Something in the Wine Read Free

come to one of my parties is harder than getting an audience with the pope.”
    Good for her. Drew bit back a grin.
    “And you,” Jake slapped her shoulder, “never had the time in all these years to meet my folks during spring break.”
    Drew hit him back, but her slap bounced off the wiry muscles he had developed as a climber. “Yeah, because I had to help in the vineyard while you, the slacker, partied the whole time.”
    “Okay, okay, I’ll introduce you. I saw her talking to Rob earlier, so she has to be around here somewhere.” Jake turned and looked around, then pivoted to face Drew. “But remember: no flirting. She’s straight.”
    Drew lifted her hands. “I’m not interested in your baby sister. In fact, I just saw a woman at the buffet. For some reason, she really caught my attention. I think she’s working for the catering service.”
    “The brunette with the killer legs?”
    “No. This one is a blonde, and if her legs kill you, it’s probably because she’s a bit clumsy.” At the memory of the woman almost dropping the tray of glasses a second time, Drew had to smile.
    A frown carved a deep line between Jake’s brows. “I don’t think I hired a blonde.”
    “Yes, you did. She knows you by name.”
    “The only clumsy blonde I know at this party is ...” Jake paused and laughed. “Is she tall, green-eyed, and serious as a heart attack?”
    Drew suppressed the urge to defend her clumsy damsel. “Sounds about right.” Belatedly, she realized she had never found out the woman’s name.
    “Ah, that blonde.”
    “So you do know her?” Drew asked. “Could you introduce us?”
    “Sure, no problem.” A sound almost like a giggle escaped Jake’s mouth.
    Someone should tell him that straight men don’t giggle. But for now, Drew was more interested in finding out more about the woman. “Do you know if she’s family?”
    The giggles turned into a belly laugh. Jake slapped his thighs, nearly spilling his drink all over himself. “Oh, yeah. She’s family.”
    “Really? She is?” When the woman hadn’t flirted back and hadn’t even seemed to notice her interest, she had given up hope. “Are you sure?”
    “One hundred percent,” Jake said, still grinning madly.
    “And she’s single?”
    Jake rolled his eyes. “Has been for ages.”
    Drew couldn’t believe her good fortune. “Sounds like you’ve known her for a long time.”
    “Yeah, you could say that.” Jake turned. “Wait here. I’ll go get her.”
    * * *
    Annie carefully weaved around the busy catering staff in the kitchen to avoid spilling wine on anyone else. Once had been embarrassing enough. Make that almost twice. She breathed a sigh of relief when she set down the tray on the kitchen counter. Okay, get out of here before Jake—
    “There you are!” Jake’s voice wrecked her escape plan. When she turned, her brother squinted up at her, looking annoyed—as always—that his younger sister had outgrown him. “Great party, isn’t it? I bet you’re glad you came.”
    Glad? Annie pierced him with a disbelieving stare. Glad?
    “What are you doing in here?” He pointed at the tray. “I hired a catering service to take care of that.”
    Annie glared at him. “You called me over for help, so that’s what I’m doing,” she said in the coldest, most controlled tone she was capable of mustering. “If you ever pull a stunt like that again, I’ll—”
    “Oh, come on. Don’t sulk. Lighten up. Would you have come over if I said we’re having a party?”
    “No,” Annie said, “I—”
    “See?” Jake wrapped one arm around her. “You would have missed out on all the fun.”
    Annie resisted the urge to shove him away. “Our ideas of fun couldn’t be more different, and you know it. If I’d wanted to come to your stupid party, I would have said yes when you asked me. You scared me half to death with your call, you jerk!”
    “It’s not a stupid party,” Jake said.
    God. Annie wanted to hit him. Discussions