Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 76205 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 381(@200wpm)___ 305(@250wpm)___ 254(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76205 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 381(@200wpm)___ 305(@250wpm)___ 254(@300wpm)
I laughed. “I said I know a little. I can’t take the job, of course, but I could help you talk to candidates while I’m here.”
“Really?” Brad lifted his drink in a toast. “That would be great. Thanks, man.”
“Happy to help. Especially since you’re looking into the Patty situation for me.”
“I’ve got a folder full of résumés,” Brad said. “I’d love it if you went through them and picked out the ones I should interview. Then, if you can stay awhile, you can sit in on the interviews with me.”
“Sure.”
“What about your work, Ennis?” Daphne asked.
“I’m between jobs right now. Not an issue.”
I’d chosen to leave college, and I’d begun working at a marketing firm when I returned to London after Patty left. After the dream, I felt I urgently needed to come to the States, so I asked for time off. They said no, so I quit.
“If you’re going to be around for a while,” Daphne said, “you should stay here instead of the hotel. We have plenty of room. Right, Brad?”
Brad’s facial muscles tensed, but only for a split second. “Yeah, sure. Love to have you.”
Why would that bother him? He just asked for my help hiring a winemaker.
“All right,” I said. “I appreciate it. I’ll pack up in the morning and head back over here.”
Brad and I took our drinks into his office, where he showed me his file full of winemaker résumés.
After about an hour, Daphne entered.
“Hey,” she said. “You want me to have Cliff go to town and bring your stuff from the hotel? It’s late. You may as well spend the night here.”
“Cliff isn’t supposed to leave you unguarded,” Brad said.
She let out a soft scoff. “This place is like a vault. No one can get in.”
“Your safety isn’t up for debate.” Brad rose. “I have to take care of a few things. You two stay in here as long as you’d like.”
I waved to Brad. “I’ll be fine,” I said to Daphne. “If it gets too late, I’ll just crash here and pick up my stuff tomorrow.”
“Okay. Whatever you want.” Daphne nodded to the folder. “Any good prospects?”
“A few. It’s nice to have a project.”
“Ennis…”
“Yeah?”
“What happened in London? With your job, I mean.”
I paused a moment. Then, “Nothing. I quit.”
“Why?”
“Simple. I asked for some time off to come here, and they said no.”
“Why’d they say no?”
“Because I haven’t worked there very long. They asked if it was an emergency, and I said no. I should have lied. Anyway, they said I couldn’t have the time off, so I quit.”
“Was that wise?”
“I didn’t come here for judgment, love. I told you how freaky the dream was. I had to come.”
She nodded. “I miss her too.”
I hold up a hand. “Daph, this isn’t about missing her. It’s about finding the truth.”
“If anyone can find the truth, Brad can.”
“That’s what I’m counting on,” I said. “Besides, maybe I’ll stay over here. Get myself one of those green-card jobbies and work here in the States.”
“Won’t you miss your home?”
“Of course. But I was ready to stay for four years to study. I only went home because Patty jilted me.”
“And you came back because of Patty.”
“I did. Which makes me think this is where I should be now.”
“Do you think you’ll go back to school?”
“I might. My student visa is still valid.”
“What if we could find something for you to do around here? On the ranch?”
“I don’t think I’m qualified to do anything here.”
“Brad already offered you the job as winemaker.”
“And I told him I wasn’t qualified.”
“But you’re qualified to choose a winemaker?”
“More qualified than Brad is.”
She nodded. “All right. Assistant winemaker, then. That’ll be your job.”
I laughed. “Are you allowed to go around offering jobs on the ranch?”
“Why not?” Daphne whipped her hands to her hips. “I’m mistress of the ranch, aren’t I?”
“I’d love to stay here, but let’s see what Brad has to say, okay?”
“All right. Wherever you end up, make sure it’s somewhere close. I’ve missed having a friend around.”
“You got it.” I shuffled the stack of papers. “These five look like they have the most promise. Where’d Brad go?”
“Out.”
“Out where?”
“He didn’t say.”
“Does he go out this late a lot?”
“More often than I’d like for him to, but not every night, if that’s what you mean.”
“I’m sorry, love.”
A few days later, I hired Bruce Gershwin as the first Steel winemaker.
BRIANNA
“I thought you were the first Steel winemaker,” Donny said.
“No. Bruce was, but he was only there for a bit. I took over after he left, and I’m the one who trained Ryan.”
“I’ve never heard his name before,” Donny says. “Everyone always says you were the first winemaker.”
“I wasn’t.”
Winemaker, winemaker. Who cares? “Okay…but how did my grandmother end up with the ring?” I press.
“I refused to leave Snow Creek until I had an answer about Patty,” Ennis says.