Z
Y One
Aflash of light illuminated the skyline of the Hill Country, then a crescendo of thunder came barreling across the land like a train on an invisible track. The ground reverberated with the weight of the violence, seeming to absorb the magnitude in an unspoken pact. A steady staccato of rain drops came down and blanketed the terrain, quickly filling the deep dried cracks from the previous season’s drought.
Another flash of lightning contrasted the
4 . Heather Renée May
dark contours of the Slate Theory Winery, sitting quietly up on the hill. The thunder came soon after, impatient with a commanding melody to offset the unrelenting rhythmic rain. Water filled every possible opening and rushed between the vines to pool along Highway 290.
Within the sturdy cement walls of the winery, you could hardly hear the storm’s fury outside. Metal stairs led down to the secure barrel room. Rows and rows of oak barrels stacked high covered the expanse of the underground cellar. The cave was empty, the soft glow of LED lights exposed the rough contours of the archways. Behind a single row of barrels stacked double high, a shadow moved. There was a faint sound of a drill. Then silence.
K ate woke up groggy from the overnight storm. She stretched inside her Airstream trailer
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and looked out the window to see that the deluge of rain had power-washed the dusty pavement of the RV park, leaving behind haphazard fallen branches. Birds were emerging from their shelter tweeting in relief as they rushed between the live oak trees. Kate was always amazed at how loud the rain could be inside her trailer. The incessant pounding overnight made it tough to sleep. She had finally dozed off before sunrise when the lightning and rumble of thunder moved east.
Setting water to boil for her morning coffee, she looked at her phone and saw a text message from Zach: Hope you managed ok last night? Sure missed having you here. XO
Kate sighed deeply as the water began to percolate in the pot. As happy as she was being closer to Zach now that he had a home in the Hill Country, she still loved her time alone in her trailer in Spicewood. It was the only way she felt she could really tap into her creative vision
6 . Heather Renée May for her writing. She had just finished edits on her fourth novel and had a good feeling about it.
Two years ago, Zach and Kate had their first fateful meeting on the Texas wine trail at Texas Heritage Vineyard. Zach was a doctor from the northeast scouting for a winery to invest in and they decided to pair up to do some tastings.
Kate took a sip of her coffee as she thought back to how difficult that time had been for her. She had just begun the process of legally separating from her now ex-husband, and was struggling with writer’s block. Her marriage had become toxic, and just the thought of that dark time sent a shiver down her spine. That week with Zach had been a beacon of hope.
Kate watched a bright red cardinal flit past her window and duck under the foliage of a live oak next to her trailer. She remembered back then, how Zach had to leave suddenly. At the time, she wasn’t sure she would ever see him again. But fate had a different plan.