Chapter 4
Chapter 4
Alex
I bite into the savory pizza and moan as the burst of flavors from the cheese, herbs, and tomato sauce hits my taste buds. "Damn, this is good."
Sophie nods as I watch her small, white teeth sink into the bubbled, cheesy crust. I'm hypnotized by anything to do with her mouth, and I've caught myself staring at her throughout the day.
Last night's kiss has been on a constant loop in my mind, and I really want to kiss her again. Often, longer, and somewhere private, preferably. In fact, this table is tiny enough for me to lean over and suck on that luscious bottom lip of hers. But I don't dare.
I shift in my seat as my crotch tightens, and I order my brain to concentrate on something else, anything else, to get my mind off sex with Sophie.
Damn it—there it goes again.
I huff out a sigh and close my eyes, counting to ten and thinking of things that will counteract the swelling in my groin. The conversation with Isabella earlier today plays like a reel in my head. There’s something up with Brennen. He’s moody—or more so than usual—and distracted with daily tasks. According to the staff, it’s unlike him. Plus, there are whispers of money problems, potential theft… the list goes on.
All things I need to report to Ryan next time we talk.
"Is everything okay?" Sophie's sweet voice pulls me from my thoughts. Her tone is anxious and makes my eyes pop open.
"Oh, yeah." I smile. "I was sending out my thanks to the universe. Great pizza, beautiful company. What more can a guy ask for?"
Her brow smooths as her eyes widen in surprise, and her face pinkens prettily as she gives me a shy smile.
"I'm glad you like the pizza."
Oh, I like it all right. I like all of it… the pizza, the company, those lips… all of it.
And that's my problem right now. Instead of wooing the winemaker, I should focus on uncovering what’s going on at the winery. Especially after what I'd learned today. I cannot forget it’s the reason I’m here in the first place.
Brennen has been acting strange for several months now and taking random calls where he’s been witnessed yelling into his phone at god knows who. He is on edge and no one seems to know exactly what is going on. The employees are nervous.
Rumors are swirling, of course, but there’s nothing I can prove yet. I’ve also heard strange stories of a mystery investor group buying up properties all over Pelican Point, and even the threat of a hostile takeover of the winery itself. It’s apparent Ryan's worries aren’t unfounded.
"You know," I comment, "I was thinking your new wine — even though it’s a white — would be a perfect match with this pizza."
Sophie's face brightens. "That's exactly what I was shooting for. A nice, easy white that pairs well with everyday meals like this. Something for the working mom or dad to have with dinner after a long day at work."
"Well, you hit the nail on the head, then. Because it is one of the best white wines I've ever had. And I've tried quite a lot." That isn’t a lie, either. Her wine is fucking fantastic, and I learned a ton as I helped her today.
It became apparent as I watched her work that Sophie is a veritable genius at winemaking. She has a true gift, and there is no doubt she’ll reach her goal of putting the winery back on the map very soon.
If Brennen doesn't fuck it up first, that is.
She blushes as she fumbles with her slice of pizza. "Thank you. That means a lot."
"You're welcome. I can't wait to hand it out at the festival." I grin, picturing the scenario. "The crowd is gonna go nuts. I predict we'll sell out of the stock before the festival is over."
"You think so?” Her brows pinched together creating a cute vee that I wanted to kiss. “Should we bring more?"
"Yep, we'll definitely sell out. And no, we shouldn't bring more. Trust me—it'll be a great marketing strategy to run out at the festival. We can tell them they can grab a bottle of our new wine at the winery. Drive a little traffic into the tasting room, yes?"
"Yeah, that's a great idea. Increase interest. I like it."
Instinctively, I reach across the table and take her hand. My fingers lace with hers, and my eyes zero in on the way her pulse is thrumming at the base of her throat. I love that she's not immune to my touch and now accepts it.
"I'm serious when I say that you have a real winner here. Thanks for letting me be a part of it. I learned more in a few hours working with you than I have in years."
