Not yet, but I might be by tomorrow.
“We have a cake tasting tomorrow, my dear,” Tyler’s mother, Abigail, said as we sat around one of the fire pits. I put my phone face-down on the stone edge and wrapped my lightweight coat tighter.
“The bakery is just twenty minutes away. John has a car picking us up,” Abigail continued. “After, Molly wants to shop at some of the local places. Did Tyler have any plans for you?”
Tyler’s older sister, Molly, hadn’t arrived yet at the vineyard. She had two children and had gotten a divorce from her husband a year after the second one was born. It was a running family joke that she was currently fucking her manny.
I couldn’t blame her if she were. Colin was fifteen years younger than her, tall with dark, fluffy hair and glasses, had a fantastic English accent, and spoke four languages. Not to mention how amazing he was with her kids. Fuck,Iwanted to give him a blowjob after watching him with them.
“Tyler hasn’t mentioned anything,” I answered. “Said he had some things he needed to take care of himself. He told me there were a few wedding details I needed to help you to wrap up.”
“Quitea few,” Abigail said before gently touching my knee. “We’re so happy you were able to join us this weekend. Getting you on the phone during your work week is very difficult.”
“I have a lot to do,” I said, sipping my wine.
“Here’s to hoping this deal of Tyler’s is worthwhile so you can put that all behind you,” she replied, holding up her glass, her blonde hair bright against the waning sun. “He’s had so many deals fail. It would be nice for him to finally land the ‘big one,’ as he calls it.”
“Do you know what it is?” I asked.
She waved me off. “Tyler is just like his father. Secrets, secrets, secrets. Did you have a chance to look over the rose shades I sent pictures of?”
I downed the rest of my drink and picked up the next one, trying to quell the annoyance swelling inside me. I didn’t understandwhyI was so annoyed. I should have cared—should have been excited.
Instead, I was fighting back a desperate outburst.
The following day, I found myself awake before everyone else. We were staying at a hilled villa on the vineyard property. I took my coffee outside onto the veranda overlooking the entire estate, wrapping my robe tight against the dry morning air. The view was stunning—rolling hills of grapevines, olive and oak trees surrounding the property. A few trees dotted the landscape and stood in rows to help vegetation and biodiversity.
The entire view was purple with the sunrise, fog lingering around some of the ground. I inhaled the scent of my coffee and sat on one of the cushy couches, pulling my feet up and beneath me as I took out my phone to take a photo, then sent it to Lana.
Bring me back here one day, I texted her.
Bitch. Ez and Rae better be getting married there, she texted back.
I sent her photos yesterday, I said.She was going to try to get a tour this weekend.
That would be nice. Why are you up so early?
Wanted a few minutes of peace to enjoy this, I said.
How is it going?
Hard to tell. I’m trying.
I was. I had even tried being intimate with Tyler once we’d settled into bed. I hadreallytried.
But god, it was a desert down there.
I had blamed it on the wine and ended up giving him a hand job instead, then took a long, hot shower to wash his touch off of me. Once more, it had felt so wrong. I was worried he was beginning to notice, curious if he might ask me if something else was going on. But he hadn’t.
I know you are, Lana said.Send me pictures later and let me know what cake we’re having.
I smiled at the phone.Will do.
Tell Daddy I said hello, she added with a winky face.
A laugh escaped me.Sure thing.
Amber light peeked over a hill as I took another sip of coffee, rays of sun crawling over the ridges in its wake, illuminating the fog in a yellow haze.
