Page 98 of Wild Abandon

I pick up the phone and dial my friend Emma.

“Thank God you called. My ankles are swollen, I’m on permanent bed rest because of an incompetent uterus, and my controlling husband won’t let me move an inch. He even gives me a hard time about peeing! I need some real entertainment that doesn’t come from Netflix. Please tell me you have a story for me,” she bellows through the phone.

“Oh, have I got a story for you.” I lean against the railing and talk to my friend. I love my friends.

I did something really monumental. I deleted my dating apps. And not just to replace it with a new one. Nope, I am off-line—dating-wise, that is.

It’s liberating in a way. It doesn’t mean I’m giving up on finding Mr. Right. I’m just not going to pick him based on a résumé. I’m going to give the world of organic dating a try. And cooking. I’m teaching myself how to cook.

And, to my surprise, it’s not as scary as I thought—the organic dating part, that is.

Case in point—Simon. I met him at the market. I decided it’s time I learn to cook, so I came out here to pick up some fresh produce to make dinner tonight. He caught me staring wistfully at a piece of sea bass. As I wondered how I could transform it into the teriyaki-glazed goodness I had at a restaurant in Miami, he came over to place an order for fresh clams, six of them, for a sauce he was making.

We started talking. He joked, and I laughed. I left the market bass-less but with a new phone number plugged into my phone.

Tonight is our first date.

Wearing a pair of jeans and a silk top, a camisole, and knee-high boots, I am waiting for Simon to pick me up. Yes, I am letting him pick me up like a normal date. And I am letting him pick the place.

We head south. I’m surprised we’re not going somewhere in St. Helena, as we’re both from here.

“You like music?” he asks. “I know a place that has a great band.”

And can you imagine my surprise when said place with a great band is the one place I have been avoiding for weeks?

“You like The Barge Poppers?” I ask when we pull up to Henley’s Bar.

“You know them? My cousin, Justin, is the in the band,” Simon answers with a huge smile, proud he chose right for our date tonight.

If this were any other circumstance, I’d be excited that we had a common interest. No, I am excited that we both like The Barge Poppers. I’m just not excited that I have to walk inside. It’s Wednesday night. Nate works on Wednesday nights.

“I love them,” I say before realizing I shouldn’t have said that. Now, there’s no turning back.

“I knew I liked you, Crystal Reid.” He gets out and then swings around to my side of the car to open my door.

Together, we walk through the door of Henley’s.

The place is packed. Simon sees his cousin and gets waved over. Justin saved a table for us by the front. He recognizes me and asks if I’ll play. Of course I’ll play. I love this band. I can’t help but look around the room. I don’t see Nate anywhere. That doesn’t mean he’s not here though.

Laurie approaches the table. “Hey you! And you! Fancy seeing you two together.”

Simon looks at me with a grin. This couldn’t be more right, yet it feels so weird. Laurie hands us menus. Actual menus. Apparently, Simon likes to eat here. I order a burger and fries. He gets a steak sandwich. I order a vodka tonic. He gets a Captain and Coke. He looks at the band as they begin to play. I look at the bar.

“What are you going to play tonight?” Simon asks.

“Huh? Oh, I don’t know. Any requests?”

“I’m not good at that sort of thing. Justin is the music guy in the family.”

Nate appears by the bar with his back to me.

I try to keep my attention on Simon. “What is it that you do?” I ask.

“I have a distribution route. Some wineries don’t grow their own grapes. I transport them up and down the state.”

Our drinks are served. Mine is exactly as I ordered it.

I look up, and see Nate. Maybe he doesn’t know I’m here. Maybe he does. Doesn’t matter.