Chapter Ten

Skeet

 

The date with Celeste was damn near perfect. The food, the wine, the location with so many old memories—all of them good—and the company. Being alone with her out there had some kind of magical feel, like time had reverted to the past before the mess or... Or it had skipped ahead to a new beginning. I had no complaints about our date at all... Of course, if I had been able to completely claim her as mine again... That would’ve put things over the moon. But, I was happy with the way everything went along smoothly. And there was a bit of making out with her in my arms mixed in with looking up at the massive amount of stars up in the sky—that made the night pretty amazing.

Getting Celeste home on time—before daybreak—probably amazed her family.

I hated to tell her goodnight... The kissing part was great. But I really hated that I had to tell her goodbye for a few days since I had to get back out on the road. The life of a traveling wine salesman. I didn’t really like what I was doing at all. I couldn’t see what Zelda loved about living out of suitcases, staying in hotels and eating takeout or room service. The thrill of it only lasted for about five months. Seeing new places was about the best perk. I had been at it for almost a year as I made my way across the country to Georgia.

Being several miles away, I missed Celeste and I found myself daydreaming and imagining life with her. The idea of coming home to a house I shared with her every night sounded like something I would love. Being a realist, I wondered how things would ever work out with us since I worked days and she worked nights. Maybe her dream of a dress shop was still there in the back of her mind... I needed to ask her if she really loved what she was doing, being a sommelier. Then the thought of us working a wine business together popped into my head. How could we do that... open a wine shop? A wine boutique? I was thinking of ways to combine her resort clothing line with a wine collection. Maybe another option was to have side by side shops.

Somehow it could all work. I was sure of it. I just needed to do some research.

For sure I had to hang up my traveling salesman gig.

I wanted some kind of stability in my life and I wanted to leave the travel part behind. I did love the wine business, but I preferred being in one place. Working at the vineyard was incredibly hard work; learning every aspect from growing to harvesting to actually making the wine to marketing to selling and distributing. I would be happy if I could find a niche where I could have a home not far from my work like my pop.

Back in my hometown, I headed for the local watering hole in my old neighborhood with a friendly bartender I knew well. I had thought about stopping in at Saphyre for a drink and to catch a glimpse of Celeste, but thought it might not be wise to rattle her while she was working. Besides, just looking at her wouldn’t be enough.

Instead, I grabbed a seat on a familiar bar stool. “Hey Dean.”

“Haven’t see you in a while.” That was true. I hadn’t been back in the bar since the day I saw Dale in there with his dad after I had followed Celeste with him to the ballpark. It was strange to see them in that part of town. Not sure why they would be hanging out in there. It wasn’t exactly their kind of neighborhood.

“How was the date in the old truck up to the ridge?”

“Unbelievable.” I shook my head. “Word sure travels fast... Was my pop in here telling stories?” He set me up with the old truck. He had to be the one blabbing.

“He was but it was actually Clancy who had the most to say about you dating her sister again.” Wow! The bar had gotten quite popular. Conrad—not the most surprising—had been in the bar. Then the-girl-stealer Dale and his bigwig father, the famous Mr. Baseball Kensmore. But Clancy hanging out... Hmm... Maybe I needed to rethink my observation of her. She might be the least surprising, after all, when I thought about it. She was known for being the rebel of the Archer Family.

“Were they here together?” I wasn’t sure what made me ask that question.

“They’ve been hanging out a lot lately.” Be careful what you ask!

Then I thought back to my pop’s attitude. “No! My pop can’t be grinning because of her...” I grimaced a bit picturing them together...and Clancy as my new stepmother? “He’s way too old for Clancy.”

Dean laughed at me. “I don’t know what their relationship is but she did go off on a motorcycle ride with him not long ago down to the Florida Keys.”

Holy shit I was saying inside. “Interesting” came out of my mouth. I was trying to picture my pop and Clancy riding bitch on his bike with all of his biker buddies. She was somewhat of a tough, jean-wearing farm girl... I guess she could’ve transitioned into a tough biker chick. It was the age thing that threw me even if my pop was fit and youthful looking.

“Seems to me, you’re avoiding my question.” Dean was wiping the counter and giving me another beer. I hadn’t even realized that I had finished the first one so quickly.

He was right. I was skipping right over his questions about Celeste. Everyone always seemed interested in our business. That was why I wanted so badly to take her someplace new...new for us. Time away to talk. She asked what I did when I went away but we hadn’t gotten back to what happened before I left and why...

Before we moved forward, we had to go back. But, would she be willing?

I’d find out soon enough since Celeste had agreed to go away with me for the weekend.