All's Fair In Love And Wine E-Book

Mary E. Thompson

• Herausgeber: BluEyed Press
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2021

Beschreibung

He knows who he is…

Leo Young is the baby of the family, and has always been treated like it. When his oldest brother tries to push him into a job he doesn’t want, Leo is forced to push back. Something he rarely did with his family, or his friends. 

She can’t resist a smart man…

Sara Donovan keeps herself a little held back from everyone she knows. It’s not them, it’s her. She’s never felt a deep connection with anyone, until him. 

But they’re not alone…

When his best friend meets the woman of his dreams, Leo is happy for him. Until he realizes that woman is Sara. Sara is stuck between two amazing men, but only one can have her heart.

Leseprobe

ALL’S FAIR IN LOVE AND WINE

RAISE A GLASS, BOOK NINE

MARY E THOMPSON

All’s Fair In Love And Wine

Raise A Glass, book nine

Copyright © 2019 Mary E Thompson

Cover Copyright © 2022 Mary E Thompson

Cover Photo (vineyard) from Pixabay and used under Creative Commons CC0

Cover Photo (couple) from depositphotos, Copyright © AllaSerebrina

Published by BluEyed Press, All Rights Reserved

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

This is a work of fiction. All characters, businesses, locations, and events are either products of the author’s creative imagination or are used in a fictitious sense. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Ebook ISBN: 978-1-944090-50-0

Print ISBN: 978-1-944090-51-7

Created with Vellum

CONTENTS

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

About the Author

1

Leo Young wiped up the bar and checked in with the few guests lingering. He offered advice to a couple at the end who were debating between two wines, unsure which one to purchase. They thanked him and moved to the gift shop, grabbing two bottles of wine before heading to check out.

Leo grinned to himself and went through what he had open and available. His favorite Sangiovese was always popular when he was there to sell it. Kristen, his cousin and partner in the tasting room, wasn’t as big of a fan as he was, but Leo could drink it by the gallon.

He poured himself a glass, enjoying the sharp bite and tangy kick of the wine. He closed his eyes for a second, savoring the flavor. He didn’t normally drink during the day, but it was the kind of day that required a little extra fortification.

When Leo opened his eyes, there was a curvy blonde smiling at him. “What will your boss think?”

Leo almost admitted he was the boss, but he held back. It sounded like a line, and he didn’t want to put her off. “I think it’ll be okay. Are you here for a tasting?”

She glanced around then looked back at him with her head cocked to the side. Her amber eyes sparkled, a hint of green in the middle. “Is that what people do when they come to a vineyard?”

He pursed his lips in a smile. He liked a woman who wasn’t afraid to spar with him. “Well, some people just come for the scenery.” He added a wink and gestured to himself.

She scoffed. “Well, then I better head out. If that scenery and day drinking is all you have to offer…” She stood and made a move to the door.

“Ouch,” Leo said with a laugh. “You sure know how to wound a guy.”

She smirked. “Something tells me a guy like you can take it.”

“Is that so?”

She laughed and move back to her stool, sliding onto the edge. “Yeah. I think you can handle just about anything.”

Leo drained his glass and set it in the dirty rack. “Well, I can definitely handle one woman sitting at my bar on a Thursday afternoon. I bet I can even tell what you like to drink.”

She raised an eyebrow and grinned. “Is that so?”

Leo nodded confidently. “Absolutely. It’s my superpower. To look at someone and know what they like.”

She grinned even wider. “Wow. A lot of people claim to know me, but very few actually do. I find it hard to believe a man I’ve never met before today will know me better than friends I’ve had for years.”

Leo grabbed the list of wines and one of the small pencils. He circled five wines that he knew she would love and turned over the list. “This is what you’re drinking today.”

She narrowed her gaze and shook her head. “No. I don’t drink any of these wines.”

Leo smiled. “Maybe not yet, but you will.”

“If this is how you treat all your customers, I guess I’m not surprised the bar is empty today.”

A surprised laugh burst out of Leo. He shook his head as he grabbed the first bottle, the newest Riesling. It was good, and if you were tasting wine in the Finger Lakes Region of Central New York, you had to try the Riesling.

“What is that?” she asked, her voice hinting at apprehension.

“I’ll tell you what,” Leo said, pouring a bit into a clean glass. “If you don’t like all five wines, your tasting is on the house. If you do, then you admit I really do have superpowers.”

