Off the Charts

6. Good Days #2

“I landed around seven. I have clients at the gym at ten. Thought it would be a perfect time to surprise you. C’mere, J.” He extended his hand again and I accepted, and he pulled me to my feet and into his arms.

The problems of the world faded from a single embrace.

I handed over my weight and melted into his arms, inhaling deeply in his chest when he pulled me closer.

My eyes closed as I rested against him. I didn’t know a hug could feel like security or make every thought in my mind slip away.

Being in his arms felt like coming home after a long day of work or removing your bra the second you got some privacy.

I didn’t want to let go of his pull, his web, or… him.

“I needed this.”

“Me too, J.” He kissed my nose. “More than you fucking know.”

He kissed my forehead before creating space between us. Vayce was only in some grey shorts, a sleeveless shirt with a baseball cap, but he looked so damn good.

“You look nice,” I teased.

“You beat me to it. You look amazing, J.” His eyes gazed down my frame. “I’m not going to hold you up. I wanted to let you know I’m back and to hug you.”

I looked between his eyes, not bothering to hide my blush. “Well thank you for thinking of me. I’ll call you after. Ten is around the corner sir. You need to get going too.”

He kissed his teeth. “This small ass town. The gym three stop signs away,” he teased. He reached in, grabbed my tote, then my hand. “Come on.”

When we reached the door, my nerves set in again. I turned toward him. “What if they say no?”

“Then life will continue, and you’ll walk out these doors being the same amazing woman who walked in there,” Vayce leaned down and pressed a sweet kiss on my lips. I had to blink a few times to come back to my senses. “You are capable of anything, J. You got this.”

He opened the door for me, handed over my bag, then nodded his head as if to say go ahead . I smiled and slipped past him, mumbling a quick thank you. The door closed behind me and I shook off my feelings as I approached the front counter.

“Hi, I ha?—"

“Jerseiiii! Hey girl!” The owner Etta rounded the corner with her arms extended.

“Hey Etta! Thank you for having me.”

“I am so happy to have you. Come on. Let’s go to my office.”

The winery wasn’t crowded yet because most people were at work.

Lunch hour was typically the busiest so by the time we finished, it would be a different story.

The further we walked toward the back, the more I smelled the ingredients.

I inhaled, already feeling at home. Etta led me to her office where we sat at a roundtable. She took a sip of her tea then smiled.

“Thank you for meeting with me today. I won’t lie, girl.

I was shocked seeing your name cross my desk.

You can let your hair down. This will be a conversation, not an interrogation,” she chuckled leaning back in her chair.

I released a silent breath and stopped rehearsing the questions in my head.

“I saw you had experience at Chasers.” I nodded.

“Any other guest or customer service experience?”

My mind shifted to Seven Keys. Shit I had customers that I gave an experience. “Not directly, but I am willing to learn. Wait, do PTA meetings count? Because it’s a couple of parents in there that test me, but I let them ho—women slide.”

Etta chuckled. “Girl, be yourself. I have so many moments I want to call these customers hoes. Especially out here in Edgewynne. Niggas get a big house and forget they from The Grove.”

I tapped my index finger against my thumb, and she did the same. We shared a laugh. “And do.”

“Okay, so do you have any wine or distilling experience at all?”

I smirked, reaching in my tote bag and grabbed a red and white wine.

Etta’s eyes grew big. “I do. I’ve been making my own wine since I was a preteen.

My grandmother taught me everything I know then I added to it.

It’s not just a pastime for me, it’s my passion.

I have hundreds of gallons stored up. I don’t visit here to judge.

I spend, taste, but most importantly I soak in the fact that if you did it, then so can I.

I feel inspired every time I step through that door.

You haven’t asked yet, but I would be a great addition because you can taste the care, patience, and love in every pour of my wine.

Wine is a language I’ve spent years studying and I want to bring my fluency here.

In addition to that, I know what the fuck I am doing, Etta.

It’s simple. I hit, never miss. Every part of my wine, I grow and produce. I promise to do the same for Hillside.”

Etta nodded. She stood and walked over to grab two glasses from the rack and set them in front of me.

My bottles were still chilled from being stored in the bag.

