“I want to throw a bottle at her head,” Erin muttered as they listened to Allison spout off about wine as if she had any knowledge at all. Which, Brenna knew, she didn’t.
Honor nodded. “I want to pour that rosé on top of her perfect stupid head before you bean her with the bottle.”
Brenna’s lips twitched. “I love you both.”
They all sat, noshed and sipped. “Don’t pay her any attention, Bren,” Erin said. “As you can see, everyone’s enjoying the tasting and no one at all is complaining about the wine. In fact, several are having more glasses and I hear lots of oohs and ahhs.”
Honor nodded. “Because the wine is excellent, as we all know. You chose very well.”
Leave it to her sisters to pump her up when she needed it. “Thanks.”
“It’s good wine, Brenna,” Finn said. “Even I like it and I’m a whiskey man.”
Brenna looked over at him. “You have a flask stashed somewhere nearby, though, don’t you?”
He shook his head. “On my best behavior tonight. Not a flask in sight.”
“Shocking.”
“Your whiskey is very good, Finn,” Erin said. “I noticed you bottled some for Jason.”
Jason gave Finn a knowing grin. “It’s good stuff. You should sell it.”
“Red Moss Whiskey?” Erin asked.
Finn laughed. “Not a chance. I’m happy enough just playing with it.”
Brenna was actually relieved to hear that Finn wasn’t interested in bottling and selling his whiskey. Not that she thought he was competition to the winery. Whiskey and wine were two different alcohols entirely. But the winery and the wedding venue had a certain ambience that fit.
Whiskey, on the other hand? Did not fit with their brand.
“You don’t have an appreciation for whiskey?” he asked, the warmth of his breath teasing her ear.
“I like whiskey just fine. I like wine better.”
“That’s because you haven’t tasted excellent Irish whiskey.”
She shook her head. “I’ve tasted all types of alcohol, including fine Irish whiskey, not like the stuff you brew in that homemade still you’ve got going.”
He straightened. “Now you’ve gone and insulted me.”
She laughed. “It’s impossible to insult you.”
“I’d like to propose a toast,” Esther’s father said, diverting their attention. “To Esther and Brock, two people who are more right for each other than any couple I’ve ever known. With the exception of my lovely Paula and myself, of course.”
He raised his glass. “To my beautiful daughter and the man she loves.”
Everyone raised their glasses and cheered. Esther and Brock kissed. Brenna was so happy for her friend. Esther had had a miserable boyfriend in high school who hadn’t appreciated her spunky sense of humor and intelligence. Brenna and Esther had gone to college together, and Esther had gone through a string of short, failed romances until she’d finally figured out that boys were a waste of time and focused on her studies. Now she was an amazing software developer and Brock was a hot rodeo cowboy and the best thing that had ever happened to her.
“I’d like to toast my lovely friend Esther as well,” Allison said.
Brenna resisted the urge to curl her lip into a snarl. But since Allison was the matron of honor, she supposed it was her right.
“We’ve been friends since high school, and Esther always did have the best taste. In clothes, in music and obviously in men. Brock, you are one lucky man. To Esther and Brock.”
They toasted and the couple kissed again.
As toasts went, it hadn’t sucked. Score one for Allison.
“One more toast,” Allison said.
Brenna thought she might groan.
“As we’ve discovered tonight, another of our friends is recently engaged.”
Oh, shit.
Allison looked right at her as she lifted her glass. “I’m so happy that you’ve finally found someone, Brenna. I hated to think of you wasting away out here, all alone.”
“Bitch,” Erin whispered to her lap.
“I swear I’m going to poison her food,” Honor said.
Brenna just plastered on a smile. Finn grasped her hand, which was now sweaty.
“To Brenna and Finn.”
Brenna raised her glass and shot visual daggers at her nemesis while everyone cheered.
“Kiss, kiss, kiss,” everyone yelled.
This night could not get worse. The last thing she wanted to do was kiss Finn in front of everyone. She’d never kissed him before. They’d all know their engagement was fake.
Plus, you want to be alone when you kiss him.
She pushed that thought aside and looked over at Finn, who gave her an easy smile, which meant it was up to her to decide how she was going to continue this charade.
The charade she’d invented. She was going to have to go for it. In front of all of these people.
I’ll get you for this, Allison.
She gave Finn a slight nod.
He slid his hand along the side of her neck. That mere touch made her nerve endings go haywire as their lips met.
And then fireworks went off as he moved his mouth over hers. Soft, gentle, exploratory, but with intent.
Damn.
It was a brief kiss, but oh, that kiss held promise. When he pulled back, she saw the barely banked heat in his eyes.
She wanted more.
CHAPTER
• • • • • •
nine
FINN WENT TO work on Friday, same as always. Except that kiss with Brenna lingered in his mind all day.
It had been just like he’d expected. Soft, her lips sweet and plush, making him want more. Only they’d been surrounded by a crowd of people, so he could just have a taste of her. And when he’d pulled back he’d seen the surprise in her eyes, the look that told him she’d wanted him to continue.
Which he hadn’t been able to do because, again, people.
All those people. And he’d have no alone time with her for the next few days, either, because of the wedding.
He’d figure it out.
Damn. He dusted his hands off and pulled up his water jug, taking several swallows, then swiped the sweat from his brow. He pulled his phone out of his back pocket to check the time.