The Winemaker's Dinner: Entrée (25 page)

“And where does Jaden fit in the equation?” Lee asked, beating him to the punch.

Wow. Shit. Fuck. Umm.
Ivan’s chest began to burn and freeze all at once. He swallowed hard. This was the opportunity he’d waited for. To ask this man the question every father expects and dreads at the same time. The one that involves handing over his daughter to some kid who thinks he can make her happy. Nervousness wasn’t a big enough word to describe the feeling now running rampant in his body.

A shiver passed through him, and his palms grew slick with sweat. His heart raced.
How are you going to answer this? You’re good at this—use that quirky shit. You’ve been interviewed in front of all sorts of crowds. You’ve played this out in your mind time and time again. Use the love analogy. No, use the life speech. No, try the “One” analogy.
And then, in a moment of clarity, his heart screamed,
“Shut the fuck up and speak from me!”

As a bird chirped in the distance and the sound of rain danced through the tree branches, Ivan settled his thoughts, focused his heart, and calmly said what he needed to say. “Sir, I would love to see Jaden as the center of my universe in five, ten, and twenty years—for the rest of my life.”

Lee stopped fumbling but kept his gaze down as the rain began to pick up speed.

“Your daughter has shown me what the meaning of life really is. It isn’t cars, it isn’t fame, and it isn’t money. It’s an essence. The essence of complete and utter admiration for another being. In her I’ve found the essence I never thought existed. Your daughter is more a part of who I am than I can explain. She gives me meaning.” Like a love-drunk fool in the rain, Ivan stood looking down at Lee, who continued to study the grass. “God willing and with your blessing, sir, I’d like to ask her to join me in marriage.”

The elephant that had been sitting on his chest for the past three weeks stood up and shook his hand. He felt liberated and thrilled that he’d fulfilled his commitment to ask the question.

Lee stood, his face a blank. Then Ivan felt him look directly into his soul. “Jaden is my very first baby. She’s my world. She means more to me than one person could possibly comprehend, but I know she’s madly in love with you. I know my wife is madly in love with you,” he paused and looked at the ground.

Ivan felt he might burst with anticipation.

“If I have to forfeit the portion of my heart that belongs to her for anyone, I’m honored to have it be you. I look forward to welcoming you into our family, son.” He offered his hand and his poker face transformed into a look of respect—something Ivan could never have asked for but appreciated beyond belief.

With rain now beating down he accepted the outstretched hand and shook it firmly. “Thank you, sir. Thank you so much.” Inside his emotions ran wild.

As they released their grip, Lee added, “You’re lucky you won Diane over at the airport. That was a ballsy move asking her for her blessing first. You’ll learn quickly that Thorne women can’t keep a damn thing secret—especially not a mother. She told me last night before bed.” He laughed. “My mind was made up, but I wanted to make you squirm a bit.”

Ivan shook his head and just laughed, the nervousness flowing out of him. “Well played, sir. Well played. Yes, lesson learned there.”

“Now, I say let’s scrap this project and come back to it later…or not. I’m drenched, and we made a pretty good dent.”

Noticing he was soaked as well, Ivan conceded his ambition to chop Colorado wood. His true task had been completed, and perhaps Jaden was awake by now. “Agreed,” he said with a smile. As if he’d been injected with some wonderful drug, he happily snatched up the tools and headed to the car. A smile tattooed his face and love tattooed his soul.
One more question,
he thought.
Just one more question to ask.

“Two Tickets to Paradise”

“R
EALLY
, D
ADDY
? P
UTTING
I
VAN
T
O
W
ORK
on his vacation in this weather?” Jaden waved as she ran out with an umbrella to greet the men returning from their backwoods man session. She tried to see the expressions on their faces. Had their time together gone well?

“I didn’t put a gun to his head,” her father joked as she snuggled into Ivan’s arms and pecked him on the cheek. She could feel his heart thumping, but they were both all smiles. Last night’s friendliness seemed to have continued.
Whew.

