“So seriously. Now that you’ve had a chance to sleep off the effects of our last tasting room visit, tell me about Grover and this woman. Who is she?”
“Her name is Tish. You may have met her when you’ve helped Grover at one of his parties. She’s a really nice person and pretty, too. Medium height with blond hair and huge brown eyes. It’s no wonder Grover likes her.”
Helena narrowed her eyes, something she did when she was trying to remember something. “I think I’ve met her. She was a nice person. She’s been with Grover longer than any of his other employees, hasn’t she?”
“I think so.”
“What were they doing that was lovey-dovey?”
“Oh, you know. They were all like, ‘What do you think we should get?’ and ‘You get the sandwich stuff, I’ll stay here and pick out the bread.”
Helena raised her eyebrows and screwed up her mouth. “That doesn’t sound lovey-dovey to me. That sounds like two people who want dinner.”
“It was the stuff they chose. You know, French bread, Brie. Fig jam, for God’s sake. It was like something you’d see in a Viagra ad.”
Helena laughed. “People don’t just eat those things when they want to sleep together, you know. They eat that stuff because it tastes good. And don’t forget, Grover loves gourmet stuff. It wouldn’t surprise me if Tish does, too. A caterer who’s also a foodie isn’t the weirdest thing in the world. What would be weird is if Grover was dating an employee. I just don’t see him doing that.”
“Maybe you’re right. That makes sense,” Daisy said. “I was tired and surprised to see them. I may have seen what I thought was there, not reality.”
“So my next question should be obvious: Why did you assume they were on a date? And more importantly, why does that upset you?”
Helena had gone straight to the point with ruthless speed.
“Is that why you don’t want to go out with Dave? Is it because you have a thing for Grover?” Helena asked, her eyes widening.
“No,” Daisy said, looking beyond Helena toward the winery’s gift shop. “I didn’t want to go out with Dave because I don’t want to date right now. I like my job.”
“Plenty of people who date also like their jobs. The two activities are not mutually exclusive,” Helena pointed out wryly. “And don’t think I didn’t notice that you didn’t answer my second question. Do you have a thing for Grover?”
“The thing about Grover is, he’s one of my best friends. I just feel a little bit of jealousy when I see him hanging out with other people. That’s all. Really.”
“You sound like you’re trying to convince yourself.”
“I am not!” Daisy took a long sip of her wine. She wrinkled her nose. “Too dry.”
“What if Grover had been out with another guy looking for sandwich ingredients? Would that have made you jealous?”
Again, there was that uncanny ability to cut right to the chase.
“Probably,” Daisy said, avoiding Helena’s steady gaze.
“Now you’re lying.”
“Can we just change the subject? I’m not ready for a relationship yet. Not after Dean.”
“Don’t you think Dean would want you to carry on with your life?”
Daisy nodded. “It seems disrespectful to his memory, though.”
“I’m sure he wouldn’t see it that way,” Helena replied.
“Plus there’s my job…” Daisy’s voice trailed off.
“We’ve talked about that. Not a consideration,” Helena said with a smile, waving her hand as if she were flicking away an annoying insect.
“Can we change the subject?” Daisy asked again. She sounded like a petulant child, but she didn’t care. Helena was talking about things that cut too deeply and made Daisy think too much.
For the rest of the day the women enjoyed the weather, the live music that several of the wineries offered, and conversation about everything. Everything except Grover, Tish, and Dean.