Free The Merger by Bernadette Marie Page B

to.”
    Avery grinned. “He just purchased a vineyard in France and it’s going to be mine. I’m going to be producing my own line of wines.”
    That would explain the extensive collection in her kitchen, Julie thought.
    “Wow. And here I am without two nickels to rub together.” She reconsidered her comment. “I’m sorry. That was very rude.”
    “Don’t worry about it.” Avery brushed off the comment with her hand. “I’m excited for the opportunity. My grandfather and mother only recently began speaking again, so this is all new to me, but I certainly can embrace the vineyard and château,” she said with a hint of an accent. “It won’t change who I am.”
    “No, because she’ll have Pete right there to remind her that she’s a Tennessee girl not some Parisian princess,” Clara joked with a thick Southern accent.
    “He’s my rock,” Avery said and Julie noted the darkness that shifted in her eyes when she thought of him.
    “Well, look what walked in,” Avery said.
    Julie and Clara turned their heads toward the door.
    A man walked in and gave them a wave as he stopped by the bar and collected a beer. He had the same dark complexion as Clara and Julie was sure she’d seen him before.
    “Hey, they sound good.” The man looked toward the stage and lifted his beer in salute.
    “Of course they do,” Clara agreed. “Where’s your family?”
    “Mom took Darcy for a pedicure with Aunt Regan. Dad has Emily,” he said as he sat down next to her.
    Clara laughed. “Who’d have thought she’d be a grandpa’s girl.”
    The man looked toward Julie. His dark eyes smiled before his mouth did. He reached his hand across the table. “I’m Ed. Clara’s brother.”
    Julie shook his hand. “Julie Jacobson.”
    Now his eyes widened. The smile remained, but it had a strain to it. “Lawyer.”
    “Yes.”
    He nodded as he retracted his hand. “Very nice to meet you.” He eased back in his seat. “I didn’t know you guys would be here.”
    “I’d rather be here than sitting at home with my feet up,” Clara said giving her stomach a rub. “It won’t be long until backstage and loud bars aren’t going to fit into my schedule.”
    Ed rubbed her back. “That baby will fit in just fine here.”
    Julie thought the tenderness between them might just make her cry. She’d longed her whole life for something like that—compassion from someone. Wasn’t that why she’d gotten married? And still she longed for it.
    She took her beer from the table and noticed her hand shaking. Quickly, she lifted the bottle to her lips and took a sip to calm her nerves. These people who surrounded her already treated her with compassion as she’d never known. Regardless of what came from showing up in Nashville, she decided she’d made the right choice. And she was extremely grateful that Spencer had set her up in Avery’s house.
    She felt the panic slide away and she took another, now steady, sip of her beer.
    “Oh, hey! It’s a party!” Avery waved again at someone walking in the door.
    Julie looked up and the panic set back in as she saw Spencer and Tiffany walk in, hand in hand.
     

Chapter Eight
     
     
    Spencer reminded himself to breathe when he saw his cousins sitting at the table with Julie. He certainly hadn’t expected to see her there. And he didn’t like what it did to him when he saw her.
    He stopped at the bar. “I’ll take a Bud and she’ll have a Blue Moon,” he said nodding toward Tiffany.
    “No, I’ll have a glass of water, please.”
    “Pansy,” he joked.
    “My head hurts so bad I can’t see.”
    “You shouldn’t get drunk with strangers in my apartment.”
    Tiffany closed her eyes, but he could see them roll at what he said. “I’ll get him. I’ll just try it sober next time.”
    “You’re lucky he tucked your sorry ass into bed and left without touching you or stealing anything.”
    “Don’t lecture me.”
    “Someone has to. I don’t want to come home and find you dead in