“It was my idea. I wanted to get outside,” Ivan said returning a peck to her temple.

“I hope you didn’t get natured out, ’cause I made lunch, and I thought I’d take you and your camera into the mountains once the rain lets up.”

“Perfect. I could never get natured out. As long as you’re there with me, I’m happy,” he added softly. “Let me help your dad finish here, and I’ll be right in.”

“Okay, sweetie,” she called as she headed back to the house.

“Quite the charmer, aren’t ya?” She could hear her father teasing Ivan as she walked away.
Amazing.

Traipsing in from the now-slowing rain, Jaden tossed her umbrella in the corner and joined her mother and sister in the kitchen, where they chatted secretively. They smiled and grew silent as she approached.

“He’s gonna change clothes, and I think I’ll take him to the trails at Rocky Mountain National Park.”

“Yes, that sounds good. I was watching the weather, and it looks like the rain is pretty much done,” her mom reported. “Scattered showers.”

“What were you two gabbing about?” Jaden asked.

“Nothing, darling. Did you pack lunch?”

“You know I did. You helped me pack it!”

“Yes, sorry. This old mind of mine must be slipping.” Her mother laughed.

“You guys are terrible at keeping secrets—especially you, Mom.”

“I haven’t said anything!” Magan protested.

“You need anything else for your picnic date?”

“Mom, I’m not ten.”

“Sorry. You guys are growing up so fast. I forget sometimes that you’re both beautiful young women.”

“Aww, Mom!” Jaden hugged her mother and grabbed her sister as well.

“I love you guys,” her mother said.

“We love you too,” the sisters replied in unison.

“Heads up, Ivan! The estrogen is thick in here right now.” Her father’s joke ended their moment as the men rumbled back inside.

“Thanks, Dad!” Magan hollered as she rolled her eyes.

“You about ready?” Jaden asked Ivan.

“Aren’t I always, baby girl?”

“Baby girl! Did you hear that? Lee, do you remember when you used to call me that in college? Your father used to be quite the charmer himself—a million years ago. I wonder where that man went?”

“He got married. See what happens when you get married, Ivan? You run out of one liners. Luckily my wife is an angel who doesn’t need to be serenaded every day.” He sidled over and gave her a kiss on the neck.

“You see what I have to deal with since you left, Jaden?”

“We’re out of here before it gets too weird,” she said, laughing as she grabbed her bag. “Ivan, quick! Go change.”

“I’m on it,” he said, disappearing into the living room for a moment, then passing back through to the bathroom.

“You got any wine in there?” her father asked, eyeing the bag she’d packed. “Let me grab you a bottle.”

“Thanks, Daddy. I’m going to grab the camera too.” She dashed up the stairs as her father headed for the basement, and she returned a few minutes later to find Ivan wearing fresh clothes and chatting once again with her mother in the kitchen.

“I owe you,” he told her mom as Jaden approached.

“For what?” Jaden asked.

“Oh, well…” Ivan began, but his attention was soon commanded by her dad.

“Okay, Ivan, I think you’ll appreciate this one,” he announced as he returned to the kitchen. “It’s one of my new favorites. It’s an Australian shiraz with a great finish.”

What he pulled from behind his back couldn’t have been more perfect. In his hand was a black velvet bag with silver embroidery. Serendipity had made her grand entrance.

“Now I’m more of a dry red kinda guy but—”

“Dad, it’s perfect,” Jaden said. Amazed yet again.

Her father smiled, but looked confused.

“That’s Ivan’s favorite—his favorite wine and his favorite winery. Mollydooker. And it’s come to be one of my favorites too,” she added, giving Ivan a squeeze.

“You’re full of surprises aren’t you, son?” he exclaimed.

“It’s a damn fine wine. I can attest to that,” Ivan said. “Thank you.”

“Well, I hope you two enjoy.”

