3. QUINN
3
QUINN
“God, did you see how manly he was interacting with that Silvano guy?”
Some of the girls are talking as I go over to grab another glass of wine. Biting my lip, I cannot resist the urge to listen in and busy myself nearby by pretending to choose from the wine selection.
“Um, yes . I didn’t think he could get any hotter. It’s like he’s oozing sexiness at this point,” another chimes.
The first girl fans her face with one hand. “You think I should try and slip my Instagram handle over to him later? I need a man like that in my life.”
I stifle a chuckle, before quickly covering it up with a cough.
But a part of me agrees. Enzo was so perfectly composed during his interaction with Silvano. Any other man would have lost his temper straight away, resulting in an escalation that could lead to disaster.
I’d seen it happen many times.
Liam, for instance, had a habit of losing his temper on the smallest of things.
I remember how once he got mad when someone overtook him on the road. He chased the car down, before eventually making the person get out of his car and giving him a piece of his mind.
This is how real men act,” he’d told me when I asked him why he’d done it.
But in my eyes, there’s nothing manly about being so reactive that anyone could easily get a rise out of you. True power is silent—where your confidence speaks for you before you can even open your mouth.
I bite down on my lip, heat stirring in my veins as I realize that Enzo is exactly that. If his annoyingly good looks hadn’t been enough, his quiet confidence has definitely won me over.
Without me even realizing, my eyes scan the area in search of him.
We had been in a conversation before we’d been interrupted. Surely, it’d be rude to just float away without a proper conclusion.
At least that’s the excuse I told myself. Truthfully, I just want to be around him again.
“Are you kidding me?” Lilly’s voice brings me back to the here and now. She’s standing behind me, drying her hands on a small paper towel. “I go to the bathroom for five minutes, and there’s a whole scene here? Is it true that security had to be called in?”
“It was nothing.” I shrug, “Just some guy who was trying to get a rise out of Enzo. He took care of it.”
Why am I defending Enzo? Not like he needs me to. Not that I should be. We only met less than an hour ago.
“Right, nothing.” Lilly grins at me. “I heard someone mention some rivalry? That’s something straight out of a movie.”
I shrug. “Who knows?”
“Well, you’d know more than I do.” Lilly laughs. “The two of you were looking quite cozy, talking to each other.”
“We were only discussing business.” I narrow my eyes at Lilly as heat floods my cheeks.
Silvano had made a similar comment when he called me Enzo’s ‘new flavor of the month.’ Did we really look like a couple?
Enzo and I—the conversation had flowed so easily between us. Even though it had been so long since I last dated, I knew chemistry when I saw it.
If the brief physical contact we had earlier when his fingers brushed against mine was any indication, this sort of chemistry is dangerous. It’s explosive and stirred a longing inside of me that I haven’t felt in years.
Lilly says something, but I’m distracted again, trying to look for Enzo. He’s apparently vanished into thin air, as he’s nowhere to be found.
I wonder if one of the other girls succeeded in getting through to him, giving away her Instagram ID. Hot jealousy burns inside of me, and even I’m surprised.
Get a hold of yourself, Quinn.
I’m here for business, not to have an affair. It’s ridiculous that the thought even crossed my mind.
I know better than to let myself get enchanted by a man. Not just that, I’m here to help promote his wine, nothing more. And he is old enough to be my father.
Dad.
I wince. It’s not like we are overly close, dad and I, and I often forget to reach out. I should call him. It’s been too long since we talked.
I take a sip from my glass in hopes of restoring some semblance of calm.
Lilly, oblivious to my internal monologue, is going on about some difficulty she’s having with negotiating with a sponsor.
I nod every now and then, smiling to let her know I’m listening when I’m really not.
It’s a good thing Enzo isn’t here. Just a small conversation with him was enough to send my mind into a tizzy. If I have any hope of not making a total fool out of myself, I have to stay far away from him.
Someone taps my shoulder, and I turn around to find one of the waiters.
“Sorry to interrupt, miss. But the event will be moving indoors now for the remainder of the night,” he informs us with a polite smile.
“Indoors?” Lilly groans, “But it’s so nice out here.”
“Mr. Marchetti has arranged for some music in the ballroom of his own personal villa. I assure you, you’re in for a terrific night of dancing ahead.”
His villa?
I cannot help but be surprised. All this time, I’d assumed that this property was just reserved for business-related events. The fact that he lives here adds a personal touch—an odd kind of intimacy—that I’d not anticipated.
“Thank you. We’ll be right there.” I smile.
“One last photo next to the wine table?” Lilly grins, pulls out her phone, and then snaps a hasty photo. “Lest anyone forgets, we’re in Italy.”
She links her arms with mine, and the two of us proceed indoors.
