Page 80 of While You Were Trending

But he’s making me wonder if I’m missing out on part of my life.

And I don’t like it.

15

WINEBISCUIT

Declan

Harvest is fascinating.

It happens in the middle of the night, with massive floodlights brought in to illuminate the way.

I’m given a lesson in picking and assigned a position in the chardonnay fields with Cricket and Dori, where I quickly realize we’re the fourth line out here.

Definitely not the stars of the show. Not the starters.

Makes sense here though. We’re not nearly as quick as Winona’s crew, even if we’re learning quickly.

But the competitive part of me wants to get as fast.

Mabel and Olivia and Samantha are out here too, all of them more efficient, like they’ve done this before.

Ginny is not.

Not that I see, anyway.

I bite my tongue a dozen times an hour to keep from asking if she’s coming, and I get the occasional glance while we’re filming from Cricket or Dori or Mabel that makes me wonder if I’m utterly transparent.

Something happened on the porch steps.

Something that felt like forgiveness.

And it has my heart light, even if being friends with Ginny long-term could never work.

Alex would disown me.

He flew in to get drunk with me the day I realized retirement was my best option. Gave an interview a few months later about missing me that had the reporter in tears.

Says he’s buying the fourth ticket to the premiere of my documentary, right after my parents and brother.

Best friend I’ve ever had.

Making friends with the only woman in the world he still actively hates?

That would be a slap in the face.

But fuck me, I like her.

Always have.

“Why do we pick at night?” I ask Dori while we work and Shade films us, even though I’ve done my research and know the answer. I need a distraction from thinking about Ginny.

“Cooler temperatures are better for the grapes.”

“I saw harvesting machines in some other fields this morning when I was out for a run. You don’t use them?”

“Less damage when you handpick.”