Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 77576 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 388(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77576 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 388(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
It wasn’t easy growing up in my little sister’s shadow. Gina is good at so much, and of course she totally outdoes me in the area of raw beauty. The only area I can beat her in is cooking and baking. She’s a menace in the kitchen. But damn, the girl has a genius IQ, and she’s a gifted artist.
The only thing we do have in common is our bodies. We both inherited our mother’s hourglass figure—boobs, hips, and nice legs. She got our dad’s height, though.
The only way to compete with someone like Gina is to not compete, which has served me well.
It’s why I refused to use the Steel money for my business. Because this way, I’m doing something Gina could never do. I can’t afford designer clothes, so I don’t wear them. Not that I would wear them anyway, but Gina can’t live without them, so she will never forsake her family’s money.
“Hey, Ava!” Brianna grabs me for a hug next.
She’s the youngest Steel, sibling to Dale, Donny, and Diana. Tall, dark, and gorgeous, of course, and named after Jade’s father, Brian Roberts. She’s studying agriculture at Mesa and plans to work with her dad in the orchards after she’s done with her studies—the only one of Uncle Talon’s kids to share his interest. Dale, of course, works at the winery, Donny’s an attorney like his mother, and Diana is an architect.
Aunt Marj and Aunt Melanie are in the kitchen, working with the cooks and housekeepers to get everything served.
I love that about the Steels. We may have money coming out of our butts, but not one of us is above doing manual labor. We were all taught that from the time we could walk and talk.
I look around.
Angie and Sage—Aunt Marjorie and Uncle Bryce’s twins—are talking to Dave.
Brock and Donny will show up later. The scuttlebutt is that they’re eating at the Pike celebration and will show up here—with Rory and Callie—for dessert.
Dale is here with his wife, Ashley, and his mother-in-law, Willow.
I head toward her. She and I will always have something to talk about. My hair.
“Oh, hey, Ava.” She smiles and hugs me.
It’s funny, actually. Ashley, Willow’s daughter and Dale’s wife, is not a hugger, but Willow seems to be. All the Steels are huggers. You can’t grow up in this family and be uncomfortable around hugging, though I’m probably the least comfortable of everyone.
“I didn’t know you were going to be here,” I say. “It’s great to see you. I love my hair.”
“I have to say, kudos to me,” Willow says. “I was afraid the color would fade, but it still looks pretty good.”
“Yeah, pink always seems to fade. But whatever you mixed in works really well.”
“I just used Raine’s formula, but I doctored it a little to add some shine.”
Dale grabs me into a hug. “Hey, cuz.”
Scratch that. Dale is probably the Steel who is the least comfortable hugging. But since he got married to Ashley, he’s become a lot more comfortable with it and has dragged his wife along with him.
“It’s great to see you guys,” I say.
“So what’s this we hear about you and Brendan Murphy?” Ashley asks.
“Not much, really. We’re dating, I guess.”
“That’s fantastic,” Willow says.
“Yeah, he’s great. I was a little freaked out about the age difference at first.”
“I hear you.” Ashley squeezes Dale’s arm. “But when it’s right, it’s right.”
I clear my throat. “It’s a little too soon to think about whether it’s right or not.”
“Really?” Ashley says. “It seems Dale and I were confessing our love within a week or so.”
This time Dale clears his throat. “Seems to be the Steel way.”
“It’s not my way,” I say.
Although the words kind of stick in my throat. I am feeling some amazing things for Brendan, but I can’t help thinking about that first tarot reading. Don’t get swept away. And then what did I do? I hopped right into bed with him and got swept away.
“Brendan and I are taking it slow.”
What a load of crap I just spewed. We’ve already slept together, and we’ve gone out quite a bit. But he’s certainly not in love with me, and I…
Damn.
No, I can’t be. Not yet.
“You want something to drink?” Dale asks. “I’ve got some of your dad’s finest here. He was over there tasting this morning.”
“I figured he hadn’t left the winery yet.” I can’t help laughing. “He keeps saying he’s retiring and you’re the new winemaker.”
“I don’t think he’ll ever stay completely out of the winery,” Dale says. “But he does let me run things now. Not that we ever disagree. But on the off chance that we do, it’s going to be my call from here on out.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I say dryly.
Dale wrinkles his forehead. No doubt at the tone of my voice.