Chapter 5
Chapter 5
Miles
I shut the door to my hotel room, leaning back against it as the weight of everything that just happened hits me all at once. My mind is still reeling from seeing her—Emma Murphy, the winery owner’s sister… Ryan Murphy’s little sister. Of all the people in this town, of all the wineries in Florida, I had to walk into hers—and I fucked her.
I cannot believe I fucked my best friend’s little sister.
Emma. My one-night stand. The woman I haven’t been able to get out of my head since I woke up to find her gone this morning.
I cross the room and sink down onto the edge of the bed, running a hand through my hair. It’s almost laughable how fate works sometimes. Last night, we were just two strangers enjoying a little escapism. But today? Today she’s the legal counsel for one of the most promising wineries I’ve been tasked with reviewing in years.
I glance around the room. At least my luggage has finally arrived, sitting neatly by the closet as if nothing else in the world could go wrong. The airline managed to locate it after all. I feel like I’m in the middle of a whirlwind.
I walk over to the suitcase, flipping it open just to have something to do with my hands. My fingers brush over the familiar fabric of my clothes, but my mind is still on her. Emma. The way she looked today at the winery, like a deer caught in headlights when she realized who I was. I felt the same damn way—shock, panic, and an undeniable awareness of everything that happened between us.
And then Brennen. The poor guy had no idea that his sister and I were tangled up in the sheets just this morning. He was just trying to impress me, nervous as hell about his wines. To be fair, I was hard on him. Maybe even a little harsher than I should’ve been. But something about his setup didn’t feel right. As good as the wine was—and it was good—I had a sneaking suspicion that Brennen hadn’t given me everything. I tasted potential in those wines, sure, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more. Something he wasn’t showing me.
My phone buzzes from the nightstand, pulling me out of my thoughts. I grab it, unsurprised to see Ryan’s name flashing across the screen. I hesitate for a second before answering, knowing this conversation is going to get complicated.
“Ryan,” I greet, trying to sound more collected than I feel since Emma is his sister.
“Ghost, my man. How’s my hometown of Pelican Point treating ya?” Ryan calls me by my call sign from our SEAL days.
“It’s been…interesting,” I reply, glancing around the room as if it holds all the answers I need.
“I’ll bet,” he says, and I can almost hear the laugh in his voice. “So, what did you think of Celtic’s wine?”
I lean back against the pillows, staring up at the ceiling. “Honestly? It’s better than I expected. It’s got great structure, the tannins are sharp but promising, and the acidity will mellow with time. But…”
Ryan’s voice cuts in. “But?”
I sit up, the nagging feeling returning. “I don’t think I tasted everything. Something feels off. Brennen was nervous as hell, which isn’t unusual for a winery owner, but I got the sense he was holding something back. Like he’s got another batch or another wine that he didn’t want me to taste yet.”
There’s a pause on the other end before Ryan speaks again. “You think he’s hiding something?”
“I don’t know,” I admit, running a hand through my hair. “But it feels like there’s more to the story. Something about the way he presented the wines, the way he hurried me along from one wine glass to the next as if he was in a hurry to get me out of there quickly. It didn’t feel complete.”
Ryan hums thoughtfully, clearly processing the information. “That’s interesting. I’ve been getting some reports from a few of my contacts in the industry. People have been talking about Celtic Knot. Some say Brennen’s got a secret project going—something big, but no one’s been able to confirm it.”
“Secret project?” I raise an eyebrow, intrigued. “If that’s the case, he definitely didn’t show it to me. But to be honest, I’ve been hearing rumors, too, about something coming down the pike. If that’s true, then I want—no, need—to be the first one to taste it.”
“Exactly,” Ryan says, his tone sharpening. “I need you to stick around in Pelican Point for a bit longer, Ghost. I’m working another angle, trying to find out what’s really going on behind the scenes at Celtic Knot. But I need someone on the ground to keep an eye on things.”
I exhale, knowing full well where this is headed. “You want me to play spy for you.”
“I wouldn’t call it spying,” Ryan says, amusement in his voice. “Think of it as… quality control. I just need you to be my eyes and ears, see if you can dig up anything about this supposed special project. I just want to make sure the winery succeeds.”
I rub my temple, trying to process everything. Staying in Pelican Point means staying close to Emma. And I’m not sure how either of us will handle that, considering how things seem to be going.
But the curiosity is eating at me. I need to know if Brennen is hiding something. I need to know if the wine I tasted is just the tip of the iceberg. Having the inside edge is what keeps me at the top of my industry… makes me the one that everyone listens to. If there’s a wine out there that comes to market before I’ve tasted it, it won’t bode well for my image or my career.
Not all of us can be oil tycoons like Ryan Murphy. And who am I kidding? Seeing Emma again won’t hurt my feelings any, either.
“All right,” I say finally. “I’ll stay. But you owe me.”
Ryan laughs, the sound light but full of satisfaction. “You know I always make good on my debts, my friend. Keep me posted.”
“Will do,” I say before hanging up, the phone feeling heavier in my hand than it should.
I toss the phone onto the bed and stare out the window at the horizon, the sun beginning to set. This was supposed to be a quick trip. Fly in, taste the wines, write the review, and get out. But now, things have gotten a whole lot more complicated.
With a sigh, I sit down at the small desk in the corner of the room and open my laptop to make my notes about the wines from today. But my mind keeps drifting to Emma. Her face when she saw me. The way her body moved against mine last night. The way she slipped out before I even had a chance to get her name.
I shake my head, trying to push the thoughts aside. Work first. Then I can deal with the rest.
I sit back, satisfied with what notes I’ve written. My review is honest. Brennen’s wines are good—better than good, actually. And that’s what I’ll need to convey to my readers. But there’s also an air of mystery, I have the feeling that this winery has more to offer than what I was shown today.
Now I just need to figure out what to do next. Ryan’s request to stay in town complicates things, but I can’t deny that I’m curious. There’s something going on at Celtic Knot.
And then there’s Emma Murphy.
I grab my phone again, tapping out a quick message to the number on her business card that I grabbed on impulse on my way out of the winery, and I hit send before I can overthink it.
Me: Had a great time last night. Since I’ll be sticking around a while, maybe we’ll run into each other again sometime?
I set the phone down, my heart beating a little faster than I’d like to admit. This whole situation is crazy. But I’m not about to walk away from it now.
I’ve got a winery to investigate.
I won’t get Emma out of my head that easily.