Already, this trip has had so much to offer. There hasn’t been a dull moment, and everyone seems to be in good spirits. It’s a total hit, and I can already imagine how much the company’s revenue is going to benefit from all the great endorsements.
I add smart businessman to the list of things I’m discovering Enzo to be.
“Whoa,” Lilly breathes out once we enter the ballroom.
I’m about to laugh at her reaction when I see it for myself.
The place is massive. The interior is a perfect blend of both modern and traditional, the high ceiling adds a touch of grandeur. It’s like this place was built for royalty.
And to think Enzo lives here is wild.
“Still not convinced about trying your luck?” Lilly nudges me playfully in the stomach. “As far as hookups go, this easily tops any guy you’ll meet back home. I’m convinced they’ll roll out a red carpet for your morning walk of shame out of this place.”
I laugh, shaking my head. “Stop it. Don’t put ideas in my head.”
“I’m just asking you to live a little.”
I know that she means well and just wants me to be happy.
These last few months, she’s been at the receiving end of one too many tearful phone calls from me. I don’t blame her for wanting me to experience some excitement for a change.
“Living only happens outside of work hours.” I purse my lips. “We’re here to network.”
I majored in Arts in college. In the circles I ran in back then, networking got a major bad rep as being ‘vapid’ or ‘opportunistic’. But as I’d grown my career as a traveling wine reviewer, I had learned the value of making the right contacts.
Tonight was no different. I felt excited at the chance to meet new people and exchange ideas.
Lilly and I go our separate directions, and I quickly find a group of people to speak to. Conversation flows freely, and even though Enzo still lurks in the corner of my mind, I admit that it’s a nice change to not have my heart racing over a simple conversation.
I’m laughing at something one of the other influencers says when we are interrupted by a tall man.
“I trust that you’re enjoying yourself?” he asks as he approaches us.
I blink once, resisting the urge to rub my eyes.
Am I seeing this right?
The man speaking looks like a younger version of Enzo. I wonder if they’re siblings.
“Ah, everything is terrific, Mr. Valentino,” Darrell, one of the influencers from the group answers.
That’s when it clicks. Valentino is the Head of Marketing for the company. Of course, it makes sense to keep business in the family.
I smile. “Especially the red wine. It has a sweetness to it that I’ve only tasted once before during my travels to Oporto.”
“Ah, Oporto wine?” His attention focuses on me.
“Yes. But yours definitely has an edge. It’s easier to swallow, smoother…”
“The grapes that we make it from are native to the San Gimignano region. Just the perfect exposure to sunshine to give them the right ripeness.”
“Oh, wow, that’s quite impressive.”
“Of course, the main ingredient that sets us apart from the competition is love,” he says as though he’s delivering a sale-pitch. “Our vineyard has been in our family’s hands since inception, and we take great care in ensuring our product is not lacking in any way.”
I smile at his enthusiasm. “From the way you describe it, I can already imagine how meticulous the process must be—”
“I see the two of you have met.”
As I turn to look at who it is, my breath hitches in my throat.
Enzo has made a reappearance. His gaze darts between me and Valentino.
Valentino shoots a look in Enzo’s direction whose meaning I can’t exactly place.
I wonder if there’s any friendly competition between the two brothers.
“I was just telling her about our process,” Valentino explains. “She compared our product to the Portuguese Oporto wine.”
Enzo turns to face me. “Ah, yes, great wine. But I always say, you don’t need to go further than Italy to try the best.”
“I think we could even give her a private tour, given her interest. What do you think, father?”
Father?
Valentino is Enzo’s son? That explains the resemblance, but I’d been so sure that they were siblings.
“I see no problem with that,” Enzo replies, but I have trouble focusing suddenly.
The fact that Enzo has a son who might just be my age is making my head spin.
“Quinn?” Valentino’s voice brings me back to the present moment.
“I… Um, sorry, I didn’t catch that.”
The corners of Enzo’s mouth curl upwards in an amused smirk. He’s a smart guy, I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s caught on exactly why I am floundering.
“I was asking you if you’d like to go on the tour now.” Valentino looks down at his watch. “I can quickly show you around. It’s also a good opportunity to shoot some content on the makings of it, if you’d like.”
“I… yes, of course.” It would also be a good chance to get away from Enzo.
Now that I know that he has a son my age, I have all the more reason to keep away from him at all costs.
I steal a glance over at Enzo, who seems to be observing the two of us. I notice that he’s changed out of the clothes he was wearing before. He’s in a suit now.
The sight of him alone brings out wild thoughts. His shirt perfectly hugs his toned torso.
My face heating, I look away.
“Perfect, let’s get going, then…”
We don’t make it too far before we are stopped.
“Mr. Valentino, may I please have a private word with you and your father?”