Chapter One
Ollie ran his hand through his hair.What was he thinking?This was possibly the dumbest idea he'd ever had.
Butter came and nuzzled his hand.
"I know, big fella.You can tell this is off, can't you?"
Reaves stuck his head out of the kitchen."Anyone with any sense knows this is way off.Butter has more sense than a lot of people — and a whole lot more than you do right now.It's not too late, you know.You could call Callie and tell her to come to your place."
Ollie blew out a sigh."But then I'd have to explain why I gave her your address instead of my own.On second thought, I wouldn't even get the chance to explain.As soon as she saw the place, she'd turn right around and drive away again."
Reaves came into the living room and sat down."Are you sure it'd bother her that much?"Peanut jumped up beside him and pinned him to the back of the sofa with her paws on his shoulders while she licked his face.
"I love you too," he told her with a laugh, "but be serious, would you?Ollie needs to figure out what he’s going to do — and fast."
Ollie checked his watch.He had twenty minutes left before Callie was supposed to arrive.He'd finally gotten her to agree to see him — although she still wasn't calling this a date.The trouble was, she was adamant that she didn't fit in with people here — the wealthy wine families.And he'd shot himself in the foot from the moment he met her.When he'd gone to collect her from Fort Bragg to bring her to Napa for Jacob and Becca's wedding, he'd done his best to put her at ease.He'd done that by assuring her that he wasn't one of the so-called wine royalty.Sure, he was a pilot — he flew for the DuPont family.But...
Reaves gave him a stern look."If things are going to go anywhere between the two of you, you're going to have to come clean at some point.I'd say you should do it now.Right now.Up front."
"It's too late already.I should have been upfront with her from the moment I met her.It's just that she was so nervous about meeting everyone, you know, thinking that she doesn’t fit in because she’s a Kansas farm girl..."
"And you reassured her that you’re not like them.I get it.I do.But you need to be honest with her."
"I didn't lie.I'mnotfrom one of the wine families."
"Yeah, but we both know it's not the wine she's uncomfortable with, is it?It's the wealth.The money.And you, my friend, are wealthier than the rest of them put together."
"It's not that bad."
"I'm not saying it's bad.But you can’t deny that you could probably buy most of the wineries around here without even putting a dent in your savings." He shrugged."It's up to you.If you're only going to see her a couple of times, then I guess it doesn't matter.But even then, she's friends with Becca.Becca's been talking about getting her to come visit more often.It's not like you'd never see her again — not like she won't ever find out."
Ollie looked around."Yeah, but maybe I can ease her into it.Maybe if we get to know each other better, once we're friends, or hopefully more, then she'll understand why I did it.That I only wanted to put her at ease.She was nervous and she needed a friend.I knew if I told her who I was, she wouldn't see me as a friend.She'd see me as just another one of the wealthy wine people she was wary of."
"You don't need to justify it to me — I get it.But I doubt that she will.Maybe if you tell her right now...You already said she was suspicious about why you didn't want her to come to your place.Tell her why.You can explain why you gave her my address instead of yours — that your intentions were good.But if you go through with this, I don't know if there'll be any coming back from it."
Ollie looked around Reaves's apartment.He’d brought the dogs’ things over with him, but in his mind, it was obvious that this wasn’t his place."You're right.I'm going to have to tell her the truth, aren't I?"
"Yeah.It's not in your nature to deceive her, and she needs to know.I think if you do it as soon as you see her, she might even respect you for coming clean."
His heart sank as he reached into his pocket for his phone.He'd known when he gave her Reaves's address instead of his own that it was all wrong.He'd almost taken back the napkin he’d written it on, but it was already too late.One moment of panic had led to a couple of sleepless nights — which wasn't ideal since those nights had come between busy days when he and Reaves were flying Jacob and Becca’s wedding guests back to the airport in San Francisco.
"I don't know how people survive living double lives.Or cheating — it's only been forty-eight hours, and the stress is killing me."
Reaves chuckled."That's because you're basically a decent human being who only had a momentary lapse of judgment.Call her.You still have time to pack up the hounds and get back to your place before she arrives.Maybe meet her at the gates and explain yourself before she spooks and drives away."
"Yeah."
Just as he was about to call her number, his phone rang in his hand.
"Shit!It's her!"
Reaves laughed."Stop panicking!You can still tell her.Answer it!"
"Hey, is everything okay?"
"It is.I'm great.It's just that I'm a little early.I gave myself more time than I needed since I'm not used to Xander's truck and I don't know my way around here.I'm outside already, but I thought it was only fair to give you a little warning."Her laugh sounded tense as she added, "You know, give you the chance to usher your wife and kids out the back door."
His stomach dropped.
