Chapter 8 Kinley
Sage was a hoot. She was sassy and had zero fucks to give, and I absolutely loved her.
She also adored the winery with all her heart.
It had belonged to her great-grandparents and had been passed down through the generations.
I was confused about her current role, but I was going to ask Wyatt about it later.
We walked through the vineyard first, and she explained a lot about the process. I’d read about it, but seeing everything firsthand was exciting.
“As you can see, there’s a rose in front of every line,” Sage said. “Do you know why that is? Wyatt, you keep quiet.”
“I have no idea,” I confessed.
“Roses are very delicate. If a pest comes and they get sick first, that gives us enough time to spray the rest of the vineyard.”
“Wow. That’s very clever.”
The winery was huge and at the far end of Napa, which explained why there weren’t any hotels nearby.
I’d looked online, and Wyatt was right—the closest was sixty miles away.
It definitely wouldn’t be ideal to travel back and forth that far every day.
Besides, the cabin was cozy and very clean and had all the essentials you’d need.
Buuut... I’d be living with this hunk of a man for an entire week.
I hadn’t packed any appropriate loungewear.
I typically changed the second I returned home, going from my work clothes into flimsy tank tops and shorts, none of which I wanted to wear around Wyatt.
So it was going to be jeans for me all the way.
“All right. The production unit is at the other end,” Sage said, pointing to a rather large building.
As we walked behind her, I took in the smell of fresh leaves. The sun was perfect, casting a warm glow over the vineyard.
“What are you thinking about?” Wyatt asked.
“I want to memorize everything about this place.”
He nodded. “That will probably come in handy for marketing campaigns, branding, and so on.”
“Exactly,” I said.
It was more than that, though. The place was peaceful, and the factory itself was a pleasant surprise. I’d assumed that it would be old-fashioned and would need a lot of changes, but every step of the process was robotic.
“When did you acquire this machinery?” I asked Sage.
“I didn’t. It was the first thing Wyatt and his brothers changed when they took over.” She gestured to Wyatt. “The old machinery wasn’t efficient enough. And although it cut back on some jobs, the positive impact has far outweighed the negative.” She sighed. “But I miss the old team.”
“Sage, I know you’re nostalgic about those times, but the production costs were astronomical,” Wyatt said. “Things are much more efficient now, and we’re selling more product.”
“I know. I don’t mean to sound so melancholic,” Sage replied.
As we moved to the storage facility, Wyatt whispered to me, “Sage loves everything old.”
He was clearly fighting laughter, and I was doing the same.
Sage looked at us over her shoulder. “Are you two having a laugh at my expense?”
Fortunately, she didn’t seem mad.
“How come you have so many varieties?” I asked. In my analysis of the industry, most small wineries focused on just one or two grapes.
“Oh, we’ve always done it this way,” Sage said. “My dad used to say, ‘Let’s not put all our eggs in one basket.’ Besides, each grape type reacts differently to various pests, so when something hits us, we don’t lose everything for that year.”
“Which is extremely smart,” Wyatt added.
Sage pushed her chest forward, clearly bursting with pride, then turned to me. “All right, Kinley, what do you think? Do you have questions?”
“Not right now. But if I think of something, I’ll ask.”
She nodded. “Sure. I’m always around. Wyatt’s got my number.”
“Oh, I do have one question, actually. Is there any place in Napa that serves dinner in the vineyard itself? You know, with twinkle lights and everything?” I smiled sheepishly. “I saw some pictures online, and it looked very idyllic.”
“Yes, there are a few,” Sage replied, “but they typically have to be booked months and months in advance. I’ll make a few calls and let you know if something frees up.”
“That would be fantastic. Thank you.”
“Just be aware that it’ll be quite a drive. My dad liked to say that we’re a bit out in the boonies. It has its positives and negatives.”
“By the way, where are you buying the wine bottles?” I asked.
They weren’t producing the bottles themselves, just filling them up.
“A glass manufacturer in the area. I can arrange a visit there if you want.”
I turned to Wyatt. “I’d like that, but we’d have to rearrange our schedule a bit.”
“That’s fine,” he replied.
I nodded and looked back at Sage. “All right, so where are the offices?”
“Wyatt will take the lead from here,” she said. “I’m no good in an office. Never was, which is why I sold the business to this handsome one here.”
He grinned. “You flatter me, Sage.”
She rolled her eyes. “Don’t let it go to your head.”