“Thank you, Daddy.” Jaden took the bottle and snuck in a hug. She added it to her bag, along with two wine glasses, and zipped it up. “Ready?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Here, you take the camera.”

After a quick round of goodbyes, they headed for the door, and Jaden practically ran to her father’s SUV, the anticipation of a long afternoon in the woods alone with Ivan getting the better of her. The acceptance of her family? The perfect bottle of wine? She and Ivan were clearly meant to move forward.

“So what did you and my dad do?” she asked as they sped down the driveway.

“Well, we chatted and cut some wood. Man stuff. A woman, such as yourself, wouldn’t understand.” He laughed.

“Oh, really? Well, this little lady has chopped her fair share of wood, and I’m fully adept with a chainsaw, mister.”

“Teasing, girl! When it started to rain we had to stop, but we got a fair amount done.”

“Good. I’m glad you got out there with him. He can be intimidating sometimes.”

“Naw, he’s a teddy bear.”

“Liar.”

As the car cut though the beautiful little town, Ivan played sightseer, marveling aloud at the way wildlife marched through the streets as a part of the community. Elk laid in people’s front yards, and bighorn sheep trotted down the side streets. When they approached the entrance to the park, with its fields of goldenrod, he scrambled for the camera.

“This is nothing,” Jaden said as they passed Beaver Meadows Visitors Center. “Wait till we get into the real park.”

They turned on to Trail Ridge Road, and the SUV began to ascend. They picked their way through the picturesque scenery, stopping to run out and snap pictures of each other with backdrops of trees, rock formations, and wildlife. The road seemed to be their own private highway with not another vehicle in sight. Perfect. As they came to a marker indicating them to be halfway up the trail, Jaden pulled the car to the side of the road. “Let’s go for a hike and eat.”

Ivan followed her along a small trail cut between a field of sage brush and budding wildflowers. She heard him whistle appreciatively from behind and looked to see what natural wonder he’d sighted. But he had eyes only for her.

“Lookin’ good, baby,” was all he said to her questioning look. “You put the landscape to shame.”

They left the field and turned onto a smaller and tighter path through a thicket, which tore at their bags and clothing. “Almost there,” she said, offering her hand. She thrilled at the warmth and electricity that surged through her when he took it.

Finally the forest opened up, and they stood on a cliff overlooking the landscape they’d been traversing for the past forty-five minutes. Snowcapped mountains sheltered a spring-fed valley that harbored every beautiful form of life one could imagine. The trees scattered themselves around monstrous rock formations and between trickling natural turquoise lakes. Eagles flew above, enjoying the same view she was now thrilled to share with Ivan. She could tell he was in awe, as he said nothing and seemed to have forgotten about the camera. He just stood, taking it all in and breathing the crisp, fresh air.

She set the bag down and turned to him with a smile. “Well, doctor, what do you think?”

“Its beauty is surpassed only by yours, Ms. Thorne.”

“I thought you’d like it. I came here while growing up to think and relax.”

“It’s perfect, baby. Simply perfect.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck and looked into his eyes. “Thank you again for coming. I can’t tell you how much I needed you to be here.”

“I needed to be here too. Thank you so much for inviting me. I love everything about you,” he added after a moment.

That sentiment brought tears to her eyes. If only she could love everything about herself. She pressed her lips and hips to his, hoping to lose herself in the moment and recover. “I think we both need something right now,” she whispered.

She knelt, made quick work of his fly, and took his cock out of his pants. Grasping it at the base she spit on its head and began to swallow him inch by inch. She worked her hand up and down his shaft as her tongue teased the tip of his dick, only to retract as she forced more of him down her wanting throat. Longing to overwhelm him with pleasure, she took his balls into her mouth and sucked them in the most sensual of ways. He looked down at her, eyes filled with lust, and took the liberty of removing his shirt. She followed suit and removed hers, making sure not to interrupt her rhythmic motions.