“So stressful, a winery. I hope not with a beautiful woman.” She is being playful.
“Don’t worry. Just my parents and one of their favorite spots, Olive Owl.”
Instantly her body freezes, and her face becomes crestfallen. “Wait. What?”
Now I’m confused by her change in mood. “Uh, I had a few hours to spare, so I’m driving down to Olive Owl to see my parents. My dad wants to pick up a tree on the first day of Hanukkah. That’s just how they roll.” It should be a quick forty-minute drive tops down to Bluetop, another small town.
Her tight uneasy chuckle under her breath is alarming. “Funny thing. Totally not. You see, I’ll be there tomorrow.” My forehead creases, as she isn’t making senseuntil she swats my shoulder. “Olive Owl is owned by the Blisswoods, and guess what…”
“What?”
“My brother. Remember I mentioned him once or twice? He’s pretty much my mom’s age, which is why the stepmom thing gets kind of weird.” She shakes her head to stop her from going off track. “Beside the point. My brother is married to a Blisswood, and he runs the winery too. Hence, why I’ll be there tomorrow, as I was going to see him and my nieces.”
She peels herself off of me and bluntly pulls the duvet to snuggle under because our little predicament has ruined our mood.
“This means you and I will be in the same spot at the same time as my mom and dad and your brother. I need to mention you to my parents, and then when we’re ready, we’ll inform them in a few weeks that they will be grandparents.”
She blows a raspberry and sinks into my bed as though this has always been her bed. “We’re adults, we can handle it. Just two people who know one another at the same place and harboring the same secret.”
I join her lying down to stare at the ceiling. “Now my stress level is elevated, if I’m honest.”
“It will be fine, I’m sure.” She hooks her leg over my hip as she moves to her side and scoots into me. “As much as destressing by fucking each other’s brains out would be the best solution, I think I just want to sleep now. Talking about our family felt like a cold shower to the mood.”
“I can’t argue with that.”
Wrapping my arm around her and pulling her closer, I at least take pleasure in the fact that I have her in my arms for the rest of the night.
CHAPTER 10
ASHER
Biting my inner cheek, I listen as my parents debate the holidays, as they do every year. We’re at Olive Owl, sitting inside where the fire is cozy and the wine is the perfect tingle on the tongue, and I attempt to focus on the charcuterie board, but it fails.
“I just thought for one year, we could get a tree with a little more oomph.” My mom motions with her hands, her dark hair flowing. I’m going to assume she is talking about the lack of needles on the tree. Even as an adult, I try to make it for their tradition of picking out a tree. The schedule normally doesn’t allow it, but this year there was a small window.
My dad grins as he takes a sip of his white wine. “You are just going to go on ornament overload before adding the menorah tree topper. The tree is only the base, we’re fine.”
Sometimes, I get the impression that he picks out the ugliest tree on purpose. A sort of tongue-in-cheek method of teasing my mom.
My mom brings her hands together and smiles as she seems to look off into the distance. “I still remember themoment when we were searching for a tree and your dad only realized that I was part Jewish when I informed him how I decorate to incorporate Chrismukkah. Funny, right? We were already married, and he didn’t know?—”
“I know, I know. Married for convenience. Fell in love here. Had me and then decided I was a decent child, so then decided to try your luck with another and got a wild child instead. Yep, heard the story many times,” I unenthusiastically list because I hear this story every year.
My dad chuckles, amused. “Now, now, Shaw isn’t exactly wild, just… a little unruly at times. Also, let your mom enjoy this day. She bought a bucketload of new ornaments at the winter market out in the suburbs then decided she would take photos of dreidels in funny places to frame and hang on the wall near the tree.”
This all sounds on brand for her. I wouldn’t expect anything less.
I’m lucky that they are laidback people. Despite having money, they remain grounded. Sometimes I wonder why I can be a little uptight. It’s not from them.
She swats his arm as she smiles ear to ear. “Hey, this is the one time of year that isn’t boating season where you leave business at the office. That’s why you’ve been so happy today picking out a tree. You did it at record speed, so it must have been love at first sight.”
“Or I wanted to finish that part of the day as quickly as possible,” he mumbles, and my mom gives him her warning eyes.
“Why don’t you two stop quarreling about a tree that will die in two weeks and ask your son how he is?” The fact that I’m volunteering my demise is beyond my comprehension, but I have got to start somewhere. I can’t stay too long, as theteam is having a morning skate before our last game before the break.
My mom’s dark red lips stretch. “You are completely right. My first-born child deserves all of our attention.” I smile tightly at her. “What else is new with you? We’ve only talked hockey since we dragged you across the tree section of the farm. I love this place. You know your dad and I used to visit here on weekends?—”
I cut that right off and wince. “Don’t need the details again. Especially in the course of ten minutes. I’m still getting over being traumatized due to your attention to details.” Even I’m able to make a joke out of this. I’m already getting a little worn out from how happy my mom is right now. It’s a good thing, but it takes energy.
