Fate Actually (Moonstone Cove #2) - Elizabeth Hunter Page 0,4

crouched down. “The edges of this are pretty rough. It doesn’t look like a clean cut. Almost like it was torn off. And it looks like it’s been exposed for a while.”

Toni shuddered. Accidents on the farm or at the garage were not unheard of, and they were one of the reasons she didn’t wear jewelry, not even tiny earrings. Still, she had no idea how a finger could be torn off while cutting two exposed wires.

“If I’d been checking a belt or something, I could kind of see it but…” She shrugged and tried to calm her stomach, but she wanted to puke again. “Honestly, I have no idea. You’re gonna have to examine the engine, I think. See if there’re any traces of blood in it. Maybe the safety switch isn’t the only thing that was tampered with.”

Nico let out a low groan, and Drew looked up.

Toni tried to send out good vibes, but it was a lot harder to change the temperature of someone’s emotions when she wasn’t in direct contact.

Drew said, “Sorry, Mr. Dusi, but there’s no way that this tractor is going to work today.”

Nico ran a frustrated hand through his hair. “Can I at least get my crew going?”

Drew frowned. “Is there a reason you need to rush them out of here?”

“The pinot grapes,” Nico said. “We have to get them today. I’m gonna make some calls about a tractor.” He stalked off toward the barn.

“Pinot grapes?” Drew looked at Toni. “These grapes gonna go bad in a day?”

“It’s the sugar,” Toni said. “The daytime temperatures are supposed to head way up tomorrow, and he’s afraid the sugar levels will spike with the heat, which would throw off the fermentation and change the character of the wine.” Toni glanced at Nico, who was on the near side of the barn, looking like he was about to deck Henry. Or Danny. Or both.

How about that? Henry was here.

Focus on the bloody finger, Toni.

Toni looked away. “That’s his winemaker, Henry Durand, and his foreman, Danny Barba. Henry’s the one who kind of determines what the sugar levels should be. Then Nic’s gotta get the grapes in so they can start the crush.”

Drew pursed his lips, glanced at the men, and nodded. “Okay, I’ll make sure the officer gets all the employees’ names and numbers and we can follow up later. Go tell your cousin he can get his guys working.”

“Thanks.” She glanced at Drew, then back at the finger. Then at Drew again. “One thing.”

“Yeah?” Drew pulled out his phone.

“Can I take off too?” She was dying to get out of there. Not only was the temperature starting to climb, she could see Henry walking toward the workers.

Nope. Nope, nope, nope. Of all the days, not this one.

“Yeah.” Drew waved at her. “Take off. I got your number.”

“Okay.” She hightailed it toward her car but wasn’t fast enough.

“Toni!”

She turned just as she reached her car. Knowing Henry, if she tried to take off, he’d just sit on her hood or something.

Toni looked up. “Hey.”

Henry Durand was the size of a smallish tree. He had narrow hips and a lean torso. He’d told her once he used to mountain climb, and she could see it in the lanky lines of his body. He was about as opposite from her short curvy frame as was physically possible.

And he was cute. So damn cute she had to steel herself every time they interacted.

“Hey, Henry.” She wiped her expression clean. “What’s up?”

“You didn’t answer my call this morning.”

“Nope. I was busy.”

He bit his lower lip. “Everything okay?”

That is such a loaded question I don’t even have an idea of how to answer it. “Fine. Just have a lot going on. And I need to get back to the garage, so—”

“Do you need any more help with the cabinets in the laundry room?” He shoved his hands in his pockets. “I’ve been meaning to ask.”

“No.” She swallowed the maniacal laugh that threatened to erupt. “I’ve got it.”

The first time she’d met Henry, she’d felt the sparks between them, but Henry was an “aw, shucks” clean-cut farm boy from Washington State, and he was about ten years younger than Toni.

Or so she thought. She honestly had no idea, and she was too afraid to ask.

“Just…” His cheeks turned a little red. “If you need any help, I’m happy to lend a hand.”

Oh, he’d lent her a hand all right. The first time she’d accepted his help, they’d gotten the entire fireplace surround