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“Oh, right,” she said. “Wine is fine.”
I entered through the back of the house, as it was closer to the kitchen. I grabbed a bottle of wine from the wine cooler Nate had installed, plus four glasses, and I tucked two bottles of water under my arm.
Sunshine came in. “Zoe’s still asleep and your father was out in the front room. I sent him to bed, letting him know we were home.”
“Thanks,” I said. I’d planned to check on both once I’d gotten our guests the drinks. “I have wine and water, unless you prefer ginger ale or something like that.”
“Water sounds good,” she said.
I held open the back door and enjoyed the faint scent of jasmine on her skin as she walked by. I hadn’t smelled it at the bar with everything else going on. I was drunk off the woman. And heaven help me, I didn’t think I ever wanted to be sober.
EIGHTEEN
Sunshine
Mom had warned me about love when I was old enough in her eyes to need the knowledge. She’d told me when she’d come across my dad, she’d ignored every warning her family had given about men. She’d said she’d known the moment they’d met he was her soul mate.
I hadn’t believed in it even though I’d only ever felt love and admiration between my parents. When Dad had died, part of Mom had too. The only reason she hadn’t given up on life was because of me. Yet I’d been a cynic about love or even relationships in general.
There had been enough on TV and stories I’d heard from acquaintances about men to make me jaded. But there was no denying the pull I felt toward Mitchell. I was coming to think of it as an intense sexual attraction. Because I didn’t love the man. I respected him for the father he’d shown himself to be, but love? No way. It was far too soon for that.
Maybe I should give in to the sexual pull and free myself from the endless cycle of wanting him. Do it and be done. I’d heard enough stories about guys getting what they wanted and walking away. It could be that simple and maybe I’d stop tripping over my tongue whenever he was around and stop the endless fantasies that had him starring in my dreams.
“Sunshine.”
That deep voice pulled me out of my inner thoughts. Mitchell held out a bottle of water to me. I took it. “Thanks.”
His friend Gunner and Shaina had full wineglasses. How long had I been standing there blank-faced?
“Let’s get some wood,” Gunner said.
Mitchell gave him a look I didn’t understand until they walked back toward the house where I knew the firewood was stored.
“He’s hot,” Shaina whispered.
“Who?”
She rolled her eyes. “Both of them, silly. But I’m talking about Gunner. And boy, his name is sexy too.”
“He’s still wearing a ring.” Maybe she hadn’t noticed, but I had.
She waved me off. “I asked him about that. He confirmed his wife left him.”
“That’s worse,” I said.
“Why?” She wore a perplexed expression.
Shaina might have been more knowledgeable about men in some ways, but I was good at reading people, thanks to my mom. “If she left him, he may take her back if she returns.”
Shaina’s smile vanished. “You are so taking the fun out of this. Besides, I’m not looking for anything serious. Are you?”
“With my boss? No way.”
I didn’t like the gleam in her eye. “We can switch and then there wouldn’t be any problems.” I had no words. She laughed. “I didn’t think so. You got it bad for Mr. Bossy Pants.”
The guys were back, and I couldn’t refute her statement, not without lying—something I tried very hard not to do. Mom always said I was a terrible liar because I couldn’t conceal my expressions.
They had a fire started as fast as Mom had taught me to make one. Mitchell brought chairs from somewhere. Then we were all sitting around. As they drank wine, I nursed my bottle of water. Last thing I wanted was to get sick in front of Mitchell again if I drank anything else.
“Remember that time we sat around here with—” Gunner began.
Mitchell tipped his glass in his friend’s direction. “Mary, Mary, quite contrary.”
“Oh, how did her garden grow?” Gunner finished.
Shaina’s eyes danced in the firelight. “There’s obviously a story there. So share.”
Gunner was all too ready to do just that. “Let’s just say that Mary was one of the first girls in our class to… develop.” He glanced at Mitchell for his approval to continue. “Every boy in school wanted Mary, but she had eyes for our boy here.”
When we all looked at Mitchell, he just shrugged and sipped at his wine.
Gunner continued. “The boy took his time getting there. But one night at the point, my boy was eating her apple pie in his dad’s truck when a light was shined into the truck. He nearly shit himself.” Gunner laughed.
