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“Yes, it was a good idea,” I replied.
After nodding at my brother and his girlfriend, I quickly walked over to my aunt.
Aunt Lori was short, with dark hair liberally streaked with gray, and dark brown eyes that could see into your soul. Or so my siblings and I always said growing up.
She took one look at me and clicked her tongue. “Why are you nervous?”
I looked around the room until I found Katie laughing with Abby, Emmy, and their other friend, Amber King. “Just some work stuff.”
“Hmm. I think you’re lying.”
I resisted smiling. Because Aunt Lori always knew when I was lying. It’d been a hell of a thing to deal with growing up.
Aunt Lori sighed. “It’s that witch again, isn’t it?”
Since evading her question would only draw more attention to me—and I didn’t want her to guess what else I was keeping from her—I shrugged and answered, “Yes.”
“I get why she wants you, lad. I do. You’re successful, attractive, and sweet. And no, don’t try to say you aren’t. Your tall height and rugged jaw won’t ever fool me. But why does that woman want to all but bully you into marrying her? Wouldn’t that be disastrous? It’s clear as day you don’t love her.”
My aunt had married the love of her life young—my Uncle Tim—and had lost him young too, when he died during the Gulf War. She took marriage very seriously.
I sighed. “You know that, and I know that. But Wendy cares more about outward appearances and status than actual feelings and relationships.”
“And since you’re the most in-demand movie hero at the moment, she sees you as a trophy.”
I grunted. “There are plenty of other male lead roles she could pursue, ones who would want to share the spotlight with her.”
She replied, “Hmph. You’re the most beloved by the public, and you know it.”
I shrugged. I’d learned long ago that fame and fortune could be a double-edged sword.
Aunt Lori patted my arm. “Have I told you lately how proud I am of you, Nolan? And not just me, but your siblings as well. Your parents probably would’ve plastered your movie posters all over the walls, uncaring that it didn’t tie into the winery, if they were still with us.”
Not wanting to go down memory lane—their deaths had fractured my family in so many ways—I changed the subject. “I’ll be here for Thanksgiving.”
She narrowed her eyes at the sudden shift but then shrugged. “I knew you’d come.”
“Oh, really? Even though I told you I’d be in South America shooting an action-adventure film?”
“Even then. Because you’ve never missed a Thanksgiving or Christmas, and I doubt you’d start now.”
It’d been a near thing a few times. But despite how busy I was, I was determined to have two days a year to myself. Two days where I wasn’t the world-famous Nolan Drake and could simply be the small-town boy Nolan Wolfe.
From the corner of my eye, I noticed Katie exit to the back porch. This was it—my chance to pitch my proposal.
“I see someone I need to catch up with, Aunt Lori. I’ll find you later, before I leave, okay?”
“You’d better. If I don’t get my goodbye hug, I’ll get spicy with my emojis again.”
I groaned dramatically, simply because I knew it’d make my aunt smile. “Not the overheated one. Or the peach. Just stop. Please.”
She patted my arm. “Then make sure you say goodbye to me, and you’ll be spared.”
I placed a hand over my heart and bowed my head, as if I were some knight of old. “As my lady wishes.”
Aunt Lori snorted. “Go on with you, then. Use that charm on someone who isn’t related to you and can appreciate it better.”
After winking at my aunt, I slowly made my way to the back door and slipped outside. Katie stood by herself, near an open fire pit, and stared up at the darkened sky.