She smirked, her brown eyes darkening. She was a gambler, and she couldn’t pass up a challenge. He could see it in that little twinkle and the excitement.

She reached across the bar and waited for him to slide his hand into hers. She gave his a firm shake, alerting every one of his senses to the woman captivating him. She smelled like a woman should smell, fresh and clean, but not flowery or fruity. She was simple with her blonde hair tied back into a loose ponytail, her face dotted with minimal makeup. His mouth watered at the idea of tasting the wine his family produced on her tongue, or other parts of her body. He stirred in his shorts at the thought, and nodded at the agreement between him and the woman.

She released his hand and lifted the wine glass. She examined the color then swirled it like an expert, and Leo lost a little bit of his confidence. She looked like she knew what she was doing. Was she an employee of another vineyard? There to check out the competition? It wouldn’t be the first time it had happened, but if Perry hired a beautiful woman to spy on them, he was getting smarter.

All his fear vanished when the woman locked eyes with him and lifted the glass to her lips. Her eyes widened at the first sip, and Leo could almost taste the dry Riesling coating his own tongue. He swallowed with her, then waited as she examined the glass again and took another sip.

“Damn it. I really thought you were going to screw it up on the first one. How is it possible I like this?”

Leo grinned and went to grab the next bottle. “I told you, I know people. Also, Riesling is a staple in the area. The grapes grow like crazy, so every vineyard has Riesling, but I’m partial to ours. It’s dry, but the lightness and strong grape flavor make it taste a little sweet.”

“That’s exactly it,” she said after emptying the glass. “It’s really good.”

Leo nodded and rinsed her glass, then poured her second tasting, a chardonnay. While she swirled, he grabbed some cheese and chocolate from the mini-fridge under the bar and set them on a plate for her.

“This is good, too,” she said. “I didn’t plan to spend my whole paycheck here today.”

“You work in the area?” Leo asked, knowing the answer before she spoke.

Then she nodded. “Yeah, I just moved here. I start work tomorrow.”

“Really?” he asked, surprised. “I wouldn’t have pegged you as a local.”

She shrugged. “I’m not. I grew up in Montana.”

“What brought you out here?” Leo poured her third tasting, pinot noir.

She swirled and sipped and groaned. “Are all the vineyards this good?”

Leo smiled, ignoring the fact that she didn’t answer his question. “Of course not. We’re the best. Best wines on Cayuga Lake. We sure think so.”

She nodded. “I planned to spend my summer tasting a bunch of different wines, but it’s going to be hard for me to avoid coming back here. This is so good.”

“I told you I knew what you would like.”

She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah, you have superpowers.”

Leo laughed. “Oh, come on. Say it like you mean it.”

She stood next to her chair and slapped her hand on the bar. She peered at his name tag and cleared her throat. “Attention, everyone. Leo here is the most amazing bartender there ever was. He has superpowers! But don’t tell anyone. You know you can’t tell people about that. Just use it to your advantage and try the best wines on Cayuga Lake. Right here, people!”

Leo’s cheeks heated under the watchful eye of the handful of customers and his relatives who came over to see what was going on. His sister, Andie, winked at him then waddled back to her desk, taking his future niece or nephew with her.

“Thanks for that,” Leo said when the woman finally took her seat.

“Any time,” she said with a smirk. “What’s next?”

Merlot went next, then a glass of the Sangiovese. She swirled both and loved them. “Okay, I give. How did you do it?”

Leo chuckled. “You looked like someone willing to try something new. It really isn’t hard to read people. I guessed you were a sweet fan, but it’s hard to come to a vineyard and not try new things. What is typically your favorite wine?”

“Moscato or Gewurtztraminer.”

“We have a Gewurtztraminer if you want to try it. I’m happy to let you try whatever we have.”

“How much? I haven’t started work yet, so I’m trying to stick to my budget, and tasting is not nearly as much fun as buying a whole bottle.”

Leo shook his head with a smile. “No charge. Just don’t tell everyone about the deal you got.”

She slid off her stool again and took a deep breath like she was about to shout her deal to the room. He froze. It wasn’t like he’d get in trouble for an extra tasting, but he’d feel bad that he didn’t give it to all his customers.

She smirked at him and eased back onto the stool. “I wouldn’t do that to you.”

He laughed. “Thanks. You’ll give me a heart attack, though.”