Her smile is bright, transforming her face. Sophie is beautiful in a general sense, but she is breathtaking when she smiles like this. I rub at the sudden ache I feel in my chest.
"You're welcome," she answers, her voice sultry. "It's obvious you have a knack for winemaking on your own. Your instincts are spot on."
My brows shoot up. That's a big compliment coming from her. "They are?"
She nods. "You're a natural. You easily followed what I was doing today."
I lean back in my seat and feel a warm tingly sensation sweep through me at her assessment. "You know, it's my dream to open my own winery someday. And you're helping me get one step closer to that dream."
"Your own winery?" Her face is soft and open, devoid of judgement or ridicule. "I like that. Where do you want to open it?"
For a moment, I'm too flabbergasted to answer. I clear my throat awkwardly at the uncomfortable emotion currently lodged in my chest. "Texas, probably. It's one of the fastest growing wine regions in the country and a good friend of mine is willing to back me whenever I'm ready."
Her eyes widen. "Wow. That's the toughest part of a start-up winery. Anyone can learn to make decent wine. But getting capital is extremely difficult, so you're ahead of the game if you already have that nailed down."
I nod. "You're not wrong. But you also need the goods, too. If I opened now and sold crappy wine, it wouldn't go anywhere. That's why I was so excited when I won this scholarship. Learning from you will take me to the next level."
"I love that." She takes a sip of her beer. "I'm glad I can be a part of your success."
I hold up my beer. "I'll toast to that. Cheers!"
A few weeks later
"Damn, this festival really does drive in the crowds, doesn't it?" I comment as I carefully place the large cooler next to our table.
"That's what Isabella told me. This is the twenty-second year they’ve hosted it, and she says people come in from all over Florida and the country."
Sophie checks her to-do list for probably the twentieth time in the last five minutes. She's nervous, obvious from the way she chews on that luscious bottom lip of hers.
"We'll offer a sample with these." She indicates the rows of small plastic cups she’s organized on the middle of the table. "You handle the white, and I'll pour the reds. If we've calculated correctly, you'll be way busier than me. So flash that sexy smile of yours and be ready with whatever fantastic marketing spiel your brain comes up with. Flirt if you have to."
I grin at her.
“Yep. That’s what I’m talking about right there.”
My heart warms at the way she calls my smile sexy. But the woman is a complete ball of nerves, evident by the waver in her voice. I grab the clipboard from her death grip and place it on the table, then take her hands in mine.
"It's going to be okay, Sophie. This is your big day. Trust me, your new wine will be a huge hit."
She squeezes my hands but doesn't say anything. The self-doubt I've seen on her face over the last few weeks kills me, but I know it'll be gone by the end of the day. This wine, her wine, is incredible and anyone who tries it will want a bottle or two.
Sophie’s family has really done a number on her self-esteem and the best way to combat that is with experience and support from someone close to her. She'll get both from me today.
And I'll get another kiss, I promise myself, and maybe a little more if I’m lucky. I’ve been good and haven’t pushed anything physical with Sophie since the ball game.
Instead, I've focused on gathering information and have a solid list of targets for Ryan to investigate. Turns out there are plenty of winery employees whispering about money problems and even a hostile takeover. Where the threat is coming from isn’t clear, but it is worrisome that the topic emerges regularly in conversations.
Plus, the guys in the tasting room were eager to relay a recent scene involving some fancy little piece who showed up to meet with Brennen, strolling through the tasting room like she owned the place and slamming his office door. They went into great detail about the well-dressed woman's toned legs that went on for miles and an ass so firm you could bounce a quarter off it.
It was an interesting story, but not much to go on. If I could find out the identity of the woman, I might have something concrete to report to Ryan. Until then, I’ll keep digging.
"You two all set here?" Brennen asks as he steps up to the booth, an attractive brunette attached to his side.
