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The server comes around to take orders, and I order the meat pie while Rory scowls at me. I down all my water and then signal to our server that I need more.
I’ve got a headache from dehydration—or exhaustion or whatever. Who knows? All I know is a hammer is pounding nails in my head and I really want to find my pillow.
But no… I have to sit through dinner with a bunch of people who got to sleep on the plane, whose luggage didn’t get lost, and who don’t seem to care that Dragon is looking at Brianna as if she’s his next meal.
This day can’t end soon enough.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Brianna
After dinner, and once we’re back at the hotel, Maddie goes up to bed, but I stay down in the bar with Donny and Callie for a nightcap.
We find seats at a high bar table and sit down. A giant yawn splits Callie’s pretty face.
“Did you get to sleep on the plane?” I ask.
“Oh yeah, I did. I’m just a little tired, though.”
“If you want to, go on up to the room,” Donny says.
“You know, if you don’t mind, I think it will.” She kisses Donny’s lips. “Night, baby. Night, Bree.”
“Good night.” I turn to my brother. “You can go with her if you want.”
“No, that’s okay. I need to talk to you.”
“What about?”
Donny leans toward me. “Remember back in November when Brock and Rory came over here to see Ennis Ainsley? To get information about his girlfriend of ages ago, Patty Watson?”
“Right, the first Steel winemaker. A friend of our grandparents.”
“Yeah. Well, Brock emailed him to let him know we were coming back, and he invited us to tea tomorrow. Rory won’t be able to go because she’ll be working with the band, and Callie booked a spa day. But Brock and I are going to go, and we thought you might like to join us.”
“Yeah, sure. High tea served by an actual Englishman sounds awesome. Count me in.”
“It’ll be afternoon tea, not high tea like you get at the Brown Palace in Denver.”
I frown. “You mean I’m not going to get scones and clotted cream?”
“You might. I don’t know. But you love tea.”
“I do, and I’d love to meet him. I kind of remember him.”
“Yeah, he lived on the ranch after Uncle Ryan took over the winemaking, and then he moved back to England a couple of years later. So you may have some memories of him.”
“I remember he was nice-looking. I liked his accent.”
“Right.”
“So he wants to see us? How come?”
“Well, our family was a big part of his life for a long time. So we have to tell him…”
I swallow. “I suppose you’re right. You have to tell him what really happened to Patty Watson.”
He nods. “I know. Brock’s not looking forward to it.”
