CABERNET ZIN (Cabernet Zin Wine Country) (13 page)

The girlfriend said, “Let’s do one of each. We can talk about it. It will be fun.”

Zack poured the wines. As they turned to walk back to their seats he said, “Thanks for helping us with the vote.”

Another person came up, “Second round, the wife sent me up for the
B
wine in both glasses.”

“Good choice.”

“A long hectic week and several movies ahead that we can sip these. Should be good.”

Zack smiled after him.

“Two glasses of
A
and a third with the
B
wine,” said a woman’s voice behind him.

Zack turned with the two bottles, “Claire! Nice to see you.”

Claire smiled, “I brought my friends with me.”

“Leiko and Alfanjo. I remember. How’s the fishing business?”

“Still A-Luring!” Alfanjo joked, “Sorry, I use that
line
every day.”

Zack laughed. He poured the wines. Alfanjo and Leiko scooped their two
A
wines and faded away to their chairs. Claire cradled her glass and came tight to the bar. The polished marble edge made her breasts bulge. Zack’s heart clamped hard seeing Claire’s eyelashes. He knew extra mascara covered her eyelashes and that she must have used a tool to curl them at the edges. Yet, her eyes pulled at him with a mix of mystery and happiness that seemed to reach through his whole body and pull him inside out.

“I heard version
B
is the blend you made.”

“Yes. I hope you like it.”
Because I thought of you when I mixed it
. He should have convinced the other investors to call his Cabernet Zinfandel blend
Claire
. That would have been more accurate and probably romantic.

“I’m sure I will.” She hooked her hair behind both ears with her fingers, “Are you working this bar all night?”

“No. Frank or Samantha will be switching in after the movies get going.” He wiped the bar down. “It’s been a long day setting up but I can feel the energy from the crowd. There is even a new Indie movie in the second half of the show. Made by a few of the farmers we work with and their friends. True independent film makers.”

“That seems like fun. Are you an actor in it?” Her finger tips touched his wrist.

“Oh, no. Not me. They said hardware and software performance plus Internet distribution has improved so much they can nearly compete with the big studios. Now the defining separator is the story and that is a quality where they think their craft and skill can compete fairly. Ah, excuse me a moment,” Zack saw a stream of couples approach, drawing his attention away from Claire. He poured wines for them, advising, “Blankets are on that big table at the back.” When he saw the last of the surge leave toward the blanket table and their chairs, Zack turned back to Claire. Her space at the bar was as empty as her glass.

A napkin, with corners fluttering in the dusky breeze like moth wings trapped under the wine glass, was marked with ink. Zack pulled the glass and napkin across the smooth marble bar. He lifted the stem of the glass away revealing the words,
I’m sorry
.

Zack looked around the bar to the building and across the gathering crowd. He saw Leiko and Alfanjo huddled under a blanket on the far side of the patio but nowhere did he see the gossamer glow of Claire’s dress. She vanished. Zack was not left a moment to contemplate as more couples arrived and needed wine before the show started. The press of guests escalated at an alarming rate for Zack. His mobile bar was surrounded six or seven people deep. They rushed him with glasses while he saw the bars inside the winery maintained a healthy four or five deep line. He wanted to look for Claire. He started thinking he should roll a barrel from the wine cave up here and tap that because his pours slowed when removing corks. Then the first movie started and the rush returned to a trickle. Zack cleaned up the bar and filled empty cases with empty bottles, washed glasses, and got everything straightened up for whoever might relieve him.

“How did it go?” asked Samantha.

“I have the counts here, looks like the new blend is gaining popularity during refills.”

“No. I mean the girl.”

“Which girl?”

“I saw that girl that you met at the January meeting here talking with you.” Samantha came around behind the bar, put the top loop of the apron over her head, and flashed out her tinted locks. Then she tied the apron waist ties.

“You’re keeping close tabs on me.”

“Zack. If I wasn’t married I’d be all over you myself.”

“You would?”

“Certainly. You’re ruggedly handsome. You know how to both work and play. You have a great job and this winery makes for an interesting hobby. Irresistible.”

Zack dug the napkin out of his shirt pocket and unfolded it. “I think I’m too late, I had some pours to do and when I turned back to finish talking with her – she left me this.”

“Hmm – that could mean a lot of things.”

“If you’re set here I thought I might look for her. I can’t imagine that with her friends here she drove separate. But maybe she did and left.”

“I’m set. I’ll watch for her and have her wait if she comes over.”

“Thanks.” Zack hung up his apron and walked around the outside of all the chairs, trying to see her face whenever the movie showed a bright scene. So far, this particular movie was all in Seattle with sad, dark rain. He walked through the winery tasting room, the side halls, and the conference rooms without success. Zack returned to the patio and Samantha shook her head at him while she poured wine in a pair of customer’s glasses.

He marched in a larger loop around the winery grounds. The cheery lights of the winery illuminated the first leaves bursting from the grape vines. Nowhere did he see her. He walked through the packed parking lot and the cars sitting at the sides of the drives and the overflow lots. He thought he saw her car, but it was empty.

-:-:-:-O-:-:-:-

Claire sat in the restroom on the edge of the toilet, hiding. Intense feelings had burst upon her watching Zack with the customers. The first sip of her wine was phenomenal. Then the second taste was better and it threw images of her first meeting Zack into her head. Smoldering emotions surfaced after her third sip. Overwhelmed as if she would explode in tears, she slammed the rest of the wine and ran. Well, she had walked as fast as prudent in a dress and heels without seeming desperate for the restroom. Maybe she was sick. The wine warmed her face but her heart burned for him. She had some of these feelings for other men before, but not this intense and constant. A need.

