He wasn’t exactly getting that tonight, but at least right now she was being casual with him, relaxed. She was laughing in that way she’d laughed at the bar, and not the more cheerful, less sexy laugh she gave customers.
“You weren’t totally wrong about that,” she said. “Some of them are definitely snooty. Especially the big, very expensive ones. Most of us, though, are just small businesses, where our product happens to be something people imbue with all of those elite markers. I’m happy to do it sometimes, too, when it gets Noble where I want us to be, but I do have to remember most of it is bullshit. People have been drinking wine since the beginning of time! Literally! It’s great, don’t get me wrong—I love wine and I love our winery. But still.”
The car stopped with a jerk, and Luke looked away from Margot for the first time since they’d gotten in the car.
“Oh,” he said. “We’re at my place.”
She looked out the window, too.
“So we are.” She didn’t sound embarrassed at that—was he glad about that? He wasn’t sure. She didn’t sound anything. He wished she’d sounded something.
He opened his door.
“Well, good night, Margot. See you tomorrow.”
Did she remember that this time last week, they were sitting next to each other at the bar, her leg pressed snugly against his, just hours from that kiss outside, and then that electric walk back to his place, and then . . .
“Good night, Luke,” she said quietly.
The car drove away as soon as he got out. He stared after it for a few seconds before he sighed and went inside.
Seven
“YOU DROVE HOME ALONE with him?!” Sydney said. “Was that really the smartest thing to do?”
Margot took a sip of her martini and sighed.
“No, of course it wasn’t the smartest thing to do,” she said. “But I’d left it to Taylor to organize getting the cars to take everyone home, and I forgot—or, maybe, didn’t even realize—that we were the only two people who live in Napa. And by the time I realized it, it was too late. What was I supposed to do, say ‘Oh, guys, I can’t be alone in a car with Luke—exactly a week ago, I slept with him, you see, and I’m still wildly attracted to him, no matter how much I try not to be, and I’m afraid I might jump him in the back seat of this car’?”
“Well, at least you didn’t jump him in the back seat of the car.” Sydney grinned as she picked up her negroni.
Margot looked around. It was Monday night, Sydney’s night off, and they’d gone to a restaurant they both liked, up in St. Helena. They were sitting along the wall, by the window, with no one around them. She was sure they would run into someone they knew there; they always did. But at least no one could overhear them for now.
“Yes, thank God for that. But . . . honestly, it was almost as bad, Syd. Okay, no, obviously not anywhere near just as bad, but like, we talked the whole way home. We lost track of time, talking. Like we did at the bar that night, but even more so, because now we know each other better. It was . . . bad. I need to make sure I’m never in a car alone with him again.”
Sydney raised an eyebrow. “You just . . . talked? That’s what was so bad?”
“Yes!” Margot realized, by a few turned heads, that she was just slightly too vehement. She lowered her voice. “Sydney. I like him. That’s dangerous. I’d forgotten that part. I’d just remembered the sex, and how great it was, and how much fun we had, but like, I’ve had great sex before. I figured I’d make myself find someone else to sleep with, get him out of my system, and everything between us would be no big deal. But I forgot that part of the reason—probably, the whole reason—I went home with him in the first place was because I liked him. And the more time I spend with him, the more I like him. It sucks!”
“Well . . . you could still fire him, so you can go out with him?” Margot rolled her eyes, and Sydney laughed. “Kidding. You could hope he quits?”
Margot sighed.
“He will eventually, of course—he’s only in Napa Valley for a few months, he told me so at the bar that night. But that means that when he quits it will be because he’s leaving town, so that doesn’t really advance my cause.” She took another sip of her drink. “I don’t even know why I’m talking like this—it’s not like the two of us would eventually ever really date. He’s far too young for me, first of all. This is just a very unfortunate crush I have on someone who happens to be one of my employees. Like all crushes, I’m sure it’ll go away as soon as I find out more about him. He’s probably a jerk to waiters or a troll to women online, or tells women he likes them better without makeup, or something.”
