Winona looked at the bottle of wine in Keaton''s hand and felt a chill run down her spine.
Just thinking about that fiasco at the Huber family''s ancestral home still made her scalp tingle. She''d made a scene at their family gathering—she''d downed their ceremonial wedding wine, got caught red-handed, and, to top it all off, she was busted hiding under their covers. That was the kind of embarrassment that stuck with you for life.
So now, when it came to Huber family wine, she wasn''t about to risk it again.
Especially since this bottle was the real deal. On the open market, it would easily fetch a seven-figure price tag. Her little scrape wasn''t worth such an extravagant gift.
Keaton, meanwhile, was still trying to sell her on it. "This wine''s got history. It''s the real stuff-you can''t find it anywhere else."
Of course Winona knew it was good. She wanted it, sure, but there was no way she could ept.
She eyed him suspiciously. "Let me guess, is this another one of your grandpa''s stash?"
Keaton shook his head. "Nope. We already finished off my grandpa''s. This one''s from my great-grandpa''s collection."
Winona''s mouth twitched. What was it with the Hubers and hoarding wine?
"So, you polished off your grandpa''s, and now you''re working your way through your great-grandpa''s? If your dad finds out, he''ll have your head!"
Keaton protested, "Hey, I didn''t steal this! My dad gave it to me. He told me to give it to you."
Winona blinked in surprise. "Mr. Huber asked you to bring me wine? What for?"
Keaton exined, “After we finished off my grandpa''s wine, my dad thought you were a fan. He pulled this bottle from my great-grandpa''s stash as a peace offering—told me to apologize to you. He said, if Ie back with the wine, it means you didn''t forgive me. And if you don''t forgive me, he''d rather cut ties with me than have such a disappointing son."
Winona stared at him. "How is whether or not I forgive you any business of your family drama?"
Keaton gave her his best sad puppy eyes. "Dad says, if even someone as straightforward as you won''t be friends with me, I must really suck. And if I suck that much, he''s done with me. Says it''s too embarrassing."
Winona was speechless.
Keaton set the wine down on the table. "So, c''mon. For the sake of my dignity- and so I don''t have to run away from home again-just take it, will you?"
Winona''s lips pressed into a thin line. "Fine, I forgive you for your dad''s and great-grandpa''s sake. But I can''t take the wine. Give it back to your great- grandpa''s collection."
Keaton shook his head. "No can do. Dad won''t let me off the hook that easy."
Winona said, “Just tell your folks I said thanks, but no thanks. I appreciate the thought, but I''m not taking it. Tell your dad it''s my gift to your great-grandpa instead "
Before she could finish, Keaton had already uncorked the bottle.
Somehow, he''d conjured up two wine sses out of nowhere. He poured a generous ss for each of them.
Winona''s breath caught in her throat. "Are you serious right now?!"
Keaton grinned, looking way too pleased with himself. "Trust me, my dad will be happier knowing you forgave his precious grandson. Come on, let''s have a toast-my apology for everything today."
Winona gaped at him for a second, then hissed under her breath, "Are you insane? This wine is crazy expensive, and you just popped it operf like it''s a bottle of sodal Who''s gonna pay for it now?"
"I will, I will!" Keaton said, still smirking. "My treat. Happy?"
Winona clenched her teeth. "You''re out of your mind!"
She''d tried not to ept such an expensive gift from the Hubers, and now he''d gone and opened it. There was no way to return it now. Janelle". and Richard would definitely think she''d epted it!
"Keaton, you absolute jerk! You-"
She grabbed a pillow and chucked it at him.
Keaton justughed, dodging easily. "Hit me after we finish the wine. Don''t let four
generations of Huber family effort go to waste."