Page 17 of Red Mountain Burning
“Get out of here,” he said. “I’m so in, you don’t even know.”
It didn’t take long for Remi to start poking fun. After the first scene with the lead lady’s winemaker love interest, he said, “This guy is the next Cary Grant. I mean, wow. Do you think they’ll end up together at the end? Gosh, I hope so.”
Margot slapped his thigh. “Will you hush?”
A few scenes later, the two lovebirds in the movie were having their first date at a restaurant near the man’s winery. Margot was thinking how cute they were together when Remi said, “Look, he’s holding the wine glass by its bowl. Someone may want to tell this head winemaker of this very fancy, if not slightly fake-looking, winery to hold the glass by the stem.” Remi chuckled as he pointed to the screen. “Look at him twirling the glass. Oh God, I can’t watch. If he calls the winesmooth, I will fall over.”
Margot and everyone else on the mountain knewsmoothwas the most overused descriptor in the wine world.
The winemaker on the television looked up from his glass and said, “It’s very smooth.”
Remi’s mouth fell open, and he raised his hands high. “Smooth! He said it. You realize you’re marrying a man who not only reads minds but can also see the future.”
Once Remi finished gloating, Margot asked, “Are we doing this the whole movie? Is that what’s happening, Mr. Know-it-all?”
Remi reached for a doughnut. “Here’s what I didn’t quite realize about Hallmark. There are serious layers to these movies. I mean, stuff you might not pick up until the third or fourth viewing. Is this a Ridley Scott production? This is almostA Good Yeargood.”
Halfway through the movie, Remi was still making his comments, and the two of them were each onto their fifth doughnut. Powdered sugar and cinnamon clung to their lips.
Remi leaned over the tray of food and kissed her. “I love being with you. Even when we’re watching bad movies on questionably the worst channel on cable television.”
“Oh, don’t make me choose a Lifetime movie next,” Margot warned. “They’realmostas good.”
Before Remi could reply, his phone rang, and he reached for it. When he looked at the screen, he turned rigid, and Margot knew exactly who had called.
She reached for the remote and paused their movie.
Putting the phone to his ear, Remi sat up and answered. “Hi, Carly. Can you hold on one second?” He covered the phone. Looking like a teenager about to give his first public speech, he asked Margot, “Can you give me a few minutes?”
“Of course,” she said, but he was already exiting the bedroom. She heard him descend the stairs as his powerful voice faded away.
In the quiet, Margot realized how happy she was for him. She couldn’t imagine not talking to Jasper for an extended length of time. Had she not just opened her inn, she might have considered moving to Boston just to be near Jasper. Remi getting a second chance with his daughter was the best news in the world, and the timing was perfect. Carly was going to be Margot’s stepdaughter and Jasper’s stepsister. It would be so much better if Remi and Carly could work everything out before the wedding.
Then Margot’s thoughts went to Amber, Remi’s ex-wife, and Margot couldn’t help but wonder if there would be a wedding at all. As much as Margot wanted Remi to rekindle a relationship with Carly, she wanted the exact opposite with Amber. The thought of them rekindling old love down in San Francisco terrified her. Margot had seen pictures of Amber. She was a brunette bombshell who looked like she basically lived at the gym doing CrossFit.
She heard Remi coming back up the stairs. He stopped at the doorway. “She’s coming.”
“Up here? That’s great.”For so many reasons, Margot thought.
He approached her. “You sure it’s okay?”
“Are you kidding me? She’s your daughter.”
Remi put his hand on one of the columns of the bed. “I’ll book her flight early next week, the day after her classes get out. When is Jasper coming home?”
“He’s home on the sixteenth.” Knowing that their lazy Hallmarkday had come to an end, Margot turned off the television, slipped out of the bed, and began organizing what was left of the food.
“Good,” he said, helping her clean up. “That will give us a couple days with Carly by herself. Just to make sure she’s comfortable. This will be a lot for her.”
Margot pushed aside her fears and went to him, wrapping her arms around his waist. “Don’t worry, honey. This will be great. I’m so happy for you.”
He gently patted her back. “I know. I’m really happy—but also pretty nervous.”
“There’s nothing to be nervous about,” Margot lied. Then, more truthfully, she said, “And she’ll love Jasper. Everyone does.”
“She’ll love both of you,” Remi assured her. “But I just hope she likes the mountain.”
“Did she say how long she plans to stay?” Margot tried to downplay the question.
“No. I told her as long as she wants. She was accepted into UCLA, but I’m not sure she wants to go.”
Margot took his hand, rubbing her thumb over his palm. “The mountain will be good for her. And we’ll be one big happy family.” The last words felt sticky as they left Margot’s mouth.
“One big Hallmarkstory, right?”
Margot stood on her tippy toes and kissed him, tasting the powdered sugar clinging to his lips. “Only happy endings around here.”
Remi smiled. “I’m not touching that comment.”
