"You'll need something for your feet," I told her. "We're going outside to eat with the crew."
She tilted her head to the side as if that surprised her. "Oh, that's nice."
It would be loud, chaotic, and she'd likely be mortified by some of the profanity she would hear. I enjoyed the raucous atmosphere, but I couldn't imagine it fitting Juliet's definition ofnice.
Scanning the room, I looked for something for her to wear on her bare feet. There was a pair of boots left by my assistant Laura after her last visit. I fished a pair of clean socks out of the drawer beneath the wooden bench and handed them to Juliet along with the boots.
"They might be a bit small," I warned her. "They're my assistant’s, and she's a good few inches shorter than you."
"I have small feet for my height. They'll be fine."
She quickly put the socks on and worked her feet into the boots. They were clearly tight, but she didn't complain as she laced them up.
"There we go." She stood and wiggled her foot in front of her. The boots looked so out of place with her silky red dress. "Quite the fashion statement, isn't it?"
"I'm not sure it will make the front page of Vogue."
Juliet laughed, a sound of genuine mirth. She flicked her glossy, honey-blonde hair back over her shoulders so it fell in soft waves down her back. Then she followed me outside into the garden where a large tent had been set up to provide a gathering place for everyone to relax. After a hard night in the fields, it gave us the opportunity to decompress before trying to catch a few hours' sleep.
There was space at the end of one of the long tables, so I headed over and helped Juliet get settled on a chair before I sat next to her. People were probably surprised to see the gorgeous woman by my side, but they didn't show it.
Juliet bit her lip as she nervously looked around. The seasonal workers who came in to help with the harvest and some of my fulltime employees from the winery were a little rough around the edges, but I trusted every one of them.
Mustering her courage, Juliet turned and offered a smile to the men around us. "Hi, I'm Juliet."
"I'm Ramon," my foreman said before pointing to three of the temporary crew members who came each year to help with the picking. "That's Markos, Jimmy, and Louie."
"It's nice to meet you." Juliet's smile wasn't the fake one she plastered on for photo opportunities. "Have you worked here long?"
As she got into a conversation with Ramon about how he'd been here for over twenty years before I bought the place, Eileen and the others started to bring in the food, placing sizzling skillets of huevos rancheros down on the table. Along with that, they brought platters of bacon, sausage, hash browns, waffles,pancakes, and Eileen's incredible vegan muffins. There was something for everyone.
I picked up one of the jugs of coffee and poured Juliet a cup.
"Ooh, yes, please." She hummed in delight as she eyed the food spread out in front of us. "What should I eat?"
"What do you usually have for breakfast?"
"An egg white omelet with a side of spinach."
Next to her, Ramon snorted disapprovingly. "No wonder you look as if a stiff breeze could knock you over. You need to put some meat on those bones, girl."
Having thought the same, I was glad Ramon said it. She'd have bristled if I'd mentioned she was too skinny, but from the older man, she accepted the comment with a smile.
"I'm notthatthin," Juliet said, nudging Ramon playfully. "But since you're worried about me, I think I'll try a bit of everything today."
True to her word, she piled her plate high and dug in. I helped myself to some pancakes with a side of bacon and drizzled some maple syrup over them.
"I must ask Eileen for the recipe for these eggs," Juliet said as she scooped up another forkful. "There's a richness in hers that mine doesn't have, and I've never thought to add chorizo."
"You cook?" I didn't know why that surprised me. Although I had plenty of staff to do my bidding, I enjoyed dabbling in the kitchen myself.
"Yes, but I'm not so good with spices. I never get the balance right. French classics are more my thing, and Italian dishes. I'm also a fan of some British food. I make a mean Sunday roast."
"Maybe I will marry you." I kept my tone casual but watched her reaction carefully. The color that rose in her cheeks, the quick glance around the table told me I'd unsettled her. She was pretty when she blushed. Turning to Ramon, she drew him into conversation once more.
By the time we'd finished eating, Juliet had made firm friends with half my crew. Her social skills among the elite were undeniable, but I hadn't expected her to get on so well with the men and women who worked for me. She listened to their stories and laughed heartily at their jokes. All the while, she shoveled food into her mouth like she hadn't eaten in a week. Given how the dress molded to her slender body, perhaps she had been starving herself to get into it. That was something I intended to address. I wouldn't let her put her health at risk for the sake of fashion.
The thought pulled me up short. She wasn't my concern. Not yet.
