Twice in a Blue Moon Read Online Free

room—a glass-walled display room of oaken barrels of product. He went deeper, into the darkened tasting room, turned the corner and disappeared.
    Indigo followed. She could see the sun through the windows out front, but the shaded porch left the tasting room in shadows. What wasn’t hard to see was the gray-on-black form lifting a bottle to his lips. Anger fired in her chest and shot through her so fast that white sparks drifted across her vision. She put her hands on her hips. “We have an emergency here. The entire year’s stock could be destroyed, and you’re drinking? You’ve got to be kidding me!”
    The shadow lowered his arm. “Well, I was just gettin’ some fortification, then I was going to—”
    â€œYou’re fired.” She might not have the experience to make good decisions, but at least they wouldn’t be clouded by alcohol. She’d seen enough red-veined noses and yellowed eyes to recognize chronic alcoholism when she saw it. “Get your stuff and clear off.” She strode past what she knew to be the long burled-wood bar, with racks of wine behind, to the counter with a cash register next to the door.
    â€œYou can’t do that, missy. I been here for a long time.” She heard the slosh of a bottle being lifted.
    â€œBullshit. I just did.” Where was the phone book? She dug around under the counter. At least the light was better up here. Her intestines gurgled a warning, but she didn’t have time to worry about that now. “Get your stuff and get off this property. Aha.” She pulled out the thin Widow’s Grove phone book. “On second thought, wait right there for a minute. I’m following you out. I want to be sure some of the product is left when you’re gone.”
    Once she’d looked up an air-conditioning company, called and extracted a promise that someone would be out right away, she walked to where Delaney stood, grumbling under his breath. “Let’s go.” She led the way into the warehouse and to the back door.
    Barney stood when they walked up.
    â€œWhat kinda dog is that?” Delaney slurred.
    Barney sniffed the man’s pants leg then, lip curling, backed up.
    â€œOne with good taste.” She held the door and her breath when Delaney brushed by her.
    â€œYou won’t get away with this, lady. I’m going to the EDD.”
    â€œYou do that. Please. And I’m only guessing here, but I’ll bet when I contact the tasting room staff, they’ll have plenty they’ll want to say to the labor board themselves.” When Barney scooted out behind her, she let the door fall closed.
    Delaney walked to the loading zone and turned to go up the hill.
    â€œHey, where are you going?” She and Barney jogged to catch up.
    â€œTo get my stuff. I moved into the cabin.” He huffed, trudging up the hill.
    â€œBob’s place?” Outrage fisted her hands as she imagined the cozy little log cabin defiled by this drunken slob. “Oh, no, you didn’t.”
    â€œIt was sitting empty.” He jerked a thumb over his shoulder. “And the bed down there was lumpy.” The cabin came into view as they crested the hill. The grapevines marched right up to the edge of the dusty yard, and the setting sun washed the old log walls golden.
    She half expected to see Bob and Harry sitting in the wooden chairs, feet up on the railing, sipping merlot.
    But they weren’t. Indigo’s chest squeezed her heart in a painful spasm of nostalgia.
    Delaney went on grumbling about the slights he’d borne in his life as they stepped inside.
    â€œOh, no.” The air went out of her in a whoosh. The bear-tapestry-upholstered couch was sagging and stained. The Navajo rug was pocked with cinder-blackened holes, some possibly as recent as the foot-high ashes that spilled out of the huge fireplace.
    Bottles, cups and filthy dishes occupied the low coffee table and