Page 68 of Karma's Kiss

When I pull up and park, I find the vineyard busier than I’ve ever seen it. Men work efficiently, loading crates of wine into the back of Starlight Vineyards delivery trucks. A group of women are being led around on an early-morning vineyard tour, glasses already in hand. Small Gator UTVs haul in grapes freshly plucked from the vines. (They aren’t relegated to the metal buckets like I was.Ha.)

No one pays me any attention as I set off to look for Sawyer. The chapel’s empty and I’m too scared to go into the other industrial buildings where busy workers pour in and out. I don’t want to be in anyone’s way. The tasting room seems like as good a place to search as any, and I luck out when I tug the door open and peer inside. Sawyer’s standing with a small group. Seeing him in a button-down and blue slacks is an unexpected gift. Last time we weretogethertogether, we were disheveled in the front seat of his truck, and when I bumped into him on the sidewalk on Friday, he was in his usual work clothes.

This is Sawyer the businessman, the future heir to a wine empire. I almost forget he has that side of him, but he fully looks the part.

I recognize another person in the group, a handsome older man with deeply tanned skin and a stature that’s a perfect match for Sawyer’s. I haven’t seen Mr. Garnett in a few years. He used to be David and Sawyer’s Little League baseball coach and I remember him always being nice to me after the games, tousling my hair and making sure I got the same post-game treat the boys got: orange slices and Ring Pops, or if it was a morning game, a warm glazed donut.

The rest of the group has badges pinned on the lapels of their suits. I recognize the logo of the nationwide liquor store chain printed on them right away, as anyone would. This meeting isobviously significant, but it’s too late to slink off undetected now.Good going, Madison.The door creaked loud enough to call attention to me when I first peeked in, but I offer a small don’t-mind-me wave and make it clear I’ll hover near the entrance until they’re finished. I don’t want to screw up this opportunity for Sawyer.

It’s his dad who stares at me with curiosity after the others return to their discussion, and once the meeting wraps up, he walks straight to me with a big, welcoming smile.

“Madison McCall, your mama said you were back in town, but I didn’t believe it.”

I grin. “Sawyer didn’t tell you we’ve been hanging out?”

A crease forms between his brows. “No. My son failed to mention that. Though I should have realized something was up when I caught wind of that picnic he set up in the vineyard the other week. The guys were ribbing him about it.”

At the mention of that night, I glance down at my feet, slightly uncomfortable. “It was nice of him.”

“Well I’m sure he’ll be glad you stopped by.”

“If he’s busy, I can come back.”

Mr. Garnett pats my shoulder and I peer up again. “Nah, that boy’s not too busy for you.” Then he turns back to address the group. “If you all’d like to follow me, we can head over to the bottling room and you can see the exclusive labels we’ve printed for your wines. Sawyer, you can catch up with us in a bit.”

The group trickles out after Mr. Garnett, but Sawyer lingers, waiting until the door swings shut behind the last person, and then finally, he looks at me. We’re still half a room away from each other, far enough that I can’t discern the look in his eyes, but I see his jaw tense.

He speaks first. “If you’re coming to try to apologize again, I don’t want to hear it.”

I chuckle. Point taken. I guess we’re being straight shooters today. “All right.”

“And if you’ve come here wantingmeto apologize, you won’t be getting that either.” His hands on his hips prove he’s in an obstinate mood.

I chance a little smile, trying to ease the tension a bit. “Well there goes all my negotiating power. I was prepared to arrive with my tail between my legs and give you a proper explanation for everything. It was foolish of me to even entertain Kendra’s silly idea, but I did and that’s my fault.”

His eyes narrow suspiciously. “Now see that sounds an awful lot like an apology to me.”

I almost laugh, but I manage to keep a straight face. “It’s not okay what I did. I should have never agreed to go out with you under those circumstances.”

He hums, annoyed that I’m pressing the issue, but if this is my one chance to put everything out there, I need to air it all: the good, the bad, the ugly.

“It’s true that I agreed to our first date because she pressured me into it, but truth be told, I was interested in you. It didn’t take long for me to realize what a horrible idea—”

He cuts me off. “I did way worse to you.” His dark brows furrow in frustration. “And I feel guilty as hell for the way I treated you once I found out about your silly plan with Kendra. It’s why I’m ashamed to even discuss it. Don’t keep apologizing or I’ll only feel worse.”

I smile and tip my head to the side, wondering about something, a question that’s been running through my mind the last few days. “Why’d you bring that coffee over to Queenie’s house the other morning?”

He straightens and squares his shoulders. It looks almost like he’s erecting armor around himself. “I wanted to check up on you. It’s not every day a girl gets arrested…”

“We didn’t getarrested!” I exclaim, annoyed that everyone keeps saying so.

He flashes his dimples. “No, instead we had to listen to Officer White reprimand us about practicing safe sex, which was worse if you ask me. I’d have rather been tossed in the slammer. We upsetSanta Claus.” He says the last part in a whisper like we’ve committed a deeply shameful offense.

I burst out laughing and give in to the urge to walk toward him, glad when he meets me halfway.

“I’ll never be able to look him in the eye again. And forget about going to the Christmas parade.”

“It was dark,” Sawyer insists. “I doubt he saw anything.”

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