“You don’t know?” And then without waiting for my reply, she turns around to face me. She folds her legs underneath her before leaning back, getting comfortable. “Wolves make connections by licking the insides of people’s mouths. Until they do this, they don’t accept you in their pack. Do you think Mystery wants to do that to me?”
I chuckle but also remember reading this fact somewhere. “No, Mys-stery doesn’t need t-to do that. I th-think if he didn’t accept you in his pack, he wouldn’t have br-rought the water bottle for you.”
“Yeah, you’re right. Shall we introduce him to Tassels? They’re going to be brothers now.” She’s already up and placing Tassels’ carrier bag on the table while I’m still thinking about the implications of her words.
“Tassels, come out, boy,” she beckons her pup, who instead of coming out, goes further inside. Mystery patiently waits, only sniffing the air around him every so often.
I watch as Vienna finally manages to get her pup out of the bag. As if Mystery was waiting for only this moment, he slides next to Vienna, his wet tongue sticking out, and starts licking Tassels’ face, earning a hearty laugh out of our special guest.
“Oh my God, Mystery! You’re such a good boy.” Vienna pets him softly before my overaggressive friend licks her face. “See, Zane, now I’m a part of his pack.”
I ignore the feeling of jealousy toward Mystery, and instead focus on Vienna’s carefree laughter. I don’t remember when an evening on this porch was so lively.
She’s like a cool breeze after a sultry summer day, like a lone white daisy in a field of green grass. She has the power to light up any dark corner, and to think that this girl has to worry about her health.
I bring Vienna’s bag inside and quickly scan that the guest room sheets are not the kids’ ones. Sometimes when my nephews plan a slumber party at my place, I make sure the cleaning service knows to put those on the bed.
When I finally return back to the porch holding a glass and a bottle of red wine that I keep stocked for my sisters-in-law, my feet come to a halt at the sight of Vienna sitting on the couch. The soft plush blanket is spread over her, and our furry boys are seated on either side of her.
“I can’t believe you get to enjoy this beauty, Zane.” She looks out of the porch and toward the town before us. The cabin is built at an elevation, giving us a nice view of Cherrywood. We can see the calm Cherry Lake glistening by the numerous streetlights on its shoreline, the beautifully lit town square, and lights of random cars driving through the curvy road on the opposite hill.
“From t-today on, you d-do too.” I place the wine and the glass on the table before her.
She smiles. “This is the first evening since the hospital told me about the tumor that I haven’t thought of it every second. For a moment, everything felt so real. Meeting your family, Zander’s disappointment, Sophia’s affection, and the kids—”
“It is-s real.” I grab the water bottle from the table and take a long sip. “Ever-ryone was genuine.”
“But we weren’t,” she replies, silencing me. “I’m grateful for what you’re doing, Zane. But…after meeting everyone, I feel like a con. I can’t get rid of this thought that we’re playing with everyone’s emotions.”
“Vienna.” I perch on the couch, and when Tassels jumps on my lap from between us, it gives me a chance to get closer to her. I smile down at him before grabbing Vienna’s hand. “We’re getting mar-rried for real. Th-there’s nothing fake about it. We’ll live t-together like a normal couple and face all the ups and downs th-that come our way, including your health.”
“But your family—”
“Th-they love me, and I’m s-sure now you too. But th-this is my life, and I’ve the r-right to choose my w-wife.”
“Even a sick woman?” She bites her lip, and I can almost feel her held breath.
“A woman who’s a w-whiz when it comes to food styling. A w-woman who has too much s-spark for this world. I th-think I’m a lucky guy.” The tiny smile that pulls on her lips starts to grow with my every word. “Now, enough ab-about my family.” I open the wine bottle and pour a glass for her.
“What about you?” She swirls the red liquid in her glass before bringing it closer to her lips.
“I d-don’t like wine.”
“Don’t tell me my husband can’t handle his booze.” I swoon at her flushed cheeks and narrowed teasing gaze.
“Your hus-sband is a champion at hand-dling his alcohol. He jus-st doesn’t like the light s-stuff.”
I get her full-blown laughter before she places her glass back onto the table and pushes me off the couch. “Then go get whatever manly drink you drink.”
Strange excitement shivers through me as I return in a few seconds with a glass of whiskey.
I lean against the doorframe, watching her sipping wine, when her soft gaze lands on me. She openly scans me up and down, and my heartbeat accelerates under her curious gaze. “So I get that you aren’t a mob boss, but what do you do, Zane?”
“A few years back, my broth-thers and I s-started a pharmaceutical company, Elixir Inc. We have t-two offices in Cherrywood and one in S-St. Peppers.”
Vienna pets Tassels’ soft fur, and I don’t know if she’s comforting herself or the dog. “So you’re, like, a rich businessman?”
I shrug. “My br-rothers are the r-real brain behind our company. I have a medical d-degree and oversee th-the tech department as a CTO. But any d-doctor can fill in my sh-shoes.” I tell her the truth without sugarcoating anything.