Page 62 of Twin Babies For The Grump

I turn toward her and wait until she’s close enough to speak.

“How can I help you, Macy?”

The more I observe her, the more I can see the change in her appearance and behavior since Owen took over the winery.

“I was just wondering if getting knocked up was a prerequisite for your position or if you just did that to trap Owen into securing you financially.”

Anger and shame course through me.

“Macy, you’ve known me since I started working here. I’ve always been professional, working overtime, helping everyone around the vineyard, including you.” I take a step closer.

“You never complained or commented when I was doing this exact same job in the past—I didn’t have the official title back then, of course—but I was doing exactly what I’m doing right now. Why this sudden hatred?”

“I don’t know what you were doing with the previous boss.” She drags her voice but at the same time, she makes it sound almost childishly naïve. “Maybe you were doing—”

I raise my palm and place it between us. “Don’t you dare utter those words again. If that were true, I’d have had this position, and title, from the very beginning. You are not stupid, Macy, so you might as well stop using lame smear tactics and tell me what your problem is.”

Macy takes a step toward me too. “You are my problem. You got knocked up to secure your position here because you knew you were easily replaceable. But no, you would always find a way to stay relevant, and pass over others with more experience than you.”

“Like whom? Because when Thomas hired me, he had plenty of senior options to choose from and yet he was interviewing new candidates.”

“I don’t care how you’re trying to justify your actions, only that you are behaving in an immoral way, to the detriment of the rest of us.”

She raises her chin and turns on her heel, going back to her previous position.

The people around us stare at me in disbelief although there are some that have their eyes on Macy and her dramatic exit.

I can’t do this anymore, at least not right now. I head for the exit too, and then take a sharp turn on the left, quickening my step until I’m in a more secluded part of the yard. I sit down on the ground, not caring about this possibly ruining my slacks and bury my face in my hands.

I don’t know how much time I stay like that until I’m joined by Tipsy.

He leans against me, placing a paw on my leg as if to tell me that everything will be alright.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Owen

“Shesaidwhat?”

Jed seems too ashamed to repeat Macy's words regarding Tess and the baby, and my father.

“Mr. Bale, Tess never did such I think, I swear it. And your father was an honorable man, he’d never… I just thought you needed to know. Macy has been going around all day, saying these things. I thought she was being petty at first, that’s Macy, but when she argued with Tess like that in front of us, I—”

Before he can finish his sentence, the door to my office swings open, and Adela storms inside.

“Ow— Mr. Bale, I need to talk to you.” She looks from me to Jed as if she wants to say that whatever we were discussing is not as important.

“Is this about Tess and Macy?” I ask.

Adela nods.

“Where’s Macy now?”

“She’s at the main building, waiting for the production to end for the day.”

I rise and all but run to the winery, not bothering to let Adela know that I’m aware of the fight. I’m sure Jed will fill her in.

Macy is at her desk, with a file in front of her. She flips the pages nonchalantly while talking with one of the maintenance workers.

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