A Spiced Apple Winter by Emma Cane

Author:Emma Cane [Cane, Emma]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2016-12-27T00:00:00+00:00

Brianna stood on the deck, breathing in the crisp air redolent with the scents of the earth and harvest, and tried not to laugh with giddy abandon. Oh, she’d been right, being wicked was such fun.

She glanced over her shoulder at the glass doors to the tasting room, straightened her spine, and went back inside, openly putting her cell phone away. She saw Carmen give her a knowing glance, but Amy’s was simply curious.

Brianna approached them wearing a wry smile. “This is the first evening in a while I haven’t spent with my dad. Mom says he’s okay.”

“I was hoping they’d come to the party,” Amy said.

“Thanks for the invite, but Dad was just exhausted after rehearsals today. They decided to make it a quiet evening.” And thank God, because she never would have let herself escape with Tyler—and look what she would have missed out on!

Carmen was trying to appear sympathetic, but was barely hiding the mischievous gleam in her eyes.

Brianna needed a distraction—and some sympathy and advice, too. “I heard from my sister a little while ago.”

“How’s Theresa doing?” Carmen asked.

Brianna gave a halfhearted shrug. “Not good. Every time I talk to her, she sounds more and more . . . off. She’s feeling pretty down about her relationship with little David’s father. They’re not married yet, and Theresa thinks he’s growing distant.”

“Tell her not to doubt her instincts,” Amy urged. “I did that for far too long with my old boyfriend.”

“You’re right, I know,” Brianna said. “I’d warned her this might happen. I never felt confident in Patrick, but he really stepped up to the plate when she accidentally got pregnant. He even found a better job, and urged her to quit her position as a school music teacher.” She sighed. “I don’t think she thought it through. She really loved what she did. She’s giving private lessons occasionally, but it’s not the same.”

“Yet she made the decision, Bri,” Carmen insisted. “She either lives with the consequences or goes to look for another job again. I don’t see how you can do anything for her but be a sympathetic shoulder.”

“I know you’re right. It’s just so difficult not to play the Big Sister and tell her what I think she should do.”

“She’ll only get defensive,” Amy pointed out. “I ought to know.”

The three of them exchanged sympathetic looks, until Noah approached.

“I heard about the play.” He lowered his voice as he glanced across the room at Gabrielle, who was welcoming Tyler back with a smile. “The glamorous movie star had to worm her way in to a local production?”

“It wasn’t like that,” Brianna insisted. “We couldn’t find anyone who fit the part, and she volunteered. So unless you think she intimidated a bunch of unknown women into not trying out . . .”

Noah just shrugged, and Brianna was mildly amused to hear herself defending Gabrielle, the woman who was keeping Tyler to herself—publicly. She wondered when Tyler was going to tell Noah the truth.

“And besides,” Brianna added, “the demand for tickets is incredible, so we’re pleased about that.

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