She grinned. “I don’t have any medical training so you might want to save that for some big burly dude who knows CPR. He can give you mouth-to-mouth.”

Leo laughed. He couldn’t remember the last time he enjoyed a woman’s company as much. Or anyone’s for that matter. He’d been letting everything get to him lately, and he hadn’t been able to shake the feeling that something was wrong.

“Okay, I need to get out of here before I really do spend my entire savings. I think I have a list of eight wines.”

“If you buy ten, you get two free,” Leo said.

She groaned. “Maybe I can ask for a raise. On my first day. Or maybe I can bribe my boss with a bottle of wine.”

Leo laughed again.

“Thank you, Leo. This was a great way to start my summer in Bereton.”

“I hope you enjoy it,” he said. “And hopefully you’ll be back sometime.”

She nodded. “I definitely will be. Bye.”

He waved and watched as she moved to the gift shop. She chose her wines and added a few other small items, then was heading for the door with a wave and a grin.

He should have asked her name.

Leo added her glass to the dirty rack and pulled his buzzing phone out of his pocket. He closed his eyes when he saw his brother Dillon’s name on the screen.

“Yeah?”

“You got a few minutes?”

Leo looked around. “I’m working.”

“Is anyone there?”

Leo sighed. “No.”

“Okay, good. Come to the office for a minute. I want to show you something. Let them know in the gift shop so we don’t lose customers.”

“Yes, sir,” Leo said before ending the call and slipping his phone into his pocket again. He closed his eyes and followed instructions, like he’d always done.

* * *

Sara Donovan muscled the box of wine she bought into her tiny apartment and knew she was going to regret the choice to buy so much. She barely had enough space for herself in her new home, and adding a box of wine on day one was not good planning.

But really, what did she need in life? Wine was always a good addition to a room.

She set the box on the floor near her fridge and opened it. She grabbed bottles until she found the one she was looking for and put it in the fridge. It was the only thing in there, but that was okay. She’d do some shopping eventually.

Her new apartment was furnished, which was the only way she could live there, and it was clean. It was considered a one bedroom, but the bedroom was behind a temporary wall, so it barely counted. Still, she didn’t mind. It was all hers for a few months.

And then she’d move on again.

Her landlord, Tom, left an envelope of menus with places that would deliver on the kitchen table, so Sara sat down and flipped through it. She was debating between Thai and pizza when her phone rang.

“Hi, Dad,” she said without looking at the screen.

“Hi, honey. How are you?”

“I’m good. How are you, Dad?”

“Good, good. What time are you going to be home?”

Sara sighed. “It’s not going to be for a while, Dad. What do you need?”

“I lost my glasses again. You always know where they are.”

Sara smiled. Her father was amazing, but he was forgetful. Like losing his glasses, and forgetting his daughter moved out the day she turned eighteen. Almost twelve years ago. She hadn’t stayed in one place for longer than two years since, and none of them were in the same town, let alone the same house, as her father.

“Have you looked in the kitchen, on the table?”

His solid footsteps thundered through the phone. Papers shuffled, no doubt bills he was behind on. She made a mental note to check his accounts later and pay what she could.

“They’re not here.”

“How about the night stand?”

More thundering footsteps, faster this time. The bed squeaked when he sat on the edge. “Nope, not here either.”

Sara sighed. “Dad. Did you check your head?”

He laughed. “I told you you always know. They were right there all along. Thanks, honey. See you soon.”

He hung up without another word and Sara stared at the blank screen. She loved her father, but he never paid attention to anything. His glasses weren’t the only thing he lost.

Sara shook off the melancholy thoughts and went back to her menus. She couldn’t decide between them because both meant she’d be alone in her new apartment that didn’t feel like hers yet.

She grabbed her keys and headed for the door. There was a diner not far from her apartment and greasy food sounded good. Maybe a cheeseburger. Or grilled cheese. Or really anything with lots of cheese.

She stepped inside and breathed deep, enjoying the scent of meat sizzling on the grill and grease filling the customers. The din of silverware on plates and conversation made her smile. She wasn’t alone. Not for the moment.

“Table for one?” the waitress asked.

Sara nodded, but someone stepped up next to her and said, “Make that two.”

Sara took a step away from the guy. He was cute, but she wasn’t accustomed to having dinner with complete strangers. Sleeping with them was okay once in a while, but that didn’t involve questions and talking and someone trying to get to know her. That was just naked skin slapping together and letting the beast out once in a while.