Her head told her she was crazy, she should just press the flush button and go on with her life. He was married and while everything else about him screamed quality she knew she should seek out someone available. Why did she lust for him? Like a sap, she knew nearly all the movies showing tonight. She had watched them a dozen times.
I am such a fool
, she wiped tears away with a fistful of toilet paper. This party was on April Fool’s Day, which made her feel even more pathetic. What could she do? She sighed. All the movies mixed true love, destiny, or fate. Is that what this is? All the other times she came here she saw Zack, even though his work visits were weeks apart. Tonight was a little different for her since she had specifically suggested coming. She thought Zack might be here, but he was only here, what, a week? Never the same week in a month. She actually hoped he might not be here and she could watch the movies with her friends. She knew they were better off without her as their third wheel. She scrubbed at her eyes to make sure they were dry, stood and stepped out of the stall to the sinks. She washed up and reapplied her makeup, fixing the big problems and concealing what others she could.

Not ready to traverse the patio yet, Claire strolled along a hall toward a meeting room and from there outside to the grounds. The air brushed chill and sharp on her shoulders. A chunk of concrete sat against a jumble of other rocks in a little garden and she sat down on it. The moon had risen above the horizon with rainbow hues that faded into a bright white cup as if it could somehow hold all her tears.

“You might be warmer with this on,” Zack unfolded a blanket from under his arm and draped it over her shoulders.

“Zack!” She whispered, “How did you know I was here?”

“I had an idea.” He handed her a wine glass. “Actually, I’ve made three loops around the place and spied you going out the side door. Gave me enough time to bring some things.”

She took the glass and held it still while he poured the blended wine. Claire said, “You should not have given me that wine.”

“Why?”

“It reminds me too much of you.”

“I was thinking of you when I mixed it. I think of you every time I smell it or taste it.”

“I hope I don’t smell like wine.”

“Bits and flashes. Something magical happened putting this wine together. Frank, one of the other investors, remembered his wife when they were young. Others see memories of friends and lovers both recent and old.”

“A love potion? Are you some kind of wizard?” A small smile crept through her sadness.

“I wouldn’t say that. Something magical about you. I can’t stop thinking about you …”

“But it’s all too complicated, isn’t it?”

Zack nodded. “I’m not sure what to do.”

“Did you say you have kids?”

“I have two. A boy and a girl.”

“Do you have pictures?”

Zack pulled his wallet out and flipped to the picture of his kids.

“Oh, so cute!” She put her hand on his arm, “They look just like you. You make beautiful kids.” She squirmed against the concrete.
What is so hot about him that I need him so?
There are kids involved!

Zack put his wallet away.

His phone rang. He had to roll his hips and lean into Claire to retrieve his phone from his back pocket. She was warm, he could feel her body heat radiating next to him and her hand still rested on his arm. He looked at the screen and it said
Home
. “I better answer this. I’ll be right back – and don’t you move on me this time.”

Claire grinned at him, flashing her face and nodding so he knew she would stay. “It’s warm under the blanket.”

“Hello?”

“Mr. Steel, this is Amanda. I’m babysitting your kids tonight.”

“Are they OK?”

“Yes. Yes, they are fine. I … I’m not sure what to say. I probably should stay out of this but I thought you should know.”

“Know what?”

“I appreciate you and your wife hiring me when you are traveling and this isn’t bright for me –”

“I’m getting alarmed Amanda. What’s the story?”

“Well, Mrs. Steel has been meeting this guy from her work a lot.”

“She’s been busy with a couple of projects.”

“Does her project include dressing like she’s going dancing at a club?”

“She dresses like that sometimes when she goes to work, Monday mornings even.”

“Mr. Steel. When I was in high school, I took clothes in a big purse with me while I wore a frumpy sweatshirt out of the house to meet my friends. Then I would stuff the sweatshirt in my big purse when I got to the party. I know too much how to get away with it. Your wife is doing more than business meetings with this guy Nicholas.”

“You know this for sure?”

“He picked her up in a Porsche right here at the house. Her new purse is big enough it could be an overnight bag with the bulges I saw in it. If you know what I mean, Mr. Steel.”

“What are the kids doing?”

“Watching a movie on television.”

“Did this guy come in the house?”

“No, he stayed out in the car. He’s creepy so I’m glad he stayed there.”

“Amanda,” Zack took a deep breath, “I’m not sure what to do at the moment. My flight isn’t for a couple of days. The kids are safe?”

“Oh yes. If I thought their safety was at risk I’d be doing a lot more. I just think you and your kids are great and I didn’t want something going on that you didn’t know about.”

“Thanks Amanda.”

“Sure.”

“Keep the kids safe and let me know what happens. I’m confident they will be fine with you there. I’ll have to do more investigating. Thanks for the call.”

Zack sat down hard on the cement, wheezing as if he suddenly felt sixty.

Claire asked, “What is going on?”

“Oh, nothing.”

“Your face tells me its more than nothing.” Her eyes scanned from his eyes to his mouth and back around, searching for any telltale twitches or changes.

“I’ve been suspicious something has been going on with my wife and it seems pretty strong evidence now. She is cheating on me with some guy from her work.”

“What are you going to do?”

Zack looked into Claire’s eyes, “I have no idea. I should go home tonight and confront her.”

“Are you sure?”