“Well?” Lily-Grace asked, her eyebrow arching up.
“Well, what?”
“That was your whole apology? Free wine and a mumble mumble something, my bad I’m sorry?”
“I didn’t mumble and I suppose I could have bought something at the store, but I thought something made by a member of my family would be a more meaningful gesture.”
“Mm-hmm, I bet. Did your grandmother put you up to it? I’m sure she had more of an earful for you than I did.”
“Actually she’s not speaking to me right now.”
“Ooh, icy. I like it. So you came over here with your cheap wine all on your own.”
“Okay, I may have had it sitting in my kitchen, but nothing the family produces is cheap.”
“I had a scorchingyour mamajoke at the ready, but I always admired your mom. She’s a goddess.”
“You remember my mom?”
“Ah yeah. It’s not every day you get to sell Girl Scout cookies to a former Miss California.”
“Hmm.”
“Anyway, it was a weak apology, and if I can verify the wine isn’t poisoned, I’m sure my father and I will enjoy it. Hope I didn’t mess up your meeting too badly this morning.”
“Actually, you didn’t. The meeting went very well, and when I explained what happened, they said they admired my dedication to my family.”
“Who isthey?”
“Just a new vendor we’re in talks with.”
Lily-Grace’s eyes narrowed like she knew he was lying. “I should leave a scathing Yelp review just in case they are still on the fence about working with you.”
“So what brings you back to Charming?” Jesse asked. For some reason he didn’t want this conversation to go down the road it was headed, but he didn’t want it to end either. Which made no sense, considering Lily-Grace was set on giving him a hard time. She was just so easy to talk to.
“As you may notice”—she motioned over her head with a flourish—“we are standing in front of Chateau LeRoux. Last I checked I didn’t know I needed a reason to visit my father.”
“You don’t. I just haven’t seen you in a while.” Jesse regretted the words as soon as they were out. “I mean—”
“I know what you mean.”
“It’s fresh into a new fiscal quarter and I figure Ulway would have you watching every dime after they squashed the benefits package the drivers were after.”
Lily-Grace cut him a smirk that could shatter kneecaps. He could just picture how ruthless she was in a boardroom. It was probably her idea to keep workers comp and health care from ever coming anywhere near the table. Smart for Ulway. Bullshit for their employees, but that was her business. Jesse swallowed, ready for whatever brutal remark she had coming next. Instead, she cocked her head to the side and stepped around him.
“Is that your dog?”
“Yes.” Jesse followed her to his truck and unlocked the door. Lily-Grace wasted no time opening the rear cabin door and Clementine wasted even less time sticking her big head out to receive some pets.
“She’s so cute.” Lily-Grace turned, and looked him up and down. “She deserves better.”
That, Jesse took offense to. He’d never met a dog more loved and more cared for. “You want to give her a home? She’ll outsmart you every day. And she likes her steaks cooked a certain way or she’ll send them back.”
Lily-Grace’s eyes narrowed before she turned back to Clementine. “So what changed your mind?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, from the way my dad and your grandmother tell it, you define stubborn these days. And bossy. Maybe a little controlling.”
