Maddy collapsed onto her bed and stared up at the ceiling after she’d confirmed that night’s cooking lesson with David. Who would’ve thought this was how her summer would end up? She rolled over onto her stomach and remembered how David’s arms felt around her. Just then, her BlackBerry on the bedside table rang. Maddy picked it up and looked at the screen. Morgan.
“Hey, babe!” she said.
“Hi!” her friend squealed. “How’s everything going?”
Maddy smiled dreamily at the ceiling. “Awesome, actually.”
“Wow. Um, didn’t you just break up with Brian?” Morgan paused. “And NOT tell me or Kirsten?”
There was a moment of pregnant silence. Morgan was completely right, of course. The truth was, Maddy had been a little scared of how her friends would react. Why would anyone break up with Brian Kilburn, the sexiest guy they knew? Maddy realized she had done a lot of new things this summer. “Mor, you’re right. I should have called. It’s just…well, everything’s been a little crazy.”
“Okay. I’ll forgive you if you tell me what happened with you two. We’re dying to know.”
Maddy rose restlessly from the bed and wandered over to the porch. She gazed out at the Napa afternoon bathed in a rich yellow glow of sun. “We were just growing apart. I mean, he came up here to visit and it was really weird. It wasn’t fun at all. I felt like I couldn’t talk to him anymore.” She stopped and took a deep breath. “And there’s something else….”
Morgan screamed right in Maddy’s ear. “Stop right there! I knew it. You hooked up with that guy David, didn’t you?”
“No!” Maddy said, a little more emphatically than she meant to. “I mean, not really. We haven’t hooked up…yet.” She couldn’t help smiling to herself a little. “But we have been hanging out a lot—and Mor, he’s really cool.”
Morgan sighed. “Well, obviously you’re going to hook up. I’m so jealous. I haven’t made out with anyone since your party, practically. It’s so great to have a fling at the end of the summer. Too bad you have to leave him in a few days!”
For a minute, Maddy didn’t understand what her friend meant. “Well, I might not have to. He goes to Westside Public. And Mor, I have to tell you—I think this thing between us is more than a fling. I mean…I really like him. I want to keep seeing him once we’re both back in the city.”
“What?” Morgan said incredulously.
“I…I think we might try this thing out—being together back home.” Maddy faltered a little. She heard Morgan inhale sharply.
“Maddy. I love you, and as one of your best friends, I have to tell you when I feel like you’re about to do something stupid. And this is really, really stupid!”
Maddy didn’t respond.
“Look, you’ve spent the whole summer mucking out stalls or whatever you’ve been doing, and you and that guy have been all alone up there, so it’s natural something would’ve happened with you guys.”
“Well, yeah, but it’s been more than that—”
Morgan let out an annoyed-sounding sigh. “Look, let me lay it out for you. Whatever it’s been, you’re coming back to the city now. You have a whole life here. How do you know a guy you met in Napa would fit in with us? I mean, what would you guys do together?”
“I don’t really know…,” Maddy said slowly. It was true that Napa wasn’t like the rest of the world—the ordinary rules didn’t really apply. She felt so close to David now, but could they maintain that when they weren’t in Napa? They were from very different worlds. Her head was starting to pound. “Mor, I have the worst headache. I’m going to get off and find some Advil.”
“Wait! I totally forgot the whole reason I called!”
Maddy groaned. “You mean it wasn’t to tell me that I was making all the wrong decisions?”
“No, but I’m glad I did. I’m having a party at Tangerine for my birthday on Wednesday and you have to come. I can’t celebrate without you!”
“And I can’t let you celebrate without me! But we’re not supposed to get back from Napa until Thursday,” Maddy told her.
“Beg! Maybe they’ll let you come home early,” Morgan insisted.
“Maybe,” Maddy said without much hope. “They’ve mellowed out a lot since we left. I’ll have to get them at the right moment.”
“Well, at least try, okay?”
“Okay. Bye, babe.”
“Bye.” Morgan hung up.
Maddy dropped the phone on the floor and closed her eyes just for a second, the warm afternoon sun streaming from the balcony doors onto her face. David’s image floated in front of her. They were standing in the tasting room again. He had his arms around her, but this time he was kissing her. His lips were warm and delicious. Maddy felt herself relax, the stress of the conversation with Morgan floating away. She and David were walking through the grapevines. She could feel his strong hands on her waist….