Page 49 of Twin Babies For The Grump

I feel like my dad would have been happy with this.

The night is fine.

Honestly, it’s still notmything. Drinking at bars and drinking here at the winery are two totally different experiences. It’s nice enough, but something about unwinding like this around the rest of my employees…

It was different in San Francisco, that’s all. I might have gone to the bars with a few of the men who worked for me, but they would have been in the equivalent of Tess’s position. They weren’t justanyold employees; they were also friends. I didn’t have to worry about being a hard ass around them all the time. They knew that I wasKing.

So it’s just a little unsettling, that’s all, being out here now.

Maybe it’s also because I cut out that part of my life completely. I haven’t spoken to any of them since I sold the company.

One of the employees, Macy, makes her way toward me about an hour into the night, right at the point when I’m debating on turning in and leaving the employees to have their own fun.

“There you are,” says Macy. I can already tell that she’s had too much to drink, in too short of a time. There’s a dark flush on her cheeks, and a glassy look in her eyes that only comes with alcohol.

“Here I am,” I tell her, mildly. I tip my glass toward her. “It looks like you’ve been enjoying yourself.”

“I could be enjoying myself more.Youcould be enjoying yourself more.” She leans up against me, one hand on my chest.

I step backward. “I’m enjoying myself just fine, actually.”

“It doesn’t look that way,” she insists. “It looks like you’re standing out here all alone, bored.”

“I’m not.”

“Maybe even a little lonely?” Macy suggests, reaching out and brushing the tips of her fingers along my forearm.

It’s clear that she’s coming onto me, this is her second attempt actually, and while it’s always an ego boost when someone finds me attractive, I’m just not interested in her. The only woman on my mind is Tess.

“Not really, I’m enjoying the night.” I tilt my wine glass toward her again, the red liquid inside tips dangerously close to the edge. “Just watching everyone.”

“We could go elsewhere if you wanted something better to watch. Or do,” says Macy.

“Macy, you should go find somewhere else to spend the night,” I tell her.

“You know, I can handle just as much as she can,” Macy says.

I shake my head, frowning at her. “What are you talking about?”

“The fact you made her manager,” says Macy, sharply.

The anger quickly bleeds back into that falsely seductive voice, and she leans forward, trying to get back into my personal space. I put a hand on her shoulder to politely stop it from happening. “What, am I not young enough for you? Is that what this is all about? You need someone younger?”

“You’re drunk,” I tell her, firmly, stepping backward. A quick glance around, but I don’t just want to toss her off onto one of the other winery employees. “Alright, Macy. Why don’t you come with me?”

Her eyes go bright. “I thought that you would never ask.”

I set my glass down on the nearby table, and pull my phone out of my pocket, shooting Edward a text. The old man has pulled the car around by the time I lead Macy, who is giggling to herself, up to the main estate.

She stops cold at the sight of the car. “What is this?”

Edward steps out and gives me a nod. “Your ride, miss.”

“My ride?” She spins around to face me, a look of cold fury on her face. “Are you fucking kidding me right now?”

“You need to go home and sleep this off, before you say or do something that ends up costing you your job,” I tell her, firmly. “This is Edward. He’s been working with me for years. He’s going to make sure that you get home safe. We can discuss this tomorrow.”

Not sure there’s a lot to discuss but I don’t want to make any rash decisions until Grapefest is over.

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