He looked at me, and for a moment, I thought he could see right through me, but, ‘All right,’ he said.
I poured us each a shot, and we clinked our glasses together before knocking them back. I winced at the taste – like bitter mouthwash – but Isamu didn’t. ‘I’m just going to check with Chef that everything is on track in the kitchen,’ he said, taking out his phone.
Then, of all things, he smiled.
I blinked. The Fernet had clearly not done its job. It was supposed to be a shock to the system, a way to jump-start your brain – there was a reason shotting it was a sadistic hospo ritual – but if Isamu was smiling, there was a strong chance I was hallucinating. ‘What is it? Is Chef done?’
‘No, no, sorry.’ He put his phone back into his pocket. ‘Something else. Can you grab me a bottle of sparkling? I’ll go and top up the bridal party.’
I passed him the last bottle of the 2022 blanc de blancs from the fridge, as well as one of a lightly flavoured sparkling mineral water from the beverage carry-case I’d brought with me. ‘For the B&B fridge. The flower girls will want to be included.’
I stood there for a long time after Isamu left, hands braced on the bar, letting it take my weight. Maybe it was just my haze of tiredness, but I couldn’t remember the last time I’d seen my brother smile like that.
Gravel crunched under tires outside. I considered doing another shot of Fernet but decided against it. The last thing I wanted to do was get tipsy on top of tired and make a bad first impression on Fiona’s parents.
Fiona and a pale-looking Jonah were unloading her car when I went outside to meet them. ‘Satoshi!’ Georgia squealed.
‘Hello, Miss Georgia.’ I submitted to her hug. ‘I’ve heard a rumour that you and your sister are going to be the two most elegant young ladies at the wedding today.’
‘We are!’ Her eyes were alight, her resemblance to Fiona so clear. ‘Grandma’s going to help us get ready! My dress is green and Rosie’s dress is pink and—’
‘Georgia, leave the nice man alone,’ an older woman who must be Fiona’s mother said. Rosie was clinging to her wrist.
‘He’s not just a man, Grandma.’ Georgia rolled her eyes. ‘He’sSatoshi.’
‘Satoshi Tsukamoto.’ I pasted my customer service smile to my face as I offered her my hand to shake. ‘Welcome to Bibliophile.’
‘Soyou’rethe one responsible for the bookshop my grandchild won’t stop talking about.’
The man who was surely Fiona’s father took my outstretched hand before his wife could, nearly crushing my fingers in his sweaty palm. ‘You and I need to have a chat about the books Lex is acquiring from you.’
‘I told you, Grandpa,’ Lex said. ‘I like the books I get there.’
‘They’re not going to push you, though – not like the classics will. You’re about to start high school. You need to think about your future development. Improving your mind.’
‘Lex’s mind is perfect just the way it is,’ Fiona said. ‘Hi, Satoshi.’
She was laden down with garment bags, and my head was full of fog, but when her eyes crinkled at the corners, I had a moment of blessed relief. ‘Hi, Fiona. Let me take some of those for you.’
She surrendered some of the bags to me, and I led the family into the cellar door. ‘The groom’s party will get ready here,’ I said, opening the concertina doors to the library. ‘If you want to make yourself at home—’
‘Can I get a red wine?’ Fiona’s father plonked himself down in one of the leather armchairs.
‘Of course. What would you like?’
‘Barossa shiraz. Three ice cubes.’
It was hard to imagine a more ridiculous order than South Australian shiraz in a Tasmanian winery renowned for its pinot – like ordering a Big Mac at a French restaurant – but I nodded. ‘Jonah, let me get you a drink too. You look like you need it.’
Jonah nodded, half-sitting, half-slumping into a corner of the sofa. ‘Um – silly question – Sadieishere, right?’
‘Yes. She and Chess are getting ready in the B&B.’
‘Okay.’ He swallowed. ‘Good.’
‘I don’t want to sound unsympathetic, Jonah, but she did already marry you once.’ Fiona patted Jonah’s shoulder. ‘I’m going to take Mum and the girls down to the B&B. Back in a bit.’
‘Give me two seconds to get these drinks, and I’ll walk you down.’ If I walked them down, then Fiona and I could walk back alone, and maybe five minutes with her would make everything all right. ‘What can I get you, Lex?’
