The Other Boy

“No!” The vehemence of the word surprised them both. Maddy lowered her voice with an effort. “He’s my dad’s business partner, remember? Why are you being like this?”

“Sorry,” he muttered. “I forgot about that. Look, come here, okay? I’ve been missing you.”

She took a deep breath. “Whatever, forget it. Let’s just enjoy the day, okay?”

He gave her a sexy smile. “Definitely.” He held out his hand in truce. When she took it, he reached out and grabbed her waist, pulling her down on top of him. 163

Hailey Abbott

She shrieked playfully and wiggled around so that she was facing him. His sharp blue eyes sparkled at her from his sunburned face.

“I missed you too,” she said.

“Mmm.” He massaged the backs of her thighs through her jeans and then slid his hands up until they were just below her butt. She closed her eyes. Their lips met, and then his tongue slid into her mouth. She drew back. She usually thought the tongue maneuver was pretty hot, but today, she just didn’t feel like it. Maddy awkwardly disentangled herself and struggled up from his lap. What was the matter with her? Here was Brian, at the vineyard. They were going to make out a little—

what was wrong with that? She didn’t know, and that bothered her. Slightly breathless, she got to her feet and smoothed back her hair with both hands. Brian looked disappointed. “Come back here,” he said, motioning to his lap.

“Don’t you want a tour? I can show you the room I’ve been working on. It’s in an old barn.” Brian sighed and got up.

Maddy slipped on her Havaianas and led him to the path through the vines that started at the bottom of the lawn. She glanced over at Brian. His face was patchy and flushed from their brief make-out session and he looked pretty a

The Other Boy

the bottom of the vineyard, where there’s an awesome stream. And then we can finish with the tasting room.”

She felt a little twinge of excitement. It was sort of amazing that she actually lived here.

“Hunh,” Brian grunted behind her.

Still air, thick with the smell of mulch and soil and leaves, closed around them as they brushed between the rows of trellises. Maddy made herself be quiet as they walked single file down the path. She wanted to see if Brian would say anything. A few moments passed. He was silent behind her. She turned around. He was gazing at his cell phone. “Are you checking your messages again?” she asked incredulously.

“Yeah, sorry,” he said, not looking up. “It’s Chad—

everyone’s going to Tangerine tonight. I forgot to tell him I was coming up here. He wanted to know if I wanted to come over to his place first.” He typed something rapidly on the keypad without breaking stride. Maddy felt herself getting angry. He could at least pre- tend to be interested, she thought. He’s driven all the way up here. She continued stewing as they wandered down the path but then exhaled audibly and tried to talk herself back into a better frame of mind. You thought the vineyard was pretty boring too when you first came up here, she reminded herself. Brian just hasn’t seen the cool parts yet. When he gets more used to the place, he’ll see what you see. At the end of the field, the vines stopped and the 165

Hailey Abbott

path widened. The meadow, the stream, and the shed were spread out before them like objects in a painting.

“Isn’t this gorgeous?” Maddy said hopefully.

“Yeah. So, what’s up with tonight?” Brian asked. She struggled to keep the wounded expression from her face as she answered. “It’s just going to be a di

“Why’s Crunchy coming?”

Maddy shot Brian a dirty look. “Why are you being so obnoxious? He’s coming because he lives here.”

“Where?”

“Here! Right over there.” She pointed to the roof of the little white cottage, visible across the field. “He and Fred live in that house.”

“They live there? What are they, white trash?”

Maddy stopped short and whipped around. Her face was hot with anger. “Why are you being such a total snob? I can’t believe you,” she fired at him. Brian fell back a step and held up his hands. “Whoa—

don’t get all worked up.” He flashed his disarming smile.

“I was just kidding. Anyway, stop looking so cute or I’m going to have to . . .” He reached for her, but Maddy turned and strode rapidly to the banks of the stream. 166

The Other Boy

The sight of the clear, golden water tumbling over the slick gray stones soothed her. She took a deep breath.

“This is my favorite thinking place out here,” she told Brian calmly. “Every day after we’re done working, I come out here and sit on this big rock and relax. Isn’t it peaceful? And you can see deer in the evening too.”

“Cool.”

Maddy climbed onto the rock and plunged her hot, dusty feet into the water. “Come on, Brian—it’s nice and cold!”

He stood on the bank, looking a little hot and overdressed in his long-sleeved shirt and dark jeans. “Look at you, hippie chick. What are you doing?” he said, not moving.

“I’m cooling off my feet. Come and sit next to me.”

“I’m fine.” It was obvious he wasn’t going to put his feet in and that he wasn’t interested in the stream. It was time to expedite the tour. She climbed off the big rock.

“Okay, well, the room I’ve been working on is over here.”

“Great,” he said unenthusiastically.

The little red building in front of them almost glowed in the slanting sunlight, which glinted on the tin roof. Dad hadn’t been down here with the weed-whacker yet, so the long grasses lay in dry yellow swathes speckled with purple wildflowers around the foundation. Maddy unlatched and heaved open the big doors. The 167

Hailey Abbott

cream-painted walls glowed in the light-filled room. They had left the floors natural, but the planks were almost white from scrubbing. The rollers, paintbrushes, tarps, and paint cans were piled in a corner. The furniture and rug still hadn’t arrived, so their footsteps echoed in the bareness. On an old table lay a big bunch of lavender Maddy had picked yesterday in an attempt to cover the paint smell.

“Wow!” Brian said in a goofy voice as they entered.

“What time is the organic vegan yoga class?”

Maddy tried not to let her face show how much the comment wounded her. “I’ve been working really hard. David and I have been out here every day for like a month.”

“I’m just teasing you, Mad! You’ve really lost your sense of humor since coming out here. I guess country living just sucked it all right out of you.” Brian sat down on a barrel and took off one of his Reefs to examine his foot. “I’ve got a cut on my toe—I think I stepped on something.” He looked up. “You mind if we head back to the house?”

Maddy sighed. “Sure. I’ll find you a Band-Aid.” She took one last look around the empty, silent room with the dust motes floating in the beams of sunlight and rolled the big doors shut with a rumbling thud. As she followed Brian up the path to the house, she chewed over his comment about the vegan yoga class. 168

The Other Boy

Something was off. After a minute, it came to her: Just a few months ago, that was exactly the kind of comment she would have made herself, or at least laughed at. Now she thought it was obnoxious and ignorant. The sinking feeling that had been growing in her chest all afternoon suddenly felt worse. She shook her head. Look, Maddy, she told herself, you’ve wanted to see Brian all summer—