Page 62 of Gifts

Addy laughs. “Asa isn’t old—you’re just twenty-five. Anyone over thirty is old to you.”

Mary smirks unapologetically and fills glasses.

Bev is a friend of Addy’s. Her husband works at Whitetail and they live here on Addy’s vineyard. It seems Mary is everyone’s hairdresser and is married to Evan, the manager of Whitetail. They followed us to Addy’s house after my wine tasting. Addy is newly pregnant and Maya is nursing. Between the two of them, it’s baby central around here, but thanks to Bev and Mary, I might as well be a dog sleeping in the sun—loose, relaxed, and sprawled in my chair. They haven’t allowed me to see the bottom of my wine glass all day.

It took an act of congress, but Asa managed to get all six of us out of the house. Emma was still barely speaking and I’m worried about her, but Asa insisted we needed to keep on about our day. Levi, who has always been an agreeable kid up until now, finally put up a stink about Asa’s plans. He wanted to spend the day with his girlfriend. Asa wasn’t about to allow anyone out of his sight the day after his house was shot to hell and put his foot down, insisting that everyone stay with him.

Knox and Saylor, on the other hand, were all too excited to go and they didn’t even know where we were going.

We all loaded up in my loaner and I made another mental note to call my insurance company right when we got home. I tried to ignore the luxury surrounding me, but it was hard. There are so many this-and-that’s, it had me wanting to mess with everything. Asa drove us a hop, skip, and a jump in the smoothest driving machine I’ve ever experienced, and pulled into Whitetail Farms.

I’ve driven by Whitetail a million and a half times and always dreamt about having the time to stop in, relax, and throw back a couple bottles—but my hectic life never allowed the extravagance.

But today it did. Today, I got the VIP-backstage-pass-royal-treatment. I’m not sure if it’s because there’s a barrel of wine aging with my name on it, or if it’s because I’m here with Asa, but the winemaker, Van, showed me around, taught me about the fermentation process, and introduced me to my barrel. We had a lunch that rivaled any other establishment in the area, and now I’m pissed I never made time to come sooner.

Crew insisted his newly-pregnant wife take a load off, so we all made our way back to Crew and Addy’s old farmhouse. It’s about the same size as mine, but I don’t have an Ordinary. At first, I was drooling over the quaint centuries-old portion of her home until Mary started telling me stories of ghost sightings from previous owners. If there’s one thing I do not have the time and energy to worry about, it’s ghosts.

So happy I don’t have an Ordinary.

My kids are hanging out with Addy’s cows and feeding them so much molasses, they’re sure to get a bovine-sized stomach ache. Levi and Emma must come here often enough because they threw themselves in front of the TV and continued to brood. Last I saw, Levi was busy communicating with his girlfriend on his phone.

The wine has turned me into a talker. I’ve talked a lot—about how I met Asa, all the shit going on at school, his kids, my kids, getting shot at and actually getting shot, Asa holding me in the ambulance while I got stitches, and finally, him sleeping with me last night.

I talked and talked and talked.

“I’ll take her.” I jump at the deep voice and look up to see Grady reach over the top of his wife and pluck the sleeping baby out of Maya’s arms.

Maya hands her husband the blanket and sighs. Grady returns to where the men have segregated themselves on the other side of the patio and I watch him scoot down in his chair low enough to settle his sleeping daughter on his wide chest.

“It’s no wonder Chloe can’t sleep on her own. Grady will pick her up from a nap just to hold her while she’s sleeping.” Maya shakes her head. “He’s going to spoil her rotten.”

“Vivi always wants Crew over me.” Addy looks over with a sweet smile on her face toward her husband who’s swinging their daughter around. But all of a sudden, her eyes jump to me and her face falls. “Oh, Keelie. I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking—” her eyes dart to Maya and then back, “—we weren’t thinking. Asa told us about your late husband.”

“I’m sorry, Keelie.” Maya’s voice becomes soft and apologetic.

Well, dammit. I just met them, but I know how this is going to go. Now comes the awkward part, where they feel bad and will forevermore tip-toe around me.

I take another sip of my wine. It’s been almost two years and David was no model husband. He kept secrets from me, he lied to me, and he left me with a mountain of debt he racked up gambling. But he was a decent enough dad and our kids have no knowledge of their father’s sins. They lost him, and even though conversations like this were a knife to my gut in the beginning, it’s become a part of my life I’ve gotten used to. “It’s fine, really. I’d never want you to be sorry for being happy. You should shout that from the mountain tops.”

“Life happens.” Bev motions around our circle with her wine glass. “I’m older than all of you and have been around the pasture a time or three. You live your life, Keelie, and don’t feel bad about it. When you get to my age, you’ll look back and thank your younger self.” Her voice is chipper and light as a fluffy, fucking pancake, and I’m grateful. It’s a relief when I find people who don’t treat me like a china doll. “Just so you know, Asa is a wonderful father on top of being a looker. I do believe I’d keep him if I were you.”

I can’t hold it in. I’m so grateful to her for breaking the tension, I laugh and try not to slosh my wine. “Oh, he’s a looker, alright.”

Addy, Maya, and Mary are smirking and Bev tips her glass before taking another long drink of her red and argues her case for Asa further. “See? You and your babies will be just fine, Keelie. That man sitting over there is smitten—I’ve seen it play out on this land too many times to be mistaken. We do specialize in weddings, don’t we girls?”

The women grin at Bev and Addy reaches over to squeeze her friend’s hand. “That we do, Bev.”

I’m not sure about a wedding, but I’m eternally indebted to Bev for breaking the ice.

“We’re on a vineyard and it’s a beautiful day,” Mary points out the obvious. “And we have to make up for these baby makers who aren’t drinking. Sit back and enjoy the wine, Keelie.”

I sink farther into my patio chair and roll my head to find Asa looking straight at me. He’s not relaxed like I am. His eyes are intense and heavy, and that gaze creates an instant warmth I’m starting to get used to when it comes to him. I was too tired last night to think about it. Instead, I let myself cling to him and found comfort in his touch.

I liked him in my bed and I haven’t thought about wanting anyone there since I kicked David out of it.

Asa leans forward to rest his elbows on his knees and lifts his beer to his lips to take a swig, never taking his eyes off me.

My mouth goes dry but my panties are plenty damp.

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