by K. A. Linde
“But it’s still fifty here. I don’t think that’s happened yet.”
“Yet! But it will.”
He just shook his head at me.
“What’s Aly doing tonight?” I asked curiously.
“She’s with Annie,” he told me, veering the truck deeper south. I had a sense of where we were going, but I wasn’t sure. “Annie just passed her last exams for the semester, so she’s off until January.”
“That’s great. I’m sure Aly likes to spend time with her aunt.”
“She does. She practically pushed me out of the house.” He shook his head. “She’s going to be a handful when she’s older.”
“Oh, but she’s so great.”
He beamed. “She is.”
As we traversed the ever-increasing country roads, I finally turned and raised an eyebrow. “Are we going where I think we’re going?”
He shrugged. “Where do you think we’re going?”
“Sinclair Cellars.”
He shot me a conspiratorial look and turned left down the road toward my family’s vineyard and winery. I was confused, but I tried not to let it show. I hadn’t really considered what we were going to do. Anything with Isaac was always its own form of magic. It had always been like that. But I hadn’t anticipated our first date in sixteen years to be under the watchful eye of my family. I knew for certain that my dad and Piper were working tonight.
But as we came to a crawl before the main building used for wine tastings and dinner, my eyes lit up.
“Is that…” I whispered.
My jaw dropped. The vineyard was awash in Christmas lights. Every color imaginable lined row after row of grape vines. They seemingly went on forever. A light display that even outdid my father’s amazing work on his home.
No one had told me that they were doing this. I’d had no clue. And I had no idea how it hadn’t come up.
“Surprise,” Isaac said with a grin.
“How is this possible?”
“It was supposed to be a coming-home surprise for you. Your dad has been working on it for over a month. When Piper found out we were going out, she said I should take you here. I think they were planning to show it off to you, but she graciously let me do it.”
“This is amazing,” I gushed. “I can’t believe they were able to keep it a secret.”
“It is rather unlike them,” he agreed.
He parked out front of the mostly empty building, which was as large as a warehouse with a church-like facade. I’d never understood the significance of styling it as such, but people oohed and aahed over the terra-cotta roof and high-vaulted ceiling.
I jumped down out of the truck and turned my attention to the fields beyond the winery. I couldn’t believe that they had done all of this for my return. Maybe my family had missed me being gone more than I’d realized.
Isaac gestured for us to head toward the building, but once we were close, we veered left toward a small booth with three large stainless steel thermos dispensers and a heater. Two college–aged kids sat behind the booth, holding hands and staying warm with the portable outdoor heater.
They jumped apart at our approach.
“Hi!” a wide-eyed girl said, her curly hair barely contained in her beanie. “Welcome to Sinclair Cellars. We have mulled wine, spiked hot chocolate, and cider.”
“Two mulled wines,” Isaac said, handing over his credit card and two paper tickets.
The guy, who was in a leather jacket and looked like he thought he was the coolest guy in existence, tapped the card on their machine and then handed it back with the two drinks.
“Enjoy the lights!” the girl said, already nuzzling back into her boyfriend as Isaac diverted us from the booth.
I held the beverage between my hands, grateful for its warmth. “They sure bring back memories.”
“How many times did your dad corral us into working the hay rides in the fall?”
I groaned. “Too many to count. Though Piper still complains that I never helped out enough because of dance.”
“I do remember lots of dancing, but I also remember sneaking off into the vineyards and making out.”
“Oh my God,” I said, covering my face, “I forgot all about that.”
“How could you forget? We used to sneak out every shift.”
“I know. I remember now. I just haven’t thought of that in so long.”
“We’d shirk half of our shift.”
“The real reason Piper would get mad that I wasn’t helping enough.”
Isaac shrugged. “Worth it.”
And it had been. Now that all the memories were flooding back to me, I couldn’t stop thinking about us out here every fall, helping my dad with the hay rides and then creeping off into the vines to escape the crowds. The feel of Isaac’s fingers on my bare skin, tangled in my long hair, running down my back. The taste of him against my lips. The inability to think of anything but him in his presence. It had been a long time since I’d had that primal reaction to anything other than dance. It was a part of me, but Isaac intrinsically was, too.
My face heated at my wandering thoughts, and I was glad for the dark evening and the bright Christmas lights to hide behind.
“Oh, I almost forgot,” he said, taking out his phone. “Piper said if I dialed into the radio station on my phone, it would play music the whole way.”
He fiddled with the app that he’d downloaded ahead of time, and sure enough, “Frosty the Snowman” began to play. He shoved it into his back pocket. The music was a little muffled but not by much.
“So, what’s it like, being the artistic director?” he asked as we took the first turn, following the directions to navigate the lights.
“Magical,” I said softly. “But also difficult.”
“Difficult because it’s new?”
“Yes, and no. I’ve choreographed before and run rehearsals. It’s part of being a dancer. Most professionals have some experience with it. But this feels like more than that. This is being in charge of the entire artistic direction of a company. It’s a lot of pressure. The Nutcracker is the biggest event of the season.”