As Sage left, I turned to Wyatt. “This was very productive.”
I was trying very hard to keep my eyes on his face, because that tattoo... damn. I stole a glance at it every chance I got. It was very intricate and sexy—but I couldn’t quite decipher what it was.
“Let’s head back. The office is actually behind the cabin.”
“I didn’t even notice it. Kind of remote, isn’t it? Must limit you in the number of employees you can hire.”
“It does. Maybe we’ll move it somewhere else in Napa County. I’m not sure yet. For now, I’m happy with the team we’ve got. They’re all local and very devoted to winemaking. Most of their experience is generational and strictly wine related.”
“Tell me about Sage. Why did you decide to keep her on?”
He shrugged. “Why not? She loves this place. She didn’t manage it efficiently, though.
Years ago, when her parents were running it, it was very profitable.
But after Sage took over, the cost structure was insanely inefficient.
I remember taking a glance at the financial documents before buying it and thinking, ‘This can turn a profit within a year. And it’ll only grow from there. ’”
“What is she in charge of now?”
“The production.”
“So, she’s not involved in any managerial decisions?”
He shook his head. “No. Her choice, and mine too.”
“I like how you are with her.”
We walked side by side. It was a constant battle not to look at him, but I forced myself to keep my eyes forward.
“She’s a very good person. The acquisition process was all very cordial.”
“It’s not just that. You don’t talk down to her.”
He frowned. “Why would I?”
The fact that he even asked this boggled my mind.
“CEOs—well, managerial levels in general—often do that. My previous boss was not like you at all. He wasn’t an asshole, just very authoritative.”
“Does that mean you like me better?” He wiggled his eyebrows.
That was somehow a very attractive expression on him. Playful, but also sexy.
“Yes, I do,” I replied honestly. “Although, I’ve only known you for a few days, so time will tell.”
“Am I on probation?”
“Of course. My contract is only for a year. This goes both ways. We both have to be happy with each other for it to work.”
His eyes flashed, and I’d have given a penny or two for his thoughts in that moment because I didn’t think they were about the business. “Fair enough.”
We walked at a brisk pace and arrived at the cabin in no time.
“Should we change before we go into the office?” I asked.
“No, we’re good. Everyone is business casual around here at best. It’s the nature of the place.”
I glanced at his arm, and unfortunately, he caught me.
“Don’t worry. They’re already used to my tattoo.”
I pressed my lips together, glancing up at him. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to stare. It’s just so unusual.”
“Really? You worked in the tech industry. I assumed there was no set dress code and a lot of ink.”
“It’s mostly full of dorks and jerks. Neither of whom really have tattoos.”
“Right. Well, I’m not going to change. Everyone here is very relaxed.”
“Good, then I won’t either. So, what’s the tattoo about? I can’t figure it out.”
He held his arm higher for me to see the design. “It’s a pattern of wings and planets.”
I looked at it again. “I can make out the wings now that you mention them, but the planets—not really.”
“They’re very small.” He pointed to a few dots I hadn’t even noticed.
“Wow. Does it have any special significance?”
“A reminder to myself that everything is possible with hard work. I got it when I was in high school.”
I swallowed hard. “That’s impressive. You were that driven even back then.”
He shrugged. “I watched my parents having to start from scratch after divorcing and then each building a good life. It was great motivation.”
I wanted to ask more about his family—and the tattoo—but I’d already asked too much, so I decided to switch topics.
“What are we doing about meals? I assume ordering through DoorDash isn’t possible.”
“I always eat with Sage when I’m here, but there’s a fully equipped kitchen in the cabin. She stocked the fridge for us before we arrived.”
“Wow. That’s very nice of her.”
“Yes. She’s really good at hosting. That’s why I’ve been thinking about merging the hotel and winery businesses.”
I raised a brow. “You want to build a hotel on the premises? I thought the business you were looking at was an existing hotel chain that was up for sale.”
“I’m still working on that. This would be more like a bed-and-breakfast. Sage would thrive running something like that.”
I nodded. “A B&B would definitely fit better here. Permits would be easier as well.”
“You read my mind,” Wyatt said.
God, this was so exciting. We were going to work so well together, I was sure of it. I just had to stop drinking in his tattoo—or any part of him, really. Easy peasy.
Not.
The office itself was in a bungalow. My surprise must have been evident, as Wyatt asked me, “Not what you expected, huh?”
“No. This explains why I didn’t even notice the building.”