Speak of the devil...
I blink my eyes several times because, for once, Brennen doesn’t look like a walking zombie. Since I’ve arrived, I would have sworn the man hadn't slept more than a few hours, and at times, he’s been as surly as an injured bear. But now he seems content and is beaming with an energy that usually comes from getting laid regularly. He looks carefree and, dare I say, happy.
I still feel like he’s hiding something, but now I really question what that could be. I haven't been able to pin him down for more than a few minutes at a time. I'd spotted him hauling boxes into the shipping room once, and he’d seemed especially agitated then. But right now the man is practically glowing.
Interesting.
"Yeah, we have this, Brennen," Sophie answers with a firm voice. I watch in fascination as her nervousness melts away, and the confident winemaker within steps to the plate. “Have you seen Emma? She promised she’d stop by before everything kicked off, but you’re the first visitors we’ve had so far.”
“No, not yet. But I’m sure she’ll show up soon. This is her favorite event in Pelican Point.” Brennen turns to the woman by his side. “Joselyn, I want to introduce you to our winemaker, Sophia Garrett. She’s come to us from California where her family has been making waves in the wine industry for generations.”
I hide a grin at the way Sophie’s eyes narrow at Brennen’s description of her. For some reason, he enjoys referring to her formally as Sophia, rather than the more relaxed Sophie she prefers. But she finds her manners and thrusts a hand to the brunette.
“It’s nice to meet you, Joselyn. I hope you’re having fun at the festival.”
The woman blushes prettily before meeting Sophie’s eyes. “Thank you, I am. It’s nice to meet you, Sophia.”
Sophie’s gaze darts back to Brennen. "You haven't tried the new wine yet. Would you two like to have the first taste?" Her voice has an interesting edge of irritation to it.
Brennen taps the table with a knuckle, eyeing the stack of cases we'd brought. "Sure."
Sophie fills two sample cups and hands them over, her jaw firming as she watches Brennen tentatively sniff the wine and then toss it back like a shot of whiskey. I bite back a laugh at the way her nostrils flare with irritation. I’ve been around her enough now to know when she’s pissed, and I’m guessing Brennen just offended her with his offhanded manner. I can't blame her.
But it’s obvious Joselyn knows her way around wine as she swirls and sniffs before sipping. Her brows shoot up and she glances at Brennen in surprise.
“Wow,” Joselyn comments.
Brennen smacks his lips, and I enjoy watching the way his face transforms. His eyes focus and widen as the corners of his mouth lift.
"Holy shit," Brennen comments, his tone brimming with excitement. He holds the cup up, silently asking for another pour which Sophie delivers, her lips prim with disapproval. This time he sniffs, swirls carefully and sniffs again. He grunts, holding it up to the light before he slowly sips the sample, swishing it in his mouth before he swallows.
"Goddamn, Sophia." His voice is full of wonder, sounding like a little boy surveying an amazing haul from Santa Claus on Christmas morning. "You really did it. We have a winner here."
“It’s incredible,” Joselyn adds. “It’s light, yet complex…” She smiles at Sophie. “This would be a perfect wine to recommend for my events.”
Rather than enjoying their praise, Sophie folds her arms across her chest, her chin lifting as she glares at her boss. "You'd already know this, Brennen, if you bothered to stop by the back room to do more than to announce the hiring of unwanted personnel."
This time I can't hold back a bark of laughter, as it’s clear she’s referring to Brennen's handling of my arrival. I know from experience that Sophie can deliver a zinger when she wants to, and it’s also clear she’s not afraid of Brennen in the least. It’s nice to see her hold her own when most of the winery staff tip toe around him.
Brennen's eyes flicker to me, then to Joselyn. He's surprised that Sophie would either bring it up in my presence or that I would laugh about it. Probably both.
"I’m sorry, Sophia. It’s been rough lately. But, it all worked out, didn't it?” he added, nodding toward me. “This wine is amazing."
