Magical Midlife Madness (Leveling Up #1)(47)

I felt my eyebrows lowering, suddenly very uncomfortable. Maybe it was because we’d gone from that whole genuinely situation to talking about some woman knowing everything, but my mind jumped to places I did not want to go. Sexual places that were sticky and raunchy, and honestly I didn’t want to know him well enough to throw open the closet doors and see all his skeletons.

He opened the door to the tasting room and stepped aside. I looked into the cheery interior and thought about running.

“Come on, I won’t bite,” he said.

Shivers coated my body. The glimmering blue of his eyes and the definition of his muscles made another genuinely curl through my mind.

“Sure, yeah, why not,” I mumbled, skulking through the door.

A twenty-something girl with dirty blonde, lazy curls falling past her shoulders gave me a professional smile.

“Welcome,” she said. Her eyes lit up when Austin walked in behind me. “Austin Steele, hello! Finally got you in for a tasting, huh?”

If he noticed her fawning he didn’t show it. His expression was flat, his eyes hard. “I need to talk business. Just the essential information to get us set up will do.”

“Yes, sir. Of course.” With flustered movements and a flushed face (probably not unlike mine from a moment ago), she busied herself behind the bar. “I’ll just open fresh bottles, if you’ll give me a moment.”

Taking stock of the situation, I lowered an elbow to the counter. On second thought, I could hear about a couple of skeletons if it meant getting preferential treatment. Who was I to say no to fresh bottles and eager staff?

The glasses clinked as she placed them on the counter. “I’m Donna,” she said for my benefit. “Should I start from the top of the pouring list?”

I glanced at Austin. He looked at me.

“Well, do you want to try whites?” I asked him.

“I want the experience. You lead.”

“Okay, but here’s the thing.” I took in his robust chest, thick arms, trim but not small hips, and powerful thighs. “You’re a big stack of muscle. How long will it take you to feel alcohol? Because I refuse to take part in this if I’m the only ridiculous one. We’ve already been down that road. It’s an embarrassing road.”

“You weren’t ridiculous, you were hilarious.”

I raised my eyebrows, waiting.

His crooked smile made him incredibly handsome. “I can hold out longer than you, but not as long as Niamh.”

“Not as long as Niamh could be anything. She’s an endless pit.”

“I’ll keep on your level, how’s that?” Austin said, still wrestling with that smile. I wasn’t sure why he didn’t just let it gleam. He looked better for it and I liked the view. “Somehow. You don’t have much tolerance.”

Donna poured out a taste for me and a full glass for Austin.

“No tolerance?” I said, aghast. “I drank a bottle and a half of wine the other night.”

“Yes.”

I lifted my eyebrows at him. He returned the expression.

“Well. I’m not going to try and work on it. You can just forget it,” I said, turning fully toward the counter. “That way lies alcoholism.”

“Wait…is she a Jane?” Donna asked.

I threw up my hands. “What is with this town? I thought small towns were supposed to be welcoming. I am not a freaking tourist. I’m only in here because Austin asked me to come. That’s it. I have a job. Let it go, people.”

“Jess is the one that just moved into the Ivy House,” Austin explained.

Donna gave a long, drawn out, “Oh.” Clearly she’d heard of me.

“Jess, a Jane is not a tourist.” He paused while I grimaced at the taste of the wine.

“Yikes. This one is…tart,” I said. “And not in a good way.”

“You might need to let it breathe a little,” Donna said, moving that bottle to the side.

“It might be kinder just to let it die,” I murmured.

“So that we’re on equal footing.” Austin downed his glass.

“Good God, man, no! You’re not going to enjoy today if you do that.”

“I haven’t been drunk in…years.”

“Fine, but there are better ways to go about it.”

“After last night, I need to get drunk.”

I tapped an air microphone. “Is this thing on? Bud, I just said there were other ways to go about it.”

“Maybe after today I’ll like wine.”

“Oh my God, this was hopeless before it began.” I threw up my hands as Donna glided out of the room. “I don’t even care, either. Keep charming everyone, brother. I want the preferential treatment, because I’m still going to have fun.”

“So. Are you ready?” he asked, his mood sobering.

“For all of this?” I waggled my finger as he reached over the bar and then filled up his glass. “Not really.”

“Don’t worry about me—”

“Can’t help it. Chugging wine is absurd.”

Donna glided back in with a tiny smile curling her lips. She clunked down a shot glass and a bottle of Scotch. “Maybe this’ll make things a little…less terrible.” She then put a row of freshly opened wine bottles on the counter and met Austin’s eyes. “From this one…” She moved her finger down the row and stopped on the last. “To this. Let me know if you want anything. If anyone comes in, make them leave until you’re ready.” She nodded and made her way back out.