Page 10

Hannah

Leo has no idea how badly I need someplace else to live.

Not only is living with my brother not ideal, it’s also awkward as fuck knowing he and Tessa are obviously having sex while I’m living here.

And how the hell am I supposed to hook up with Leo while living with my brother?

Dylan will be all over me, wondering what I’m doing, where I’m going, and if I stay overnight, he will grill me with questions.

It’s time to go, even if it has only been a couple of weeks. I wonder how quickly I can find a place, move in and then hook up with Leo? If the way my body is responding to his is any indication, I have about two hours before I self-combust.

I’m still lying in bed, staring up at the ceiling, listening to Dylan and Tessa giggling romantically in the kitchen, making me want to puke.

They’re so perfect and they’re about to start their own little family being all nauseatingly adorable.

And here I am, sleeping in their extra bedroom, dreaming about my boss and wondering if my brother has any of the sex toys he invented laying around.

Ewww, I can’t even believe I just thought about my brother and sex toys in the same thought. I get that he literally invented a sex toy, but still.

I really need to get the hell out of here.

I roll out of bed, throwing on a sweatshirt and a pair of shorts, I plod out to the kitchen, only to find Dylan and Tessa making out against the island.

I clear my throat and while Tessa looks over at me, Dylan doesn’t seem to care, still sucking at Tessa’s neck.

“I’m going apartment hunting today,” I announce, slipping past the love birds to grab a cup of coffee. “And hopefully moving out today too.”

Dylan scoffs, letting out a half laugh, half gasp. “Good luck with that. You could always move back in with Mom and Dad,” he now adds, smirking at me.

“Watch it,” I quip back, pointing a finger at him. “Now you’re just being an ass. You know I can’t move back in with them. Mom will ask me when I’m getting married a million times and Dad will menacingly glare at any guy I do bring home.”

“Is there a guy you are planning to bring home?” Dylan asks, and I swear if Tessa told him I’ve been making out with Leo, I’m going to kill her.

“No. I just got a new job. The last thing I need is the drama of a relationship or dating. It’s just me and my pocket rocket,” I say, knowing it will make Dylan squirm.

The one perk about living here is being able to make him equally uncomfortable in his own home.

But it’s also to deflect from the idea that he might know about Leo.

“Hannah!” he yells out, covering his ears dramatically. “No one wants to hear their sister talk about sex toys.”

“And no one wants their brother to invent one,” I jab back, cocking my head to the side and narrowing my eyes at him.

“Touché, you two,” Tessa chimes in, holding up a hand to indicate we need to shut up. “How about I join you on your apartment hunt?” And her suggestion couldn’t have come at a more perfect time because I was just about to ask her what she was doing today.

“That sounds perfect. I was thinking we could look in downtown Napa and the smaller areas closer to Somerville’s. Not that the drive from Napa is that far. I scheduled a few showings starting in an hour.”

“I’m going to head into work,” Dylan now says.

“You two have fun, and good luck finding that instant apartment.” He’s always giving me shit, but I have to admit, I enjoy our banter.

It keeps things between us fun. I don’t know many people who are as close with their siblings as Dylan and I are.

“Meet me for dinner at Apple Jacks tonight?” Dylan adds, kissing Tessa on his way out the door.

“You talking to me or Tessa?” I ask, knowing it’s just going to make him roll his eyes.

“Not you.”

An hour later Tessa and I are in my car driving over to an apartment in downtown Napa that is situated above a restaurant, and the second we walk in, it’s a hard pass for me.

I can hear every voice, every single pan and dish clanging, and the last thing I want after working in a kitchen all day, is to hear kitchen noises where I live.

I can tell by the look on Tessa’s face that she’s in agreement and we immediately move on.

Tessa and I have gotten closer since she and Dylan made it official.

It’s been really nice to reconnect with her after losing touch when we graduated from high school.

We weren’t super close back then, but we definitely hung out.

