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“I didn’t mean forcing. It’s just that... shit, Annie, I don’t know. You agreed that the whole premise of the auction is ridiculous.”
“Of course I think it’s ridiculous, but I also don’t want to be forced into six dates with Stumpy Larson again just for the sake of charity. I’m not going to force Charles into anything, but he’s also newish to town, and maybe he doesn’t realize how the auction works.” I shrugged. “Maybe if he knew he’d—I don’t know—wantto bid on me.” I picked at invisible lint on the hem of my skirt and couldn’t dare look Lee in the eyes.
“Hey.” His voice lowered a degree to a timbre that sent shivers dancing down my back. “Of course he would want to. I’m sorry I said anything.”
“What about Emma?” I needed something, anything, to get the focus off me so that I could collect my fraying nerves.
“Emma?”
“Yeah, she saw everything on display when you were running through town, and she wasn’t mad at it.” I laughed softly at my slightly obnoxious friend. “Why don’t you go on a date with her? You could even take her to the gala. She’sreallyexcited about going. And then you wouldn’t have to worry about being put up and bid on, since you’re there with someone.”
The solution was simple, and I knew Emma would be up for it even though I hadn’t asked her about it beforehand.
Lee sighed and looked down onto our quiet streets. Cars moved in and out of town, but they were so far down and removed it was like we were the only two in the world. Our breaths were in opposite rhythm, a soft breeze through the trees the only sound.
“Yeah, okay,” Lee finally said. “Talk to Emma and see if she’s interested. I’d be happy to take her out. And listen”—his elbow nudged me, and I finally met his gaze, his green-gray eyes soft but intense—“Charles is a lucky guy. He’d be stupid to let you slip away.”
I lowered my lashes and smiled. “Thank you.”
I looked around as the night sky grew inky and hundreds of stars twinkled above us. I sighed with contentment.
“Doesn’t get much better than this, does it?” Lee asked beside me, looking out onto the vast waters of Lake Michigan.
“No, I guess it doesn’t.” I wanted so badly to lean my head against him, to sigh deeply and let the world melt away as I enjoyed this moment with Lee.
Instead, my feet kicked out, and I focused on my upcoming date with Charles and how it might finally be the one to help him see us as more than just occasional make-out buddies.
“You know,” Lee finally broke the silence. “This is the best day of my life.”
I snorted a laugh and leaned into my best friend. “You always say that.”
“Yeah.” He sighed. “I know.”
* * *
“This pinot noiris from the Burgundy region.” Charles smiled at me. “Bring the glass to your face. Inhale deeply from your lungs, hold the aroma.”
I did as Charles instructed and tried not to cough as the burn from the alcohol tickled my lungs.
“Tell me what you smell.”
I thought hard, trying to think of fancy words or smells I might be experiencing. My mind blanked.
This is not off to a great start.
“It smells ... sharp, maybe?”
Charles flattened his lips and shook his head. “No, deeper than that. Search for the subtleties underneath.”
“Okay.” I tipped the glass toward my nose and inhaled again. “Like maybe caramel or something?”
That earned me a tight smile. “This particular varietal is redolent with upturned forest floor, subtle rot, morning dew. It has an excellently executed sous-bois characteristic with hints of burned sugar on the nose.” He tipped his glass toward me and saluted. “Which could be what you’re accurately describing as caramel.”
Charles stuck his nose deep into the glass and inhaled deeply with a gentle, appreciative moan.
Subtle. Rot.
I sniffed again to try to see if I could pinpoint what the hell he was talking about, but the wine pretty much just smelled like booze to me.
