Drunk on Love(31)

“Everyone up here knows each other, you know that,” she said, a little defensively.

He just looked at her.

“Okay, fine, yes, I should have told you I actually know her, but I didn’t want you to be self-conscious or think I was going to say something to her. We’re not, like, friends or anything, but . . . friendly acquaintances, let’s say.”

“Friendly acquaintances who have breakfast together?”

“It’s a work breakfast! She wants to get some advice for that anniversary party Noble is going to have, get some event planning tips, that’s all.” Avery grinned again. “It’s too bad I don’t know Sydney well enough to bond with her over how both awkward and hilarious it was to be with two people who desperately want each other and are also desperately trying to pretend they don’t.”

Luke’s head shot up.

“What do you mean, ‘two people’?”

The waiter came over just then to take their drink order, while Luke stared at Avery. She glanced at the menu like she hadn’t just said something impossible to him.

“I’ll have the Brown Sauvignon Blanc. Luke?”

He very much did not want to make any decision about wine right now.

“Yeah, sure. Me, too.”

As soon as the waiter walked away, he asked again.

“What do you mean, ‘two people’?”

Avery rolled her eyes at him.

“Oh please, you’re not going to try to pretend that you aren’t still completely hot for Margot, are you? That was obvious to everyone in the restaurant.”

He didn’t think it had been that obvious, but he’d let it slide for the moment.

“No, I’m not saying that. What I’m saying is that it’s obvious to me that she doesn’t feel the same way.”

Avery laughed. He couldn’t believe she was laughing at him now. Actually, no, of course he could believe it.

“You are one of the smartest people—if not the smartest—I know, and yet you sit here and say something so silly to me? And with a straight face? Come on.” She took her glass of wine from the server while Luke stared at her. “That breakfast is going to be very awkward now, after Margot saw us on what very much looks like a date tonight.”

Luke looked over at Margot’s table. Neither she nor Sydney seemed to be interested in anything other than their own conversation.

“We clearly aren’t on a date, but Margot wouldn’t care about that. Margot could not care less about me, other than my value to Noble Family Vineyards. I mean sure, she likes me fine, but it’s all business with her. Other than a few tiny things—which are clearly just her being paranoid that someone will find out, or feeling awkward about this whole situation—she treats me like I’m any employee.”

Luke looked again. Margot was laughing, her head thrown back. He could hear her laugh even over the music in the restaurant and the din of all of the voices.

Avery narrowed her eyes at him.

“Okay, first of all, aren’t we supposed to be pretending that we’re dating?”

Right. He’d forgotten about that.

“Only my mom would believe that the two of us were dating,” he said.

Margot couldn’t have thought that. Could she?

“No one who knew us—other than your mom—would think that, but Margot doesn’t know us. And please, that woman so has the hots for you. I saw the way she looked at me, right at first, before she recognized me. That was not an Oh, my new employee is here, that’s nice look. That was a I can’t believe this motherfucker is on a date with this bitch look. Don’t get me wrong, I respect that. And then she was so extra gracious to you. Obviously, it’s because she can’t let you know how she wishes she was at this table with you right now, but I promise you, that’s exactly what she wishes.”

Luke dropped the menu that he’d been gripping since they sat down and stared at Avery. Then he shook his head.

“I know you’re just saying that to make me feel better, but please don’t bullshit me here,” he said.

Avery laughed at him.

“Oh God, you have it bad, don’t you? But I’m not bullshitting you.” She looked around, and then lowered her voice. “Margot Noble does not have normal boss-employee feelings for you, that much was very clear to me.”

Could Avery be right? Luke thought about the night before in the car, their warm, friendly conversation. Their completely-devoid-of-flirting conversation. There had been that moment at the beginning, when they’d gotten in the car, sure, but that had just been a shared joke. After that, there had been no undercurrents, no significant eye contact, not even when they’d pulled up in front of his building, the one she’d walked into with him almost exactly a week before.

He shook his head.

“You’re wrong. She doesn’t act like that to me at all. She’s just friendly, professional, like she was tonight. There’s never any sign from her that anything ever happened between us.”

Or could ever in the future. Unfortunately.

“Luke. You were too busy being in shock that she was right there in front of you to see the way she looked at us when she noticed us. She definitely thinks we’re on a date, and she’s definitely pissed about it.” Avery raised an eyebrow at him. “Do you want her to keep thinking that? I’ll pretend for Margot, as well as your mom, if you want.”