2- Isabel

“I should kill you for making me wear this bra,” I muttered, trying to wiggle and tug just right to get the girls to settle into the strapless bra that was currently trying to stab me in the ribs. Bras without the harness straps were for girls with a C-cup or less. That was, like, a golden rule or something.

“You’ve got the goods, you need to show them off. You’ll thank me when Mr. Forever notices you today,” Ashley said as she stood patiently by the back bumper of her car waiting for me to get my outfit to cooperate.

The snort I gave her was not feminine. “You mean when he falls eyeballs first into my cleavage and forgets my name? No thanks.”

“You’re always saying those guys you date don’t take you as a real prospect. Show them you’re more than just a female friend they can rely on for really tasty chocolate chip cookies.”

“Or for doing their tax returns for free every year,” I grumbled, reaching back into the car for my crossbody bag. It cut across my boobs and made them look like well-shaped missiles in this bra.

Ashley came around and laced her arm through mine, tugging me away from the safety of the car and into the mob of people lingering around the wine festival. I figured I should probably be attending simply to support the company I worked for as an accountant, but Ashley had visions of me finding a suitable boyfriend amongst the posh wine-drinking set. According to her, it was either this or sign up for online dating if I wanted to be married and spitting out children by the time I turned thirty. I thought that as my best friend, she was just supposed to listen while I complained about a lack of suitable dates, not actually do anything about it. Ashley thought differently.

“Listen. You’re the full package: the body and the brains. Let’s find you a man who appreciates that kind of double threat.” Ashley pointed to a guy standing at a bar set up off to the side of the dance floor that was currently hopping with gyrating bodies. My bra trembled in fear. “How about that one?”

I wanted to play along, I really did, but a thorough once over told me he wouldn’t do. “Ash, he’s got Sperrys with no socks and he Nairs his legs. Absolutely not.”

Ashley guffawed. “He manscapes. Is that a crime? At least you know he won’t go dad-bod before he’s actually a dad. You might get a few good years out of him.”

She kept walking toward the thick of the dance floor, but I managed to steer her away from the guy who’d make me feel bad for not shaving my legs daily in winter. A girl couldn’t marry a guy who had higher personal maintenance standards than she did.

“How about we get some liquid courage first?” I asked. Goodness gracious, my armpits were getting swampy just envisioning sidling up to a guy and asking him to dance.

Ashley started skipping in happiness as she tugged me with her. “I can agree on that!”

I glanced around at the many tables and tents set up in multicolor rows surrounding the dance floor. Sadly, though I worked for a wine distribution company, I knew very little about the actual nuances of wine. I was an accountant. I just needed to be able to add properly. “Oh! How about that one? The little piggy is so cute!”

Ashley snorted enthusiastically and I took it as a yes. As we approached the winery with the cute pig logo, an older woman with a broad, happy smile stood up from her chair behind the table.

“Happy afternoon, ladies. Welcome to The Cunning Ham, where the wine tastes good and is also a lot of fun.” The woman stuck her hand out and we both shook it. “I might need to work on that elevator pitch.”

I liked this woman already.

“I’m Isabel and this is my bestie Ashley.” I formally introduced us as Ashley perused the wine offerings on the table.

“And I’m Pam. Are you a wine lover?” I blushed. “Can I be honest, Pam?”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” she said with a wink.

“I work in the industry, but I don’t really know much about the wines. I know what I like, but I couldn’t tell a chardonnay from a viognier.”

Her laugh was the kind that made you immediately want to smile too. “Well at least you can pronounce it correctly so you’re halfway there.” She stepped down the table and I followed. “How about we start with a white wine? You tell me what you smell.”

Pam handed me a glass and I gave it a swirl before putting it to my nose. I smelled grapes. Damn, I really did suck at this. “Um . . . lemon? Maybe a hint of vanilla?”

Pam clapped her hands and beamed at me. “You’ve got the nose for this, Isabel.”

“This smells like dirt,” Ashley said from beside me, her nose in a glass full of a deep red wine.

My elbow found her ribs, but Pam interjected. “Exactly! That’s a full- bodied merlot you have there, though we winos like to call that scent earthy, not dirty.” She snickered before instructing us both to take a sip and swirl it around our mouths before swallowing.

“Mmm, it’s so smooth I’d almost describe it as creamy. Maybe I should get my boss a bottle. He could use some smoothing out.” I felt chatty with my new friend, Pam. “He’s kind of an ass. I’m not sure even your fabulous chardonnay could help him.”

“You got it again! I wanted a super buttery chardonnay and you just picked it out. You’re good at this.” Pam snapped her fingers. “Hey, any chance you’re looking to leave that jerk of a boss?”

I sputtered. “Well, I mean, sure. I was actually looking to get into sales, but I’m afraid I don’t have much experience.”

Pam leaned over the table with a gleam in her eyes. “Can I be honest with you?”

I grinned, echoing back her own words. “Wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“I don’t have any experience either, but that didn’t stop me from opening up my own winery,” she whispered loudly. Then she straightened up, all business. “Why don’t you call me and come in for an interview? I need a woman in the tasting room, and you seem perfect.” She reached over the table and grabbed a card from the stack, handing it to me. There was her logo, front and center. A huge pig face that just felt right. Like it was serendipity we’d run into each other here today.

“Thank you, Pam. I’ll take you up on that.”

Ashley grabbed my arm. “I hate to break this up, but besides finding her a job, we need to find her a man.”

Pam threw her head back and laughed while my cheeks went bright red. “Ash,” I hissed.