“But you know every role. You’ve done this a thousand times.”
“You’re right. That part makes it easier. And it is wonderful. I love working with the company, especially the younger students.” I took a long, soothing sip of my wine. “If I’m honest, I always thought I would become a director like this once my dance career was over. This just feels earlier than normal.”
“Really? I thought you’d want to perform forever.”
“I do,” I said immediately. “More than anything.”
I didn’t bring up my injury. Or the pain that still radiated through my knee when I danced. I knew I couldn’t dance forever, but I couldn’t imagine giving it up either.
“But eventually, I mean, sometime in the future, I want to do this. It feels a bit like a test run.”
“That’s good though, right? You get to try out the job you think you want. Then, in, like, ten years, you can decide if you want to retire from ballet.”
I laughed. Ten years. Very few dancers continued into their forties. I’d need a miracle to be one of them. But I didn’t say that either.
“And you’re working at Wright Construction,” I said, changing the subject. “Tell me about that.”
“Well, I’m the full-time project manager. I mainly oversee the largest projects we have, such as the Buddy Holly Hall.”
“You helped build the performing arts center?” I asked in awe.
“Not build exactly, but I manage the teams. I’m in charge of organizing everything, making sure the money is coming in from all the right places. That sort of thing. I’m not really the boots-on-the-ground guy anymore. Actually, I’m pretty excited about a new project, but it’s kind of a secret.”
He looked at me with those bright green eyes, which asked me if I could keep a secret. And I shifted closer, wanting nothing more than to dive deep into that gaze and ne
ver surface.
“Yes?”
“Lubbock is getting a professional soccer team. It’s Division II, but they’ve hired Wright to design and build it.”
My eyebrows rose. “Wow! That’s great news for you! And you get to be a part of it?”
“Yep. Jensen and Morgan brought me in to consult on the facility since I have experience.”
“You must be thrilled.”
He couldn’t even come close to keeping the smile off of his face. “I am. I can’t wait to get started and to have games to go to. I miss it so much.” He took my hand, interlacing our fingers together. “Speaking of Wright, they’re actually having a Christmas party next week. Do you have any interest in going?”
“With you?” I asked in surprise.
He laughed. “Yes, with me.”
“I don’t have anything to wear.” Damn Piper for being right that I was going to need more than a carry-on’s worth of clothes.
“You could wear this,” he said with a shrug. “I don’t care.”
“A girl does not wear this to a Wright Christmas party,” I said with an eye roll. “I’ll find something. I’d love to go.”
We came to a corner of the lights that was the divider point. A few benches had been placed in a semicircle around the opening in the vines. The last couple had just vacated the area, leaving us all alone.
I finished off my wine, tossing the cup into a nearby trash can, and took a seat on the bench. Isaac dropped down next to me, and when he noticed me shivering, he wrapped his arm around my shoulders.
“I missed you, Peyton,” he said softly.
I turned and met his gaze, suddenly realizing we were mere inches apart. My heart hammered in my chest. My mouth went dry. I was lost. Utterly and completely lost. How had so much time passed, and yet I felt exactly how I had all those years earlier? Isaac Donoghue completed me. And I hadn’t known how empty I’d been living without him.
“Isaac,” I whispered back.
His free hand came up and cupped my jawline, gently rubbing his thumb across my cheek. “Don’t think about tomorrow. Just be here with me.”
I didn’t know how he had seen the fear in my eyes. The fear that I was leaving and this was going to break us even worse than the last time. But he saw, and it dissolved with his words.
He drew me in closer. Our noses touched in the dark. My breath hitched as the contact sent fire through my body, straight to my core. One little touch, and we sizzled. Anything more, and we’d cause an inferno.
“Isaac,” I pleaded. Not knowing whether I was pushing him away or pulling him closer.
He didn’t wait. He fit his mouth to mine perfectly. I groaned deep in the back of my throat as energy rushed through me.
Sixteen years I’d kissed these lips with tears running down my cheeks and salt on our tongues. Now, that was gone, and in its place was a sense of newness, of rediscovery.
Not hesitant, not questioning, but inviting and explorative. A heat suffused me, not from the wine, but from his lips and tongue and body. The way he eased away every tension I’d ever had. And I was completely subsumed by him. Not a single part of me wanted to walk away from this.
For I knew this boy—body, mind, and soul—and he’d stolen my heart long ago. This kiss sealed that he wasn’t giving it back.
12
Isaac
Peyton made me want to be reckless.
I knew Annie was at home with Aly. That I needed to get back. That I absolutely could not stay out all night with Peyton Medina. But God, a part of me wished that I were young and foolish enough again to do it.
We had finished our walk through the gardens and eaten off of a charcuterie board inside the tasting room. Peyton had another drink, but I opted out since I still had to drive. She had been giggly and tipsy from the alcohol. I just wanted to kiss those wine-stained lips all night. Being an adult sucked.
“Let’s do this again,” Peyton said as we stood on Piper’s front porch. She leaned back against the wall. The alcohol had primarily run its course, but her smile hadn’t lessened any. “I had a really great time.”
