“Goodbye Marco.”
With that, she hung up.
What the hell did that mean, goodbye Marco? Goodbye for now? Forever?
This relationship crap was for the birds. No wonder I stayed single. If it weren’t bad enough Sunset Fucking Vineyards was apparently building a goddamn brewery, now Rae was pissed.
“Oh geez, went that well?” Neo called Owen over. “I think we’re gonna need more than another beer.”
When Owen brought us two shots, I didn’t waste any time. Looked like we were leaving the car here tonight. “Neo,” I said, “when’s the last time we got good and hammered?”
Neo thought about it. “Can’t remember. Seems like tonight’s the night.”
I lifted my glass to him. “Indeed it is, little brother. Indeed it is.”
TWENTY-NINE
rae
My hand stilledon the brewery’s door.
After driving back this morning, I worked the tasting room all afternoon since we were one short. I hadn’t had two seconds to think, thankfully. Because when I did, smashing Marco’s perfect face was the first thought that came to mind, and I wasn’t usually a violent person.
Alanna agreed he’d acted like a total ass. Though I’ll admit I was angrier yesterday when we first got off the phone. After a night with my best friend and a long drive, during which I refused to answer Marco’s calls, I felt slightly calmer.
Granted, Jerry still hadn’t returned my text, but since he was having dinner in the city tonight with my father, who’d planned to talk to him about selling, I didn’t push it.
Unlike Sunset’s tasting room, and Grado’s too, the brewery stayed open an hour later so there were still customers inside. Opening the door, surprised to see how packed it was so close to closing, I looked for Marco. We needed to talk, obviously.
Spotting him behind the bar, I stopped when I saw who he was talking to. Though I couldn’t see her face, the woman standing with her back to me couldn’t possibly have a better figure. Cutoff jean shorts—the kind I couldn’t wear even when my friends, and Marco, said otherwise—along with a pair of cowboy boots, the woman was gesturing wildly to a very intent-looking Marco.
Shrugging off my lack of confidence, I began to walk toward them when the woman made her way around the bar. Or more precisely, she met Marco halfway as he came to her. They embraced, Marco kissing her on the cheek.
It was apparent the two were very familiar.
Not in the mood to make nice with Marco anymore, I turned and walked back out. Chastising myself as I walked to the car, I was about to pull out my phone when the last person I wanted to talk to at the moment came toward me. I adored Min, but obviously she wasn’t someone I could talk to about my current problem.
That namely, playboy Marco turned out to be, well, playboy Marco.
Surprise!
“Hey stranger. I think Marco’s still in the brewery,” she said, obviously not realizing I’d been coming from there.
“I know, I...” What was I supposed to say? That I didn’t want to talk to him right now?”
“Oh, shit. I’m gonna kill him. Come with me.”
Min grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the Wine Barn. My personal favorite place on Grado property, the minute we walked it was like being transported to Italy. Rustic, perfectly decorated with a slightly feminine touch, the Barn was currently empty, except for Thayle, who sat on a stool behind the bar. She didn’t even look up from her laptop.
“We have an emergency,” Min said.
Thayle closed her laptop. “The wine club can wait,” she said. “Hi Rae.”
“Hi,” I said, still not one hundred percent sure what was happening.
“How bad are you hurting from last night?” Min asked. “Thayle and I met up with some old friends for an overnighter in Southpoint,” she explained to me.
“Bad.”