In Over His Head

Chapter 26 - Five Months Ago

Five months ago - BeauJeu, France

"I swear if I have to walk another step my feet will fall off," Sharla moaned as they walked up the small hill towards a grey stone chateau, the afternoon sun lit up the bricks, turning them an iridescent white. It was beautiful, almost like out of a medieval movie, with the swirling copper roof of the round keep in the corner a perfectly antiqued patina of green.

Kevin, behind her, didn't answer, so she kept going, the idea of plopping herself on a bench to look out over the gently cascading hills an enticing one. With perhaps another glass of wine and some of that ridiculously delicious seed loaf they had served down at the tasting.

"Well, okay then," she replied under her breath. Normally he would answer, even if it was just a distracted "uh huh" as he thumbed through his phone.

She went back to taking in the countryside around them. Rows of vines snaking out in all directions from the main compound only made the area that much more fantastical and Sharla wanted to slow down and just spend time absorbing it. In the few times she and Kevin had been in France, this was by far the most beautiful area they had visited, especially in November, with the leaves turning. The vibrant yellow willows and sycamores were stunning against the mottled fire-orange hues of the grape vines. Paired with the excitement of the upcoming Les Sarmentelles festival, the buzz of celebrating the harvest permeated out from every winery they visited, and Sharla loved it.

"Almost there!" she chirped a moment later and met with more silence. She almost snapped at him, but held her tongue. He was likely catching up on email, and she purposely did not turn to look at him so she could keep her impulsive thoughts in her head instead of blurted out.

She couldn't wait for Gretchen to arrive tomorrow and show her the region and distract her. They were about to have the time of their lives drinking Beaujolais Nouveau, dressed to the nines, eating to-die-for French food. All she needed to do was keep her occupied until Josh arrived to surprise her this coming weekend. She'd originally had selfish reasons for her best friend to come—before Josh had called her to set up the surprise of the century—because she needed to stay away from the temptation that presented itself whenever she was travelling with Kevin, and save her from her stupid thoughts of being with him.

The last two days had been torture, at least on her part.

Sharla kept her emotions clamped tight around him because of it, but little things would catch her when she least expected it, wishing she could call him Tiger one more time and get that virile reaction. Then there was the way he would look at her that sent her heart fluttering, or how he ensured she was looked after no matter where they went with sweetness she didn't deserve, for the position she put him in.

It was simply not fair how beautiful he was, or how difficult it had been to deny herself one of the most intense short affairs of her love life because he was so nice about it all. It irritated her, and she snapped at him more than she should.

Kevin was still behind her as they made their way up from the vines where the tasting was held. Why wine makers had to lug tables and chairs out into the middle of the fields she never understood. Was it the ambiance they wanted? She long learned to wear flats to these types of events, and hoped the trend for fancy tasting rooms made a comeback because trudging tipsily back up the hill on rocky, plowed soil was not exactly easy.

He had been quiet for most of this particular stop, seriously contemplating the wine they had been tasting, not really chitchatting the winemakers, staying to the back of the crowd. The wine was to be part of the showcase during the first night of festivities when they tapped the barrels. She assumed his silence was because he had his doubts it would stand up to some of the heavier hitters, like the well-recognized Georges DuBoeuf. Or at least that was what Sharla assumed. He kept looking at her, prompting her to lead with her haltingly bad high school French, when he himself was fluent.