Page 27 of Backroom Boy
Two years later - Auburn Hill, CA
“You look amazing.” I could barely get the words out of my mouth, seeing Delta sashay her way into the small tasting room.
Her red dress fluttered on her tanned thighs, the top part fitted to her curves like a second skin. She’d been growing out her blonde hair, teasing that she wanted me to have plenty to wrap around my fist when we made love. She teased me a lot the last two years while she was away at college. Flirty texts, mailed love letters, sexy video chats with very little clothing involved, and the occasional surprise visit when she just couldn’t stay away.
Two years had done nothing to dampen our youthful infatuation. In fact, our love had only grown deeper. Stronger. The kind that could last a lifetime and beyond.
Much to her parents’ disappointment.
We’d invited them to our opening-day ceremony, but they’d declined, saying they had a prior commitment. I knew their response hurt Delta and I despised them for it. How could they not see what an amazing woman she’d become? How could they not want to celebrate her accomplishments?
Delta twirled in a circle and I forgot about everything else. Her dress dropped to a steep V in the back, leaving her silky skin bare. I clenched my jaw and realized I’d have to work hard all day to keep my focus on our opening ceremonies when all I really wanted was to strip Delta down to her high heels and touch every inch of her body.
“You keep looking at me like that and we’ll be late to our own party,” she murmured, coming close enough I could drag my hands up her arms.
“You keep wearing dresses like that and we’ll never leave this place,” I answered back, my nerves at an all-time high.
Today was the fulfillment of our dream. The opening of our tasting room, which Delta knew about. Tomorrow, we’d plant the first field of grapevines in the plot of land behind us that we’d just purchased which would produce our first estate-bottled wines. What Delta didn’t know about was the diamond ring I intended to slide on her finger tomorrow. Yeah, we were still young at twenty-two to be getting married, but we’d waited long enough for our dreams. It was time to start living them.
“Let’s go before you ruin my dress or my carefully applied makeup.” She gave me a saucy wink and wrapped herself around my arm, reminding me of the first night I’d met her, walking home drunk by herself.
I’d never been more proud to have Delta on my arm. We walked across the new oak floors my friend, Titus Jackson, had put in recently. The whole build-out of the tasting room had gone surprisingly smooth, but then again, using contractors you’d grown up with usually meant they wouldn’t screw you over. Living and working in my hometown fulfilled something deep inside of me I couldn’t quite describe.
We exited the heavy wooden door to squint our eyes in the midday sunlight as we stood on the expansive porch. A soft gasp came from Delta’s mouth. There before us on the small patch of grass stood a crowd of Auburn Hill citizens. I spotted Dante, who gave me a head nod of congratulations, my parents, my sister and her husband and kids, many of the people I’d gone to high school with, even my old math teacher and the gossip-loving town mail carrier.
A car door slammed and footsteps crunched over the gravel parking lot as another couple approached. Delta gasped again and I looked over to see her parents joining the party. A little spot of hope bloomed in my chest and dialed the nerves up another notch.
The circle of California winemakers was a small one. Everyone knew everyone else. After my summer working for Mr. Bishop, he hadn’t exactly been warm and friendly, but he also hadn’t gone out of his way to make it hard for me to work my way into the circle. In fact, he’d been the one to introduce me to the grower we currently bought our grapes from. I owed him a great deal professionally, and certainly personally, for giving me the love of my life.
I wrapped my fingers around Delta’s and stood tall. “Thank you all for coming here today. River Delta Wineries welcomes you today and every day going forward. We have a full tasting prepared for you, so come on in.”
One by one, the group came into the tasting room, where Delta poured efficiently, all the while answering questions and walking everyone through the flavors of our first batch of wines. I helped her pour, feeling only slightly awkward being front and center. The tasting room was Delta’s stage. I liked being in the background making the wines, but for opening day, I’d do whatever was necessary.
Nearing the end of the two-hour opening, we’d sold almost half our inventory of wine bottles already. If we kept up at a normal pace after today, we’d need to dramatically increase our quantity of wine for next year to keep up.
Mr. Bishop clapped me on the shoulder. “Well done, Lukas. The varietals don’t taste like a first run.”
High praise indeed from a guy who owned a winery that had been around for almost a hundred years.
“Thank you, sir.”
He put his hand out and I shook it, both our grips firm. Something crazy ran through my head, and unlike me, I jumped at the idea without thinking it through.
“Can I talk to you privately for a moment?”
Mr. Bishop frowned, but nodded. He walked with me to the back room where the used glasses had stacked up by the industrial sink. Here I was, the owner of a winery, and I knew I’d still be the one doing the dishes later that night. It did not escape my notice that I was once again the backroom boy as I asked for Mr. Bishop’s acceptance of me asking Delta to marry me.
“I intend to give Delta an engagement ring tomorrow. I’m not asking your permission as I don’t feel Delta would want that. But I am asking for your acceptance of our marriage. It would mean a great deal to Delta, and therefore to me, that you and your wife accept our relationship.”
Mr. Bishop didn’t move, his frown frozen in place. I was just about to concede that he would never accept me when he finally answered.
“It’s not what I had planned for Delta, but even I can see that you’re a good man and will give her a good life. Maybe later when River Delta is firmly established, we can discuss you and Delta also taking the reins of Black Bishop. It’s her birthright and now yours, as her husband if she says yes.”
My brain blanked out. Was he saying he’d one day give the winery to us? He trusted Delta and me enough to give away his family’s winery? All I could think about was Delta’s face when she heard her father trusted her with her birthright.
I stuck out my hand, my throat closed too tight to speak. Mr. Bishop shook it, all the while staring me down. He could stare all he wanted. I wasn’t intimidated. I was already living my dream with the love of my life.
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