Max
“You seem off. You good?” Jade asks, poking her head into the office.
I know I’ve been off. I feel it. My world got turned upside down yesterday when I found myself face to face with Avery. Just as quickly as she disappeared the night of the fundraiser, she reappeared like a ghost from my dreams. As lunatic as it sounds, I’ve been looking for her, hoping she’d pop through the doors, show up at the bars, or hell, walk down the sidewalks as I drive to and from work. I can’t explain why she’s been on my mind so deeply, but whatever lure she had on me that night, I haven’t been able to shake. It’s as if my world shifted. It felt like my purpose was rerouted.
Sounds fucking ridiculous. Trust me. I know.
“Yeah. I’m good. Been busy thinking of what I want to do with the new land. I thought I had it all planned out but now that I have it, other ideas seem just as good.”
Jade plops her ass into the chair across from my desk, her face lit up as thousands of ideas cross her mind. “What about a hotel or cabins? People can stay and experience the Lauder Winery at night. It could be romantic or just really cool.”
I smile. My sister has always done well staying parallel with my thoughts. “My original plan was a hotel.”
“That or cabins. They can eat here, tour the grounds, stay in an elegant upscale cabin.” She bobbles her head. “We could mix them up. Elegant, homey, modern, artistic, romantic, hunteristic. I mean the list goes on and we give the choice to the people.”
“Hunteristic?” I chuckle.
“Deer heads. Bear heads. Wildlife that hunters kill to give it that backwoods feel.”
She’s got a solid plan.
“And…maybe you could build you a home somewhere within those acres.”
I laugh. “You’re starting to sound like Zach. He’s been trying to convince me for years.”
“It makes perfect sense if you think about it. No neighbors, no landlords—”
“Nobody to answer to,” I take the words out of her mouth, repeating the same spill Zach has given me all these years. “And I can design it how I want and live by my rules.”
She sighs. “It’s got to sound more enticing to you.”
“Have you forgotten the very reasons why you didn’t want your own place? When would I find the time to fix things when they break or mow? I’m a busy man, Jade.”
She rolls her eyes. “You sound like a highfalutin loser. You have the time to fix things and you could hire the same landscapers you use here. You like them, right? They do a good job.”
Thoughts of Avery’s sexy ass dirty from my soil definitely entices me. I would call for work on a weekly basis, offer her water and give her a tour of my sheets.
“Earth to Max. Where are you?”
I blink back to my sister, clearing away the daydream.
Jade purses her lips. “Standing on the front porch listening to nature?” She has so much hope in her eyes.
“Let me focus on one project at a time. I could expand the vineyards. It’ll help with production, therefore, bring in extra profits.”
“Yeah and have them in view of the cabins. Make it a truly romantic experience.” She scrunches her nose. “There’s a house on the land, right? Please don’t put your future on hold. You’re always thinking of the winery before you. Stop just for one second and think of you first.”
I tap the end of my pen on the desk. “Are you willing to manage those cabins? If not, I’ll need to hire a manager and staff for them.”
My sister’s light brown eyes widen. “I-um…Will I still be the tasting and party room manager?”
“I’m not sure. It’s a lot to think about.”
She stands and straightens her skirt. “I’m on board wherever you lead us. I’ll do what you need me to do.”
After she exits, my mind sinks back onto the woman who has perched her ass right on the ledge of my consciousness. I need to get her out of my system and that’s going to consist of fucking her or fucking someone else. I grab my phone and scroll through the names.
Ashley.
Bridget.
Felicity.
None of them stir my dick.
Tossing my phone back onto my desk, I rake my hands over my face. It’s useless and it’s going to make me do something I don’t normally do—give in to the urge and pursue. Aggravated, I jerk up the phone receiver, dial the florist, and order a dozen roses to be delivered to her work along with a message on the card for dinner.
Three days and I’ve not heard from Avery, and it’s causing me to be edgy as hell. I’ve lost sleep and a ton of time thinking about the mysterious woman who is absolutely testing my patience. I don’t do well waiting. I don’t pursue. I don’t chase. And I sure the fuck don’t sit here and sulk in clear, uncertain expectancy. I haven’t done any of this since my freshman year in college when Nicole decided she needed a break. Code words for screw other guys. The very night she asked for the break, she fucked someone else. How do I know? She was stupid enough to bang a friend. He was stupid enough to tell me about it. And I was pissed enough to kick his ass.
What a waste of energy.
Relationships take effort to maintain, and personally, I don’t care to see the disappointment in a woman’s eyes when I’m unable to meet their social expectations.
My phone vibrates against my desk causing a hell of a racket. “Yeah, man,” I answer Easton’s call.
“Meet up this weekend at Lucy’s?”
“What’s the occasion?” I ask, knowing something must be up. Since he got married a few years ago, wedded bliss has taken him hostage. I’m not complaining though. I haven’t seen him this happy in a long time. Zoey is good for him.
“I need some bro-time. Zoey’s been talking about kids again. I need an escape.”
This has been an on again, off again conversation between the two. She’s ready to start a family and he’s petrified. Kids scare him. He believes because he and his father had a hostile relationship before he died, that he’ll be a shitty father.
“Are you sneaking out? Do I need to hide down the street like we’re in high school again?”
A chuckle rumbles. “Nah. I’ll tell her you needed to talk. She’ll be fine with it then.”
“You’re going to lie?” I sniff. “I smell your blood in the air.”
“You may be right.”
“I’ll be at the funeral. Any words you’d like for me to say?”
“Just that I was a good guy and I loved my crazy wife. I’ll swing by and get you Saturday.”
I’m laughing as we hang up and the moment I put my phone on the desk, Jade yells out. “You off the phone yet?”
“I am now.”
“You have a visitor,” she sings from down the hall and instantly I explode into a smile.
“Mmmmmaaaassss,” Caleb, my nephew, comes screaming through the door and straight into my hug.
I scoop him up. “What’s up, tyke?” I kiss his chubby cheek. “Whatcha do today? Anything good?”
“Pway.”
“Why didn’t you call me? I would’ve loved to play with you rather than work.”
He smiles and points down to the ground. “Daddy.”
“I’m cooler than Dad, dude,” I tease.
“Dooonut.”
I laugh and send a flurry of kisses into his neck. He squeals, laughing and kicking his feet as I carry him back to Jade’s office. Zach sits on the couch with his arms spread across the back and his ankle thrown over a knee.
“The boy wants his dad and a donut.”
Zach drops his head to the back of the couch and lets out a long grunt. “This kid eats so freaking much.”
Jade snickers. “Now you see how my boobs felt.”
Handing Caleb to Zach, I cut my eyes to Jade. “And my sister’s boobs are my cue to leave.”
I’m halfway out the door when Zach calls out, stopping me, “You get a call from Easton?”
“You too, huh?”
“You in?”
“Of course.” I grin and leave, heading out to the restaurant to check in on things.