Epilogue
T heo rubbed his eyes, then leaned back in his office chair and closed them. He’d been staring at the computer for too long. He’d been burning the candle at both ends the past month or so. Not like that was unusual for August and September.
Most of the year, he spent the majority of his working hours in the brewery, either in his office or the tasting room, but whenever harvest time rolled around, he split his time between here and the vineyards, helping to pick the grapes. Sometimes, it just felt good to get back out into nature.
He should be seeing a light at the end of the tunnel by now, as most of the grapes were picked, but he and his family had decided the time was right to expand the businesses by hiring an events coordinator. In the past, Theo and Nora had worked together, planning special events at the brewery and winery, but because their lists of job duties were already quite large, they were never pleased with the end results, certain every event could be better if only they’d had the time to do more.
Theo had been the one to propose they create a new position, and his family had voted unanimously to bring on the new employee. He’d volunteered to do the hiring, as well as serve as the coordinator’s supervisor.
He opened his eyes and glanced at his computer screen again, reviewing the resume of the woman he’d hired, hoping he’d made the right choice. Most of the interviews he’d conducted had been through video conference calls. It wasn’t his preferred way of interviewing, as he liked to get to know people face-to-face. However, in order to widen his applicant pool—the list of qualified people in Gracemont was pitifully small—he’d been forced to interview online.
He would know soon enough if he’d picked right, since the new coordinator was scheduled to begin work next week.
Theo stifled a yawn, then decided to call it a day. It was a little before quitting time, but it was his night to cook, and after all the extra hours he’d been pulling, he’d earned an early out. Plus, there had to be some perks to being his own boss.
He reached to turn off his computer when he heard someone say his name.
“Theo Storm?”
He glanced up, trying to place the woman standing in his doorway. She looked vaguely familiar.
“Yes,” he replied.
“I’m Gretchen Banks.”
Of course. The new events coordinator.
Theo hadn’t gotten a great look at her face during the interview because she’d been sitting in front of a window, leaving her face backlit so much she’d been little more than a shadow. Not that he’d needed to see her face because she’d hit it out of the park in her interview, her answers to his questions lining right up with his vision for the brewery and winery.
He stood, walking around his desk. “Gretchen,” he said with a friendly smile. “I wasn’t expecting to meet you until next week.”
Theo reached out to shake her hand—and when Gretchen placed her hand in his, it felt as if he’d been struck by lightning.
Jesus, he thought, smiling at the petite woman he knew without a doubt was going to be his wife.
It was just as Levi said.
Love at first touch.
Levi’s story is just the beginning! Theo’s story is coming in June 2025.