“I’m Peter. And I hate eating alone. I’ll buy your dinner, and Denise can seat us in her section so you know someone is watching my every move.”

Denise lifted an eyebrow at them then focused on Sara. “He’s as harmless as they come, but I will be watching. I’m friends with his mom, and trust me when I say if he steps out of line, he’ll regret it.”

Sara looked at Peter and smiled. “Fine. And thank you. I don’t plan to order a salad, though.”

Peter scoffed. “As if you could get a salad here.”

Denise whacked him with a menu. “Hey, we have salads.”

“Yeah, taco salads. It hardly counts.”

Denise rolled her eyes and turned to lead them to a table. Peter gestured for Sara to go first then followed her. She felt oddly comfortable with him, even though it’d only been a few seconds. She didn’t get the feeling he was staring at her ass, which was good. And she didn’t think he was hitting on her. Another good.

How was it possible she met two nice guys in one day?

Denise took their drink orders and left. Sara watched Peter from under her lashes, hoping he didn’t notice. He was cute with blond hair and matching eyebrows. His eyes were a moss green color that made him look a little exotic. His gray shirt stretched across a broad chest and curved over wide shoulders and strong biceps.

“So, are you going to tell me your name or just stare at me all night?” Peter asked, lifting his gaze to hers.

Her cheeks heated, but she shook it off. “I was thinking about just staring at you all night.”

Peter chuckled and went back to his menu. “Well, then, enjoy the view.”

His words reminded her of Leo. It wasn’t fair to Peter to be thinking about Leo, but they weren’t on a date.

“Obviously, you live around here. Do you still live with your mother?”

Peter smirked. “No, I don’t. Although, I’m close to my mom. My whole family, actually. They’re insane, but I love them.”

“So, what do you do?”

Denise interrupted them with drinks before Peter could answer. She took their orders and was gone again in seconds.

Sara took a sip of her sweet tea and shook her head. Not nearly sweet enough. She grabbed the sugar on the table and added three packets, stirring quickly and taking another sip.

“We don’t really know how to do sweet tea around here. Are you from the south?”

Sara shook her head. “I lived there for a while. Got hooked on sweet tea. And you’re right. This is not sweet tea.”

Peter sipped his water and studied her. “Not from the south, likes sweet tea, no accent, beautiful and funny, and I’m guessing just moved to town.”

“What are you doing?”

“Listing all the things I know about you. Since you won’t tell me your name, I have to keep track of everything else.”

Sara grinned. She smoothed a hand down her plain white tee and debated sharing more of herself with Peter. He reminded her a lot of Mark. Mark was her best friend growing up. They dated for a week and realized it was weird because they knew too much about each other. Besides her father, he was the only person she kept in touch with from home. Mark had a ranch and a wife and a few kids and was living his dream.

Everything Sara didn’t have.

And didn’t want.

“My name is Sara,” she finally admitted.

“Well, now, was that so hard?”

Sara smiled. If he only knew.

2

The next day, Sara smiled on her way to her new job. She already had a friend, and she was excited to start her new job. So far, it was a great start to living in Bereton.

She always loved the first day. Getting to know new people, figuring out new tasks. Even though she was only going to be there for a few months, she always had a goal of leaving the place a little better than when she started. If she could make some small improvement, she considered her job a success.

She’d only ever spoken to her new boss over the phone. Megan Shepherd was insanely talented, but she admitted she needed help in the gift shop and as a personal assistant. Sara was clear up front that she wasn’t staying longer than the three months they agreed on, and Megan was prepared to hire someone else for the winter when everything slowed down in the area.

Sara walked into Lakeside Glass and stopped. Wow. It was stunning to see the different sculptures created using glass. Sculptures that defied the laws of gravity and amazed her. The colors helped to tell the story, from the reds and oranges of a vase that looked like fire to the blues and purples of a bowl that she wanted to reach out and touch to see if it was wet. Everything was arranged nicely, but Sara immediately saw a few things she would change.

Probably not on day one, though.

“Hello?” she called out, wondering if she was late or early. Megan never really said what time she should start working, so Sara looked up the shop’s hours online and decided to show up just after opening.

“Hang on a second!” came a voice from the back.

Sara moved closer to a door behind the counter and waited for someone to walk through it.

And waited.

And waited.

She glanced at her phone and finally someone walked out.

