Page 54 of Passed Ball

There's a hint of knowing blossoming at the corner of her lips as she waits. We never stood a chance of hiding things.

"Your boss."

She's wearing a megawatt grin now. "It took you two long enough." There are practically hearts in her eyes as she bounces in her seat.

"Hold on there, crazy lady," I caution before she gets too carried away. "Whatever you think is happening between us, I can guarantee you, it's not that. I can hear the wedding bells going off in your head."

"You literally can't." She laughs back.

"Seriously, I know you better than anyone else. We aren't dating, it's more like a . . ." Sometimes the two of us are more like best friends than aunt and niece, but I draw the line at having an explicit conversation about my sex life with her.

"Awe . . . is he your Netflix and Chill buddy?"

God she's so smug about this. "We're calling it a situationship."

She rolls her eyes so hard I'm astounded she doesn't fall out of her chair from the momentum. "How very Gen Z of you."

"Neither of us are looking for a relationship. I don't want one and he's too busy."

She hums, like the pain in my ass she is. "That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. But if you need to fake it for awhile I can go along with it."

"No one is faking." I rub my temples, reaching for my glass.

I should have ordered a bottle.

"Why are you so against relationships? Your parents have been married forever and still look at each other like love-struck teens. If it weren't for thelife changesthey'd still be popping out siblings for you."

"Gross. I don't need to think about that."

"Suit yourself, but I hope I find someone that looks at me the way your dad looks at your mom," she gushes, propping her fists under her chin. "And look what they built. They have this incredible, close-knit family, and a thriving vineyard. They've worked side by side everyday and still love each other."

"Did they though?" I ask frustration sneaking into my tone. "Iraised that close-knit family whiletheywere focusing on building that thriving empire."

Tenley blinks like I slapped her and I realize how bitter I sound.

"No," I choke out. "I didn't mean it like that."

She shakes her head, her hands twisting her napkin now. I put that look on her face.Fuck,I'm screwing this up. "I'm sorry, Tenley."

She pushes her shoulders back, masking the hurt. "It's fine. I get it."

"I don't think you do. You are the best thing that ever happened to me--my built-in best friend. You healed me when we lost your mom and I don't regret a minute of the time we spent together. We needed each other, Tenley." I search her face through the tears I'm holding back. "But as I got older and more babies were born at the vineyard no one asked me what I wanted. They saw the bond I had with you and thrust the responsibility of caretaker for everyone else on me. There were no day trips to the ocean with my friends like my parents and brothers had. No music festivals in the bay area, no prom. Harlowe was the only friend that didn't abandon me when they realized how little fun I was."

"Do your parents--does my dad know you feel like this?"

I shake my head. Her hurt evaporates and leaves behind sadness and I hate that as much.

"Is that why you picked Maryland for college? Why you stay away and only go home for HarvestFest?" Unshed tears glitter under the dim lights of the dining room.

I lick my lips, not wanting to answer but knowing she deserves it. "Yes. I love and miss them, but I need space to live my own life. If I stayed there, I'd work on the vineyard, never seeing what else I could do."

It's the part I leave unsaid that has the biggest impact:Like her dad and uncles.

This time her head shake cracks my chest open. It's like she can't quite fathom how we got here and who this person in front of her is. "My dad stays because he wants to be there, because every memory he has of my mom is tied to that vineyard. Because he loves it as much as he loved her. Because he loves his family."

One hot tear streaks down her face and I can't sit by and watch. My napkin flutters to the ground when I stand and round the table. I drop to one knee and wrap my arms around her middle.

"Tenley, I know. I watched your parents fall in love on that vineyard as they worked together. Their love story was always my favorite one to reenact with my dolls--it gave me my greatest gift. But I'm not your dad, and I'm not your mom."

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