Revengeance

Saturday, August 3rd, 12:00 pm

The doorbell rings startling me. Anna and Jeremy went out today. She needs her time with Jeremy and I couldn't be happier. I continued along with a friends date with the man I cannot get out of my system. Even if what Uncle Theo says is true, I can't stay holed up in the apartment or at work. It's not like there's a bounty on my head. The walls will start to close in. This pull with Andre is organic. I'm vulnerable around him. This wasn't part of the plan for my life. I didn't want it. But I'm tired of fighting it too. The one thing that bothers me is that he knows more about me than I do him. Maybe today I should take the opportunity to learn more. Ask questions.

I check the peephole to make sure it's him before swinging the door open, a contagious smile meets his eyes. "Muy caliente," he says stepping inside, tipping his hat off in greeting and surprising me with a bouquet of daisies once again. I take them and go to the kitchen to get a vase. Bringing the flowers to my nose, one sticks out and I breathe in it's heavenly scent. Daddy. Daisies will always remind me of daddy and the thought surprisingly makes me smile. I pause and allow myself to feel. Something I've neglected for as long as I can remember. It's surreal.

Filling up the vase I ask, "So where are you taking me today?" I peek over my shoulder. He stands casually with his hands in his pockets of his jeans leaning against the wall. His cowboy hat rests on the island. His casual look has my blood pumping. I turned around to ignore the feeling.

"It's a surprise," is whispered in my ear next. I shiver at the tickle. God help me. I turn and he takes the vase from me setting it on the center of the island. "Are you ready?" he smiles confidently holding his hand out. The blue polo shirt he's wearing magnifies the gray in his blue eyes. The blue-gray sundress I'm wearing matches perfectly. They're a color reserved for him. I smile back treading carefully with my emotions. He could easily sweep me off my feet and it scares me.

I grab my wristlet and lock up before we descend the stairs to his waiting car. I stop and look at him with a quizzical eyebrow raised. "Another car?" I ask. He replies by leaning down and whispering in my ear. Honestly, I'm spiraling from the warmth of his breath so close and can't remember what he said. He opens the door for me and waits until I settle before closing the door. He strides around pausing to smile that smile that makes me gooey through the windshield.

Once settled and belted, he takes off while I try to hold onto my hair thinking it's going to fly away in the open air. I've never ridden in a convertible and the experience is exhilarating. He smiles every once in a while my way and I feel like a little kid in a candy shop, all giddy. I close my eyes and lift my chin welcoming the breeze caress my face while Andre's choice of music plays through the speakers. Country. Discordant to the person who sits next to me.

The car ride is short and it kind of makes me sad having enjoyed the wind whipping through. He pulls up to a wine store. What I don't know until we walk in is this isn't just any wine store. He begins to explain once he holds the door open, removing his hat once inside and allowing me to take in my surroundings. I turn in amazement finding he's been watching me. A pleasing smile he wears. I step away allowing our fingers to lose their touch. With a quick look over my shoulder I find him following. I grab a bottle and start reading the history. This one is made from the vines of a local residence. I move on to another bottle in the next section. Reading the history I find it's from another local residence but different from the previous one.

I look over at Andre who's watching. "These," he sweeps his arm out, "are all local." I gape at him. "How?" I ask.

He picks up a bottle, "This one is from a vineyard in Los Altos Hills. The winery owns all of these vineyards but ensures their residential properties too. Employing hundreds for each property. They believe in unique attributes and old-world hand-crafted expertise." He places it back before stepping left to another section. "This one-"