Page 21 of Pour Timing

And Liam was thriving again. After seeing how easy it was for his own mother to just leave him, I had to be careful about who I let in his life. So while I do my best to protect him from people who come and go, we’re learning together that this town brings people that stick.

Kylie sticks.

And Liam is noticing.

So am I.

“Hm, you can try.” She winks and then hops off the stool. “Sadie is on her way. We’ve got the last of the centerpieces coming in along with the signs for each table.” She turns on me. “You did call the table company, right? I need those ten-foot-long tables for the tastings.”

“Sounds like you’re the boss now.”

She flashes that million-dollar smile that always made me agree to whatever she wanted. “I’m just making sure you’ve got everything I need, Matt.”

My dick hardens in my jeans at her loaded words. I know she knows exactly what she’s doing, I just don’t understand why. I glance at her hand, reminding myself that she’s engaged—she’s not mine anymore—and I have to do a double take.

She’s not wearing her ring.

I make my way out from behind the bar and follow her as she walks to the back deck of the winery. There are boxes everywhere, and she begins going through them, pulling out the linens. I have to ask why she isn’t wearing her ring. I know it’s stupid, and it’s most likely because she’s going to be doing heavy work here, but I don’t know. There’s something different about how she entered the place and her teasing banter feels like more than just old times.

“Hey, um, is everything ok?”

She doesn't look at me, only continues pulling the tablecloths out. “Yes, fine. What do you think of this color?”

She turns around holding a tablecloth, and I say, “Green is nice.”

“It’s not green, it’s emerald.” She pulls another one out. “How about this? Do they clash?”

“I mean, green and yellow are pretty bright.”

She throws a glance over her shoulder at me again. “Emeraldandgambogearen’t bright, Matt. They’re meant to be flattering colors so the wine can shine.” I roll my lips in, trying to keep my laughter at bay but she calls me on it anyway. “Don’t you dare laugh at me either.”

“Spell gamboge.”

She turns on me with fire in her eyes and hands on her hips, the linens bunching at her sides and making her look like a peacock. Before she can get another word out, I step closer. “Don’t hurt the colors! With a name likegambogeI’m sure they have very strong feelings.” She shakes her head at me and I calmly tell her, “I’m just teasing you.” I reach for her instinctively, sliding my hand around her wrist, urging her to step forward. “Tell me what’s going on.”

She almost gives in to defeat but then pushes her shoulders back. I drop my eyes to her chest for a split second, to hermore than a handful of breaststhat always fit perfectly in mine. She clears her throat and I scrub my face with my hand. “Sorry, old habits, ya know?” She rolls her eyes and I realize I’m still holding onto her wrist. I drop my hand.

Silence falls across the winery but the memories of us are loud. Laughing together, hearing her cheer for me on the field, holding her after a game, the squeak of my truck as she rode me in it, crying when we said goodbye … it all plays on repeat.

“I broke up with Patrick.”

And that sentence seems like it’s told to me through a bullhorn. Loud and clear as day.

“You what?”

“I called off the engagement.”

“Ky...” Her name lingers in the air. I want to pull her in for a hug, but I don't know what the right thing to do is right now. Will I look like a creep for holding her after she just told me she broke up with her fiancé? I’m already a creep for staring at her tits. Thinking about how hard she’d get me.

Fuck.

“It’s alright. I'm not upset.”

She moves past me and steps onto the grass and I follow. “Are you sure?”

She inhales deeply as I come to stand beside her. Everything feels like it’s in a spotlight right now. The sun is highlighting the grapevines tangled around their wooden posts. The grass is bright green thanks to the rain we got last week. And the breeze that circles around us, binding us together, reminds me I’m standing next to my first love.

“Have you ever gone along with something for fear of disappointing others, instead of thinking about yourself?” Before I can answer, she continues. “I had brunch with your mom the other day. The mimosas we were drinking were a beautiful shade of chiffon.” She elbows me and I laugh.

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