Now it’s different, with her making me an aunt for the first time and living with them, our friendship has grown.

“Next one?” she says, looking down at her phone at the listing I sent her. “Oh, you’re going to want to skip this next one, too,” she says, woefully, flashing me a picture of the building, and again, it’s above a restaurant.

“Oh my god, are all the apartments in downtown Napa above restaurants. No chef in their right mind would live in one of these,” I wail, like everyone searching for an apartment is a chef.

My place in San Fran was small, but in a gorgeous historic Victorian that was quaint and quiet, and after a hard day of working for that asshole Langston, it was the perfect place to relax. Now I’m not dealing with an asshole boss any longer, but I’d still like a place that I can wind down in.

“Maybe we should head away from Napa and out into the country a little farther,” Tessa suggests. “It will put you a little farther away from Dylan and me, but I think you’re looking for some peace and quiet.”

It’s like she can read my thoughts and I nod in agreement. After working with a bunch of different clients through her job, she makes a few calls and sets us up with some places that sound more my speed.

I think I was just so eager to get out of Dylan’s place that I didn’t think about what I actually wanted. What I don’t want is crowds of people, clanging pots and city living. Leaving San Fran has given me an opportunity to start over and find a place that’s bigger and more secluded.

Tessa gives me directions, telling me when to turn and I can’t help but feel like we’re heading straight to Somerville’s. And when she begins to giggle a little, I know something is up.

“What’s the deal?” I ask, turning to look at her as I pull around the back side of the Somerville property.

It’s an area that I’ve only been to once before when Leo took me on a tour.

It was quick and he basically said the only reason I would need to be back here would be for oversized deliveries, and I more than likely wouldn’t need to deal with that.

Although, with the catering business slowly getting off the ground, I’m thinking those types of deliveries will start popping up.

“What is this?” I ask, looking around, basically coming up to a gravel parking lot and a small area to turn around. “You want me to pitch a tent out here? Use one of those composting toilets? I think you know me better than that,” I tease.

“Just wait. I think this is exactly what you’re looking for,” Tessa says, climbing out of the car and signaling for me to follow her.

We walk down a small gravel path and suddenly a little cottage appears. It’s quaint and adorable, like something out of a Hallmark Christmas movie. I have to control my urge to squeal out loud.

“Okay, so I’ve been working on this little project with Jack and Lauren. That was who I called just a bit ago, and while they are thinking the cottages will eventually be used for weddings and guests visiting the property, they’d be happy to rent this little gem to you.”

“What? Seriously?” I haven’t even been inside yet, but it’s perfect.

It’s walking distance to work, but away from the hustle and bustle of the winery.

The Apple Jacks property is off to the left, separated by the orchard and Somerville’s in the opposite direction.

It’s literally in the middle of nowhere but surrounded by everything.

“I don’t think I could ask them to live here.

This is something they’re doing to try to draw more people—”

Tessa cuts me off. “First of all, you’d be paying them, so it’s a good thing for them. Second, it’s at least two years from being finished. This would give them an opportunity to test it out, have someone live here and see if it works.”

“I had no idea this cute little place was even back here,” I tell Tessa, opening the front door that she just unlocked. I gasp out loud. If I thought it was cute from the outside, the inside is unreal. If I end up living here, it would be like being on a vacation every time I come home from work.

“It wasn’t back here just a few weeks ago.

Well, it was, but it was an old shed that was used to store tractors and equipment.

I had some of my guys come back here and turn it into this.

” She extends her arms out in front of her, indicating the room around us.

“Lauren and Jack had maintained the shed really well, so all I really had to do was add some walls, plumbing, a foundation, electricity…” Tessa trails off, giggling a little.

“Okay, so I guess it was a little more detailed than I remember, but it’s yours if you want it. ”

“If I want it? Yes, I want it.” I don’t even bother to ask how much per month, and again my impulsivity is back.

Accepting a job without knowing the salary? Check.

