Page 24 of Twin Babies For The Grump

“You have been away for too long, my friend,” says Beau. “They retired several years ago, back to Italy. Beautiful town that they picked, right on the water. Lovely, lovely. So this,” he gestures. “This is all mine now.”

“It’s a gorgeous vineyard,” Tess says.

“She has a good eye,” says Beau. “It is truly lovely. Bear, Bubbles!” He whistles and then points to the open glass door that leads into the mud room. “In, come now, in, in!”

And in the two big dogs bounce, happy as can be.

“They are so cute,” says Tess, taking a seat.

“Don’t let their sad eyes fool you,” says Beau, with a wag of the finger. “They are monsters. I will get you something to drink.”

And then he’s vanishing inside after the dogs.

“Beau and I have been friends since we were kids,” I explain. “I hadn’t thought about it, but it’s been years since we spoke last. I guess time slips by so fast.”

“It’s hard to keep things balanced,” says Tess. “You know, it wouldn’t hurt you to try and slow down a bit. Do you see how Beau’s handling things? Sitting, relaxing, having some wine with his dogs. That’s how your father was, too.”

I shake my head. “Relaxing is … complicated for me.”

“I think it’s only complicated because you’ve let it become complicated,” says Tess. “It’s not that big of a deal to just turn yourself off for a little bit. Or at least, drop down from one hundred percent on the job to a more mellow eighty.”

“And here I thought you might suggest sixty-nine,” I joke, cracking a smile.

The door opens again, and Beau comes out carrying a tray with several wine glasses on them, already filled.

“A wine tasting,” says Beau. There’s a charcuterie board made up on the metal tray as well, though it’s clearly a pre-packaged sort that he had in the fridge. “Rostam specialty.”

Tess asks, “Is this what you’re entering into Grapefest?"

Beau wags a finger at her. “Sneaky, but no. I am making something special for that. Walnut, I think. Roses. Something. I have options.”

“It sounds like you’ve got confusion,” I tell him, making a face. “Walnut and roses?”

“Not together,” insists Beau. “Just as options. Do not try to tell me that you have any idea what you’re doing.”

I glance over at Tess, brows raised in question. I had sent in my list the first day that I arrived, as I stated that I would, but hadn’t gotten any samplings back yet.

Tess, slyly, says, “We have a few options, too. We’re leaning toward something autumnal, so it will have a longer release stretch, even beyond the contest. But, you know, rose is an option too. That’s very spring.”

I can’t help but laugh at that, a sharp peel of a sound. Soon, we’re all laughing, discussing the arbitrary seasonal element to wine, and fine, I’ll admit it, Tess’s knowledge on the subject is more than a little impressive.

She’s certainly not the ditz that our first meeting at work would have led me to believe!

I guess it was more shock than anything else. We stumbled upon each other again so unexpectedly, that it was difficult to pull ourselves together and act normal. The more I think about it, the stranger this coincidence feels. Almost like—

No, not that.

Chapter Ten

Tess

I’vehadmorewineto drink than Owen has, mostly because he’s driving us back. So not my fault. I was just being polite and keeping pace with Beau. I had underestimated how much the man planned on serving up for his wine tasting.

Still, I’m not drunk so much as I am tipsy. You could even argue that I’m not tipsy. I’m just enjoying the Napa Valley life!

Either way, I’m still giggling at a joke that Owen cracked when I climb onto the motorcycle. My arms wrap around his middle, just like before.

It had been hard to ignore how close we were together on the way here. It’s impossible to ignore it now.

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