7. Welcome to Napa
WELCOME TO NAPA
Marlon.
She cried the entire fucking way to the airport.
And when she realized we were flying commercial, she cried some more.
Loudly.
So loud that it made strangers in the airport turn around and wonder if I really did kidnap her.
It gave me a headache.
I’ve dealt with spoiled brats before but only in bed, so this was a new level of hell.
She sat beside me in first class, arms crossed, sunglasses on, sniffling every five minutes just to make sure I remembered she was miserable.
I ignored her for the first half-hour. Then I heard a quiet little whimper.
That was it.
“Hey,” I said, snapping my fingers in her face, low enough for only her to hear. “Hey. Hey! Stop all that crying!”
She sniffed again, still not looking at me.
“That crying-to-get-your-way shit only works on your dad, aight?” I leaned closer, voice flat. “I already told you tears don’t move me. Knock it the fuck off.”
Her head snapped toward me, eyes wide behind those oversized sunglasses.
“You can’t talk to me like that,” she hissed.
“Or what?”
Her jaw dropped and I saw the expression on her face turn when she realized the gravity of her situation.
“Exactly,” I said, settling back against my seat. “I don’t want to see another tear drop for the rest of the flight.”
She scoffed, grabbed a napkin, and dabbed at her eyes. “You’re unbelievable.”
“Likewise,” I scoffed. “You and these cry baby ass tears. When I met you I didn’t expect to be dealing with this shit. I know you were a little brattish with a slick mouth but this? I’m disappointed, Rabbit. Not gonna lie.”
“Yeah, you try sitting across from your father while he calls you a disappointment.”
“Been there, done that. It’s not a reason to lose your cool like that. Tighten up.”
She took that in. I saw her shoulders relax and her posture straighten.
“Okay.”
For a few minutes, blessed silence. I almost believed it was over.
Until she tried to order champagne.
When the flight attendant told her there wasn’t any available, she gasped like she’d been told her little rat died.
“Oh my God,” she exclaimed loud enough for everyone in a ten-foot radius to hear. “No champagne? What kind of flight is this?”
I rubbed a hand over my face and muttered under my breath, “ It’s just a goddamn drink, Rabbit. Let it go.”
“You think this is just about a drink? We shouldn’t even be on this flight! We couldn’t just charter a PJ?”
“Didn’t I tell you not to question me?” I waved the flight attendant away to spare her.
In truth, I could’ve. But I don’t exactly trust myself to be alone with this woman just yet, so instead, I say; “And why would I charter a flight for the two of us? Do you know how bad for the environment that is?”
“Tuh, and since when do you care about the planet?”
“Since I live on the motherfucka. And since my business depends on how good the atmosphere is.”
“Spare me. One plane ain’t gonna drive you out of business,” she said, folding her arms again. “This is just cruel and unusual punishment.”
“I agree,” I said dryly, staring out the window. “But you only got yourself to blame.”
Her head snapped toward me. “Me? I wouldn’t even be in this mess if it wasn’t for you.”
“No,” I said, not looking her way. “You wouldn’t be in this mess if you didn’t throw that damn party.”
She scoffed. “And why do you think I threw it?”
I looked at her then. “You did all that bullshit just to get under my skin?”
“If you ruin my night, I’ll ruin yours. If I can’t sleep, you can’t sleep.” She wasn’t even ashamed.
“You’re fucking insane,” I shook my head. “Now look at you. You did all that just to end up working to pay it off. You feel good about yourself?”
She shrugged, unapologetic. “I don’t always think things through.”
“I can tell,” I muttered, leaning my head back with a groan, then frowned.
“That’s because you can’t stand the word no.
You’re spoiled, entitled and young. I did reckless shit when I was young too.
Still… when I was your age, I never… wait.
Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait a damn minute… How old are you again? ”
“Twenty-four.”
I blinked and sat up. “What?”
“I’m twenty-four.”
“You said you were over twenty-five!” I raised my voice.
“I’ll be twenty-five in like two months, so that counts, right?”
“Aurora.”
“What? It’s not like I’m a minor.”
“Aurora,” I repeated, pinching the bridge of my nose. “Please. Please! I need you to stop talking for a second.”
“But I—”
“Please. I think I’m gonna be sick.”
She rolled her eyes, dragged her shades down, and muttered, “Fine.”
“Thank you,” I exhaled, settling back into my seat. I understand it now. I fucked a twenty-year-old and this is my punishment.
But this wasn’t entirely on me.
I was a victim of circumstance. Her wild and vindictive ways lured me in and her cunning trapped me.
I couldn’t change the past but the smartest play for me right now was to avoid her. Teach her the ropes, get her up to speed and then let Lav take over. She’ll get bored of me quick, a girl like her?
