Page 32 of Pour Timing

I pull the covers down and stick my tongue out at him. He just laughs at me. I feel him moving around on the bed and laying on the pillow next to me.

It’s been a week since the Wine Day event and it’s finally catching up to me. The time spent planning, the day before, the night of, the days after... it’s been nonstop. The winery has kicked into full gear now with the tourist season and I had no idea the work that would come with it. I’m so thankful my dad is working there with me. I’d be so afraid to fail the town.

“I had a lot of fun the other day,” he says.

I open my eyes and find him watching me and smile. It’s like looking in a mirror sometimes, and I can’t believe what a great kid he is after all he’s been through. And when I look at him now, he’s happy and it shows. “You like being here, huh?”

His eyes light up and he smiles, nodding his head. “I do. I love being here with Grandma and Pop. I like this house by the water. My teacher is pretty cool even though he’s an old man like you.”

“Hey!” I tease.

“And I really like Kylie. Do you really like Kylie?”

Kylie. Visions of her standing naked in front of me, riding me, her sweet kisses, all come back, and my heart races at the thought of wanting to do it again. She came looking for me, which means what I’m feeling is not one-sided.

“Well? Do you like her?”

“I do like her. Kylie and I were great friends growing up.”

“Grandma told me you guys used to be girlfriend and boyfriend.”

“Grandma needs to stop telling my business.”

“Oh she tells me all kinds of stuff. She told me you and my teacher used to cut school when you were kids. She said you used to be a football star but you were really just a big fish in a little pond.” I guffaw at his words knowing my mother did say that word for word. “And she said you were in love with Kylie. She actually thinks you still are.” I inhale deeply and let it out, rolling to my back and throwing the blankets over top of me. “Dad! Stop being dramatic.”

I huff out a laugh. “Your grandmother is a menace.” I flip the covers off and sit up against the headboard.

“Know what?”

“What?”

“I like the way Kylie includes me.”

I watch him turn something over in his mind. My blood runs hot with rage because his own mother could barely give him her time. Always too busy, always working, always traveling. Always looking for more than what was at home. And yet here’s Kylie, so different. A few hours. That’s all. A few conversations, a few questions asked with sincerity, and he feels it. He notices.

“I like the way she includes you too, pal.”

“She also has really good taste in ice cream, so I think that makes her a keeper.”

I laugh at him. Sometimes he’s wise beyond his years. “Well, let’s slow it down before we decide to keep anybody.”

“Why are you slowing it down? We live here now. She used to be your girlfriend. Why can’t you just go back to that?”

Why can’t I just go back to that?It would be so easy to fall back into what we had. When we were young, I was looking for a way out, not knowing that everything I ever needed was staring me right in the face. Being older now and having seen what’s on the other side, I realize it’s really not all it’s cracked up to be.

“I don’t want her to be my mom though,” he says quickly and it catches me off guard.

“No, son. I don't think she’s looking to take the place of your mom.”

“No, I know she’s not. That’s not what I’m saying. She just wants to be my friend and have fun with me, and I like that. Mom never wanted to have fun.”

And this confirms my thoughts from just a moment ago. Liam just wants someone to pay attention to him. I realize the entire time we’ve been back in Starlight Bay, Gina hasn’t called once, and I wonder what that’s doing to him knowing she’s not. Though she wasn’t around much when we were together, it still has to be a thought in his mind.

“Anyway, I think that you should ask her on a date.”

“You’re not gonna let this go, are you?”

“Nope!” he says proudly, wearing a big grin. “Grandma told me that?—”

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