In a slash of direct sunlight, his wild muscadine orchard flourishes, the tendrils of the vines gripping the metal chain-link fence, its vines pregnant with green orbs of grapes that will bloat and turn a fleshy pink in late summer, when they’re ready to be harvested.
Jackson’s never made wine with them before; last summer was the first time the grapes were mature enough to be pressed for that purpose. Instead, he froze them in Ziplocs, made jam over the holidays.
He staggers inside through the back door, pries open thefridge, and pours himself a tall glass of cold iced tea. After gulping it down, he notices his answering machine blinking at him. Five new voicemails.
His heart raps against his rib cage.
Let it be Ethan.
With shaky hands, he presses the Play button.
Charleigh’s voice thunders through the kitchen. “Hey! Just me! Call me when you get a sec.”
He sighs, hits Delete.
“Heeey! So, I need to talk, call me. ’K, bye!”
His shoulders sag; he groans. Charleigh again. Delete.
“Where are you? I thought you were going to be home today?”
Delete.
“I know it’s only been ten minutes, but I really need to talk!”
Delete.
“Jackson Lee Ford! Call your best friend! She’s going out of her skull!” Her voice is almost a screech at this point. “Seriously! Call a bitch back, or I’m comin’ over to make sure you’re not dead or something!”
Ugh. This woman. Damn!
21
Charleigh
Where the hell is he?
Charleigh is still shaking inside from what just went down. All she wants is to dish to Jackson, who is not answering his damn phone.
After she called a second time and he still didn’t pick up, she actually went into Alexander’s home office to talk to him about it, not that he’d care.
She was still dressed in her purple leotard, and when she slunk into his room, his eyes carved her up. “Come here, baby. What is it?”
She crossed the room, circling his desk.
He leaned back in his leather chair, gesturing for her to sit in his lap.
“Thatwoman, Abigail Swift, was at the freaking Boat House today! Can you believe it?”
Alexander swept her ponytail to one side, stroked her neck.“And…so?” he purred in her ear. She could feel him stiffen underneath her.
She wasnotin the mood.
Of course, she didn’t say that out loud.
“And…well, it’s members only! We don’t pay five hundred bucks a month for them to let just anybody in!”
A laugh yapped out of him. Charleigh gave him an elbow, sprang to her feet.