“Hi,” the guy said with a warm smile. He wore jeans and a black tee and heavy boots that thumped the ground as he walked toward her. “I’m Adam. How can I help you?”

“Hi, it’s nice to meet you, Adam. I’m Sara Donovan. I’m supposed to start working here today.”

Adam’s russet colored eyebrows tugged together. His matching hair flopped to the side, giving him a lost puppy look. “Um, doing what?”

“I’m Megan’s new assistant and I’ll be working out here in the gift shop.”

His features relaxed and he grinned. He was cute when he smiled. And appeared close to Sara’s age. Why had I never visited this town before? It was a gold mine for hot guys.

“I think she mentioned something about you. Sorry about that. Um, well, this is the gift shop.” He glanced around, his light brown eyes lighting on some of the pieces. “Enjoy.”

He turned to go back through the door.

“Wait!”

Adam spun around again. “Yeah?”

“What am I supposed to do?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know. Sell stuff. Do you know how to use a cash register and a computer?”

“Of course,” she said.

He nodded and slid his hand through his messy hair. “Good. When Megan can take a break, I’m sure she’ll come introduce herself.”

Sara opened her mouth to say something else, but he was already gone.

“What the hell?” she wondered aloud.

Sara thought about following Adam through the door, but she wasn’t brave enough. There was no way to know what was on the other side, and she was smart enough to know it could be dangerous.

She looked around the gift shop and decided to make the most of it. If the job was a bust, she could try to find something else. The promised pay was good, but she had no idea if she’d ever see any of it if her boss couldn’t even pull her shit together long enough to say hi.

It wasn’t long before the bell above the door rang and two customers walked in.

“Hi,” Sara said. “Welcome to Lakefront Glass.”

“Thank you,” the woman said. “This place is stunning.”

Sara nodded. “It really is. Are you looking for anything in particular?”

“Mostly browsing.”

Sara grinned, understanding customer code for back off. “Let me know if I can help you with anything.”

The woman nodded and Sara backed away, leaving the couple to explore. Sara did the same on the other side of the store, looking at every piece so she would know what was available in case a customer asked for anything specific.

“This is gorgeous,” the woman said a minute later, catching Sara’s attention with her awed tone. “It would be perfect in our living room. Don’t you think?”

Her husband nodded. “It would. You’ve been looking for something with these colors.”

Sara grinned as the woman ran a finger over the smooth, green glass. Then her smile fell as she noticed the price. “It’s a bit out of price range, though.”

The husband shrugged. “If it’s what you want, we’ll get it.”

The woman glanced at Sara and caught her watching them. Sara pasted on what she hoped was a friendly smile.

“Can you tell me a little more about this piece?”

Sara walked closer to them, trying to figure out how she could get out of the situation. “Um, it’s beautiful.” She grinned and admitted the truth, knowing that was her only option. “I actually just started working here. About an hour ago. I don’t know anything about it. I’m so sorry.”

The woman’s hopeful expression fell. She looked at the piece wistfully, then pressed her lips together in a grin. “Thank you.”

Sara edged away again, knowing she’d just blown a sale. She was frustrated and annoyed. The only way she’d keep her job was if she could do it well, and she didn’t know a damn thing about what she was doing. She hadn’t even met her new boss, let alone gotten any instruction about what in the hell her job was.

She watched as the couple made their way to the door a few minutes later, empty-handed, and vowed to get some answers.

Sara stomped to the door Adam disappeared through earlier and pushed her way inside.

The first thing that hit her was the heat, followed quickly by the sound, like an airplane flying overhead. She looked around the open space and found two people covered head-to-toe in heavy clothing, one of them holding on to a thick rod, blowing on the end, the other supporting the fire-red orb of molten glass.

Holy shit.

Sara froze in place, knowing immediately that she was in danger if she took another step into the workspace. She backed up, stopping when her back hit the door. She pushed through it, keeping her eyes on the molten glass until the door swung shut with her safely on the other side.

She sucked in a ragged breath and tried to calm her pounding pulse. She knew glass blowing was dangerous, but coming face-to-face with it, wearing shorts and flip flops, was not a good thing.

Sara busied herself by getting familiar with the cash register and the computer it was linked to. Most people paid with cards, but Sara wanted to make sure she wasn’t fumbling around with the register if she needed to make change.