Sophie grunts, unimpressed with his answer as she continues to glower at him.
Brennen indicates the empty cup still in his grasp. "How many bottles do we have of this wine?"
"We brought twenty cases to the festival, and have three pallets back at the winery," I interject. "Sophie thought it would be a good idea to drive interest by running out today, which we most definitely will."
I see her gaze jerk to me out of the corner of my eye, her surprise evident that I gave her the credit for the marketing strategy.
"Good." Brennen bobs his head. "Good," he repeats. "I need one bottle for a special tasting with a critic and a case for an upcoming competition.”
Sophie’s eyes bulge. “A critic and a competition? When the hell did you arrange this, Brennen?” Her irritation leaks through her tone. I can’t blame her—critics and competitions are the lifeblood of top wineries, and winemakers were normally heavily involved.
“I’ll tell you more later, Sophia. I promise, okay? But for now, would you please just set them aside for me?"
She presses her lips together and huffs out a breath. "Of course," Sophie responds, her tone icy.
Brennen lifts the bottle, inspecting the label. His grimace says enough. "Is this what we're calling it? The Celtic Knot White Blend? Seems kind of weak."
"Actually that label is a placeholder,” I comment. “Sophie and I couldn't agree on the name, so we decided to hold a contest today with the visitors voting on the name. And at the end, we’ll have a drawing from the winning pool and give them a free bottle at a tasting."
I grin as I hand Brennen and Joselyn each a piece of paper marked with two options. "Sophie picked Beach Bum, and I chose Sophia's Blend. We have our own bet going over who wins."
“Oh, I love that!” Joselyn exclaims, clapping her hands.
Brennen smooths his thumb over the small square. "That's a great idea," he mutters softly, almost to himself. "Get the crowd involved in the name, build interest for the wine, drive them into the tasting room… I like it." He sets the paper down on the table, snatches a nearby pencil, and checks a box. Joselyn makes the same choice.
I chuckle at Sophie’s gasp of outrage. She doesn’t know it yet, but she’s totally gonna lose this contest.
"Beach Bum would be a great name for a different wine. Save it for a sweeter rosé." Brennen shrugs. "Sophia's Blend is classy, just like the wine and the winemaker."
Sophie's tension melts, her shoulders relaxing, arms falling to her side, and her sour expression transforms into a smile. "Thanks, Brennen."
"Sure. Let me know which name wins. I'll pick up that bottle and case of wine later today."
"Is he always like that?" I ask as we watch Brennen and Joselyn hurry away, hand-in-hand. “Crazier than a road lizard?”
Sophie’s brow crinkles. “Huh?”
“You know—one day he’s crankier than a wolverine, and the next he’s all hearts and roses, walking on cloud nine?”
"Oh.” Sophie laughs. "Yeah, basically. Since I've been here, anyway. But this is the first time I’ve seen the hearts and roses."
She meets my gaze. "I've heard some of the winery employees whispering about money problems. That's probably why he was so excited about this wine." She nudges her chin toward the retreating couple, strolling arm-in-arm, joined at the hip. “Plus, Joselyn may have something to do with his good mood.”
I grunt. "Well, any wine connoisseur would be excited about this wine. Sophia's Blend is fantastic." I grin at the stink eye she gives me. "But in all seriousness, do you really think the winery has money problems?"
Sophie shrugs. "Based on the round of layoffs we had just before you arrived, probably. But I have tunnel vision when I'm focused on wine, so I don’t notice much. The only thing I worry about is getting supplies in on time and my vendors paid. There haven't been any issues there, thank god."
"That's good to know. I'd hate to get all the way out here just to have this place close down."
Sophie gives me a satisfied smile that makes my heart grow like the grinch's. "Don't you worry. Beach Bum is gonna solve all our problems."
Several people turn to look at us as my laughter booms out over the event field.
Damn, I believe her.