I didn’t hesitate to pour her a taste of each.

Leaning back in my chair, I watched her test the wine against the sides of her glass.

Clarity, check . Aroma, check . Smell, check .

Etta placed the white wine to her lips. She didn’t make a face, but the click of her tongue completed the most important box. Taste, check .

I smirked. She ate a wafer, tasted the red wine then started laughing.

“Damn Jersei! You tryna show me up or what? The white was a ten out of ten, but that red was oh bitch we need that on the shelves immediately!”

I laughed at her excitement. I was confident in my craft and would go up against the world’s finest behind mine, but it still meant so much coming from someone who was established in this industry. “That means so much to me, Etta. Thank you.”

“Girl, no problem,” she looked at her papers again. “You applied to be a testing room associate?”

“That’s right,” I looked down at the paper like I could read her thoughts.

“Well, I think you sold yourself short, Jersei. I wasn’t looking for experience.

I was looking for someone with the heart and someone who is knowledgeable in wine and values my brand as much as I do as the master distiller.

By the end of the summer, I am looking to hire a head distiller, and I know you’re the person for this. ”

I cleared my throat to stop the tears. This was more than I prayed for, and I wanted to scream. “Are you serious?”

She smiled. “Yes, I’m serious.”

“My gosh, I am honored, Etta. That would be so perfect, and I promise to not disappoint you.”

“I know you won’t. I’ll have your paperwork and start date in your email by the end of the week,” she stood, extending her hand. I met her halfway. “Welcome to Hillside Winery and Distillery.”

For two days, I’d thanked God so many times that I knew He was ready to throw His right sandal across my head.

Thankful wasn’t the word to express the joy in my bones.

Being brought on at Hillside knocked me off my feet.

I went in with low expectations, but God went higher and allowed Etta to make me second in command.

Putting money with my passion would become my favorite recipe.

I couldn’t wait to walk through those doors again.

Everyone in my life was happy for me, but nobody was more ecstatic than myself.

It was never too late to start over, and it was starting to feel like I’d finally flipped to the blank page Vayce and I discussed last week.

I tuned in from my thoughts and turned to him.

I knew the answer would be yes from the moment he asked me to come to his cabin.

Caution was out of the window. I was listening to the butterflies that swarmed in my body at the mere thought of him.

I leaned into the safety I felt when he was near.

In such a small amount of time, our connection had grown stronger, and I was finding myself growing more attached with every interaction.

Vayce was in his usual position with one hand on the wheel and the other tugging at his beard. I could tell when he felt my eyes on him because he started to smile.

“Did you like the smoothie?”

“It was good, but yours was better. That avocado was ten out of ten. I need that recipe,” I looked at our empty cups. He’d made us our own, but I liked his better, so I had half of mine and all of his.

“You make me a sweet potato pie, and you got yourself a fair trade.” Vayce glanced at me then back to the road. “What you smiling at, man?”

“I can’t look at you?” I smiled. Reaching over, I stroked the side of his face and through his healthy beard. “You are a handsome man, Vayce Denver.”

“You think so?” I nodded, probably looking dumb as hell from smiling so much. “’Preciate you, J.”

I could feel his cheeks heat under my touch, letting me know that a blush was under his beautiful pecan skin.

Grabbing my hand from his beard, he brought it to his lips and kissed it twice, the second one lingering a bit.

I couldn’t stop giggling. He laced our fingers together and I held on a little tighter.

I was preparing to turn some music on, but his phone started to ring and before I could see the name, he’d already clicked ‘answer’.

“Nigga where the fuck is you at!” The woman’s voice boomed through the speaker.

My head snapped in his direction then over to the radio as if I could see the woman.

When I looked back at Vayce, this nigga was just cheesing.

I was about to punch the smile smooth off his lips and he must’ve felt it, because he held my hand tighter.

I tried to pull away, but he held on, so I started thumping his knuckles. He was unfazed.

“I’m a grown man,” he responded.

“Nigga because you older don’t mean shit. Why didn’t you tell me you were on the road, Bubby?” The last word made me stop thumping him and place my free hand over my mouth. Vayce’s focus was still on the road, but his smile widened.

“Valen, I'm on the road. Is that better?” he chortled.

