Page 29 of Pour Timing

“What's going on?” Matt asks suspiciously.

“Oh, nothing,” I sing-song.

There’s a commotion from the front of the winery and the town begins to cheer and clap as Mr. Byrne slowly drives down the circular dirt driveway, stopping at the beginning of the vines, right next to the tasting tables.

“Oh my god,” Matt whispers. “Uncle Paul’s Porsche.”

Danny whistles. “Damn, I remember this car. Where’s it been all this time?”

“Held up in his garage. Until now.” I nudge Matt to walk to the car but he digs his heels in.

“Come on, Dad! Let’s check it out!”

“Go ahead, I’ll be right there.” Liam takes off and Matt grabs my hand. “Did you do this?”

I can’t stop the smile that spreads across my face. “I know how special this car is to you. I thought it was the perfect way to welcome you back and keep your uncle’s legacy alive.”

He blinks. Blinks again. I’m sure he’s remembering everything about this car. From driving in it with Uncle Paul as a kid to being behind the wheel himself. To just seeing it now after all this time. Then, with his hand still holding mine and looking like he’s in a daze, he whispers, “Thank you. This is… wow.”

He releases me and walks toward the car, and I’m left feeling dizzy. I’m so happy to be able to give him something meaningful for his first Wine Day event as the new owner of Grape Expectations. Sadie gives me a quick kiss on the cheek as we watch Danny grab Matt’s shoulders, roughing him up like only guys can do as they walk to the car. Kathleen comes to stand beside me.

“Just friends, my ass,” she snickers as I try to hide my smile. “This was a great surprise, Kylie. What happens next?”

“I guess we take the car out for a test drive?”

Her knowing smile warms my heart as she throws her arm around me and we walk toward the car.

Chapter15

Matt

Today was a huge success and I know I couldn’t have pulled it off without Kylie and Sadie. I still can’t believe that she got my uncle’s car up and running. Seeing my dad drive it into the winery, I nearly fell over. The memories that car holds, between me and her, me and my uncle, and what can now be between me and my son, are priceless.

And it’s all thanks to Kylie.

Having her by my side today was everything. And it had me imagining and wishing for so much more. When I thought I had written off love and marriage all together, she reminded me I don’t have to give up. I can still have the love I always wanted and give it to Liam too. But if it’s not with her, none of it matters. And I have no idea if she’s ready to move on so quickly, if she wants to try again, or if we’re even compatible anymore.

That's a lie. We’ve always been compatible.

And her giving me that car today? It took all I had to hold myself back from pulling her into the storage room to show her how appreciative I was.

But we’re not there anymore and I don’t want to disappoint myself by envisioning life with her only to have her turn me down. And even though she said the relationship with Patrick really ended a long time ago, I won’t push myself on her. I need her to come to me. I need her to be ready and show me.

The light rain that started falling an hour and a half ago began to chase people away, but when the downpour hit, it chased the remaining wine die-hards to their cars. I ushered Liam into the truck with my mom and dad and sent them home saying I would lock up for the night. Cleaning up and counting the register can happen tomorrow. Tonight, I just need to get to bed, try to contain my thoughts, maybe touch my dick to the thought of Ky?—

Banging on the door to the back deck stops my thoughts. I walk there quickly, but before I can open it, the knob is twisting and in walks Kylie, drenched from the rain. The lightning that flashes behind her illuminates her shadow and the sound of the rain filters in.

“Ky? What are you doing?”

She stands just inside, rain dripping from the ends of her hair. “I had to come back.” She takes a deep breath and says, “I know you remember.”

“Remember what?”

“That car. What we did. How we felt.”

Memories flash. She and I at prom. She and I driving around town because we didn’t want to lose the feeling of being ‘just us.’ The way she felt when I slid inside for the first time. The way she looked when I touched her and thrust deep. The way she wrapped her arms around me as we sat, roof open, under the stars until four in the morning.

“I remember it all,” leaves my lips before any more can be thought about. And when it does, she leaps into my arms. Her hands tangle into the hair at the base of my neck. Her body presses against mine and our tongues duel. I wrap my arms around her back, holding her tight, needing to feel every inch of her that I've missed for fifteen years.

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