Free 3 Savor by Barbara Ellen Brink

bring in yuppyish forty-somethings.”
    “You’re right. But the group I had
booked didn’t show.”
    “No kidding. What are you going to
do?” He poured a glass with his own special blend of Sangria and slid it toward
Billie.
    “Thanks.” Taking a sip, she looked
around. Another group of young women peered in the door. She frowned. This was
certainly a younger crowd than usual. She told Loren, “We’re using talent from
within today. Our very own Adam Fredrickson is at the mic.”
    Loren’s smile lit up his dark eyes.
“I think I better take a break and go keep an eye on my lady. I assume Sally
ran right out there to gawk at him.” He signaled Sammie, who was busy clearing
glasses left behind by departing guests, to take his place behind the bar.
    Sammie hurried over. Or at least he
hurried as quickly as Sammie ever did. He had retired from the navy and set up
residence in the valley so he could be near his adult children. Two of them
lived in Calistoga and one in San Francisco. Like most retired men, he was
bored, so he worked part time at the winery.
    “Ma’am,” he saluted her as though
she were his senior officer.
    “How’s it going, Sammie?”
    “Pretty damn good,” he said, as
usual. “Say, how’s your husband doing? I heard he was out of the hospital and
back home.” He slipped behind the bar and set the tray of dirty glasses down
under the counter. “That was some accident, huh? One of my pals in the navy once
fell off the…”
    Loren interrupted him with a hand
on his arm. “We’re going outside. Could you handle the dispensing of firewater
on your own for a bit?” He flipped the bar towel over Sammie’s shoulder.
    “Yeah, sure, chief.”
    Loren followed Billie out the open
front doors into the bright afternoon sun. They were both surprised to see a
line of cars slowly turning into the winery. The parking lot was nearly full
and cars were pulling off the driveway onto the grass shoulder.
    Under a clear blue sky, the sun glinted
off windshields and people in shorts and t-shirts meandered through the
vehicles making their way toward the winery. Most had come prepared with lawn
chairs or blankets. Apparently word had gone out. But how?
    “What is going on?” Billie stood
with her hands on her hips looking around at the robust crowd like she’d fallen
into Oz.
    She heard Adam over the speakers,
strumming an old classic Paul Anka song. A
steel guitar and a glass of wine . She recognized it right away. Their
mother used to play it on the record player when they were kids. Sabrina wasn’t
really from that era of music, but she loved it all the same and had shared her
love of it with them.
    Billie smiled, and decided Adam was
a genius. “I think it’s about time I witnessed my brother’s charisma.”
      They turned the corner of the building as
he was belting out the chorus. “ Bring me
wine! Make the music mine…” Women, young and old alike, were swaying to the
beat, all eyes on the auburn haired guitar god on stage.
    Billie laughed out loud, unable to
keep it in. Her brother really was something.
    He segwayed into another of Anka’s
hits. The mellow, romantic love song had every woman wishing to share a glass
of wine with the man on stage. “…in a
room where passions flow…”
    Loren was scanning the crowd for a
glimpse of Sally. He pointed up front, close to the stage. Margaret and Sally
were in the thick of things, dancing and laughing, making sure they were Adam’s
biggest fans. Loren leaned in and spoke close to her ear so she could hear over
the music. “How does it feel to have a brother wanted by so many women?”
    Billie grinned and sang along, “…and I need you. I love you so. And I want
you…”
    He shook his head. “Needs drums,”
he grumbled.
    •••••

 
    When Adam took a break to rest his
throat, women swarmed up front to meet him and no doubt told him just how
wonderful he was. Loren had already returned to his post at the bar by that
time, but