Page 14 of Kiss My Glass
Danny slumps back in his chair. I almost feel sorry for him. I also observe that the petulant look does good things for his mouth, making it fuller, not tighter. He’s mussed his hair in frustration, too. It’s cute. Suits him.
Focus, Frankie!
“The instant the grapes are fully ripe, we push go on the harvest,” I say. “Because we don’t do anything the easy machine way at Flora Valley, it will be all hands on deck for the picking. Except Shelby, of course?—”
“I’ll be huge by then!” she says, cupping her bump. “Size of a planet!”
“Not Ava, either,” Cam says, giving her a look. “It’s hard, physical work. Too hard.”
“I love it that you care,” she replies, with a smile. Though it doesn’t exactly sound like she’s agreeing.
“Itishard,” I confirm. “Plus, we work all night.”
“Allnight?” Danny asks.
“Too hot during the day,” says Cam. “Grapes stay fresher. So do we.”
“I asked Danny to help only with admin,” says Nate. “So, he can bow out of the labor if he wants.”
Because Nate is earnest and sincere, he has no idea he’s just confirmed his brother as a soft-palmed city-slicker who wouldn’t know hard work if it bit him. Danny understands, though, and he’s nothappy.
“I’m in,” he says, curtly.
“Then the famous Flora Valley Wines crush event,” I say, “where the whole community comes out to watch the grapes getting stomped. We’ll need all hands on deck again. Or all feet, whatever.”
“Can I organize that?” says Ava. “I have terrific people skills.”
There’s a pause. Everyone looks at the insult jar. Everyone keeps quiet. Ava cackles, delighted.
“As it happens, I’ve already asked Jordan and Chiara if they’d help,” says Shelby.
Jordan and Chiara are her two best friends.
“Great!” Ava resists all hints. “We’ll be like Charlie’s Angels! The Angels of the Crush!”
“And Danny and Nate will divvy up the admin.” I might as well push on. “Don’t need to hear the details. You’ll work it out.”
I set down my pen. “Consider me a floating helper,” I say. “Though Shelby gets first dibs.”
“So I don’t go stir crazy,” she says, “Frankie and I are going to binge watch ridiculous movies likeGhostbusters.”
“Again?” Nate’s expression is pained.
“AndBroadcast NewsandGross Pointe Blank,” I add. “Joan Cusack is my idol.”
“Ooh, good choices!” says Shelby. “And can we also re-watchGilmore Girls?”
“If I can watchThe Princess Bride,” I bargain.
“Of course!” says Shelby. “No ridiculous binge-watch is complete without it!”
I close my notebook. “And on that note, I declare this meeting over. Everyone clear? Everyone pumped?”
Nodding of heads all round.
“Nice job, Frankie,” says Nate.
Praise from my brother-in-law is high praise indeed. I’ll take it.
