Page 35 of Wild Abandon

As the sun sets and rises, I know he just watched and waited. However, I can’t picture what he looked like the day he decided to just give in and tend to them.

I’ve seen him out there a few times with his small stool and cutting shears. Each time, he comes inside with a basket of roses, but never once has he placed them in a vase in the winery.

Perhaps he takes them into his home, which I learned is above the garage. Maybe, tomorrow, I’ll go out there and cut some flowers for the winery. I have a few plans for that space. I saw a photo in a Pottery Barn catalog that gave me some inspiration. It would require a trip to some vintage shops. I’ll have to ask Naomi if she’ll go with me. And then there’s the veranda. I want to go out there and—

“You’re doing it again,” Naomi states from across the table.

I rub the side of my face and then tap my temple, bringing myself back to reality. “Sorry. Lots on the noggin.”

“Care to share?”

“Um, yes…” I offer up in conversation, “Are there any good thrift stores in the area? There are a few things I want to pick up for the ranch.”

“Yes,” she drags the word out of her mouth. “There’s actually a cool flea market I can take you to.” Naomi looks to Jeremy, who is giving her the side eye, and then they both look back to me. “That’s not what’s bothering you though. Come on, spit it out.”

I pull in my bottom lip as I look around the table at the family staring at me like I’m about to utter something prolific.

There is one more thing on my mind.

I puff out my lips and start talking, “Do you think I’m standoffish?”

“No…”

“Absolutely.”

“Most definitely.”

The husband, wife, and child have spoken in unison.

From the uncomfortable look on Jeremy’s face, I can see he was lying. I look back at him and wait for him to amend his statement.

“Honest answer? Yes,” he says.

Naomi pushes her plate away from her and crosses her arms on the table. “Before we give you our insight, why don’t you tell us what brought on this marvel?”

“Well…” I think for a moment. “I won’t settle. You know that. I have a clear vision.” I hold my hand perpendicular to my face and make a straight line in the air, demonstrating how clear my vision of a certain man is.

They’re not rolling their eyes, but I know they want to. They’ve heard this before.

“That said, I worry that sometimes I might not be my authentic self when trying to attract said man.”

While I expect them to chime in with their, No, and, Not you, Naomi doesn’t miss a beat when she says, “Yeah, well, duh. Why do you think I wanted to set you up with that Dallas guy?”

I look back at her with a dumbfounded expression.

“How can you say that? I am nothing but honest with who I am. If the guy doesn’t jive with what I have going on, then I walk away. If anything, I am too honest!” My fork is in my hand like a baton, pointing at them with each syllable.

Jeremy holds his knife up and slaps away my fork. “Shall we duel?”

I squint my eyes at him and then drop my fork in defeat. These two wouldn’t take me seriously if I paid them. My head is down, facing my plate, when Jeremy puts his arm on my wrist.

“You want honest?” he asks.

I peer at him through my hair.

“I met you when I was twenty years old. Naomi made me go to New York to meet her best friend.”

Jeremy turns to Naomi. “Remember that trip, babe? We all met in Manhattan over Christmas break?” Naomi smiles at the memory, and he continues, “You and I were coming home from Cal State, and Crystal drove down from the University of Rochester.”