All's Fair In Love And Wine

Chapter 3-1

3

“Dude,” Peter shouted as he let himself into Leo’s house. “I met the woman of my dreams last night. I’ve never been so thankful that you blew me off in my whole life.”

Leo smirked and shook his head. He and Peter grew up together. They’d been friends off and on, but they’d gotten closer over the last year to where Leo thought Peter as his closest friend.

“Oh, yeah? I think I heard something similar last week,” Leo teased. Peter was constantly falling in love.

He shook his head and helped himself to a glass of Leo’s wine. “No way, dude. This woman, she’s beautiful and smart and funny. She’s going to be my wife one day. I promise you that.”

“What’s her name?”

Peter shook his head. “Sara, and she’s amazing so don’t tell me anything bad about her.”

Leo grinned. “I don’t think I know a Sara.”

“Really? You know everyone in town.”

Leo shrugged. “I guess not. Are you sure she lives here?”

Peter nodded. “Positive. I walked her home after we had dinner.”

Leo nodded and took a sip of his wine. He had a long day and was promised another one, so he was going to enjoy his break. “When are you going to see her again?”

“I don’t know. I didn’t get her number, but I know where she works.”

“Where does she work? Maybe I know her and don’t realize it.”

Peter shook his head. “No. If you don’t know her name, I’m not taking any more chances. If you know who she is, you’re going to tell me something I don’t want to hear. And you’re not going to mess this up for me by going to see her at work. She’s perfect, and you can meet her at our wedding.”

Leo snorted and raised his glass. “Congratulations then. To your future bride. May she not be smart enough to run the other way before you get her down the aisle.”

Peter flipped him off and finished his wine. “I gotta go, but are we still on for this weekend?”

Leo nodded. “Definitely.” He wasn’t sure how he was going to fit their Saturday morning fishing trip into his schedule, but he’d make it work. He always did.

Peter was gone in seconds, leaving Leo to a quiet house. He took a deep breath and considered going out, but he was too tired. Working full time in the tasting room plus training under Dillon was exhausting.

He knew his brother meant well, but Dillon didn’t listen when Leo said he wasn’t interested in filling in for him. Dillon’s girlfriend, and soon to be wife, was busy, and they wanted a life together, which meant long months away from Amavita Estates. Dillon said he wanted Leo to take over, but Leo really didn’t want to do it.

What he wanted didn’t really matter.

Dillon was training Leo to be the CEO, and Leo had no choice but to suck it up and play nice. It was his family’s heritage to run Amavita Estates. Their grandparents came over from Italy and made a home at the vineyard. Leo and his siblings and cousins had only been in charge for two years. He wasn’t going to risk it all falling apart because he’d rather spend his days pouring drinks than kissing a*s.

Leo was dozing on the couch when the front door opened again. He jerked upright, tipping his wine glass over. He caught it just before it spilled on the dark blue fabric.

“Are you already asleep?” Ryan asked. Ryan was the youngest of the nine Richliano cousins and Leo’s roommate. He worked more hours than anyone Leo knew between cultivating the grapes on the seventy-three acres of Amavita Estates and his volunteer position with the Bereton Fire Department.

“I’m exhausted,” Leo said.

“Dillon?”

Leo nodded. “Yeah, another early morning tomorrow. I should head up.”

Ryan turned away, but not before Leo saw the eye roll.

“What?”

“I thought you were going to tell Dillon where to stick it? You always said you loved the tasting room.”

“I’m wasting my talents in there. I have a business degree and should be doing more with myself than pouring drinks all day. The family needs me,” Leo said. His anger bubbled right under the surface. He and Ryan had the same discussion for months, ever since Dillon approached Leo about filling in. Ryan encouraged him to do it at first, but then he switched sides and started giving Leo s**t.

“You’re right. Sorry. I wasn’t thinking. I guess I’m just too tired,” Ryan said. His words were flat and his tone accusatory.

Leo didn’t feel like arguing, so he ignored it and headed upstairs. He crashed hard, not waking up until his alarm went off far too early.

The inn was still quiet when he made his way to Dillon’s office. Dillon looked up with a grin when Leo let himself in. The only other person happy to be awake that early was Zach, and that was usually because no one bothered him.

“Good morning. I have coffee already here so we can jump right in. Let’s go over budgets today,” Dillon said happily.

Leo bit back his groan and grabbed the cup of coffee waiting for him. It wasn’t going to be long before he needed a refill. Maybe an IV would keep him awake.