Chapter 8
Sam
Seeing the broken sadness in Eve’s eyes makes my blood boil. Fucking Sarah. I wonder what she said now.
“Hey, you leaving so soon?” I call as I follow her. This will go better if she volunteers the information. As the eldest child, she thinks she always knows best.
“Yeah, I can’t watch the train wreck in there anymore.” She shakes her head, arms crossed, squinted eyes staring out over the vineyard speckled with yellow mustard blooms.
“Go ahead, Sarah. Spit it out.” I also cross my arms, planting my feet beside her.
“I know you can’t see it, Sammy, but think about it. She’s probably never seen money like yours. Christ, she’s probably never even been out of the city. She needs someone like you.”
I sigh. “Damn it, what did you say to her?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“You’re way out of line. You have no idea.”
“Do you think living in your neighborhood in a mixed-race relationship is gonna be easy? Raising a black kid? We’ve worked so hard to get where we are. You’re jeopardizing that.”
“I fucking live in LA. There are biracial relationships all over the place. Jesus, Sarah, welcome to this century.”
“Whatever. Just think about it. I can try to wrap my head around the idea if you fall for her charms. She’s probably played men like you before. I’ll try to show support for you anyway. You know that.” She shrugs. “I just had to say something.”
“I’m not going to think about it. Your concerns are based on nothing other than the color of her skin.” I huff. “You know what? Your lack of attempt to get to know her this weekend and now your false accusations are uncalled for. Not sure what your problem is, but you need stay away from her.”
“You’re wearing your heart on your sleeve as always. Good to see you’ve learned from past experiences. Good luck, little bro.” She fakes a smile and hops in her mini-SUV.
Fuck her. She’s always felt I allow women to lead me on. Specifically, Theresa Drazen. Theresa and I have been friends for years, and I was in love with her for several of them. She didn’t see me that way, but that didn’t matter to me. You can’t help who you fall in love with, and I took what I could get from her, even if that meant a platonic lunch once in a while and an occasional invitation to Drazen family gatherings. My sister is too practical of a person to fall in love, so she doesn’t get it. She maintains that I was a fool to wait for Theresa, but I’m a patient man. When Theresa met Daniel Brower, I made the decision to let go. And now I’ve met Eve and I finally feel like I can move on.
Expecting to find Eve broken and crying, I rush back to the kitchen. Instead, I find her with Aaron in the baby backpack, singing a rousing rendition of “Old MacDonald” as she and my mom clean the kitchen.
“With a buck-buck here and a buck-buck there.”
Her beautiful voice echoes above the sound of running water and dishes clanging.
When Aaron joins in, he sings, “But-but,” and it makes me chuckle.
Eve turns to see me and pauses. Her eyes are filled with hurt, but she smiles back. This girl. All that she’s been through, of course she doesn’t let my sister’s words hold her back.
I pull her and Aaron to my chest and squeeze. Feeling this little family against me makes me want to hold them forever. Like a fucking caveman, I have an overwhelming desire to gather them up and flee to find shelter. They make me want to provide. Mate. Hunt and gather. Protect.
We’ve made so many great memories together in such a short time, I can only imagine what the future brings. My sister is wrong about her. I may be wearing my heart on my sleeve again, but this is different. It’s the real thing.
With Aaron snoring in the stroller, we take our last walk around the vineyard before heading home. With one hand on the stroller and one hand holding Eve’s, all I hear is the sound of our footsteps and the stroller wheels crackling against the gravel. Even the birds are quiet, except for the occasional flutter and warble in the nearby apple orchard.
“I’m sorry about my sister’s behavior.” I press my thumb into her palm, keeping my eyes on the road before me.
“I know.”
“I don’t know where that came from. All I know is she’s very protective of me.” I look over and watch a single tear roll down her cheek.
“It’s okay.” She stops and lifts her hand to wipe her face, but I hold her hand and swipe the tear with my thumb.
“No, it’s not. She didn’t even try to get to know you. It’s not okay.”
She lays her head against my chest, and I surround her with my arms and torso. “I know, but it’s not the first time that’s happened. I’m not angry or ashamed, just disappointed.” She sniffs. “We were having such a good weekend.”
“We still are.” I tuck a loose curl behind her ear. “My sister is gone. She won’t come back till after we leave. My parents obviously don’t hold the same opinion.” I kiss her gently. “Come here. I want to show you something.”
I tug at her hand and push the stroller in front of us. Walking past the cabernet and winding through the zinfandel, up the hill and to the right, we approach an area where the property overlooks a wide expanse of Temecula Valley. The sun gleams overhead, illuminating the wild mustard blooms for miles.
She gasps in surprise, then smiles and looks up at me. “You told me about this.”
“Yes. You’ve seen it on our property, but I wanted you to see more.” I move to hug her from behind. We’re both facing the vista, my chest to her back while I kiss and nibble down her neck.
“It’s breathtaking,” she says and leans into me.
“Would it be cheesy for me to say, so are you?”
“Yes, but say it anyway.” She giggles.
I bring my lips right to her ear and whisper, “You’re breathtaking. Even more beautiful than a whole horizon of wild mustard blooms.”
“Sam.”
She sighs and I can feel her goose bumps as I rub my hands along her arms and shoulders. Her nipples poke little tents out of her tight top. I love that saying such simple things creates such an immediate reaction. Feeling her body against mine, I’m tempted to bend her over and fuck her from behind until she screams my name, but Aaron is in the stroller beside us. For now, I’m content with a quick squeeze of her tits and a swift smack on her ass.
******
The return drive to LA is quiet, probably because we won’t see each other for a few days after I drop her off. I’m headed to Portland tomorrow morning, and we both know how this goes. We’ll miss each other desperately, then spend days catching up when we’re reunited. I already miss every inch of her.
When I hug and kiss her at her apartment door, I breathe in as much of her as I can, imprinting her essence into my psyche so that when I’m gone, I can recall her almost as if she’s with me.
Pulling away from the curb in front of her apartment building, I glance up at the yellow square that is her bedroom window and decide it’s time to secure what is mine. If Will Santon is right and Matthew is in town, we’re gonna talk.