Page 112 of Gone With the Wine

“Let’s go. We can grab him and make a run for it.”

I choke out a laugh. “What? Where are we going?”

“Mexico. We’ll take Moose with us.”

“That’s pretty far.” It does sound appealing, though.

“I don’t care.”

Antonio looks back and forth between us with raised eyebrows.

“I have to give him back, Bee.”

“I know.” She sniffs. “But how hard could they have looked for him? I don’t know if they deserve him.”

“He’s their dog. They’re his people. Hey, there’s no point in crying about it. I knew this could happen.”

She tilts her head, looking at me curiously. “I know, but…”

I shrug. “It is what it is.” I change the subject to work stuff. “So do we need to inoculate the wine?”

“I don’t think so. We just need to make sure the temperature is right.”

Later, at home, being greeted ecstatically by Moose makes me feel even worse. I walk into the living room and sit on the floor, back against the couch, and let him climb onto my lap and frantically lick my face everywhere. I don’t deserve this.

Which is why he’s being taken away from me tomorrow, probably.

Fuck, that makes my eyes burn. I hold his little head and look into his eyes, a stabbing sensation piercing my chest. “You’re a good dog. Even though you pee on the deck and freak out about adult fun times.”

He licks my chin more.

I stroke his fur and talk to him. “I don’t want to give you back. I want to keep you. But they probably love you as much as I do, and you need to be with them. I’m going to miss you. You’re always so happy to see me, and you follow me around. Bianca was right. Dogs love you no matter what. Even when you’re a dick.”

Moose nuzzles my chest and I hug him. A weird, hard feeling climbs from my chest into my throat.

“I don’t know what I’m doing. What am I doing, Moose?” I gaze into his brown eyes. “I came here to start over and get my life back, and now I feel like I’ve lost even more.” I have a new life here, sure, with new friends, but now Moose is leaving, and Bianca is mad at me for something, and she’s going to leave, too.

My heart feels shredded.

I am so fucked up.

Chapter24

Bianca

Rosa and I spend the latter part of an afternoon cooking together, re-creating Nonna’s homemade ravioli stuffed with beef, marinara sauce, and a radicchio salad for a family dinner. All the cousins are coming.

“I got Castelvetrano olives for the salad at the market,” I tell her. “Just like Nonna.”

“I can’t believe I didn’t think of doing this,” Rosa says. “It’s not like we’re enemies now. Although it kind of feels like it.”

“I know. And I hate that. They’re family, and Nonna would hate it.” I pause. “I wish I hadn’t lost my temper that night at the harvest dinner. I know we need to be nicer to Uncle Geno. Especially if we want his wine.”

I’m also uncomfortable with how I ended things with Jansen that night. We’ve barely talked the last few days, other than when he got the call about Moose. My stomach clenches again, thinking about Jansen losing him.

“I don’t think he’s ever going to help us,” Rosa says quietly. “I think we’re on our own.”

I look at her. “Yeah. I think you’re right. But we can do it!”

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