Page 40 of Wine & Dine

“Not you,” a deep voice from my left catches me off guard.

“Or high-profile MMA fighters who own the joint.”

“This isn’t a joint,” he snaps. Dolores sits back and looks up at him. He’s a beast of a man with short hair cropped close to his head and bulging biceps. To my surprise, Dolores doesn’t seem impressed.

“Dolores, this is Cain Callahan. His wife’s family owns the winery.”

“And the vineyard and the wine distribution. And the place is not for sale.”

I hold up a hand because I’m no longer interested in buying. I’ve already gone that route, wanting a piece of the place. Instead, I want to scope it out, appreciate the view, and maybe enjoy my company a little better this time around.

Cain points at me. “No scenes.” He’s making one himself, but I understand. Dolores eyes me, and I know I won’t have a choice in the matter. It’s time to come clean.

Thankfully, a little girl skips into the restaurant with a very pregnant woman toddling behind her. Sofie Callahan must be a saint to be married to such an intense man. She’s a doctor, so I suppose she’s close enough.

“Daddy,” the girl with wild dark ringlets calls out, and Cain’s demeanor shifts. He turns to catch her when she leaps, and he hikes her up to his hip. She nuzzles her head into her father’s neck but keeps her eyes on me.

“Hello, beautiful,” I say, but Cain’s eyes snap back to me.

“You have your own beautiful woman before you. Don’t be hitting on my daughter.”

“Cain,” Sofie admonishes, catching up to her husband and daughter. “Mr. Fox, nice to see you again.” She offers her hand to Dolores as if she hasn’t seen me here before with another woman. “I’m Sofie. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Dolores Chance, and I have no idea why I’m here.” Her dark eyes fix on me, and Cain chuckles.

“No scenes,” Cain mutters.

“Ah, coming from the pot, I don’t think the kettle will listen,” Sofie teases, brushing back her daughter’s hair. “Let’s let them eat in peace.”

“Enjoy your meal,” she says to Dolores, then tugs at her husband’s bicep to lead him away.

“That was interesting,” Dolores says as soon as they walk away. She picks up her wine and takes a hardy drink. Her eyes focus on me over the rim of her glass.

“I’ve been here before.”

“I’ve gathered,” she interrupts. My eyes catch hers, and she goes silent. It’s going to take a lot to explain everything.

“I was in love once, or so I thought. Kathryn Cole was her name. Kate. I brought her here, ready to propose. Got down on my knee and everything. Then she told me no. In front of the crowded restaurant, she said no. The First Wives Club had a heyday, encouraging her to step away. Then later, one came to hit on me. It was a total shitshow.”

“Oh my God,” Dolores says, reaching across the table for my hand. I don’t return her squeeze.

“That wasn’t the worst part. As if I hadn’t been humiliated enough, I went after her a week later. I went to her home, which I’d never been to. One year of dating. How had I never been to her place? I didn’t question it like I should have.” I swallow. “She was married. With children.”

“My God, Garrett, that’s awful.”

I lift my glass and drain my wine.

“We’d met in an airport. It was like something out of a movie. A delay. A one-night stand. Only she was my meeting the following morning. My next investment. We’d meet on the road. Coordinate our schedules. I even brought her home to meet my family.”

A shaky hand comes to my forehead.

“My sisters didn’t like her, and my mother sensed something was off, but I didn’t listen to any of them.” I swallow again and look up at Dolores. “When she refused me, I thought it was karma for leaving my high school sweetheart who thought we’d get married and we didn’t. Someone had done to me what I’d done to another. Only it was so much worse.”

My eyes stay on Dolores. “A husband. And two kids. I hated myself. And I eventually hated her.”

I look away and find Sofie watching our table. She stands behind a bar, and I wave my hand. We need another bottle of wine.

“I don’t love him,” Dolores says, and my head snaps back to her. “It sounds horrid to call us sex partners. Fuck buddies. We aren’t even friends. Ten years I’ve given to him because…honestly…there’s been no one else. I live in a small town where I work sixty-plus hours a week and take care of my mother and grandmother. I didn’t have time or energy for anything else. And while he was a rebound from James, he just sort of stuck.”