Page 15 of White Wedding
As Araceli and Ernesto discussed the wedding, Rafael recalled the way Ben and Victoria had sniped at each other. Why had she agreed to work with him? Couldn’t she have given someone else the job?
What a mess. The whole setup had the makings of a complete and utter shit show.
Ernesto waved his hand in front of Rafael’s face. “Yo. You okay?”
“I’m still processing. Ben and Victoria were bickering during the tasting. Now I get it.”
The more he thought about it, the more toxic it seemed. Why had Victoria gotten engaged to Ben Macalister in the first place? The guy was a complete dick. Clearly, she wasn’t the person he’d thought she was.
“I don’t envy you, man, dealing with that for the next three weeks,” Ernesto said.
Rafael did not envy himself either.
Chapter 6
By Sunday afternoon, Victoria was a wreck. The combination of planning her ex’s wedding, dealing with her former lover, and enduring her father’s scrutiny had sent her into a tailspin. She’d already been for a five-mile run, followed by a lengthy session of stretches and meditation, but she couldn’t calm her restless brain. After spending hours trying to work through her to-do list, she gave up. She needed to talk to someone.
Unfortunately, her social circle had dwindled after Ben called off their engagement. But she could always count on her older brother, Connor.
She sent him a text.You around?
He replied a few minutes later.At the winery. Tasting room closes at 5 so I’ll be done soon. Come have a drink.
Perfect. She hopped in her car and headed down the De Portola Wine Trail, where many of Temecula Valley’s boutique wineries and smaller vineyards were located. Connor was co-owner of Maverick Winery, a venture he’d started four months ago with a couple of partners. Like Victoria, he’d once worked for Blackwood Cellars, but he’d chafed under their father’s demands. Since opening the winery, he’d worked nonstop to get it going, but he was happier than she’d ever seen him.
Maverick Winery sat in a prime spot, between Cougar Vineyards and the Danza Del Sol Winery. Victoria liked the way it stood out from the other wineries in the area. Instead of going with the usual Tuscan-themed architecture, the tasting room resembled a rustic barn, utilizing vintage finds and recycled materials. A covered patio, adorned with wrought-iron tables and decorative wine barrels, provided a view of the vineyards surrounding the property.
As she got out of her car, she surveyed the winery with pride, knowing she’d played a part in its modest success. Back when Connor was struggling to pull the funding together, she’d signed on as an investor. In one fell swoop, she took the money she’d been saving to pay off her debt to her father—forty thousand dollars—and invested it in her brother’s dream. At the time, she thought her debt was a nonissue because she’d agreed to marry Ben. As per her agreement with her father, he’d promised to wipe the slate clean once she and Ben tied the knot.
But after Ben dumped her, she was back where she started, still owing her father but with barely any savings left. Even so, she stood by her decision to support her brother. If his winery ever took off, she might recoup her investment.
Despite the chill in the air, a few groups lingered outdoors, seated at the tables closest to the patio heaters. Among them were two people Victoria could still call friends—her cousin, Brody Blackwood and Connor’s girlfriend, Jessica Chavez. They sat together, drinking wine and eating pistachios from a small ceramic bowl.
While Victoria was glad to see them, she hadn’t planned on baring her soul to anyone except Connor. After a moment of hesitation, she approached them. Brody was family, and she’d known Jess since they were kids. She could trust them.
She stopped at their table. “Hey, you two.”
Brody lifted his wineglass in a salute. “Victoria. What brings you to this humble winery?”
“May I remind you I have a vested interest in Maverick’s success?” she said.
“And you obviously have a discerning palate if you’re coming here instead of drinking that Blackwood Cellars crap,” Jess added.
Brody tossed a pistachio shell at her. “It isnotcrap.” Like Victoria, he worked for the family company, but his job was in website and app development. “Most of it isn’t. Except for the Eagle Ridge brand.” He made a face. “I’d sooner drink Two-Buck Chuck.”
Victoria sat next to them. “I came to see Connor. He said he’d be done soon.”
“He’s finishing up with a tour group. A bunch of rich women from La Jolla, here on a wine-tasting weekend.” Jess rolled her eyes. “You know how he is with the ladies.”
“That doesn’t bother you?” Victoria asked.
“Nah. He’s trying to drum up business. Sell a few more bottles of wine. It’s harmless.”
In the past, Connor would have done more than sell them wine. But he’d changed considerably over the last few months. He was so devoted to Jess that Victoria couldn’t imagine him sneaking off with anyone else.
“Everything okay?” Jess asked. “No offense, but you look like shit.”
Ouch. Victoria had forgone her usual makeup routine—something she never did—but she hadn’t thought her neglect was obvious. “Are you always this blunt?”
