff, even the guests can see that.
After we’re done, I take them all up to the tasting room and introduce them to Penny, who takes over. Oscar lingers, I’m sure hoping for a tip or two and so I wander back to the shed to finish what I was doing this morning.
By the time I’m done, it’s late, so I fire off a quick text to see where Lu’s at.
Lu: just finishing up…meet you back at my place?
I grin, as I type out a response. I don’t think I’ve spent a single night at the house she gave to me since this thing between us started. And I really kinda like that.
Me: sounds good. C u soon x
When I get back to Lu’s, I switch on my laptop and on a whim, log into skype. Almost immediately, I get a ping from my parents and I take a seat at the kitchen island as I wait for the call to connect.
“Hey!” my mum says as soon as it connects.
“Hey,” I reply. “Where are you guys?”
My dad moves into the shot, waving at me as he takes a seat and says, “Bordeaux.”
“Nice,” I say, nodding in approval.
“Your father’s drunk,” Mum replies, patting him on the knee.
I chuckle. “No surprise there. What time is it?”
“Nearly three.”
“In the morning?” I ask, shocked. I glance at the time on my laptop, mentally trying to work out the difference even though I suck at these conversions.
“Yep,” Dad replies.
“What the hell are you doing on S
kype then?” I ask, leaning in to get a better look at them. Mum’s right, Dad does look a little drunk.
Mum shrugs. “It was your father’s idea,” she says as though this explains everything. “You know how he is.”
I laugh, even as I’m nodding my head. “It’s lucky you caught me,” I say. “I just randomly thought I’d log on.”
“Well, there was another reason,” Mum adds as Dad sits silently beside her, his eyes half closing.
“Yeah?”
She swallows, glancing at Dad and nudging him awake before she turns back to me. “Mel contacted us.”
“What?!” I half shout. “Are you fucking serious?”
Mum nods. “Yes,” she says. “Apparently she’s been trying to get hold of you and can’t. Wants to know where you are.”
I shake my head. “Fucking hell,” I mutter. “She just can’t take a hint. Did you tell her?” I ask, even as I hear Lu’s front door open and I know I need to end this conversation right now.
“Well, yes and no,” Mum says, looking a little sheepish.
“What does that mean?” I ask, even as I hear Lu call my name. “Hang on,” I say, holding a hand up to the screen. “In here,” I call to Lu. “Come and say hi,” I add, reaching for her.
“To who?” she says, taking my hand.
I pull her closer and onto my lap as I gesture at the screen. “Mum and Dad,” I say. “Dad, remember Lu, don’t you?” I add.
“Oh my god,” Lu breathes out at the same time a huge smile breaks out on my mum’s face. She won’t remember Lu because she didn’t come to the states that time I did, but she’ll definitely remember hearing about her, especially as my dad loved to give me so much shit about how much I liked her. Even more so when I told them both I was coming over here to work and planned on looking her up again.
“Lulu Somerville,” my dad says, a huge smile on his face. “Look at you.”
Lu blushes as she says, “Hi, Mr. Wilson.”
Dad chuckles. “God, call me Tony, please,” he says, suddenly more awake than he was two minutes ago.