Once Upon a Wine Read Online Free Page B

everything.
    She forced herself to look away.
    Kat took a step back and let Ian and Cammie have some space. The girls, oblivious to the tension, started clamoring for attention. “Money! Give us money!”
    Ian reached into the pocket of his jeans and handed over a wad of singles without looking down. The girls squealed and jumped for joy.
    Kat talked the girls through the process of giving change for the ten-dollar bill. Cammie and Ian stood, facing each other, staring over each other’s shoulders.
    Kat cleared her throat and broke the silence. “Hey, Ian. I’m not sure if you remember me. I’m Kat, Cammie’s cous—”
    â€œI remember you.” He looked right into Cammie’s eyes.
    â€œGreat! Anyway.” Kat cleared her throat again. “Your daughters here—”
    â€œNieces,” he said, still staring at Cammie. “I don’t have kids.”
    â€œGot it. Well, your nieces here strike a hard bargain.”
    â€œEight dollars a pint is a good deal,” the older girl informed Kat with great authority.
    Ian smiled as he reached out to ruffle the girl’s hair. “Our farm uses environmentally responsible pesticides, and we give benefits to long-term employees. These go for twelve dollars a pint at the grocery store by the boardwalk.”
    Kat helped herself to another berry. “I guess it’s not pricegouging when it’s this delicious. This is seriously the best strawberry I’ve ever tasted.” She turned to Cammie. “You need to try one right now.”
    Cammie didn’t need to try one; she remembered exactly how they tasted. She kept staring at Ian, fascinated by the mix of the familiar and unfamiliar. “You sell strawberries now?”
    He paused for just a moment before answering. “I grow mostly strawberries now.”
    Then he smiled at her the same way he had on the day they first met. Her breath caught. The past two years had been so full of worry and disappointment, it was a relief to feel something else: Desire. Anticipation. Wild curiosity.
    She didn’t care that these feelings would never come to fruition. She’d gotten used to wanting things she couldn’t have.
    â€œWhat happened to the sweet corn?” she asked.
    His expression shifted ever so slightly. “You don’t like corn.”
    She had nothing to say to that.
    â€œWe still grow sweet corn; that’s the big seller at the farmers’ market on weekends. But strawberries take up less land and we make a better profit.”
    Cammie studied the lush red berries in Kat’s hand. “Are these the same strawberries we . . .”
    He gave a brusque nod.
    â€œYou
sell
them?” A note of betrayal crept into her voice. “To anyone with eight dollars?”
    He waited until she met his gaze. “It’s not like you were going to do anything else with them.”
    Before Cammie could come up with a reply, Ian continued. “If you like the strawberries, you should try the blueberries.” He reached across the counter and took her hand. “Here.” He placed a berry into her palm.
    Cammie let her hand rest in his until he finally pulled away.Then she tasted the blueberry, which was juicy and mellow, with just a trace of tartness. She didn’t have to say anything—he looked at her face and he knew.
    He finally relaxed a bit. “Yeah.”
    â€œHey, don’t be selfish.” Kat elbowed her way into the conversation. “Share a blueberry with your beloved cousin.”
    â€œHere.” Ian handed over a pint basket. “This one’s on me.”
    Kat laughed. “First one’s free?”
    Cammie could still feel the warmth of his skin against hers. They regarded one another for a moment, but before Cammie could figure out her next move, Kat started hissing in her ear. “Ask him about grapes.”
    Cammie tried to hold her smile in place. “What are you