Page 38 of The Bad Girl List

He shakes his head. “You don’t have to say that just to be nice to me. You couldn’t even make eye contact with me on the way home last night.”

“I was embarrassed,” I say. “If I’d been a few seconds slower, my Cosmo buffet would have ended up in your face. Plus, I don’t want you to think I’m the type of person who throws herself at any random hot guy she sees in a bar. I’ve only ever had one boyfriend.”

His eyes widen. “You have a boyfriend?”

“No. I mean, I did, but we broke up two months ago.”

His brow creases in that way I have come to recognize. “That’s right. You said something about that last night. Sorry if I’m fuzzy on the details, but I know it has something to do with the Bad Girl List, right?

The last thing I want to do is wax poetic on my break-up with Oliver. “How about we agree that last night was a mistake and let it go at that?”

“Yeah.” He nods, setting the picture back on the mantel. “Yeah, that’s a good idea. I just didn’t want you to think I’m an epic asshole.”

“I don’t want you to think I’m an epic slut.”

“I don’t think that.”

“Neither do I.” In a softer voice, I add, “I’m sorry about your fiancée. I can tell you really miss her.”

The air between us shifts. It feels like gravity, weighted and inevitable, and it's pulling me toward Trevor. I dig in my heels and refuse to budge. I notice the knuckles of his hand gripping the fireplace mantel like it’s the only thing keeping him in place.

I jump when my phone dings. Tequila whines as I dig it out of my pocket. Trevor backpedals back to the sideboard where he left the first aid supplies.

“It’s Annika,” I say. “My family is ready to leave and they’re looking for me. Crap, I am going to mess up the day’s schedule. The aunties are not going to like that.”

“The aunties?” Trevor looks up from the medical supplies he’s gathering into his arms.

“Yeah. Annika and I are here with our moms and our aunt.”

“Are the aunties by any chance wearing matching fanny packs?”

My nose wrinkles in amusement. “You saw them in the tasting room?”

“I did.” When he smiles, it eases some of the grief in his eyes. “They looked like they were having fun. Tell them I’ll give you a ride to the next winery after we get you cleaned up.”

“No, it’s okay. I know they need you back at the tasting room–”

“I hate working these events. You’d be doing me a favor if you gave me an excuse not to go back for a while.”

“If you put it like that, okay.” I dash off a quick text to Annika.

Ran into Trevor. Literally. Got cut on some wine glasses when he fell on me. Getting cleaned up at his bungalow. Will catch a ride from him to the next winery.

Her response comes immediately. OMG girl! That vacation fling is still within reach. Have fun. I’ll run interference for you. This is followed by half a dozen eggplant emojis. Then she adds, You’ve figured out he’s a Moretti, right? As in, Moretti Winery?

I reply, Y.E.S.

I ran into Thomas in the tasting room. He was charming the socks off the aunties. Now get your groove on with that hottie and I’ll catch you later. Another string of eggplant emojis follows this.

I suppress a snort of laughter and tuck the phone back into my pants.

“What's so funny?”

“My cousin. She’s still pressing the vacation fling angle.” I roll my eyes to show what I think of that.

“Have you really had only one boyfriend?”

“Did I say that?”

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