Three more customers came in and she managed to make a sale. They bought a small glass dish that looked like a flower floating in water. It was stunning, and Sara was a little disappointed she didn’t see it and snatch it up first. It was going to be hard to choose one thing from Lakeside Glass. She always bought something from wherever she settled, a tiny memento of the time she spent at every new place. She would be elevating her collection by choosing one of the beautiful pieces her new boss created.

“Sara!” a woman said from behind her, catching Sara browsing again. “It’s so nice to meet you.”

Sara recognized the voice as Megan’s and turned to her new boss. Megan was short, an inch or two shorter than Sara’s own five-four, with curly, gray hair. Her dark skin was a rich, smooth brown. Her eyes were a bright and vibrant amber. The overalls she wore, now rolled up to her knees, and her white tank top gave her a casual look.

“Hi, Megan,” Sara said automatically extending her hand.

Megan pushed right past Sara’s outstretched hand and wrapped her in a hug. “I don’t shake hands. I hug. We’re all a family here, and families hug. How are you? Did you get all settled in?”

Sara nodded. “I’m good. Thanks so much for helping me find the apartment.”

“Tom’s a good guy. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to rent the apartment, but when I told him you were only here a few months, he agreed. Of course, I didn’t tell him I’m going to try to talk you into staying longer.”

Panic lifted up and tightened Sara’s throat. First a family and now staying? Sara wasn’t sure she could handle it.

“Oh, calm down. I know you want to leave. But good help is hard to find.”

“I just started.”

Megan laughed. “Yes, and you already sold something.”

Sara opened and closed her mouth.

“I get an alert on my phone when a sale goes through. Unfortunately, I don’t have enough of those sales, so I get excited with each one.”

“There was another couple in here, but they didn’t buy anything,” Sara admitted. She hated that she didn’t help out. It was her job to sell things.

“It happens all the time. I price my work where it deserves to be, but not everyone likes that. If they don’t come back, they weren’t meant to take a piece of me home with them.”

Sara smiled, loving Megan’s mindset. She needed a little of that confidence. Maybe it would rub off.

“Have you had lunch yet?” Megan asked.

Sara shook her head. “No. I wasn’t sure when I should take a break.”

Megan waved her hand. “We’re pretty laidback around here. Adam and I are the only ones here most of the time. We had a young mom working for us for a while, but her kids are busy this time of year and she always takes the summer off. She told us before she left that she isn’t coming back this fall. It was perfect timing for you to start.”

Sara grinned. “It was perfect timing for me, too.”

“Good,” Megan said, looping her arm through Sara’s. “Let’s go see what Adam brought us for lunch and we can get to know each other. After lunch, I’ll be in the shop with you for the day so you can ask me questions and find out more about the pieces we have available.”

Sara nodded and let Megan drag her back through the door to the workshop. The furnace was closed, but the heat was still there, making Sara sweat instantly.

“It gets warm in here. We’ll just grab Adam then head back up front. We have a small office off the showroom where we eat and relax when we aren’t creating.”

They walked past the furnace to where Adam was stripping off his protective gear. His black tee and jeans fit snugly over a fit male form. Sara licked her lips unconsciously, tugging the bottom one between her teeth.

“He’s nice to look at, isn’t he?” Megan asked quietly. “Even more frustrating, he’s a damn nice man. If only he wasn’t so young.” She stopped and looked at Sara, narrowing her eyes. “You two are actually close to the same age.”

Sara shook her head. “I’m not looking to get involved with anyone.”

Was that relief in Megan’s eyes? She grinned. “Probably just as well. Adam will be done with his apprenticeship at the end of summer.”

“What does that mean?”

Megan’s gaze drifted to Adam and slid down his form. Sara’s followed, her lips curling up when she realized her boss was checking out his ass.

“It means Adam won’t work here much longer. He’ll be a certified glassblower, and probably start his own business. He’s talked about leaving the area.”

Adam looked up and caught them watching him. He smiled at Sara, but his eyes went dark and needy when they eased over to Megan. Sara almost had to fan herself, but Megan looked away and didn’t even notice the scorching look.

Adam shook his head once, then walked over to them. “Showing Sara around?”

Megan nodded. “I am. And we’re hungry.”

Adam smiled, his eyes going soft. “You’re always hungry.”

Megan nodded again. “True. And you’re always feeding me amazing things.”

Adam glowed under the praise, and Sara felt like she was intruding on a private moment. “Um, I can just go out and grab something.”

