Page 16 of Pour Timing

I approach the table in time to hear my mom say, “We’ll do lunch this week and figure it out, okay?” Kylie nods her head quickly.

I hold the bottle up. “Customers are raving about this so let me know your thoughts.”

“Oh, you know we will.”

“Here, bud.” I place the soda in front of him and the two glasses down before pulling the corkscrew from my back pocket. I open the bottle with ease and pour for the two of them.

“Thanks, Dad. Hey, Kylie. If you went to school with my dad, I bet you know my teacher.”

She smiles at him. “I probably do, who is it?”

“Mr. Love.”

Her eyes dance as she glances at me then back to my son. “I do know Mr. Love. Is he a good teacher?”

“He is! He’s lots of fun too. He said he and my dad had too much fun together when they were in school.”

I butt in. “I also told you not to listen to any stories he tells you about me.”

Kylie leans in with a faux whisper. “I’ve got some good stories I can tell you about those two.”

“You do?” Liam's eyes are wide.

Kylie nods and I cut off their fun with a warning tone. “If you’re spilling stories, don’t forget I have my own, KJ.”

“And I have stories about all three of them, honey, so you just stick with Grandma.” My mom sits up straight with that same know-it-all smirk she loves to display.

Trying to derail this conversation, I place my hand on the back of Liam’s chair and ask, “Well, are we ready for this event? We’re only a few weeks out.”

Kylie sits up straight in her chair, swirling her glass. “I thought you had everything handled, Matt?” She sips from her glass, never taking her eyes from mine. I watch her throat as she swallows and have to look away before my thoughts take over my body.

“I do. Do you?”

“We’ll just have to wait and see.”

My mom sits back with a smile and says, “Matt, the smartest thing you did was hire these Johnson girls.”

“Hire us? I don’t remember getting paid.” Kylie laughs as she tilts her glass back, finishing off her wine.

I pick up the bottle and refill her glass. “For all the times you drank here for free, take that as a paycheck.”

She laughs. “Okay, I can’t argue that.”

Chapter8

Kylie

Spending a few hours with Matt’s mom and Liam at Grape Expectations last week was great. Being there always made me feel at home. And being with them made it feel even better. Liam is a character, and even our conversations made me feel included. He’s an amazing little boy and is definitely the spitting image of Matt.

But Kathleen knew there was something wrong the minute I walked in. Must be that mother’s intuition. I didn’t feel judged when she asked me what was wrong, and when she suggested we have lunch for ‘girl talk’, I accepted the invite immediately.

After she and Liam left, I sat on the patio, tracing the rim of my wine glass as I stared out at the rows of vines covered in the late afternoon sun. My mind raced with ideas of ‘what’s next’ while the quiet of the winery turned my thoughts into action. Patrick used to do so much, weekend trips away, dinner nights for us, spur-of-the-moment dates, simple things that showed me he cared. But his promises had gone to the wayside. Vague excuses about spending time with his dad and late work nights replaced all that he had promised me. I couldn’t remember the last time he asked how my day was or looked at me like he actually saw me and cared about what I said.

“Don’t tell me you’re having a hard time finishing that glass,” Matt said, appearing beside me with that easy, familiar grin. His sleeves were rolled up, his strong forearms begging to be held onto.

“No, just trying to figure out how much wine it takes to drown mild disappointment. Both mine and others’.”

He leaned on the chair next to me and said, “You’d need at least a bottle and a half. But I recommend our Merlot. Pairs well with a life crisis. Or so I heard.”

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