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Will shakes Jack’s hand and makes some small talk about the vineyard and Jack’s experience, as front gate bell rings alerting us the pizza is here.
One of the shit things about living on a massive vineyard is that pizza delivery doesn’t come to your front door. I literally have to get in the car and drive to the front gate to pick it up.
When I return with the pizza Ellen has plates set out on the patio, wine is poured and Jack has fit right in with Will and the two are still talking.
As we take our seats, Olivia and Oscar begin to argue about who will sit next to Jack. He’s still high on their list of awesome people, the novelty not growing thin in the least.
Ellen steps in, taking both of them by the hand and moving them away from Jack before the two of them start swinging.
“Why don’t we let Aunt Lauren sit next to Jack?”
“Don’t be silly, Ellen. They can both sit next to him,” I say, placating the kids and giving Jack a grateful smile as he pulls out the chairs on either side of him.
“You sure you don’t want to sit next to Jack?” she asks, but her tone is full of insinuation and I’m getting real tired of everyone assuming there’s something going on between Jack and me.
Even if there is.
I don’t acknowledge her comment; I just take a seat at the end of the table so Ellen and Will can sit next to each other.
“How are you liking it here?” Will asks, his question directed at Jack. “The kids really seem to like having you around.”
“It’s been good. I was keen to get back to the States. I haven’t been here since I was kid and even better that I was able to return toSomerville’s.”
“Yeah, this place is great. Ellen and Lauren have done an amazing job,” Will compliments as he puts an arm around Ellen’s shoulders. “We lived here in this cottage until the twins got a little older. We ended up moving off property a few years ago. Bought a bigger house in a neighborhood because we thought it would be nice for the kids to have other kids to play with. But it turns out they love it here.”
Will can talk to anyone and right now I’m totally okay with his non-stop talking because it takes the heat off me and keeps Ellen from making her teasing backhanded comments about Jack and me.
The conversation continues and it’s light and casual. The kids are filling Jack in on their upcoming vacation to Disneyland, which they invite him to join them on, but he politely declines.
I can’t remember a time when things were this simple, this easy. Nate never wanted to have dinner with my sister and Will. He never would’ve allowed the kids to dominate a conversation, but more than any of this, he never supported anything I did here at the vineyard.
Even if this thing with Jack amounts to nothing in the end, it’s taught me that this is what normal looks and feels like.
There’s a lull in the conversation and as if it comes out of nowhere, Olivia announces to the table, “I saw Jack kissing Aunt Lulu!”
I feel the flush creep heavily across my face and I had no idea that armpits could produce so much sweat in a matter of seconds. My hands instinctively cover my face and Jack nearly chokes on the sip of wine he’s just taken.
Coughing and sputtering, I slide my hands down over my face and watch as Jack wipes at his mouth with a napkin.
I can’t bring myself to make eye contact with anyone at the table other than Jack. Leave it to the kids to sell me out. I should’ve seen this coming because they can’t keep anything a secret.
“Of course I was kissing Aunt Lulu,” Jack replies nonchalantly. “That’s how we greet people in Australia.”
My eyes are still locked with his and I can’t even figure out why he’s lying for me. I know he would prefer to have this whole thing out in the open.
“I thought that was France?” Oscar questions doubtfully, as he considers Jack’s words, his little brain searching to see if there’s any truth in what he’s said.
“Well, Australia is part of the Commonwealth of Britain and Britain is near France, so we’ve taken to kissing people as a way of greeting.”
By now I’m covering my mouth with my hand to keep from laughing and I know I’m not the only one finding humor in this conversation. I scan the table quickly as I watch Will and Ellen give each other a side eye. It’s not going to be long before we can’t keep this whole thing hidden, but it looks like we’re riding this lie train until the end.
Jack loses Oscar right around the time that he starts to explain how Australia separated from the British Monarchy and both kids leave the table without pressing the idea that Olivia saw us kissing.
Totally unlike Ellen and her constant nosiness, she rises from the table and takes Will with her, saying, “I think we’ll get going. Thanks for dinner and you guys enjoy the rest of your night.”
She shuffles the kids out the door in record time, and when the door closes behind them I feel my shoulders sag with relief.
I have no idea why I’m hiding the fact that I’m hooking up with Jack. It’s not just the fact that as kids I pretended to despise him, but a part of me wonders if I’m trying to protect everyone around me from what I know is coming too.
