Too Close to the Sun by Dempsey Diana

Author:Dempsey, Diana
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: romance, womens fiction, fun, chick lit, contemporary romance, pageturner, fast read, wine country

Chapter 12

First thing Monday morning, well before eight o'clock, Gabby did something highly irregular. When she arrived at work, she bypassed the winery and instead went straight to the Winsted residence. Mrs. Finchley greeted her at the front door, as neat and starched as a naval officer in her housekeeper's uniform.

"Sorry to stop by so early," Gabby said, "but I'd like to speak with Max if he's available, please."

The older woman's brows arched. "Is there a problem?"

No, except for the fact that your boss assaulted me Friday night. Gabby made a dismissive wave of the hand. "Oh, it's just something I'd like to fill Max in on before he gets busy at the winery."

"He may not be available just at the moment," Mrs. Finchley said, which Gabby knew was a diplomatic way of saying He's not up yet.

She smiled, confident the housekeeper would promptly march upstairs and rouse him. "I'll wait."

Mrs. Finchley set Gabby up in the living room with a mug of coffee and a warm apricot scone, then sailed off. Gabby settled in a cozy upholstered chair beside the white brick fireplace and tried not to drop crumbs on the pristine hardwood floor.

It was a lovely sunlit room, elegant but not fussy, with art books and photographs on the few tables and cheerful blue-and-yellow chairs and sofa. The only decoration was a painting over the fireplace of a winter stream, but Gabby supposed that the view through the French doors of garden, pool, pergola, and vineyards provided plenty enough to look at.

She finished her scone, emptied her mug, crossed her legs, and twitched her foot rhythmically in the air. She knew exactly what she was going to say to Max and wanted to get it over with, already. He'd surprised her Friday night. Well, now it was Monday morning and time for her to surprise him.

When he finally appeared, he looked surprised, all right. And wary.

You should be, you jackass, she thought as she rose to her feet.

He stepped a little farther into the room, moving so tentatively she thought he might turn tail at any moment. She could tell from his damp hair and soapy scent that he was freshly showered. Fortunately he didn't reek of cigarettes and alcohol like the last time she'd seen him.

"Good morning," he said.

She skipped the pleasantries, kept her voice low, and edged closer. "I'll make this fast, Max. There are three things you need to know. One, you don't have a single thing to say about how my father and I handle harvest or any aspect of the winemaking. You got that? Nothing." Out shot another finger. "Number two. You tell Felix to rehire every single field worker you made him fire. Today. And three, from now on our official story is the truth. Yes, Suncrest did rebottle the sauvignon blanc, because you decided to switch the bottles. Anyone who calls me and asks, that's what I'm going to tell them. I suggest you do the same."

Max stood planted on the floor, mouth agape.

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