Chapter Fourteen

Skeet

 

What was Celeste saying? When had she learned that things were out of my hands...out of my control—totally not my fault. I happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. Did I leave town too soon? Could we have worked things out? I had so many questions fucking with my mind that I could barely focus on pleasing the beautiful woman beneath me. But, I had promised her to stay in the now and leave all of the shit that ripped us apart for another time.

She said no past, but what about the present? There were things I needed to know about her daily life. I had witnessed some elements in her life that I was unsure about... Like her involvement with another man I wasn’t fond of.

“What’s going on with you and Dale?” I, smartly, inquired while we were having breakfast in a little café after we had rolled around in bed for a bit.

“You should know me better than to even ask... If there was anything between us, I wouldn’t be here with you.” She slathered peach jam on a slice of sourdough toast and took a bite looking at me. “We’re just friends.”

“Conrad said—”

“Conrad? Seriously?” She was shaking her pretty head. “My brother likes to get you riled up. Haven’t you learned that yet?” She paused to sample her poached eggs on a bed of avocados with chopped salsa. “Next you’ll tell me that you spoke to Clancy who definitely pulls your chain every chance she gets.” She sipped her vanilla latte. “Before you ask more people about me, I can give you a list of the men I slept with after you... I can assure you that Dale is not on that list.”

I nearly choked on my bacon and maple soaked French toast when she spoke about having a list. I, silently, hoped that it was a very short list. Not that I could say anything. After I left town on my motorbike, alcohol and women were a vice I used for a while to fill the void in my life.

“We said no past. I’d like to leave the others in your past to never be visited again.” She grinned at me. I was sure she heard an uneasiness in my tone. Jealousy. “And, I’m happy to hear that Dale is nothing more than a friend.”

“So...back to our time freeze here and now, what do you want to do today?”

I was put in check again.

Not a total fool, I was able to tune into Celeste’s needs while abiding her request. With no intention of ruining the rest of our stay, we spent our hours together laughing, talking and loving each other before we had to board a plane back to reality.

Back in Atlanta, I left Celeste at the peach farm and returned to my furnished apartment that felt like a cold hotel room. There was no warmth like there had been at the cottage...and no woman. I needed to rectify that as soon as possible and that was the reason for my trip to California after a long conversation with my friendly bartender, Dean.

“What the hell? You look miserable!” Dean didn’t pull any punches. “You just got back from a weekend with Celeste. I’d expect to see a goofy grin on your mug. Not doom and gloom.”

“Maybe she dumped him again.” I hated Nora’s assumption.

“It was great, but it wasn’t enough.”

“Oh! The taste left you starving for a whole meal.” Nora was making points with me with her new words. “Like you, babe...” She knocked her hip into Dean as they both stood on the other side of the bar next to each other. “You can’t live without me.”

Dean leaned down, confirming her words, “you’re right,” and then he planted a big smooch to Nora’s lips before she moved out from behind the bar to go help other customers. They looked so happy together.

“Yes, it needs to be a daily thing with Celeste. We need to be together night and day. I’m tired of things the way they are. I want more. I don’t like things the way they are now. I thought coming back would be easy. It’s not exactly what I thought it would be. I need to get back to the vineyard and get things in motion. I don’t want to be in this town anymore. Need a new start in a new place. No more bad memories...”

“Don’t forget you had a lot of good memories here too.” Dean was right. “But, you have to do what you have to do to be happy.”

I knew exactly what I needed to do and that was why I took off to meet with Claude Beauclaire. He would understand my need to start new and to make my own way in the world. I had heard all about how he had left France to start a winery in the United States. As I had expected, he was completely agreeable to my propositions.

“I knew being on the road wasn’t for you, but it was good for you. You learned another element to the wine business.” Claude had all of the right words and he was encouraging. “I will support your decisions and move.”

“Claude knows what it’s like to fall hard for a woman.” Vonnie smiled at me and then turned her attention to her husband. “He made sure I was happy and fulfilled every promise. Make sure you do the same and you and your Celeste will have as many happy years as we have had together.”

“Don’t let her fool you. It’s not easy and you will mess up.” Claude laughed, heartily and then they treated me to an incredible dinner at the bistro next to their property.

Watching the older couple together made me wish that Celeste was with me. I, definitely, couldn’t wait to get back to her side. I had so much to tell her. We had so much to talk about and I hoped that we could get through the shit storm unharmed.

We needed a new start and a happily ever after.