Their server set their appetizers down in front of them, and Sydney divided their salad onto two plates.
“Yeah, I’m sure you’ll get bored by him if you know him better,” she said. “What was it like at work today?”
Margot shrugged.
“Fine, normal. We were totally civil, even friendly. I tried not to react too much when he made me laugh. He’s really good at the job, though—totally charmed a group of retired women who had an early-afternoon appointment, they stayed for hours and bought a case of wine between the three of them. Taylor told me that. She likes him, too.”
Margot looked at the expression on Sydney’s face.
“I know what you’re going to say—I didn’t ask her about him, she volunteered it! She likes Marisol, the other new person, too; although she’s not as good with the customers, she’s great with learning the wines and inventory and stuff. But Taylor thinks she’ll get there with the customer service.”
Sydney scooped some burrata onto a piece of bread.
“That’s great, but unless you also slept with Marisol the night before she started her job, I don’t really care how much Taylor likes her.”
Margot dissolved into giggles. This was why she kept Sydney around—she could make even the worst things funny.
“I did not, thanks for asking. She is my type, but don’t worry—I will now never have sex with anyone before finding out exactly where they work. Maybe even where they might hope to work sometime in the future.”
Sydney lifted her glass.
“I’ll toast to that. But I also think your idea of sleeping with someone else and getting this guy out of your system is a good one. And don’t worry—I’m sure he’ll show his asshole side at work soon. Men always do.”
Sydney was almost certainly right about that. She was definitely kind of a misanthrope, after years of working in, and now owning, restaurants, but many of her pessimistic pronouncements about men had proved themselves to be correct.
“Good point,” Margot said. “Anyway, enough about me— How’s the restaurant been this week? Sorry I haven’t been by—between trying to figure out some initial details for this anniversary party and all of the other winery stuff, I’ve been swamped.”
“Don’t worry about it—you aren’t obligated to come in to test our new recipes, you know.”
Margot grinned at her.
“I know, but your chef trusts my palate more than anyone else.”
Sydney sighed.
“Unfortunately for your ego, that is correct. But to answer your question, things have been good this week—for the past month, really. Business is looking up.”
“Really?” Margot asked. She knew how touch and go the last year had been for Sydney. “Oh, Syd, I’m so glad.”
The proud, relieved expression on Sydney’s face made Margot so happy.
“Yeah,” Sydney said. “Me, too.”
They clinked their glasses and grinned at each other.
“How are plans for the party going?” Sydney asked. “I can’t believe you managed to convince your brother that it was a good idea.”
“He doesn’t quite think it’s a good idea, but he’s at least resigned to it now.” Margot made a face. “I think.”
“He’d better be,” Sydney said. “Obviously, you know we’re in, right, to do some food for the party? Just let me know what your budget is and Charlie will come up with a great snack to serve.”
She could always count on Sydney.
“Thanks. I really appreciate it. I’ll get you numbers this week so you two can plan.”
The server came over to clear their appetizer plates, when something made Margot look up.
“What is it?” Sydney asked.
Margot shook her head.
“Nothing. I . . . Nothing.” She must really be around the bend if she was hearing Luke’s voice out of the blue. Plenty of men had voices that sounded like his.
“Oh, and speaking of the party . . .”
Her voice trailed away. The hostess was walking toward her. And behind the hostess, obviously going to their own cozy table for two, were Luke and a woman. Clearly on a date.
Shit, this wasn’t just a woman. This was Avery Jensen, an event planner Margot knew casually and was supposed to have breakfast with later this week to ask her questions about details for the party. Oh God.
“Margot?” Sydney said.
Margot didn’t have time to warn Sydney. Luke would notice her any second. She just had to trust in Sydney’s poker face.
Yep, there it was. He saw her.
“Margot, hi,” he said. He and Avery stopped in front of their table.
“Hi, Luke,” she said, in what she was surprised to hear was a normal voice.