Chapter 7 Grace Newman

Did They Do It On My Desk

Three and a Half Months Before the Wedding

It's another Saturday at the winery, which is our busiest day of the week, so I head to the Grand Hall first thing in the morning. The cleaning crew and Heidi are there making sure everything is in tip-top shape for today's wedding.

When I head toward the office, Amelia is in the tasting room chatting with Nana, and she seems to be in fine spirits, which makes me think Spencer didn't make his confession to her yet.

I unlock my office door, and something in here feels…off. It's a weird vibe or something.

And my laptop isn't where I left it. I always keep it in the exact same spot on my desk, but it's a few inches to the right. I notice it when I sit down to start typing and my fingers are on all the wrong keys.

I'm sure I just shifted it a little bit when I left yesterday, though I'm pretty careful not to do that.

I also notice a few other strange things. They're small things nobody else would ever notice, but this is my office. It's my home, really. And when things are off, I know .

My pencil cup is missing a pencil. The pad of paper I keep at exactly the right place to take notes is on the left side of my desk. I'm right-handed.

Someone was in here, and I intend to find out who…and why.

I have records in here for the employees who work in the tasting room and the Grand Hall, and while I keep them locked up, if someone wanted to get in badly enough, they'd be able to.

But why would someone want to see the employee records? Why would someone come in here at all?

It doesn't make any sense.

My dad installed a security system a few years ago, and he trained me on how to navigate through the footage. I left last night after wine and flatbread with Spencer a little after eight o'clock.

I pull up the footage from just outside my office to see who might've come in after eight.

There's nothing.

I fast forward to nine.

Ten.

Still nothing.

But just after midnight, I see it.

Amelia with her arm hooked through Drew's as she walks toward my office. He stops her partway to my office and pushes her up against the wall. His mouth crashes down to hers.

Amelia and Drew ?

What in the hell am I looking at right now?

I gasp as I keep watching. They share a steamy, passionate kiss against the wall, and then he pushes her into my door.

Oh, God.

Did they come in here and do it on my desk?

Amelia uses her keys to unlock my door, and sure enough, they come in here. I don't have a camera in here. She doesn't have one in her office, either.

But she was in here, maybe having sex right here.

I reach into my bottom desk drawer and pull out the Clorox wipes. It's all I can think to do in the moment as my chest aches .

Why would she do this to Spencer?

He's such a good, kind person. He's smart and sensitive. He's strong and athletic. He's logical and responsible. He deserves better.

If I run to him with this news, it'll be a betrayal to my family.

Why is she with Spencer if she'd rather be with Drew? What am I supposed to do with this information?

Drew is…well, he's Drew. He lives here at the vineyard in the second bungalow—next door to Amelia in the first—while I'm down in number five. He's good at his job, and he's cute enough, I guess, but he isn't personable the way Spencer is. He doesn't go out of his way to chat with our guests in the tasting room even though he's well-versed in everything that happens here at the vineyard.

And now he's sleeping with my sister. Or, at the very least, he's kissing her and humping her against my office door.

My stomach turns over.

I have to deal with today's wedding. I don't have time to confront my sister with this information, and I'm not entirely sure I want to. I'm not sure I want to know why she's doing this.

What will she think when Spencer admits to her that he was released?

He's still got money. He has a business degree, and from what I know about him, he's incredibly smart with money.

He needs to know what she's doing, but I intend to figure out why she's doing it first.

With that in mind, I take care of my tasks at the Grand Hall, and then I head toward the production facility where I know I'll find my dad.

I walk into his office and close the door.

"Closing the door? Must be serious," he says.

"I think we should tighten up security around here a bit. I think we need cameras in each of the offices in the mansion."

His brows crinkle. "May I ask why?"

"I just feel like it's an added measure of security to have some cameras around. "

He nods. "You got it, kiddo. I'll have them installed Monday, say…five a.m.? Nobody should be around yet, so nobody will have to know."

"You know when I say you're the best, I mean it, right?"

"Hey, Gracie. If you ask me for something, I trust that you have all the right intentions in mind."

"I love you, Daddy." I walk around the desk, and he stands to give me a hug.

"I love you, too, Gigi," he says, using the nickname he gave me when I was just a kid as he pulls me into his arms. It started as G since that's the first letter of my first name and evolved into Gigi, and it's even sometimes Gigi-bear or Gigi-bug.

And Gigi-bear is ready to figure out what the hell is going on.