what was hiding
behind the monstrosity. There was a street fair going on despite the light
drizzle. The chaperone had been right. The weather really did do what
it wanted. The Italians didn’t mind though. They had tents and hastily
erected overhangs that covered their wares, and the customers just scurried
from stall to stall to stay dry. Rachel had to smile at their dedication to
shopping. It warmed her heart, because she was a self-proclaimed power shopper
herself. Jason gave a sort of groan behind her and she spun around to face
him.
“What was that for?”
“Shopping. As a man, I simply hate doing it, regardless of
the company.” He scrunched up his face like he was getting ready to ward off a
verbal assault about what he’d just said. Rachel laughed and just stuck her
tongue out at him. He raised an eyebrow at her, then laughed. “I don’t think
anyone has stuck their tongue out at me since I was in the fifth grade.”
“Oh yeah? Then I guess it’s about time that someone did it
to you again, isn’t it?” He gave her a look that said he gave up. He shrugged
his shoulders before bowing and holding his arms out like he was waiting on her
to lead the way. She took a second to cement that image in her memory, then
she straightened her back and squared her shoulders before sticking her nose in
the air like she was a stuck up little princess and parading past him. She
only went a few steps before she stopped and looked behind her to make sure he
was coming with her. He was shaking in silent laughter.
“What’s so funny?” She crossed her arms across her chest,
trying to keep her coat as tightly wrapped around her as possible.
“You just looked like the perfect little hoity toity
princess, parading by a servant that was beneath you. It just reminded me of
my little sister. She’s seven, and when she gets mad at me, she sticks her
nose in the air like you did and just stomps by me. The last time she did it
though, she ran face first into a door, and I had to die laughing. You walking
by like that reminded me of that moment.”
“So, you’re trying to convince me that you weren’t laughing
at me? Is that what I’m getting?” Jason laughed and caught up to her.
“Yes. Because it’s true. I really wasn’t laughing
at you. I bet you never knew that you were such a good seven-year-old
impersonator, huh?” Rachel smiled at him.
“No, but then again, I didn’t know that I was impersonating
anyone, either.” She stood up straight and started do an exaggerated pageant
wave. “I would like to thank the Academy for having such faith in me! My
parents, for always giving me a reason to pout and whine when I didn’t get my
way. And my brother who makes me so mad that I put my nose in the air and stomp
away from him.” Jason burst out laughing.
Chapter 9
Rachel was caught up in looking at the old towns and
fields that they drove through to get to the winery. It wasn’t as long of a
drive as the restaurant had been, but it seemed that way. There wasn’t much
variety outside. There were fields and vineyards, vineyards and fields. She
could feel herself dozing again. The warm sunshine was the culprit. It bathed
Rachel’s face in a warm, soft glow, and the tediousness of the countryside
didn’t help her any. She woke with a start as Jason gently nudged her
shoulder.
“Hey, sleeping beauty, wake up. We’re here.” Rachel
stared around with wide eyes. Damn it! She’d fallen asleep after all. Well,
at least Jason was keeping an eye on her. She was a little shy about that.
She didn’t know if she should get involved with someone that she probably
wasn’t going to see anymore after today. She’d think about that later. She
wanted to enjoy the day without a proverbial cloud of doom settling itself over
her.
“I can’t wait to try out the wine. They must have so many
different kinds
behind the monstrosity. There was a street fair going on despite the light
drizzle. The chaperone had been right. The weather really did do what
it wanted. The Italians didn’t mind though. They had tents and hastily
erected overhangs that covered their wares, and the customers just scurried
from stall to stall to stay dry. Rachel had to smile at their dedication to
shopping. It warmed her heart, because she was a self-proclaimed power shopper
herself. Jason gave a sort of groan behind her and she spun around to face
him.
“What was that for?”
“Shopping. As a man, I simply hate doing it, regardless of
the company.” He scrunched up his face like he was getting ready to ward off a
verbal assault about what he’d just said. Rachel laughed and just stuck her
tongue out at him. He raised an eyebrow at her, then laughed. “I don’t think
anyone has stuck their tongue out at me since I was in the fifth grade.”
“Oh yeah? Then I guess it’s about time that someone did it
to you again, isn’t it?” He gave her a look that said he gave up. He shrugged
his shoulders before bowing and holding his arms out like he was waiting on her
to lead the way. She took a second to cement that image in her memory, then
she straightened her back and squared her shoulders before sticking her nose in
the air like she was a stuck up little princess and parading past him. She
only went a few steps before she stopped and looked behind her to make sure he
was coming with her. He was shaking in silent laughter.
“What’s so funny?” She crossed her arms across her chest,
trying to keep her coat as tightly wrapped around her as possible.
“You just looked like the perfect little hoity toity
princess, parading by a servant that was beneath you. It just reminded me of
my little sister. She’s seven, and when she gets mad at me, she sticks her
nose in the air like you did and just stomps by me. The last time she did it
though, she ran face first into a door, and I had to die laughing. You walking
by like that reminded me of that moment.”
“So, you’re trying to convince me that you weren’t laughing
at me? Is that what I’m getting?” Jason laughed and caught up to her.
“Yes. Because it’s true. I really wasn’t laughing
at you. I bet you never knew that you were such a good seven-year-old
impersonator, huh?” Rachel smiled at him.
“No, but then again, I didn’t know that I was impersonating
anyone, either.” She stood up straight and started do an exaggerated pageant
wave. “I would like to thank the Academy for having such faith in me! My
parents, for always giving me a reason to pout and whine when I didn’t get my
way. And my brother who makes me so mad that I put my nose in the air and stomp
away from him.” Jason burst out laughing.
Chapter 9
Rachel was caught up in looking at the old towns and
fields that they drove through to get to the winery. It wasn’t as long of a
drive as the restaurant had been, but it seemed that way. There wasn’t much
variety outside. There were fields and vineyards, vineyards and fields. She
could feel herself dozing again. The warm sunshine was the culprit. It bathed
Rachel’s face in a warm, soft glow, and the tediousness of the countryside
didn’t help her any. She woke with a start as Jason gently nudged her
shoulder.
“Hey, sleeping beauty, wake up. We’re here.” Rachel
stared around with wide eyes. Damn it! She’d fallen asleep after all. Well,
at least Jason was keeping an eye on her. She was a little shy about that.
She didn’t know if she should get involved with someone that she probably
wasn’t going to see anymore after today. She’d think about that later. She
wanted to enjoy the day without a proverbial cloud of doom settling itself over
her.
“I can’t wait to try out the wine. They must have so many
different kinds
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