But he doesn’t look anything like the man I once knew.
Swallowing the lump that was sitting dormant in my throat, I finally build up the courage to ask the question that’s been eating away at me for the last two hours.
"Is Harley your brother?"
thirty-three
Harley
Once the crowd atthe expo dwindled down and I hadn’t heard from Cassandra, I made the executive decision to pack up our stall.
We’d gotten more interest than I expected us to receive, considering guests would have to travel to Grangewood, but none of the couples seemed to mind.
It helped that our wine was sold in all fifty states and was growing rapidly in popularity.
"Have you heard from Cass?" Jenna asks as I take a seat next to her very busy, still open stall.
"Not since our phone call earlier. She sounded a bit distracted, so I guess she was in the thick of it with Alison." I shrug.
I’m glad that she’s able to find out directly from Alison what her history is with Austin, but I also wish we never bumped into Alison at all. I just want to be able to move forward.
I’m a logical person, though. I know she isn’t going to snap her fingers and magically forget about the man she was with for fourteen years. That shit takes time.
Things have happened quickly with us. We almost skipped being friends entirely and became whatever we are now, in only a matter of weeks.
We’re still getting to know each other, and I’m not going to let anything fuck this up again.
Especially Austin.
I just hope she knows I’m not going anywhere while she figures this whole thing out.
"You seemed pretty busy today," I mention to Jenna, nodding at the crowd that still surrounds her stall.
"Incredibly," she replies, her wide smile taking over her entire face as she watches two of her workers busily talking to potential clients.
"I’ve booked eight brides over the course of the next six weeks. I don’t know how I’m going to get it all done, on top of all my usual clients, but I’m sure I’ll figure something out." She chuckles, nudging her shoulder into mine.
"Herring always talks about how brilliant you are. You’ll definitely figure it out," I say, and she blushes.
"I don’t know if C told you, but I was asked if my girls and I would do hair and makeup for a film production happening next year. I just met one of the executive producers, Laurel Jo. She’s here today scoping out potential filming locations for the big wedding scene in the movie. I may have mentioned Wingrove Estates, so if she calls, you’re welcome," she says jokingly.
"Thanks for letting Cass stay an extra few nights with me," she says to me before rising and approaching Tahnee, who has called out to her for assistance.
***
Throwing my body onto the hotel bed, I didn’t realize how exhausted I was until I stepped foot in the hotel and sat down to take my shoes off.
Between the winery, the four properties we’re currently renovating (including the old Mercury Hotel), and finalizing the design on the build of my new home, I haven’t had time for much else.
Realistically, I shouldn’t have spent the last few days here at the expo in California. Cassandra could have handled it all on her own, but I craved her and hated knowing we’d be apart for the length of the expo, plus the few extra nights she decided to stay with Jenna.
So instead of being away from her for six days, I opted for three.
I’m a sucker for that girl.
Robbie has taken the brunt of the workload for the renovations, so it gave me a little extra time to spend with her, but it’s not enough. As greedy as it sounds, I don’t think I’ll ever have enough of Cassandra Herring.
The more of her I have, the more of her I want. I don’t have an addictive personality, but I’m addicted to her.