Once she got to the vineyard and realized I couldn’t offer her the excitement she’s accustomed to, she’ll work through this punishment as quick as possible and beg her father to take her back.
Then she’ll be out of my life for good.
I just needed to start paying her dust. Starting now.
It lasted all of two minutes.
“So,” she said casually, “do you have any kids?”
“What?”
“Kids,” she repeated like I was hard of hearing. “Do you have them?”
“Didn’t I tell you not to question me?”
“I’m not questioning you. I’m asking you a question.” She tilted her head. “There’s a difference.”
I gritted my teeth.
“No, I don’t,” I said flatly. “And why do you care?”
“Well,” she said, stretching out the word, “I’ll be around you for a while, so I thought we should get to know each other better.”
I dragged a hand down my face, massaging my temples. “Well, you thought wrong. I would like silence if you wouldn’t mind.”
“You’re funny,” she said with a grin.
“I’m not playing—” I cut myself off before I worked myself up. Pay her dust, Marlon. Calmer now, I addressed her.
“Ms. Rodriguez.”
“Hmm?” She hummed sweetly.
“I’ve been up since yesterday,” I said, looking her dead in the eye, “and it’s all thanks to you. Do you mind shutting the fuck up so I can sleep?”
“But I can’t sleep.”
I groaned. “Of course you can’t.”
“I keep thinking about Daddy saying he’s disappointed in me and I-I—” her voice cracked, and before I could stop it, the sniffles started again.
“Hey. Hey!” I snapped, straightening in my seat. “Didn’t I tell you to cut that shit out?”
She sniffled louder.
“Oh my God,” I rubbed my forehead. “I should’ve taken the damn train.”
Her bottom lip trembled. “You’re so fucking mean, Marlon!”
“Sweet Jesus,” I said, closing my eyes. Before I could stop myself, I pressed the call button for the flight attendant. The poor woman appeared with the look of someone who wished they chose a different career path.
Yeah, you and me both.
“Hi!” Aurora chirped, turning the sobs to her brightest fake smile. “Did you find any champagne?”
The flight attendant stared at her, deadpan. “No, ma’am. I did not get off the moving flight and look for champagne.”
Aurora’s expression dropped.
“Excuse me?” She narrowed her eyes and her tone turned sharp. “I don’t think I appreciate your tone. Get your manag—”
I slapped my hand over her mouth.
“Whiskey,” I said to the attendant. “Two doubles. Please.”
The woman looked between us, sighed, then walked off. As soon as I dropped my hand, she gasped, glaring at me.
“Absolutely not! Her service is not up to par!”
“Let the lady do her job, Karen.”
“I’ll be a Karen if that’s what it takes to get treated with respect on this funky ass flight. Seriously! Whiskey but no champagne on a flight is crazy!”
“I know another thing that’s crazy.”
She crossed her arms with a huff. “I don’t even like whiskey.”
“It’ll help you sleep,” I said, fishing into my coat pocket. “Well. That, and this.”
Her eyes flicked to the pill bottle in my hand like a seagull with a fish. “What’s that?”
“Like I said,” I answered, unscrewing the cap, “something to help you sleep.”
Right on cue, the flight attendant returned, setting down our drinks with a clink that screamed good luck, sir.
It seemed Aurora forgot her earlier gripe with the flight attendant and the whiskey, because she picked up her glass immediately. “Should I take it with alcohol?”
“Not really,” I said. “So we’ll do half.”
I split the pill with my teeth and held it out to her.
“Is it X?”
“Yeah,” I nodded. “Xanax, right?”
Her eyebrows drew together in confusion. Is it weird I take Xanax?
“X is ecstasy…”
Now it’s my turn for confusion. “That makes no fucking sense. There isn’t even an X in that word.”
She sighed before grabbing the pill and dropping it onto her tongue.
“God, you’re so old,” she mumbled, chasing it with the whiskey. “You know, I usually don’t take drugs from men. Especially men I can’t stand.”
“Aw,” I teased. “You don’t love me any more, Rabbit?”
She stuck up her middle finger and I actually smiled.
What the fuck happened to paying her dust?
Within minutes, her shoulders eased and the constant movement finally stopped. Her lips curled into a faint, relaxed smile as she sank deeper into her seat, mumbling something I couldn’t quite make out before her head tilted toward the window.
For the first time since takeoff, there was peace.
I closed my eyes and let out a long breath.
Maybe now I could finally get some damn sleep, too.
I woke up to the dead weight of Aurora Rodriguez knocked clean out on my arm.
Her cheek is pressed to my bicep, mouth slightly open, one hand is still curled around the blanket I don’t remember her having while the other hanging off her lap.
She was invading my personal space.
Again.
I blink slowly, my head thick with sleep I didn’t even enjoy. My shoulder was numb and my back was stiff.
The captain’s voice crackles overhead. “Welcome to San Francisco…”