“Haven’t seen you do that in years,” Neo said.
“Impressive.” Thayle leaned forward to get a better look at the cherry stem, as if making sure it was indeed tied.
“In answer to your question,” Cos began, very clearly holding the stem between his fingers still. He turned first to me, made eye contact, and then gave his attention back to Thayle. “Yes. I knew you ladies were coming. Heard you mention it to Perry.”
Thayle obviously thought nothing of it. She started chatting with Neo and Cos while I tried to put the pieces of the Cosimo Grado puzzle together. We’d hardly talked for two weeks. When we did, it was all business. And then he came to KC’s, knowing I’d be here, and promptly put his superior tongue skills on display before even sitting down to drink his first beer.
What the hell did it all mean?
Hard to say with the man in question talking to the others as if he didn’t have a care in the world. As if his insides weren’t doing somersaults like mine.
Dammit, Cos. What was going on in that sexy head of yours?
CHAPTEREIGHTEEN
cosimo
“Introduceme to your new employee, Cos.”
As if resurrecting the cherry trick weren’t enough to make me look like some college frat boy, I was about two heartbeats away from telling Owen to fuck off. And I liked the guy.
All night he’d been eyeing Brooke. Whether or not she’d noticed, I couldn’t tell. But knowing he was newly single, and that she and Thayle were coming here tonight, had been enough for me to ask my brother if he wanted to head to town.
It was crowded by the time Neo and I had gotten here, even though it was a Monday. But the second I walked through the door, I found her, despite the fact that Brooke sat with her back toward the door. She was like a magnet for me. If Brooke was about to step into my office, I looked up almost anticipating it. I could tell before I saw her that she was in the tasting room. Even last weekend, when we’d been slammed for the Fourth, it took me all of a half second to home in on her through the crowd.
At night, though. In bed. I knew exactly where she was. The thought of jumping up, heading to her cottage, and knocking on the door was such a recurring one that, in my sleep, I was convinced it already happened. I could see her opening her door. Feel her body as I pressed mine to her. I could taste her. The craving for another kiss literally kept me up at night.
Being reminded she was, in fact, my employee didn’t help matters.
“Brooke,” I said through gritted teeth. “This is Owen Smith. His family owns the bar and Kitchi Corners. And two wineries. And—what else am I missing, Owen?”
“Nothing,” he said, more humble than usual, because his family owned a hell of a lot more than that. Land. The only parking garage in town. The list went on.
“This is Brooke Ellis. She’s from the city on an extended stay for the summer.”
“Ah damn,” he said, “you’re not here for good?”
The look Brooke gave me was so fleeting, I didn’t think it meant anything. Unless...could she possibly have been thinking of staying on? Of course, the thought of her taking Jena’s job had occurred to me. But since we hadn’t talked much since that kiss, I hadn’t asked. And honestly, I wasn’t sure if I should. If Brooke did leave, there would be nothing keeping us apart. Except three and a half hours.
“No,” she said. “Just the summer.”
“It’s a great little area.” He didn’t bother hiding his interest. That, plus the fact that Owen was a good-looking guy, had me on edge.
“Brooke has a degree from NYU,” Thayle said like a proud friend. “Was the head of product development at Avec Coeur.”
“No shit?”
“Don’t even think about it, Owen,” my brother said. “If anyone were to snag Brooke if she decided to stay, it would be Grado.”
Again, Brooke glanced immediately at me. As if to gauge my reaction. She was thinking about it. I could tell. Which changed everything. After my display of jealousy, hopping into the car with Neo to come into town though neither of us planned to come out tonight, I’d thought about throwing in the towel. Telling Brooke that even though the kiss may have been a mistake, there was something between us worth exploring. Despite the distance that would be between us when she left.
But if she had even an inkling of desire to stay...
Everyone loved her. Neo, Thayle, Perry, Maci. Even Marco, after warning me to cool my jets that day, had fallen under her spell. Min still asked about her. My parents, if they were here, would adore her. And the ideas she had about the festival? No one would ever know that a few weeks ago she didn’t even know what ‘pop and pour’ meant. A quick learner, friendly with customers, a savvy businesswoman, Brooke would be beyond perfect for Jena’s position. If we could afford her.
Except for one thing.
Me.