CJ startled me with his comment and I glanced down to the handle on the door and found my fingers wrapped around the small lever, knuckles white from the hold. It took significant effort to pry my fingers loose, needing to stretch them a few times to get the blood flowing again.
“Sorry, just a lot on my mind. I’m not really sure what to expect when I arrive. To be honest, I’m not even sure what my internship will include or what my tasks will be.”
“Well, Mr. Sanford has been on location for a few days and from what I can see, everyone does a bit of everything. He even helped with the late bloom harvest yesterday. I grew up working the vines in the next town over and I can’t say that I’ve ever seen a man in a suit get on his hands and knees to test the soil and grapes.”
“Mr. Sanford sure seems like a hands-on kind of boss,” I added and instantly regretted it as I felt the heat gather in my cheeks. I knew exactly what his hands were capable of, but I didn’t want any fellow employees to know that there was more than a professional relationship between Eric and me.
CJ pulled his gaze away from the road for a split second as he looked me over, then returned his attention back to the highway. Dread nipped at my spine as I realized that perhaps I wasn’t so good at brushing off my relationship, or whatever it was, with Eric. I was certain that CJ suspected something now.
Finally, the car took the next exit off of the highway, the sign reading Town of Carson. I’m not sure what I expected, most likely imagining the crowded areas surrounding the Boston highways, but a single gas station and miles upon miles of fields and wooded areas surprised me.
CJ drove an additional half-hour before the first signs of the town began to appear. At the top of a hill, the truck came to a halt at a stoplight and I leaned forward in my seat to get a glimpse of the town. From my vantage point, it was four or five blocks of brick buildings that reminded me of the small towns I’d see in the movies. I was instantly charmed.
“Is this it?” I asked CJ as the light turned green and we began to approach the central area.
“Welcome to Carson, Willow.”
“Slow down and tell me all about it!” I exclaimed with an exuberance that surprised me. He pointed out the different businesses, where to eat, get a drink, buy groceries. The list of local celebrities that called the town home took me by surprise. I’m sure if I could see myself in a mirror, I’d find my jaw hanging down to the floor mats of the truck, my eyes bulging out of their sockets like a cartoon character. One of my favorite designers, a world-famous rock band, and a princess all called the made this place their residence.
“Wow, Carson must be a hidden gem.”
“We like to keep quiet and treat everyone the same. Ryker may be the lead singer of Exoneration, but he was also the same kid that streaked across the football field on a dare during a homecoming game.”
“Man, this is not at all what I was expecting. I think I’ll like it here.”
With a subtle smirk, CJ looked over at me and added, “I’m definitely hoping that you’ll like it here.”
6
Eric
I’d hated that I got tied up with the maintenance worker and couldn’t rush over to the airport to pick up Willow. I honestly hadn’t even expected her to make the journey, but when Sam called me and told me that she had checked into her flight, I had rearranged my entire afternoon so that I could show her around. A lot of good that did me as I stood knee-deep in a muddy pit where one of the pipes for the in-ground irrigation system had burst. The system had only been installed within the last month so trying to convince the company to come back out and fix the issue took longer than expected. Luckily they had someone in town and with the help of Frank, our maintenance guy, we were able to replace the pipe and drain the excess water. It had only taken two hours I didn’t have time for.
Knowing that Willow was headed my way, I couldn’t help but wonder what she’s think of the town. Would she be charmed by it like I had been when I first arrived, or would she immediately miss the hustle and bustle of the big city? Enough celebrities were living in Carson that I was convinced the town was a hidden gem, but Willow may not see it that way. Only time would tell and a bit of convincing.
Carefully stepping through the tasting area of the winery, doing my best not to track muddy footprints on the wooded floors, I made my way back to the set of offices where Briella sat behind her desk. She had been one of the first applicants for the manager position, having left a prestigious winery in Napa Valley, and I hired her on the spot. So far, she had been worth her weight in gold despite having to deal with making wine in a completely different environment than what she was used to.
“Hey, Briella,” I said as I stepped into the office space heading for the closet where I kept my duffle bag with a change of clothes.
“Hey, Mr. Sanford,” she replied, looking up from her computer; her eyes widened in surprise when she took in the muddy mess on my suit pants. “What the hell happened to you?”
“First, I thought I reminded you to call me Eric. Second, we had an irrigation pipe burst and since I was the first one on the scene, I was tasked with keeping the water from flooding the plants in that area.”
“Where was CJ?” she asked skeptically, wondering why her newest grounds employee wasn’t the first one on the scene.
“I sent him to pick up someone from the airport. Our new intern.”
“Ah, yes. Willow Ward. What exactly am I supposed to task her with again?”
“I brought her on specifically for the event and marketing part of the venue, but I suppose you can utilize her however you may need for administrative work.”
She nodded as she turned her attention back to her computer. “And remind me again how we have a new intern for a position that didn’t exist?”
I understood her hesitancy and why she was fishing for information. It hadn’t dawned on me that some of the employees believed I was playing favorites with Willow, but they weren’t wrong. On the other hand, she was free labor, at least for the summer, before I could convince her to stay on board. That was if we were still on good terms. I was hoping that fate wouldn’t be that cruel.
“Because she is incredibly bright and well-suited for our team,” I explained to her as I reached down for my duffle bag and hefted the strap onto my shoulder.
“I’m guessing she is also beautiful. . .”
“Her looks had nothing to do with it. The internship she had planned for decided to drop the program last minute. I overheard her at the graduation speaking about needing to find a new one as soon as possible. We had an opening and I offered. It was nothing more than that.
“Also, I should probably remind you that I am the boss. We also don’t have a non-fraternization policy here.”
“I’m just looking out for you, boss man. I don’t want her to take advantage of your generosity.”
My steps faltered as I retreated from the office and I peered over my shoulder into the concerned face of the woman I had befriended when I hired her over a year ago.
“You don’t have to worry about me, Briella. If there was any notion of someone being taken advantage of, it wouldn’t be me. If anything, I was the one pulling the strings this go round.”