“I’m glad,” I told her. “I’d like to spend more time with you.”
“When are you free?”
Ah, the kicker. I wasn’t free. Between work and Aly, I was never free. And I hated asking my parents or Annie to watch Aly all the time. It didn’t seem fair even though they claimed not to mind.
Peyton must have seen it on my face. “Or we could wait for the Wright party, if that’s easier.”
“I just have to work out babysitters.”
“Right. No, that makes perfect sense.”
“Peyton,” I said, taking her hand again and drawing her into me.
She wrapped her arms around my neck, and her body was nearly flush against mine. My dick jerked in my pants, wanting her, always wanting her. If I could shirk my responsibilities, take her inside, and fuck her all night, I would. With her body against mine so invitingly, I really, really wanted to. But I couldn’t. And after sixteen years, I could wait until I had a night to really enjoy her.
I brought our lips together one more time, pressing her back into the brick wall. She moaned softly against me. My hands moved to the hem of her sweater. Her breathing hitched at the touch of my hands on her bare skin. God, I was getting away with myself…and I couldn’t seem to stop.
This was Peyton. I didn’t want to stop.
Finally, she broke away with a strained laugh. “Do you…want to come in?”
Fuck. I really did.
But I reluctantly shook my head. “I can’t.” I stepped back, running a hand through my auburn hair. “I wish I could, Pey. But I have to get back.”
She nodded, stood on her tiptoes, and softly kissed me once more. “That’s okay. You should get home. It’s no big deal.”
I had to clench my hands into fists to keep from grabbing her again. Fuck, I’d missed her.
“Good night,” she whispered.
“Good night,” I said, reaching for her hand one more time and pressing my lips to it.
She flushed at the contact and then disappeared inside.
I waited until the door closed behind her before heading back to my truck. The night was buzzing in my veins. My steps were light, as if I were walking on clouds. A part of me considered doing a silly romcom twirl right there in the driveway. As soon as I plopped down in the driver’s seat, I realized what this emotion was flooding my senses—giddiness.
I hadn’t felt like this in a long, long time.
When I made it back home, Annie was in the living room, watching Netflix. “Have a good night?”
“Yes. It was great. Thank you for watching Aly.”
“Anytime. You know I don’t mind. I love spending time with her.”
“Well, I appreciate it nonetheless.”
“You could have stayed out later, you know,” she said, suggestively raising and lowering her eyebrows.
I laughed and went into the kitchen. I pulled two beers out of the fridge and handed one to Annie as I sank into the seat next to her.
“So…what happened?” she pried, taking a swig of her beer.
“Really, nothing much. We just walked around the vineyard and talked.”
“And kissed?”
“And kissed,” I confirmed.
And what a kiss it had been. Never in a million years had I thought that I’d get another chance with Peyton. She had been the girl of my dreams in high school, and she still was now that we were both adults. I’d just always thought that she was so far out of reach. What could a famous ballerina want with someone like me?
But none of that seemed to matter when I was around her. She was effervescent, and it just spilled into my life.
Annie did a little dance on the couch. “It is so good to see you happy again.”
I shrugged and turned back to the TV. This wasn’t a conversation I really wanted to have. “I’ve been happy.”
“Bro…”
“Al
y makes me happy.”
“Well, obviously. How could she not? She’s wonderful. But there are other kinds of happiness, and you know it.”
“Yeah,” I muttered.
“And Peyton has always brought that out in you. Look at you. You’re all smiley.”
I rolled my eyes at her. “I smile all the time.”
She poked me in my side. “You know what I mean.”
“All right,” I said, warding her off. “I do know what you mean. And Peyton does make me happy and smile. I asked her to go to the Wright Christmas party with me.”
Annie shrieked with excitement.
“Shh!” I hissed.
We both fell silent and listened to the back bedrooms in anticipation. Aly was a light sleeper on a good night. She had never really been a great sleeper. I remembered the early years when she wouldn’t sleep anywhere but in my bed. It was still hard to get her to fall asleep in her own room. We’d been working on it a lot.
I breathed out in relief. “I don’t think we woke her.”
“Sorry. I got carried away. I’m just excited for you.”
“I think I realized that when you insisted I go on this date tonight and all but pushed me out the door.”
“Sometimes, you need the kick in the ass to get going.”
I drained the rest of my beer. “Suuure.”
“What? You do. Remember that time—”
But she didn’t get to finish her sentence because we both heard shuffling down the hallway.
“Daddy,” a small voice called.
Annie and I both groaned softly. She had woken Aly up. Shit.
“I can do it,” Annie said.
But I was already on my feet, waving her off. “Aly Cat, I’m here.”
Aly was standing in the hallway with her eyes half-closed. She yawned wide and then blinked when she saw me. “Daddy, I heard voices.”
“It’s okay. It was just me and Aunt Annie in the living room.”
“Oh. Okay. Would you tuck me in?”
“Of course.”
I picked her up and carried her back into her room. The space was decorated with moons and stars. They glowed brightly despite the late hour. I deposited her into her bed and tucked the moon covers up to her chin.