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“I’ll ask my grandson to show you.”
My head jerks up as I tuck my satchel under my arm.Linc?Unless there’s another grandson living in Autumn River that I don’t know about. “You don’t need to ask your grandson.” I can tour a vineyard on my own just fine.
“I’m too old to go traipsing around.” Clarissa ignores my protest as she opens the door. “Besides, he might fill you in on some gaps that I’ve missed.”
She’s got a point. After all, he was at the vineyard that night. But I’m sure I can find out any extra details on my own. Places like that always have visitor information available. Besides, something tells me Linc will be about as enthusiastic about playing tour guide as having his chest hairs waxed. That’s if he has any. He doesn’t seem the type to have a thick rug hiding beneath his torso-hugging shirt. My guess is he’s got muscles for days.
And on that thought, I quickly thank Clarissa for her time and escape to the safety of my car before I give away any clues that I’m thinking about her grandson with his shirt off.
Penny
“So, is there something you need to tell me?” My BFF, Emily, hands me a glass of water. Her blonde curls fall messily over her shoulders while she sits down in the opposite chair, holding a glass of white wine. A warm breeze fills the air as the sun descends beyond the trees, making it a perfect spring evening and a great way to end the day sitting on Emily’s back porch.
It’s been over a week since we’ve caught up face-to-face. Emily’s been busy with work, and I’ve been lying low since the wedding. Even though we’ve been best friends for years, I haven’t told her the full story about what went down with Tripp. Just that my relationship didn’t work out, and I wasn’t ready to talk about it. I feel awful, because we’ve shared plenty of secrets before. And I walked alongside her after her divorce. But what I’ve done fills me with shame. And since I haven’t told her everything about Tripp, I can’t bring up kissing Linc.
“My job is going well,” I say, shifting my gaze to a bird soaring overhead. In the fading daylight, it looks like a shadow puppet against the purple sky. “I’m interviewing this really cool lady who’s lived an amazing life. I had no idea she lived here in Autumn River. I’m jealous of how much she’s crammed into her eighty-five years.” I can only dream of achieving so much, and I can’t wait to hear more at our next interview, if only to live vicariously through her.
“That’s great, Pen. I’m ecstatic that you’re not just writing about the new supply of farming equipment at the local store. But that’s not what I’m talking about.”
Oof. Emily’s love language is sarcasm, and although I should be used to it after all these years, it still hits deep. Her words me realize how much I shut her out—claiming I was too busy with work, when really, I was just playing the avoidance game with everyone.
I briefly close my eyes as my stomach twists in knots. This is Emily. My friend since high school. Why can’t I just admit to the worst mistake of my life? Why can’t I open that door of vulnerability and spill my ugliness? I’m so ashamed, and by not giving any more airtime to Tripp’s name, I can at least pretend it never happened.
Emily clears her throat and I glance her way to find her eyes wide, eyebrows raised, looking at me expectantly. Yeah, she’s not going to let me leave if I don’t tell her.
I sigh and slump against the cushions. “What have you heard?” I’ve been living with my head in the sand if I thought word wouldn’t get back to her. My brothers know, for crying out loud. Emily’s not exactly a wallflower. She’s the wild to my calm. She’s a social worker and also has a side hustle running art classes, which means she sees many people throughout the week. Of course, she’d find out.
“You and a random guy at the vineyard.”
It sounds crass when she says it like that. Like we hooked up in a dark alley. As if I’m as easy woman looking for a fun night out. I slowly shake my head. “It wasn’t like that at all.”
“So, tell me.” She leans forward, a slight furrow between her perfectly plucked eyebrows.
“Don’t hate me,” I glance up, silently pleading to my friend, who has seen me ugly cry over being cheated on by Cooper Harrington in high school. She’s seen me on the verge of a breakdown over my college essays. And she’s seen me at the other end of the emotional spectrum, elated when I won awards for my news stories. Surely she deserves to see me sulking in the pit of despair from my mistakes.
“I’m borderline hating you now because you haven’t told me,” Emily huffs with an eye-roll.
I choke out a laugh, because I know she’s kidding. It takes a lot to ruffle Emily’s feathers after her ex deserted her.
I sigh. Admitting to the part about Linc isn’t so bad. It’s the reason behind it that has me cringing. “Yes, I kissed a random guy at the vineyard.” There. One rumor confirmed.
“Wow! Way to go, girl!” She puts up her hand and I slap her palm in an unenthusiastic high-five. “Who was he? Tell me all the details.” She leans in, and I can easily see how people would confide in her as a social worker. She’s confident, self-assured, and empathetic.
“What, are we fifteen again?”
“We may as well be. I need to live vicariously through you, because I probably haven’t had that much excitement since I was fifteen. Well, not that long. But you get what I mean.”
I nod. The guy Emily was married to for ten years left her for a blonde Swedish backpacker. Struck by wanderlust, Bobby discarded their plans to start a family and joined Birgitta in her van on a road trip to who knows where, leaving Emily heartbroken and with a side of snark that she never possessed before.
“So…”
“His name is Linc. And yes, I kissed him. But it was brief and there was nothing more to it.” Other than my tingling lips and the memory of my fingers caressing his jaw. But I quickly lock those thoughts away, because his grandmother is now the subject of my article and that’s a line I can’t cross.
A slow smile breaks out on my friend’s face.
“What?”
“Look at you. Stepping out of your comfort zone.”
