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Her head tilted back, and she stared at the ceiling. “I hate dating so much.”
“You’re a catch, shug, and don’t you forget it.” I stepped into the bathroom to grab lipstick for my purse. “Clint recognized me last night,” I called out. “Right after Javier got here. It was awkward.”
She came in the bathroom. “Really?”
“Yeah. I told him about the stalker. I hope he keeps his mouth shut.”
Amber sucked in a breath. “God, I forget sometimes thatsomeone is trying to kill you. Geez, Sal—aren’t you freaked out?”
I stared at her in the mirror. “I’m mad. Maybe I should be freaked out…One of the stalker guys writes me these ugly messages on social media. They’re all sexual in a creepy I-want-to-hurt-you kind of way.”
Amber blew out her breath. “Crap, now I’m freaked out. Want to take some kickboxing classes with me? Or maybe Krav Maga?”
“Yeah, okay. That’s a really good idea. Come on, let’s go try some wine.”
A minibus pulled up in the driveway to take us on a tour of local wineries. The whole house had decided to come along plus some of their friends: Antonio and Kate, Dillan and one of his friends named Rubin, plus Layla, Forest, and two of her girlfriends, Naomi and Gemma.
Javier pulled me onto his lap. Amber sat in the seat in front of us and Antonio and Kate in the seats behind. Pop music blasted from the speaker system, but Antonio and Javier still managed to get into an argument about the best wines.
We drove out into the country to a few estate wineries. The first one had live music and a lovely garden to stroll through. We were a big enough group that I’d set up private tastings for us at a couple of the stops, but the first one was a big mill of people strolling around beautiful outdoor spaces, mostly sipping that winery’s famous rosé. Dillan’s friend Rubin, tall and dark with a great smile, was a charmer enjoying being in a party full of single women. He was taking his time, and talking to everyone, but I thought him and Amber were slightly hitting it off.
Javier pulled me under a trellis covered in blooming flowers to make out. I rubbed lipstick off his mouth when we paused to catch our breaths.
“Come to Mexico. Please, come with me,” he said in a mock patient tone.
I cocked my head at him. “It’s too hot down there right now.”
“No, it will be glorious. We’ll swim in the ocean and hike through jungles. You’ll love it.”
“You won’t have time. Don’t you have to be on set all day? You’re the lead.”
“Please, my Bella. Everyone is shouting at me to go there so that I can sit and wait. I will be so frustrated without you.”
“Do you have to go tomorrow?”
“No.” He tugged me in closer. “I will go the day after tomorrow.”
Something pulled in my chest. I’d miss him. We were still strangers in many ways, but his attention was addictive. I stared up into his face. “Maybe in the fall…we’ll see where we’re both at.”
“You won’t wait that long for me.” He frowned.
“Don’t be a hypocrite. You won’t wait either.” I grabbed his hand and led him back to our group.
Everyone loaded into the bus, a little louder and happier, and we toured on to the next estate. Antonio and Javier became fast friends, neither of them pacing themselves at all, slapping each other on the back and roaring with laughter.
“Hopefully we find some food soon,” said Kate as we stood together at a tasting bar.
“At the next one,” I said. “What’s your favorite wine here?”
“Oh, the pinot of course.”
“Yeah, me too.”
Amber laughed with Rubin while they stood close together at the bar. I hoped he was someone right for her. He seemed a little too slick for me, with a wandering eye. Amber wanted a relationship, not a booty call.
“It’s strange,” said Kate, “but now that Zach is single, I’verealized what an annoying ass he is. We’re both better off without him.”
“Cheers to that,” I said, and we clinked glasses.