“Yeah, whatever nigga. How far away are you?”

“About an hour in. Say what’s up to Jersei.”

“Oop! So, she did say yes. I know that’s right. Hey Jersei girl!”

I lowered my hand, chuckling. “Hi Valen,” I repeated the name I’d just heard him say.

“She thought you were somebody else.” I popped his hand.

“Girl, don’t nobody want that muscle head nigga!

” There was some shuffling in her background.

“It’s just me. I call him one hundred times a day.

But anyway. I hope to meet you one day. Maybe we can get some food the next time I’m in town.

I don’t have any friends in that lil’ hick town, so I need a gossip buddy or sum.

I get tired of looking at my man and eventually you gone get tired of looking at that gremlin beside you. ”

“I already am,” I giggled and Vayce twisted his lips. “I would love to link. I will have Vayce send me your number and we can plan it.”

“Sounds good to me,” she sang. “I got a showing here in a minute. It’s over in Tahoe Springs. Jersei, it was nice meeting you girl. Bubby be careful. I love you. Text me when you make it?”

“I got you sissy. Don’t cut them no deals. I looked over her shit last night. They got the money but I love you more. Go kill that shit.”

They exchanged their goodbyes and when he ended the call, I ignored him side-eyeing me.

“Aight. I’m the oldest. She’s four years younger than me and the only sibling I have that I know of through our mother.

I already told you I never knew my father and as I get older, I’m discovering that I’m just learning who my mother is,” I gave him my attention not expecting him to open up.

“She’s been in and out of jail since we were young.

Like Zion’s age, young. She’s into theft and fraud, so jail is about to turn into prison at our big ages,” he shook his head before continuing.

“I only know how to protect ‘cause I learned that shit when I was supposed to be playing with action figures and shit. My mother is alive, but she’s not there. Valen is all I really have blood wise.”

“I’m sorry about your mom,” I stroked the back of his hand with my thumb.

He shrugged. “It’s cool.”

I nodded, deciding to not press him. I couldn’t imagine life without my mama, but listening to Vayce showed me that nobody’s life was the same.

“On the bright side, you and Valen seem to be really close. I love the names, bubby and sissy. That’s so cute.”

“I guess. We’ve been calling each other that since we were kids. I never knew you could love and hate somebody so much,” he chuckled, and I smirked. “She’s my world. Nothing I wouldn’t do for her.”

“I feel the same way about my sister. I had my mama and grandmama, but Jade was my first role model. I wanted to do everything like her or nothing at all. I thank God for her. She’s truly my rock.”

“Zion told me that was his favorite person outside of you.”

I laughed. “He is Tee Tee’s baby. Sometimes I have to remind her I did seventeen hours of labor. She don’t give a damn.” Vayce smiled. “So, you told Valen about me?”

“I told her about you and us, yes.”

“Us?” I pressed, raising my eyebrow.

He looked over at me like I’d asked a question that didn’t make sense.

“Us,” he repeated.

“You make everything sound so simple.”

“Because it can be,” he released my hand and hooked a finger under my chin. “My roster is clear, Jersei and so are my intentions.”

I chewed on my bottom lip. The voice in the back of my head was telling me it was okay but my heart and mind were in a deep battle that I wanted my mind to lose so good.

“We aren’t together. You don’t owe me an explanation, Vayce.”

“I don’t, but you deserve one. If we are going to get to know one another, it’s best I be upfront about everything.

I don’t plan to disrespect you. The purpose of this get away is for us to connect.

All that armor, the smart mouth, the I’m good shit you give everybody else; you don’t have to do that with me. Let me disarm your heart, J.”

“I’m trying,” I sighed, looking out the window for a minute. “Be patient with me, Vayce. I’m not the bitch everybody sees me as.”

“I see past all that shit,” he kissed the back of my hand.

“And that’s the part that scares me, but my promise to you is that I will remove the barriers from my heart and stop fighting so hard against what I feel.”

“We diving headfirst together.” Vayce kissed my hand again. “And yet.”

I frowned. “Huh?”

“You said we’re not together and I said yet, but I know what the fuck I want mama.”

And with that, my ass couldn’t say shit.