“The farthest from everything?” Bas raised an eyebrow. “Trying to avoid me already, Izzy?”
“Privacy.”
“Mmm. Sure. Privacy.” He grinned. “Not buying it, but okay.”
He didn’t push, just drove us there.
The cottage was charming and larger than I’d expected, with windows that overlooked a hillside. It had two bedrooms and a third that was set up as an office. The sole bathroom, which was set up Jack-and-Jill style, had an old claw-foot tub as well as a shower, two sinks, and a water closet.
The kitchen had a gas stove and butcher block counter, and there was a sitting area with a stone fireplace. The furniture was simple—a sofa, two comfortable-looking chairs, and a wooden dining table that sat four.
“I’m sorry. This is more than I need, Bas. You should probably keep it open for someone else.”
He shook his head. “They’re all the same size, so it’s all about location. So this is the one?”
“Sure, and thanks.”
He went back out to his truck and returned with several grocery bags.
“Thank you, but you didn’t need to do this. I could’ve picked some things up later.”
“Can’t have my marketing director starving on her first day,” he said as he unloaded coffee, bread, eggs, butter, cheese, fruit, and a bottle of Whitmore wine.
“Yourmarketing director?”
“Dad might have hired you, but you’re working with me.” He winked. “Lucky you.”
I rolled my eyes, but I was smiling.
“He said to tell you to take the rest of the week to settle in. You’ll start on Monday.”
“No.”
He looked up from one of the bags, eyebrows raised. “No?”
“I want to start now. Today.”
“Izzy—”
“I need to stay busy. Please.”
His teasing faded as concern replaced it. “You really can’t sit still, can you?”
“Not right now.”
“Okay.” He closed the refrigerator. “Get changed. We start the vineyard walk-through in an hour. But you’re taking breaks when I tell you to. Deal?”
“Bas—”
“Deal, Izzy?”
Pure Bas. Always had been, since we were kids.
“Deal.”
“Good. Wait. I just remembered we need to do something about your rental car. That thing’s costing you what, a hundred bucks a day?”
“Around that,” I admitted.