“No, no, eat with us. We should all get to know each other. Adam always has more than enough food.”

Adam gave Sara a forced smile and nodded. “Always. You should join us.”

Sara finally nodded, and the three of them made their way back to the front. A door to the side that she hadn’t paid any attention to earlier revealed a small room that was half office and half kitchen. A table for four sat in the middle with a fridge, microwave, and two cabinets along the wall. The other side of the room had a desk with a computer and a raised shelf with a bank of black and white screens.

“Security system,” Megan explained. “We don’t have many issues, but I like knowing it’s here.”

“She keeps strange hours, so it’s necessary. We need to know if someone is here,” Adam said firmly, going to the fridge in the corner. He pulled out a covered glass dish and put it in the microwave.

“He worries about me,” Megan said with a grin for Sara.

She just smiled. She couldn’t tell what their relationship was, but it didn’t seem purely colleagues. She wanted to ask, but she learned long ago that if she started asking questions, people would expect that she would answer them also. That wasn’t going to happen, so Sara kept her mouth shut.

The microwave beeped and Adam removed a steaming container of something that smelled amazing.

“You’ve outdone yourself again, Adam,” Megan gushed. “I don’t know how you do it. Some woman is going to snatch you up.”

Adam glanced at Sara, then avoided meeting either of their eyes. She felt bad for him. It was obvious he had a major crush on their boss, but Megan was obviously not willing to do anything about it. Then again, Megan was probably fifteen years older than him, so maybe she was married.

“You’re single?” Sara blurted.

Adam glanced at her, then looked at Megan. Finally, he pressed his lips together and nodded. “I am. Unfortunately.”

Sara nodded, wishing she’d kept her big mouth shut.

“How about you, Sara? Ever been married?” Megan asked.

Sara shook her head. “No, never. No kids. No real ties to anywhere. I love seeing the country and getting to do different things, and being on my own makes that possible.”

She’d recited the same thing so many times, she almost believed every word of it. Almost.

“Having ties is what makes a place special. There hasn’t ever been a place you wanted to settle down? Dig some roots. Stay?” Megan asked.

Sara shook her head and lied, “Nope. Never.”

“What about your parents? Are they nomads like you?” Megan pushed.

Sara shook her head, always ready to answer questions about her parents. They were quick and easy, and no one pried once she said, “My mom died when I was in college. My dad still lives in Montana where I grew up.”

“Montana? Wow. I’ve never been there. What was it like to grow up in Montana?” Megan asked.

Sara took the plate of food Adam offered her, along with the understanding smile. Sara almost laughed out loud, but she clamped her lips shut and accept that she had an ally who wouldn’t push her for more details than she was comfortable sharing.

“Montana is nice, but it wasn’t for me. I wanted to see the country. That’s what I’m doing.”

“Do you see yourself ever going back there?” Megan asked.

Sara shook her head automatically. “No.”

Hearing the finality in her tone, Megan nodded.

Before Megan dove into a new round of questioning, Sara asked her own question. “How did you get into glassblowing?”

Sara read Megan’s bio on her website and knew a little about her, but she was always curious what made people tick. What drove someone to do one thing instead of another? Why did someone pick one life and not another?

She let herself get lost in Megan’s story about discovering glass blowing in college and falling in love with not only the beauty of it, but the danger. She didn’t want to play it safe with any part of her life, so she started glassblowing. When she got pregnant at nineteen and dropped out of school, she took whatever jobs she could, but as soon as she had enough money saved up, she went back to school and got not only her art degree, but a business degree, too. Megan wasn’t willing to give up on her dream, and she taught her daughter to always go after hers, too.

“Are you married?” Sara asked.

Megan shook her head. “No, never. Anna’s father is a good man, but we weren’t meant to be together forever. He’s there for Anna, but he has another family, too. It’s been mostly Anna and I.”

Sara’s heart clenched at Megan’s casual words, as though having a second family was no big deal. She wished she felt the same. Instead, a second family was what tore her world apart. A second family destroyed her. A second family ruined the one she had.

A second family killed her mother.

3

“Dude,” Peter shouted as he let himself into Leo’s house. “I met the woman of my dreams last night. I’ve never been so thankful that you blew me off in my whole life.”

Leo smirked and shook his head. He and Peter grew up together. They’d been friends off and on, but they’d gotten closer over the last year to where Leo thought Peter as his closest friend.

