“Fine.He was makingyoumilk a cow that did not exist.But if youdidn’thave feelings for him, you would not have been so pink in the face.Nor would he.”
“You’re too observant formyown good, Tommaso Barone.”
He held the ladder steady for me so I could climb down, and we moved outside to the next set of burnt-out bulbs.“Do you think he would want to join us for a beer at my property tonight?”
“Are you inviting him with the hope of his joining your boys’ club?”
“We are men.And it is not a club.We simply get together and drink a beer each from Jagger’s brewery and discuss how lucky we are to be in love with such strong, smart, beautiful women.”
I snorted so hard I nearly fell off the second rung of the ladder.“I call bullshit.”
“I shit no bulls.”
“Well, something smells.You three get together and discuss how to manage us.How to deal with our strong opinions and independence.”
“We do not.”His face was a mask of innocence, but I knew better.My cousins and I weren’t shrinking violets or doormats.We’d been both for too many years under the thumbs of our fathers and husbands that now we gave zero fucks and took zero prisoners.We lived in a constant state of peaceful survival mode.Our children, our safety, and our winery were our utmost priority, and God help anybody who got in our way or threatened us.
“Fine.Whatever.Invite him to your men’s social evening.Just don’t expect him to crack open like a softshell crab and spill all of his secrets.”
He gave me a strange look.“We would never do something like that.Secrets are secrets for a reason.If he wants us to know them, then he can tell us.”
“What’s this about secrets?”Gabrielle asked, a smudge of dirt on her forehead, as she crouched down in the corner of the patio and stuffed fuchsia starters into a round planter that we’d hang on the pergola.
“None of your business,” I shot back at her.
She rolled her amber eyes.
We were able to talk without yelling at each other now because Maverick had stopped with the pressure washer and was now using the broom to sweep up all the crud and debris he’d unstuck from the pavers.
“Naomi says we can invite Lennox to beer night,” Tommaso said to Gabrielle.
Maverick glanced over and stopped his sweeping.“Yeah?Hey, how old do you reckon he is?Think he’s older than me or younger?”
My cousin, her boyfriend, and the Italian silver fox all frowned in thought.
“He looks young,” Maverick said.“But then, he’s got a teenager.So maybe he’s just been blessed with good genes.”
They all looked at me, waiting for me to provide them with an answer.All I could do was shrug.“You’ll have to ask him.”
The guys accepted my response, shrugged, and let it go, but I could feel Gabrielle’s eyes burning into me as I reached up and unscrewed a burnt-out bulb from one of the four strings that ran above the patio.She was still looking at me as I climbed down, and we moved the ladder over five feet.I climbed up again to unscrew another burnt out one.
Finally, I glanced at her and glared.Her brows rose and eyes widened.
“Do you have his number?”Tom asked me, completely oblivious to what was going down between Gabrielle and me.
“Whose number?”I asked.
He gave me a confused look.“Lennox’s.I have Mabel’s so that I could invite her to the farm.But I need her father’s.I suppose I could just text her.”
“I don’t,” I blurted out, too loudly and forcefully.They all gave me strange looks.
“Damn, you’re jumpy,” Gabrielle said.“Why?”
“I’m not jumpy.You’re jumpy.”
“What the fuck is going on.”She stood up to her full height, set down her trowel and approached until she stood next to Tom.“Are you dating him?”
I glared at Gabrielle even harder.“Why would you … where did that come from?”
