Page 10 of Twin Babies For The Grump

I stare at her as I think of this business prospect. Her hair is pulled back in a tight bun and her face is pale, worried about my reaction, and the client.

There’s no way that I can deal with someone face-to-face right now. I always thought that my business is my baby, yet I want to throw everything to the wind right now.

I nod at her and request that she reschedules all personal meetings for the week, including Freeman. He’ll understand. He can come another day. And if he doesn’t… I couldn’t care less at the moment.

My mind is flooded with memories of my father, and even my mother, at the vineyard when I was little. Tiffany couldn’t stand the place, but I loved every moment I spent there. I had friends, freedom, and a purpose.

Samantha checks in on me again and lets me know that she took care of everything, snapping me out of my thoughts again.

I thank her and use the extra time to make plans for dinner with my sister. Soon I’m somewhat able to focus on my work but when the time nears, before the clock strikes, I just get up and leave.

I opted for a small seafood place nearby, and I take my meal at an outdoor table so I can FaceTime my sister.

It rings.

And it rings.

And I’m starting to think that I’ve been blown off. But Tiffany wouldn’t do that, right? Not for something like this. So I try calling her a second time, and the same thing happens. It just rings and rings, until it gets totally disconnected.

And a third time.

But nothing.

She doesn’t answer.

I run my hands over my face and eat my dinner alone. That doesn’t normally bother me, but with so much grief weighing down my shoulders, I wish that someone else was around.

Which is why I’m even more grateful for Edward when he picks me up later.

As soon as I spot him, he pulls me in for a hug. “I didn’t want to do this earlier,” says Edward, “When you were heading for work. But I’m so sorry, Owen. I remember when I lost my father. The cut is deep, and salt filled.”

I let out a bitter laugh, hugging him back. “I wasn’t expecting it.”

“It’s no less of a burden that it was a surprise. Home?”

“Home,” I agree.

We get in the car, my thoughts spinning around the choice I have to make, and something catches my eye when we take a turn. The sun comes in through the window just enough to catch on the glittering fabric under one of the front seats.

Reaching down, I use the tips of my fingers to fish out the black scarf from under the seat. It’s Tess’s, from the night before. She must have forgotten it.

A pang echoes through my chest.

Maybe it’s just because I’m already right there on the edge and feeling sentimental, but there’s a part of me—not a small part—that can’t help but think that I would have liked to have her over again tonight.

I should have gotten her number. Her last name. Something to go by. Even if it was just for one last fuck before she left the city for good…

But I didn’t. I shake out the scarf, fold it, and set it on the seat next to me.

“You’re very quiet,” Edward says.

“I’m not sure what to say,” I tell him. “Fuck, Edward. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do, either. My dad, he was still running the winery. You know, my grandfather started it.”

“So you’ve mentioned,” says Edward.

“And do you know what Robert said when he called me? He told me my name is on all the papers.”

“Didn’t you tell me once that before you moved out here, you spent most of your days working there? That’s likely something that your father remembered,” says Edward. “And it had to go to someone.”

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