Page 14 of Taurus

“Uh, was it anything other than that?” I ask him. He just smiles, and that says all I need to know. “Eww.”

“I’m kidding, Park. Carrie and I are supposed to hang out soon. That’s all. It means whatever it means. We don’t exactly plan any of it. It’s just… casual.”

“There’s that word again.” I turn around to face him, placing my hand on his chest to stop him in his tracks. “Let me say something before this narrative continues, okay?”

He looks down at my hand on him and it makes me pull it away quickly and fold it in with my other in front of me. “What narrative?” he asks me.

“The one where you think I’m jealous of or care about who you are or are not sleeping with. We’ve been broken up for over a decade, Austin. You haven’t been celibate and neither have I. I’m here to do a job and to mourn my grandad. That’s it. Whatever we used to feel for each other isn’t important and holds no bearing over anything that happens while I’m in town.”

“You know that’s not possible, Park,” he says with a sincerity in his voice, mixed with a slight arrogance that makes me roll my eyes.

“What does that mean?”

“It means that there is quite a bit of unfinished business between us and conversations that need to happen before either one of us can truly move on. I know you’ll say you disagree with me until you’re blue in the face, but I know you agree. We need to sit and have a conversation when you’re ready. Until then, we’ll just coexist as best we can. Deal?”

I wish he wasn’t right. I wish I didn’t feel this sense of sadness and longing when it comes to him. Everything was so fiery and intense and then it was just over. No closure. No true breakup. Just a fight, screaming, crying, and that was it.

“Fine. When the time is right, we can talk about what happened between us. I guess we both deserve that.”

“We do,” he agrees and extends his hand out to seal the deal with a shake.

“All right, new girl. Ready to get rolling?” Linds asks as I’m tying the apron around my waist and she laughs. “I’m kidding. You’re hardly a new girl.”

“No, I basically am. Everything is so different here now. Last time I was here, this was just offices and a small bar. Now it’s a full affair. A venue. Austin was telling me that even weddings happen here now?”

“All the time, honestly. The ceremonies usually happen up on the hill with the mountains and vines in the background, then they’ll make their way in here for the reception.”

“That’s really cool. I love that. My grandad had a lot of vision but it was very tunneled. He wanted to produce and distribute the best wine possible. He didn’t really think outside of that, I guess.”

“Austin being here was good for him, I think. Once he came in, started helping with some of the day-to-day things, he and your grandad really took Pesca to the next level. You should be proud of him,” Linds says then motions for me to follow her down the hall. “Come on. Let’s go grab our bottles for the day.”

A familiar laugh pulls my attention for a split second and I look up to the balcony area with extra tables and see Austin on the phone. I don’t know who he’s talking to, but I can tell from his body language that it’s business. He was really made for this.

He must feel my stare because his eyes lock on mine and his lips turn up in a smile.

For as wrong and weird as being here feels without Grandad… Austin being here makes it somehow… right.

The day passes by easily. I work side by side with Linds all day long, interacting with customers, helping her work through multiple rounds of wine tastings with so many tourists and a few locals alike. I feel overwhelmed but incredibly fulfilled and connected to my hometown again, even if just for a little bit.

“You killed it today, new girl,” Linds says with a smile.

“Oh, God, I was absolutely faking it until I made it.” I lean against the bar, tossing the apron onto the top behind me.

“Well, you were great. A natural with the customers, really.”

“Working in politics doesn’t hurt, I guess. Gave me a lot of practice with mingling and making others comfortable.”

“It also means you’ve definitely seen some bullshit, huh?” Linds reaches around me to pull out two, clean wine glasses and pours us each a glass of the peach moscato everyone seemed to love today.

“Shit, Linds, I could write one hell of a book with all the bullshit I’ve seen in my time there.” I lift the glass once it’s filled halfway.

“Well shit.” She raises her glass in a toast. “To surviving the bullshit.”

“Cheers.” I clink my glass with hers and take a welcome sip. It’s smooth, sweet yet tart and absolutely divine. “Mmm.”

“Girl, I know. This is my favorite.” Linds takes another sip. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Of course,”

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