8

NIRVANA

What a jerk!

Prick. Prick. Prick.

I felt rejected. 

A sliver of pain pierced my chest. Disappointment seeped through within me. I didn’t know this guy, but his words hit different coming from him— they sliced right into my heart. And it felt like I’d known him for a long time, that he meant what he said. 

When Axell broke up with me, it didn’t hurt like this. What was with this man that caused me such agony? 

He was gone for a few minutes. His footsteps faded in the hallway, but his expensive taste of cologne still lingered in my head. 

When he knocked on my door, I was expecting an invitation, maybe a walk in the vineyards under the moonlight. Obviously, I was way over my head. But something must have happened after he left the dining room. 

I saw the rage in his eyes and the clenching of his jaw. Whatever enraged him that had twisted his boxers— if he wore one, had nothing to do with me. 

Maybe he just hated me. Perhaps he was just an ass. Whatever.

I picked up my phone and booked my first flight back to New York. I also arranged a cab early in the morning. I just didn’t know how to break it to Kailin. It seemed that that dick only treated his family right. Beyond that, everyone could go to hell. 

He was such a jerk.

I dialed my grandfather Case. 

“Vana, is that you?” His voice sounded far.

“Yes, Grandpa, unless you are waiting for someone’s call.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong, Grandpa. How are you?”

“Honey, you wouldn’t just call in the middle of the night. And I can feel it in your voice.” Sometimes, I thought Grandpa was a psychic, but maybe he just knew me too well.

I didn’t know how to tell him. As far as he knew, I would stay at least a week in California. He was pretty excited about my plan to take a vacation. 

“Um, I’m coming home. I booked the first flight.”

“What happened? Are you and Kailin have a misunderstanding?” The worry in his voice was palpable. He knew Kailin and I were like sisters. He also cared about her like his granddaughter.

“No. We’re good. It just feels like somebody isn’t happy with my presence. To be honest, Grandpa. I love it here. The vineyards are so beautiful, and some of these guys are awesome. I met Heartley. She’s so sweet. She even invited me for the wine tasting, but I can’t stay when someone might wring my neck while I’m sleeping.”

“I’m sorry, honey, your plan didn’t go well. Come back home. Maybe Italy is good for you, or France.”

“Grandpa, I don’t want to use my savings. Besides, I need a job.”

“I have money, Vana. And I thought you were going to help me around the restaurant.”

“That’s the plan.”

“Then come home, and we’ll talk about it.”

“See you tomorrow, Grandpa. Love you.”

“I love you, too. Good night, honey.”

I dropped my phone on the bed and went to the window, but the view wasn’t as pretty as Kailin’s. After drawing some deep breaths, I walked out of the room. If I only had one chance to see the vineyards, now was the time. 

It took me a while to get in there. It was a long walk, and my mistake was to put my stiletto back on. Nevertheless, it was worth the pain. 

The place was so spectacular that I had only seen it in romantic movies where lovers chased or spread blankets and had picnics or a vineyard wedding.

It was so peaceful around here, so serene, and nothing was more beautiful than a Californian night under the silver moon and the light of the stars. It was pretty romantic, but everything didn’t go as Axell and I had planned. 

The earthy, floral, and fruit scent lingered in the wind, and it suddenly got cold around here. 

I took fresh scents into my lungs as I walked through the lines of vines with white clusters of fruits hanging through them. 

I still wondered why they called white when they were actually green. I wasn’t an expert on when the grapes would be ready for harvest, but they looked ripe enough. 

Then I remembered Kailin. “Oh, God. I’m so sorry, Kailin.” 

I was ready to leave. I was so done with moping until I heard thuds and crunches a few feet ahead of me. Despite the moonlight, I couldn’t see through the thick rows of vines.