“Oh, yeah? I think I heard something similar last week,” Leo teased. Peter was constantly falling in love.

He shook his head and helped himself to a glass of Leo’s wine. “No way, dude. This woman, she’s beautiful and smart and funny. She’s going to be my wife one day. I promise you that.”

“What’s her name?”

Peter shook his head. “Sara, and she’s amazing so don’t tell me anything bad about her.”

Leo grinned. “I don’t think I know a Sara.”

“Really? You know everyone in town.”

Leo shrugged. “I guess not. Are you sure she lives here?”

Peter nodded. “Positive. I walked her home after we had dinner.”

Leo nodded and took a sip of his wine. He had a long day and was promised another one, so he was going to enjoy his break. “When are you going to see her again?”

“I don’t know. I didn’t get her number, but I know where she works.”

“Where does she work? Maybe I know her and don’t realize it.”

Peter shook his head. “No. If you don’t know her name, I’m not taking any more chances. If you know who she is, you’re going to tell me something I don’t want to hear. And you’re not going to mess this up for me by going to see her at work. She’s perfect, and you can meet her at our wedding.”

Leo snorted and raised his glass. “Congratulations then. To your future bride. May she not be smart enough to run the other way before you get her down the aisle.”

Peter flipped him off and finished his wine. “I gotta go, but are we still on for this weekend?”

Leo nodded. “Definitely.” He wasn’t sure how he was going to fit their Saturday morning fishing trip into his schedule, but he’d make it work. He always did.

Peter was gone in seconds, leaving Leo to a quiet house. He took a deep breath and considered going out, but he was too tired. Working full time in the tasting room plus training under Dillon was exhausting.

He knew his brother meant well, but Dillon didn’t listen when Leo said he wasn’t interested in filling in for him. Dillon’s girlfriend, and soon to be wife, was busy, and they wanted a life together, which meant long months away from Amavita Estates. Dillon said he wanted Leo to take over, but Leo really didn’t want to do it.

What he wanted didn’t really matter.

Dillon was training Leo to be the CEO, and Leo had no choice but to suck it up and play nice. It was his family’s heritage to run Amavita Estates. Their grandparents came over from Italy and made a home at the vineyard. Leo and his siblings and cousins had only been in charge for two years. He wasn’t going to risk it all falling apart because he’d rather spend his days pouring drinks than kissing ass.

Leo was dozing on the couch when the front door opened again. He jerked upright, tipping his wine glass over. He caught it just before it spilled on the dark blue fabric.

“Are you already asleep?” Ryan asked. Ryan was the youngest of the nine Richliano cousins and Leo’s roommate. He worked more hours than anyone Leo knew between cultivating the grapes on the seventy-three acres of Amavita Estates and his volunteer position with the Bereton Fire Department.

“I’m exhausted,” Leo said.

“Dillon?”

Leo nodded. “Yeah, another early morning tomorrow. I should head up.”

Ryan turned away, but not before Leo saw the eye roll.

“What?”

“I thought you were going to tell Dillon where to stick it? You always said you loved the tasting room.”

“I’m wasting my talents in there. I have a business degree and should be doing more with myself than pouring drinks all day. The family needs me,” Leo said. His anger bubbled right under the surface. He and Ryan had the same discussion for months, ever since Dillon approached Leo about filling in. Ryan encouraged him to do it at first, but then he switched sides and started giving Leo shit.

“You’re right. Sorry. I wasn’t thinking. I guess I’m just too tired,” Ryan said. His words were flat and his tone accusatory.

Leo didn’t feel like arguing, so he ignored it and headed upstairs. He crashed hard, not waking up until his alarm went off far too early.

The inn was still quiet when he made his way to Dillon’s office. Dillon looked up with a grin when Leo let himself in. The only other person happy to be awake that early was Zach, and that was usually because no one bothered him.

“Good morning. I have coffee already here so we can jump right in. Let’s go over budgets today,” Dillon said happily.

Leo bit back his groan and grabbed the cup of coffee waiting for him. It wasn’t going to be long before he needed a refill. Maybe an IV would keep him awake.

* * *

Dillon let Leo out of the office for lunch. Katherine was in town, so Dillon went home to spend some private time with her. Leo really didn’t need to know about his big brother’s sex life, but apparently that was part of the job description.

“How’s it going?” Andie asked Leo as Dillon rushed out the front door.