Kissing my boss without worrying about the repercussions? Check.

Choosing a place to live without knowing the rent? Check.

“One thing though,” Tessa says, holding up her finger and I knew there was a catch.

“What?”

“There’s going to be construction going on back here after the baby is born and I return to work. It won’t be starting for a while, but I just thought I would give you a heads up.”

“Who cares. If this means I can move in tomorrow and prove Dylan wrong, then I’m in.”

Tessa laughs, shaking her head at the sibling rivalry between Dylan and me as she says, “Don’t tell Dylan I helped you win this one, got it?”

“As long as you keep your mouth shut about my make out sessions with Leo,” I chirp back.

“Make out sessions? That sounds like more than just a kiss, Hannah,” Tessa now says, eyeing me with far too much curiosity.

“Okay, okay, things got a little heated the other day.”

“Like how heated?”

“Like we were making out in the kitchen and had we not been at work, we would’ve taken off our pants,” I say, not even trying to censor it.

Why should I at this point? She knows I kissed him, and she knows I’m kind of obsessed with him.

Who wouldn’t be? He looks like he belongs on a TV show that would be titled Hottest Chef in America.

“Yeah, that’s heated,” she says, shrugging. “Good luck keeping it a secret. This place loves gossip, and better yet, it’s hard to hide from Oscar and Olivia.”

“Who are Oscar and Olivia?” I ask, feeling a little clueless.

“Oh, you’ll meet them soon enough,” she says, not elaborating. “Why don’t we go find Lauren and get this finalized,” Tessa now says, changing the subject, leaving me wondering just who Oscar and Olivia are and why they would have anything to do with Leo and me making out.

We find Lauren in her office and as soon as she sees me, she jumps up, squealing with delight. “So, do you love it?” she asks.

“Um, of course,” I reply. “Who wouldn’t love it?

I’m just so grateful. I have a job here that I love and now you’ve saved me from having to live with my brother.

It couldn’t get any better.” I’m rambling, and I know it could get better, like maybe having Leo naked in my new bedroom would be good. But beggars can’t be choosers.

“So Jack and I were thinking five hundred a month,” Lauren says and my mouth falls open.

She really can’t be serious. She already pays me way more than I thought possible to work here, and now she’s offering me a place to live at a rent price that would’ve been low in the nineties.

“Too much?” she now asks, her teeth clenched as if she’s embarrassed herself.

“Oh my god, no. That’s really low. You sure you don’t want to up it?” I reply, stupidly, realizing I should just take the offer and run with it.

“We know it’s not really an ideal place for someone to live, so we decided to keep the rent low.

And with the construction coming in six months or so, you might be re-thinking your choice,” Lauren jokes.

“The good news is, that while it’s pretty secluded, Tommy’s house is a quick drive up the gravel road, and mine and Jack’s house is up front.

And you’ll have Leo close by,” Lauren adds, and I swear I don’t mean for it to come out as loudly as it does.

“Leo? What?” I spit out and Tessa laughs immediately, her hand moving to cover her mouth.

“Yes, he lives above the catering kitchen. The barn we converted,” Lauren clarifies, and holy shit, that boy has some self-control because we could’ve been upstairs in his house within seconds.

“Is that okay? I know he’s your boss, but he’s really great and if you need anything, he’ll jump to help you. ”

I nod, unsure of what to say, but knowing if I open my mouth, I’m sure to say something stupid.

“You can move in whenever you want, and Jack and I said we don’t need a formal lease unless you want one.

You can pay us the first of the month and let us know if you need anything,” Lauren continues and I’m not sure what is more overwhelming, finding a place on a whim or knowing Leo is my closest neighbor.

Again, I nod, agreeing to whatever because all I can think about is making out with Leo in my new house or should I be thinking about not making out with him since I live in a house owned by the big boss?

“Welcome to the family!” Lauren squeals, pulling me in for a hug, and holy shit, my life is getting a little overwhelming.