I’m here, I’m going to go take a look at the equipment.”
I head to the production room. My team is still there, working with my father’s crew to make everything goes smoothly. I spend a couple of hours chatting with them and inspecting the equipment from one end to the other.
When I’m done, I head over to the Ribaldi Winery to talk to Sienna.
I scowl when I see Linda in there, talking to a customer. She’s got a Ribaldi Winery T-shirt on, and she’s putting bottle after bottle into the customer’s shopping basket. The man is beaming at her. That’s the Linda charm at work.
I look around, but don’t see Sienna. “Got fired from the restaurant?” I say icily, when Linda’s done with the customer.
Linda flips her hair back, a flirtatious gesture that’s as automatic to her as breathing. “I come here and help out so I can spend time with Sienna. I work at the restaurant tonight. Are you treating my girl all right?” She glances at me with a knowing look. “I saw her earlier. From the expression on her face, I’d say you are.”
I shake my head in disgust. “Out of the two of us, which one do you think is the most likely to break her heart?”
I walk off before she can answer. I’m not interested in anything she has to say.
I look around the room in the hopes of spotting Sienna, and my gaze lights on my sister, beaming me a glare of hatred from behind the cash register.
“Hello, and welcome to Ribaldi Winery. Our next tastings aren’t scheduled until Monday. There’s the calendar,” she says in a wooden monotone. “They’re on sale for $19.99.”
“She put you to work already? That was fast.”
“Yeah, well, some people appreciate talent when they see it. Thanks for sticking up for me,” she says darkly.
“I tried, Jamie. You’re right, he’s wrong, but he’d kiss a Ribaldi before he admitted that. In other words, he’d rather die. Yelling at him isn’t going to help.” I glance at the deely-bobbers. “And that’s a little childish.”
“Your face is a little childish.”
“I seriously can’t believe you’re two years older than me.” I look around. “Where’s Sienna? Is she at the house?”
She glances at the door, then stares out the window, refusing to look at me. “She had to run an errand.”
“What errand?”
She turns her back on me, grabs a feather duster, and starts dusting a clean shelf. “Ask her yourself. She’s your wife.”
Okay, something is definitely going on here. “Is she…hiring an assassin?”
Jamie spins around and meets my gaze squarely. The little penis antennae wave at me. “Yes. I chipped in. Sleep with one eye open.”
I sigh, shaking my head. “I’m married to a Ribaldi, that’s a given.”
Chapter Nineteen
DONOVAN
The rain pours down in sheets. The tension in my chest is coiled up and ready to explode, and I’m itching to hit the jogging trail. This never-ending drama with my family, coupled with the threat of my business imploding and letting my best friend down, is squeezing me like a vise.
I need to run.
I drive into town, park in front of the Body & Soul gym and yoga studio, and walk inside.
Jonas, the gym owner, is behind the counter when I walk in. He’s a broad-shouldered, dark-skinned guy with a high-top fade, wearing a tank top that reveals sculpted biceps. “Long time no see,” I say to Jonas. “I’d like to sign up for a membership for me and Sienna.” Small town. I went to high school with him. His dad was my gym coach in middle school. He knows me, and he knows her.
“Oh, Sienna already bought a pack of day passes,” he says. “She was in earlier. She wanted me to tell you she ran for twenty minutes. Also, she left something for you in case you came in.”
He pulls out an envelope from behind the counter and hands it to me. It’s a pop-up card – and the pop up is a hand with a middle finger extended. She’s scrawled “That’s for making me JOG!!!” I’ve earned three exclamation points. I must be pretty special. Jonas catches a glimpse of it and shoots me a puzzled look.
“My wife, she’s such a joker.” I laugh a little too heartily, fold up the card and stuff it into my gym bag. “Can you just add her to my gym membership and refund her the day passes?”
“I will do that right now. The refund should show up on her card in a day or