Page 45 of Love Beyond the Illusion
Jack quickly squeezes my hand before stepping out and walking around the car to open my door.
As soon as I step out, a strong gust of wind blows up my dress, exposing the tops of my thighs and panties. Panicking, I scramble to keep it down, locking my arms at my sides.
“That was a nice view.” Jack’s laugh rumbles through my chest.
My cheeks redden. “That wasn’t funny.”
“It kinda was. I hope that doesn’t happen in front of all the employees you’re about to meet.”
“Now you’ve unlocked a new fear. Thank you for that,” I say.
Jack hooks his arm around me. “Don’t worry, I’ll be here to enjoy the view—and keep you covered.”
“It’s not funny!” Still laughing, he nudges me through the front door to the house.
“Piper!” my name is screamed from across the room by a short and cute older woman with curly brown hair. She sprints over, grabs me by the shoulders, and I’m deep into a full-body hug before I realize it.
“This is Gemma, Piper,” Jack says.
“It’s so good to meet you!” she exclaims.
I smile, completely bathed in her effervescent energy. “You too, Gemma. Jack cannot stop telling me how wonderful you are.”
Holding my hands in front of her, she turns to Jack. “He says that now, but I wasn’t his favorite at one point,” she teases. “Someone had to keep you in line when you were a kid, huh? He was such a little troublemaker.”
“That’s true. Now I appreciate it, though.”
Gemma turns her focus back to me. “Okay, Piper, I’m going to whip up whatever you want for dinner. Is there anything you don’t like?”
“Thank you so much.” I quickly think about how honest I should be. Do I tell her I am probably the pickiest person she’ll ever meet? Or do I suck it up for the sake of making a good impression instead of giving her the laundry list of my food aversions? “I like just about anything.”
Jack draws his head back. “You should make those chicken pesto flatbreads you just added to the tasting room menu. Piper will love those.”
I tighten my mouth, holding back a smile, proud that Jack knows what I’d like. Glancing over to him, butterflies fill my stomach as those feelings of familiarity return. “I think that sounds really good,” I say, bouncing my eyes between them both.
Gemma brings her hands together under her chin. “Fabulous.”
“I’m going to continue to show Piper around. We’ll see you for dinner,” he says, sliding his hand back into mine.
Jack showed me around the entire five-bedroom home, including the two balconies and one lower deck. He saved his favorite spot for last. We reach the third story, which consists of a large open room with a skylight, an oversized bedroom, and a bathroom. He leads me straight toward two French doors.
He pauses, stepping in front of me before he opens them. “Close your eyes.”
I stare at his stoic expression for a moment, unsure of what I’ll see when I open them again. “Okay.” Seeing only black, I feel Jack’s warm hands on mine, leading me down a shallow step onto what feels like a wooden balcony. The bright sun blazes through my eyes even though they’re squeezed shut.
“Alright, you can open them.” He drops his hands right as I take in the surroundings. “This is one of my favorite places on the whole property.”
We’re standing on a small balcony that barely fits two chairs with a circle table in the middle. The views from this height provide an unobstructed show of rolling hills covered with grapevines, green grass, and a bright blue sky. “It’s mesmerizing. Everything about this place is perfect.”
“I’m glad you like it.” Jack glances over the balcony to the left. “You want to check out the tasting room?”
I excitedly nod my head. “I’d love that.”
“Yeah? Okay, let’s go.” He leads me down the stairs and through the house while giving me a quick rundown of the behind-the-scenes operations of the whole business.
“You’ll get to meet the whole gang today. Most of them have been with my parents for years. Rob, the winemaker, and Marybeth, director of marketing, have been around since I was a kid,” he goes on as we walk out the front door.
“That seems like a lot of people to impress.” I’m picking at the button on my denim jacket when I feel Jack’s gentle grasp on top of my hand.
