“It’s okay, Jill. I needed to come back,” Reagan said as she squeezed her hand.

Jill nodded and followed her mother.

Reagan released a sigh and quickly hung up their coats. As she walked into the dining room, Jill held out a chair for her mother before sitting in her own. Maureen took her napkin and placed it across her lap and then leaned back in her chair, resting a hand on the table and tapping her fingers against the tablecloth. Reagan stood across from them, holding her hands behind her back.

“Again, I’d like to welcome both of you to Wren. Gwen is in the kitchen preparing the tasting options you chose. I will bring out all the choices for each course so you can go back and forth between them if you have any trouble deciding. Does that sound okay?”

“Per—” Jill started to say before being interrupted by her mother.

“Will we be getting any wine with our meal? I would have assumed it would be part of this complimentary tasting.”

Jill cut a sharp look at her mother before settling her gaze on Reagan, the hint of apology apparent as her eyes softened.

“Well, that’s not normally included, but I’d be happy to open a bottle for you. What would you like?”

“Your finest cabernet.”

Reagan nodded and grabbed a bottle of Stags’ Leap Estate cabernet sauvignon and two glasses from behind the bar. She placed the glasses on the table and quickly opened the bottle. After pouring one for Maureen, Jill held up her hand.

“None for me, thank you. I have an important meeting after this.”

Maureen scoffed under her breath and picked up her glass for a sip. “Very nice.”

Reagan kept her expression in check as Jill closed her eyes and inhaled slowly as if to calm herself. Did Maureen not care about Jill’s job or just not care about Jill in general? Either way, Reagan didn’t have to wonder anymore where Jill’s rudeness came from. Reagan cleared her throat, trying to get her mind back on track. “Now, I’ll go back and get the first course, okay?”

“Do get on with it.”

Out of the corner of her eye, Reagan saw Jill scowl. She nodded again and said, “Be right back.” As the door to the kitchen closed behind her, she let out a small groan.

“Going that well out there, huh?”

“Now I’m starting to see why Jill is a bit pompous at times. Just opened a three-hundred-dollar bottle of wine for her mother, if that’s any indication. Because it was her assumption that it would be part of the complimentary tasting,” Reagan said, mimicking Maureen’s voice.

Gwen winced. “Yeah, that’s not ideal. But I guess for as much money as they’re spending, we can give them that.”