Page 124 of The Bad Girl List

“Or maybe not,” I say, laughing.

CHAPTER 42

Brunch

TREVOR

We roll down the dirt road that leads away from my house, the grapevines tall and green on either side of us. Tequila sits between Dom’s feet on the floor. Dom’s palm rests on my thigh. The warmth of her fingers seeps through my jeans.

“I want to call you when I get home,” she says.

“You’d better call me when you get home. I expect lots of phone calls from you.”

“That’s a given, but I mean I want to call you about work stuff. I have this idea for some videos. Do you guys have a TikTok channel?”

“We do, but there aren’t a lot of posts. No one has enough time to post regularly. Why, what did you have in mind?”

“I think you’re missing out on a marketing opportunity with your biodynamic farming. I took a few courses on animation in college. I was thinking about some animation shorts that follow you through a full season of farming, to show consumers how green and earth-friendly your process is. People like to buy from sustainable companies.”

“I’ll set up a Zoom meeting with my parents. I think it’s a great idea.”

She wiggles her fingers in the air. “Oh, my God, I want to start drawing right now. I’m so glad you like the idea.” She taps the side of her head. “The ideas are cranking in here.”

I laugh as we pull out of the vineyard onto the main road. I’m just about to turn for the exit when I see a familiar minivan parked outside of the tasting room.

“Dom, is that your family’s car?”

She peers through the windshield. “Yeah. Annika’s car is here, too.”

I take my phone out of my pocket. I’d turned off the ringer and hadn’t looked at it all morning.

There are a string of texts from Thomas, my mom, and my dad. Hell, I even have a text from Gramps. I scroll through them, torn between amusement and horror.

“Um, Dom?”

“Yeah?”

“Thomas told my family what happened at Platitude last night. He’s calling it a sexual intervention.”

Dom snorts with laughter.

“Apparently, my parents were so excited that they invited your family to brunch.”

She blinks at me in surprise, then digs out her phone. She hadn’t bothered to check hers this morning, either.

“I have eleven texts between my mom and Annika,” she says. “They’re here at the winery. They want us to come up for breakfast.” She looks up at me, eyebrows lifting. “Well, at least we can hold hands in front of everyone without it being weird.”

“You’re not mad?”

She shakes her head, smiling. “I think it’s sweet. It’s nice that your parents are so welcoming to my family.”

This is just another reason why Dom is perfect for me. Family is a priority for her.

“I guess we’re having breakfast together.” I turn the steering wheel and head toward the tasting room and event center.

“I guess so.” She squeezes my thigh.

When we arrive at the event center, the first thing I see is Thomas and Annika sipping mimosas on the veranda. I know Dom said Annika isn’t into my brother, but seeing them laugh together gives me pause. There aren’t a lot of girls crazy enough to keep my brother in line. If Thomas is ever smart enough to go after her, Annika would be good for him.

---