Chapter 20
CHAPTER TWENTY
Beckett
I don’t have to be a lip reader to know she’s toasting “to us.” As if there is an us or ever will be.
This past week she’s been testing my limited patience beyond the breaking point.
She undermines my authority every step of the way. “Fine, you do it that way but I’m doing it my way.”
Questions every single little decision I make for the winery and vineyard activities. “I’m not sold on those new labels you ordered for the cabernet sauvignon. I think we should stick to the original branding.”
Blatantly refuses to download the software app onto her phone, thereby leaving the data entry up to me or whoever else is willing to pick up the slack. Namely, Hunter. Which means he has to follow her around to gather the information, completely derailing my attempts to streamline and simplify the entire process.
The kicker was when she told me that technology won’t make me happy.
Grayson and I are trying to keep things afloat without sinking the fucking ship while also dealing with the expectations of our investors.
So the last thing I need on my already full plate is Daisy Larsson’s unwelcome observations on something she knows absolutely nothing about.
But does that ever stop her from sticking her nose in where it doesn’t belong? If only. She has an opinion on every fucking thing I say or do.
And as bad luck would have it, I saw her as soon as she entered the bar in a tiny black skirt with a silky black camisole and black combat boots.
Hair loose, blonde waves falling down her back. Eye makeup winged like a sexy cat.
Caiden smirked and pointed her out to Ledger who I haven’t seen in years. So you would think we’d have better things to discuss than Daisy Larsson. But apparently not.
Ledger gathers our empties and sets two more beers on the bar. “So you and Daisy, huh?”
I shoot Caiden a look. He holds up his hands. “Hey, man, I know what I saw and I know what I heard. It’s all going down at Casa Heyward.”
“Nothing’s going on with me and Daisy. We’re just living together and trying to stay out of each other’s way.”
“And you’re doing a damn fine job of it,” Caiden says with a snort. “So why is she here tonight? Is she stalking you or did you invite her?”
I shake my head no.
We’re together 24/7 and neither of us is looking to spend any more time together. That much I know for certain.
Once again, my gaze involuntarily drifts to Daisy when I should be looking at anything but her.
“He’s harmless,” Ledger says as if I asked. I’m assuming he’s talking about the shaggy-haired guy Daisy is talking to. He looks like a surfer dude who spends all day getting stoned and playing video games in his parents’ basement. “Not the sharpest knife in the drawer. But he’s a good guy.”
“What a relief,” I comment dryly.
I can tell she’s not interested in him. Her smile is too polite. He’s probably a nice guy like Hunter, which means he’ll be relegated to the friend zone where he’ll live for the rest of eternity.
Daisy is either completely oblivious to the way Hunter looks at her or she notices and doesn’t want to lead him on. Either way, she’s doing him a big favor. Daisy would eat him for breakfast, and then he’d be moping around like a lovesick puppy.
She needs someone who challenges her. Not a yes man who would walk over hot coals if she asked him to.
And why the fuck am I sitting in a bar with my friends, watching her from afar and thinking about what kind of guy she needs?
I avert my gaze and take a pull of my beer, banishing all thoughts of her from my head.
“Your old man was a sneaky bastard,” Ledger says with a chuckle.
Caiden nods in agreement. “The way he set this up you’re almost bound to be sharing a bed.”
“Not happening.”
“Fifty bucks says you and Daisy have sex before this is over,” Caiden says.
Ledger looks down the bar at Daisy, assessing his odds. “Let’s make it a hundred.”
“You’re both assholes,” I mutter.
Caiden grins. “Yep. Feels just like old times.”
“This calls for shots,” Ledger says, lining up three shot glasses on the bar and filling them to the brim.
“Here’s to the Niners winning the Super Bowl,” I say, a deliberate attempt to steer the conversation away from Daisy.
“Hell, yeah,” Caiden says, rubbing his hands together. “This is going to be their year.”
The three of us have been diehard fans since grade school so the conversation moves on to football and to other things that are not Daisy-related.
A few more beers later, after we’ve caught up on the past two decades and taken a few trips down memory lane, it feels like no time has passed at all.
By eleven o’clock, the bar is packed and the party's just getting started, but I’ve had enough beers and shots for one night so I sink the eight ball and hang up my cue stick.
Doesn’t matter that it’s the weekend. Life on a vineyard starts early, and now that I’m fully committed to seeing it through, I have a vested interest in the outcome.
I turn to Caiden. “I’m heading out.”
He bumps his fist against mine. “See you Monday morning.”
After ordering an Uber, I pocket my phone and scan the bar for Daisy. We’re both going to the same place so the least I can do is offer her a ride. But I only see Callie. No Daisy.
I head down the narrow hallway to the restrooms just as she steps out of the ladies’ room and a guy grabs her arm. “I’ve been watching you all night,” he says.
“That’s not creepy,” she says, trying to yank her arm away. “Get off me.”
“Come on, babe.” He pushes her against the wall and cages her in his arms, getting close. Too fucking close. He’s going to wish like hell he listened to her. “Don’t be like that.” He hooks his finger under the strap of her camisole and slides it up and down and I see fucking red. “I just wanted to get to know?—"
Before he has a chance to finish his sentence, I charge forward on a roar and rip him away from her.
Grabbing him by the shoulder, I spin him around and slam him against the opposite wall. “Keep your fucking hands off her,” I growl.
“Who the fuck are you?”
I grab him by the throat and get right in his face. “The guy who’s going to make you regret that you ever laid a hand on her. She said no, asshole. But you didn’t fucking listen, did you?”
His eyes dart to the right. “Don’t look at her.” I grab his jaw and jerk his head toward me. “Don’t even fucking breathe in her direction.”
He tries but fails to shove me away and cocks his fist as if he’s going to punch me.
Good try, asshole.
Before he gets the chance, I spin him around and get him into a headlock. Douchebag obviously hasn’t learned his lesson yet.
“Beckett! Let him go.” Daisy grabs my arm and tugs on it. “It’s fine. Just let him go.”
It’s not fine. There is nothing even remotely fine about any of this.
I march him down the hallway, keeping a tight grip on him while he tries in vain to break free.
“You’re insane. Let me go, man. You heard her. I didn’t do nothing.”
My grip tightens. “You want me to let you go? Ironic, isn’t it? She wanted you to let her go too.”
Fucker. I kick the exit door open, toss him out the door and give him a shove. “There. I let you go.”
He stumbles and crashes into a dumpster then gets to his feet, weaving. “Fuck you, man,” he sputters.
I slam the door shut and turn to Daisy, who’s staring at me like she’s never seen me before.
Her mouth opens then shuts. Opens and shuts again. She blinks up at me. “What… Why…”
“Rendered you speechless. That’s a first.” I look her up and down, searching for any signs of damage. “Are you okay?”
Daisy nods, still staring at me. “Yeah, I’m fine.” She pushes a stray lock of hair off her face with a shaky hand that belies her words, and my blood pressure spikes through the roof.
I take a few deep breaths through my nose to calm down. “Are you ready to go? The Uber is waiting.”
She swallows. Nods mutely.
So I take her hand and lead her through the bar, on a mission to get the hell out of here before I’m tempted to go back and beat the shit out of that douche for grabbing her like that.