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I chuckle. “Forced? From memory, I thought I actually saved you that night, taking you when you didn’t have a date.”
She rolls her eyes at me, reaching for her glass. “Pfft, whatever,” she says, taking another sip. “You were just some novelty to a bunch of bored teenagers,” she adds, trying to act like this isn’t a big deal. “The tall, mysterious foreign guy with the hot accent, whoopee,” she adds, shrugging. “If anything, you were great for my rep because all the girls were swooning and all the guys were jealous as hell.” She waves a hand in dismissal as though none of this is a big deal.
I burst out laughing. “Lulu,” I say in mock scolding. “You never told me any of this.”
Lu scoffs. “Like your ego needed anymore stroking, Jack.”
I grin at her, as she sits across from me, trying to fight the smile I know she wants to give me. I watch as she bites her bottom lip, lowering her sunglasses to her eyes as though it’s the glare and not the reminiscing that’s bothering her.
Reaching across the table, I slide my fingers over hers as they fiddle with her wine glass.
“Tall, mysterious foreign guy, huh?” I say, pulling her fingers from the stem. “Hot accent?”
Lu blushes now as she murmurs, “Mmmm.”
I chuckle, turning her hand over as I brush my thumb across the inside of her wrist. I open my mouth to speak just as Carey reappears to drop off some appetizers, compliments of the house.
Lu pulls her hand from mine, reaching for her napkin now as she busies herself with pretending to eat. I let the moment go, even though there are so many things I want to ask her.
The rest of our lunch passes by with no further discussion about the school dance or what it might mean that her friends all still know about me.
Eventually, after we finish off the bottle of wine and decline dessert, I head inside to fix up the bill while Lu hits up the bathroom.
“On the house,” Carey says, grinning at me.
“No, I can’t let you do that,” I say. “Please, let me pay.”
Carey shakes her head. “Nope,” she says.
“Okay, fine,” I say, pulling a fifty from my wallet anyway and sliding it into the tip jar by the cash register. “Thank you. The food was great, just as I remember it.”
“You’re welcome,” Carey says, grinning. She looks over my shoulder as though checking for something before turning back to me. “She never forgot you, you know?” she says, her voice a whisper as though she doesn’t want anyone to hear what she’s telling me.
“What?”
“Lauren,” she says, eyes flicking behind me again. “She…”
But her words are cut off as Lu materializes beside me. “Ready to go?” Her question stopping any further discussion.
“Was great to see you again,” Carey says, hugging her. “Don’t leave it so long next time.”
We say our goodbyes and head back out to the car, but I can’t resist glancing backward as I hold the door open for Lu. Carey is watching us, a strange smile on her face as she meets my stare quickly before turning away.
The drive back toSomerville’sis quiet, the only noise the songs coming from the radio and the gentle breeze that blows in through Lu’s half open window.
I watch as her loose hair blows around her, her fingers constantly tucking it behind her ears every time it gets in her face. I have an urge to reach out and do it for her. To run my fingers through her long blonde strands, wrap them around my hand as I pull her close to me.
By the time we pull back into the vineyard, my mind and body are going crazy with lust, fueled by everything I learned today and every kilometer I sat silently watching her on the way home.
Lu parks in front of her house and we both get out of the car. I wait as she walks around toward me, reaching for her hand as she stops beside me.
“Thank you for lunch,” I say, my eyes locked onto hers.
“You’re welcome,” she says, swallowing.
“I,” I start, pausing as I try to work out the right words. “I ahh,”
“Aunt Lulu!” comes Oscar’s voice as he comes tearing out of her house, the front door slamming and totally killing the moment.
