Chapter 9
Chapter 9
Sophie
I finish filling the last barrel with our new red blend, and I watch Alex roll it carefully to its storage spot for the season. This new wine is an experiment, but with the new blending grapes, it has a classic light acidic flavor that is perfect for warm weather. These beauties will sit for four to six months, depending on how quickly they age. The storage room temperature is climate controlled, so there shouldn't be any fluctuation and plenty of generators on hand if the winery loses power… like during hurricanes.
My eyes never leave Alex's backside as he secures the barrel. I've become obsessed with him lately, and I just can't get enough. I blink as he straightens abruptly and pulls his phone from his pocket. His eyes widen, and he glances at me, an inscrutable expression on his face.
"I'll be right back," he blurts before rushing out the back door without another word.
I stare after him, wondering what's got him so riled up. He's been fidgety lately, and I'm starting to wonder if he regrets our romantic status. But it's the last thing in the world I want to ask him or even think about, so I avoid the subject like the plague. Instead, I focus on the wine and the barrels in front of me.
In just one hundred and eighty days, we'll have another amazing wine to showcase. I'm absolutely certain it'll be amazing based on the testing we’ve done. I know I'll be chomping at the bit to sample this batch. Which means it's the perfect time to get busy creating another white wine, something a bit drier this time around.
"Sophia!"
I jump as Brennen shouts my name as he rushes into the fermentation room.
"Goddammit, we did it! We fucking did it!" he shouts, jumping with each step as he practically skips across the room.
What the absolute hell?
I stare owlishly at my boss, jaw on the floor, and wonder if he's lost that final marble that has been rolling around in his head. I've never seen him so animated or excited about anything since I've been here. Except for that time at the festival where he was relaxed, Brennen has always been either controlled and distant, or scattered and stressed.
But here he is in front of me, bouncing on the tips of his toes like a little kid in a toy store, the wine box with Sophia’s Blend blazoned across the side cradled under one arm and a large gold medal in his other hand.
"Brennen, what's going on?" To say that he's making me nervous would be an understatement.
"Sophia's Blend is a goddamned sensation—that's what's going on. You did it, Sophia. You fucking did it!" He punches the air, emphasizing each word. "We won first place and best overall white wine in the east." He shoves the medal at me, and I gape at him for a moment before taking a closer look.
I run my finger over the large gold medallion, imprinted with 'First Place' on one side and the event name on the other: The Fieldstone Competition, Atlanta. I blink several times, wondering if I’m hallucinating. This is one of the biggest wine competitions in the United States, comparable to The Masters in golf. Plus, it’s nearly impossible to have a submission accepted unless the winery is top tier. I have no idea how Brennen got in.
The Celtic Knot Winery isn’t first class. YET. It will be by the time I'm done with it, but we still have some serious work to do.
"Am I reading this right, Brennen? Is this THE Fieldstone Competition? One of the biggest wine events in the country?"
Beaming, Brennen nods his head vigorously. "Damned right, it is."
I take a step back and grimace. His energy level is almost too much for me. "How the hell did you even get an entry? It usually takes an act of god to even be considered, much less get in, and our wines aren't ready for a competition like this."
"The hell we weren't." He taps the medal in my hand. "We swept the entire fucking field, Sophia. The order list for our new wine is a mile long." He waves his arm in a sweeping motion.
The breath freezes in my throat, and my chest tightens as panic sets in. "Brennen, we don't have enough supply for that. The second batch won't be ready to bottle for another few weeks," I explain slowly as if I'm talking to a toddler.
"Not to worry. You just keep producing, and people will keep buying." He sets the half empty box on the counter. "Besides, scarcity will only drive interest. I'll talk to the marketing agency about setting up a sales campaign. We're gonna have orders out the ass!"
"That's fine as long as they're not ordering the old wines." I wrinkle my nose, imagining people drinking that swill.
"No," he chides as he shakes his head. "We need to clean out that old stock. This is a perfect opportunity."
I cringe at the thought. "As long as no one believes I had any hand in making those older wines."
His brow drops. "They aren't that bad, Sophia. People were buying them." Brennen points toward the tasting room.
I snort, hands going to my hips as my inner wine snob proudly steps forward. "The only people paying good money for the shit we’re currently selling have absolutely no idea what outstanding wine is like. What we have in stock is fucking garbage, which is why you hired me, Brennen. You know I do not want my name connected with that crap. If I had my druthers, I'd haul all those bottles far out to sea and dump them. Or better yet, sell them to a grocery store as cooking wine."
"Whatever." Brennen rolls his eyes, clearly not interested in my drama. "I'll make sure they know you're not responsible for the old stock. But I'm not gonna pass up the opportunity to bring more money in and clear out the supply. You just focus on making more wine. If you need to increase supplies to up production, let me? — "
The outside door slams open and bangs against the wall, making both of us jump.
"Brennen!" a large man in an expensive suit bellows as he strides powerfully into the room, his withering glare on my boss. Alex follows in his wake and stands behind him, his gaze locked on Brennen. I go cold when he doesn't even spare me a glance. This can’t be good.
A tingle moves down my spine, and I know instinctively that something bad is about to happen.
"What the—? Ryan?" Brennen snarls. "What the fuck are you doing here? I thought I made it clear that you aren’t welcome here. The winery isn’t any of your business."
Ryan? As in the missing older brother, Ryan, I've heard people whisper about? The former Navy SEAL?
Folding his arms over his powerful chest, Ryan surveys his younger brother for several eerily quiet moments.
The man emits a predatory vibe that makes me squirm. I can only imagine how Brennen feels. I have to admit Ryan is impressive, and the resemblance between the brothers is definitely there. But while Brennen is leaner, more like a swimmer, Ryan has deep layers of muscle from years of physical training that even his five-thousand-dollar suit doesn't hide. His jaw is more chiseled, his face craggy, with deep lines around his mouth and eyes hinting at a life outdoors and worldly experience.
He's not someone I would want to tangle with. Ryan exudes power, money, and strength.
“Like I’ve told you before, Brennen, this winery is my business. It’s our family’s legacy, and I’m not about to let it fall into the hands of a group of vultures." He sighs and rubs a spot between his eyes. "This isn’t just about the Celtic Knot anymore. You’re in over your head, and whether you like it or not, you need my help."
Brennen's jaw works furiously, and I can almost see steam come out of his ears. "Emma and I have done just fine holding this place together, Ryan,” he sneers. “We don’t need your help, you arrogant asshole."
I'm instantly uncomfortable as it dawns on me that I'm stuck in the middle of a major family fight. I edge several steps to the side wondering if I can make an escape unnoticed. My movement finally captures Alex's attention and he gives me a slow head shake, as if telling me to stay put. I narrow my eyes at him.
He's involved in this somehow. Has he been lying to me the entire time? Is that why he’s been so on edge lately?
"You need me more than you realize," Ryan responds, his voice softer but level, and hard as granite. "Why didn’t you call me? All you had to do was tell me you needed cash. I would have wired it to you, no questions asked."
Brennen scoffs. “None of that matters anymore, big brother.” He points at me, and the breath freezes in my chest as Ryan's sharp gaze swivels in my direction. I feel like an insect pinned to a posterboard. "Our new winemaker has a major hit on her hands, and we're already sold out. We won first place and best overall white wine in Atlanta yesterday. I did that, Ryan." Brennen jabs his thumb at his chest. " I did it. Not you. Me! "
"Several hits," I correct, and my throat tightens in panic as all eyes turn to me again. Horrified I said that, I stumble backwards. Just a few more feet and I can escape through the tasting room door.
Ryan's eyes narrow as he focuses fully on me. "You're Sophia Garrett, from the California wine family," he states, clearly not expecting a response. Thank god, because I wasn't sure I could utter a single syllable if my life depended on it. The intensity of his gaze is like nothing I’ve ever experienced before. "What do you mean several hits?"
I blink rapidly at him and open my mouth to reply, but nothing comes out. I clear my throat awkwardly and try again. "We'll have at least four top notch wines within the next six months. We just bottled a light red that is a masterpiece, if I do say so myself. And next on my list is a drier white wine. I can promise it will be better than anything you've ever tried."
Holy crap! I'm shocked I said all that, but I’m not about to stand here and let my wines be impugned.
One corner of Ryan's lips curls up, softening his face. Goddamn, women must be crawling over this guy back in Texas because he exudes pure masculinity. "Cocky little thing, aren't you?"
I lift my chin at the challenge. "You’re only cocky if you can’t back it up. And I can."
He gives me a single nod and turns back to Brennen. "It doesn't matter how many fucking cases you've sold. Based on my intel, it won’t be long before Sapphire Development can take ownership of this place." He shakes his head in frustration. "You wait much longer for help and everything our mother worked so hard for will be gone." Ryan's intense eyes drill into his brother. "Come on, Brennen. Do you honestly think you can stop what’s coming with just the orders for the new wine?"
Brennen is quiet for several moments, the muscles in his jaw working furiously. "How do you know about this?"
Ryan lifts a powerful shoulder. "Does it matter? I have my sources."
Brennen's eyes move to Alex, who is standing stoically behind Ryan. "You mean spies . That's why this guy showed up out of nowhere, isn't it?” Brennen points to Alex. “You had Emma plant him to spy on us, didn’t you?"
The breath whooshes out of my chest at Brennen's accusation, and I stare at the ground at the realization that is exactly what happened. My stomach instantly sours.
Alex was sent here as a spy to ferret out what was going on with the winery, not because he won some random bullshit scholarship or ‘to learn from the best.’
Suddenly, it all makes sense. Everything clicks into place: the strange phone calls, the odd questions he'd ask me, the way he had chatted up the winery employees as if they were old friends, his sudden disappearances… all of it.
I look up and jolt to find Alex’s gaze on me, an unreadable look on his face. I was just a cover for him, nothing more. What a fool I have been all this time. The floor drops beneath me as my gut twists. Everything has been a lie with Alex.
I can't bite back the small groan as a wave of nausea moves over me, and I do everything in my power not to vomit all over the floor.
I backpedal as quickly as my feet will allow, not caring that all three men are now watching me. I have to get out of this room. Now!
I'm such an idiot…