CHAPTER THREE
LORI
Lori walked away from one of the most handsome men she’d ever seen.
Rugged facial features, butterscotch-colored hair, a wiry body with broad shoulders and a tight ass, he was delectable.
Too bad she wasn’t interested in anything more than friendship with anyone of the opposite sex.
Thank God, he’d come along to save her from the jackass who’d been overly friendly.
Creepy, actually. The man looked old enough to be a grandfather.
She went back to her room and stretched out on a deck chair on her patio where she’d have privacy. Tonight, she had dinner reservations in the hotel restaurant and was looking forward to a delicious meal in an elegant setting. It might seem odd to be there alone, but she didn’t care.
Closing her eyes, she leaned back and allowed herself to relax in the sun.
Sometime later, Lori awoke and realized she’d been asleep in her chair for a couple of hours. She tenderly touched her cheek. Though she’d put on sun lotion, she had the awful feeling that freckles had appeared on her face.
Lori went inside to check on her skin and to take a shower.
She intended to do as her family asked and enjoy all aspects of staying in such a luxurious hotel.
She’d already made restaurant reservations and was going to check out the cocktail lounge before dinner.
By now, she was accustomed to being alone in social situations and would always take her phone with her.
After drying herself off from her shower, Lori tried to fuss with her hair and realized that with the humidity in Florida, she should go for a naturally curly look. It was what it was.
She used eyeliner, shadow, and mascara, and felt better about herself. If nothing else, her eyes were attractive. She gave her reflection in the mirror a nod of satisfaction and turned away. At home, she almost never wore makeup. But then, she spent most of her days with toddlers who didn’t care.
Feeling special, she left her room and walked to the lobby lounge to begin her evening. As she walked in, she saw the obnoxious man from the beach sitting at the bar and quickly headed in the opposite direction.
Griff was sitting alone at a small table, saw her, and waved her over. “It’s pretty crowded. You’re welcome to sit here.”
Lori gazed around and saw that Griff was right. “Thanks. I didn’t want to sit at the bar where the creepy guy is.”
Griff turned and looked at Brock Goodwin. “No,” he said. “You’re better off away from him. What’ll you have? I have a glass of wine on the way. Testing our competitors.”
“Really? You’re in the wine business?” Lori said, taking a seat at the table while Griff assisted her.
“Yes. My grandfather, Samuel Sawyer, owns a boutique winery in Napa Valley. Maybe you’ve heard of Adeline Hills Winery?”
There was a note of pride in Griff’s voice that Lori recognized. She added, “Everyone who loves food and wine has heard of it. Though I’ve never had a taste of it, I’m sure it’s special. Do they sell it here?”
“No, but I’m going to talk to the owners about it. Most of our wines are reserved ahead, which is why you won’t find them everywhere. But this hotel is prestigious enough to be well-suited to our wines. Something my grandfather insists upon.”
“What are you drinking?” Lori asked.
“I’ve chosen an Oregon pinot noir,” Griff answered. “They have their own distinctive taste, and I wanted to sample it. Would you like to try it with me?” At Lori’s nod, he signaled the waitress and asked for a second glass of wine to be sent.
Moments later, the waitress delivered the wine to their table, along with a bowl of small, simple crackers.
Griff offered her a cracker. “This will help cleanse our palate so we can get a true taste of the wine.”
Lori took a cracker and ate it. Then, at Griff’s suggestion, she lifted the glass. She watched as Griff swirled the wine in the glass, then inhaled the bouquet, and with a nod of satisfaction, took a sip, letting it sit in his mouth for a moment before swallowing it.
When she sniffed the wine, Griff said, “What do you smell?”
“I think I smell berries and something else. Would it be crazy to say grass?”
Griff smiled. “Not at all. You have a talented nose for the subtleties of wine.”
“Special, unexpected occasions like this call for it,” Lori said. “But, in truth, I don’t drink much wine.”
Griff pretended to clutch his heart. “Your words wound me. A glass of wine is healthy for the body and soul.”
Lori took another sip and allowed the wine to slide easily down her throat. Maybe Griff was right. It was a way to relax. But after dating an alcoholic more than one time, she knew she’d never go overboard. Life was too precious.
Griff took a small notebook out of his pocket and made a few notes. “If I’m going to write off some of the trip as a business expense, I have to do some work.”
“Lucky you have work like this,” teased Lori with a mischievous grin.
Griff shook his head. “Most people don’t realize that owning and working on a vineyard makes someone a farmer, nothing more glamorous than that. Until it’s time to schmooze with the customers. Then we want owning a vineyard to appear as delightful as our wines.”
Lori noticed the calluses on Griff’s broad hands and realized he meant what he said. They were farmers’ hands.
They talked easily with one another. Knowing Griff wasn’t interested in dating, and for a very understandable reason, Lori let herself relax with him. He told her more about his work with the winery, and when pressed, she told him about the day-care center where she worked.
“Guess you have to like children a lot to work with them every day,” Griff said.
“I do. I’ve always thought I would have children of my own.
My husband, Nick, and I were planning to start a family when he was diagnosed with cancer.
We’d talked about having three children.
” Her voice faded as the memory came back of hearing about his death sentence—a maximum of twelve months to live. He died ten months later.
“Hey, I’m sorry,” said Griff. “I didn’t mean to bring up sensitive things.”
“It’s all right,” said Lori. She drew her lips in a straight line. “I’m still angry about it, though. It was so unfair. Nick was an outstanding man, too young to die. At home, I try not to show how I feel. My family is worried about me. That’s why they gave me this trip.”
Griff studied her. “I’m glad you could tell me the truth. I get it. My case is very different, but I’m pissed off by what happened to me, even though I know it’s for the best.”
“No one wants to be stood up before a wedding,” said Lori. “No matter what.” She finished the last of her wine.
“Care for another?” he asked. “A different pinot noir? You can tell me which you like better.”
“That sounds lovely,” said Lori, pleased he wanted her opinion.
After their drinks came, Griff cautioned her to take another cracker before sampling the wine.
They followed the earlier procedure of inhaling the bouquet and letting the wine roll around in their mouths to experience its flavor before swallowing.
“Well? What do you think?” Griff asked.
“I don’t like it as much. It’s got a harsher taste to me,” Lori said.
“It has a lot more tannins, for sure,” said Griff. “Let’s let it air a bit.”
“Do you drink a lot of wine?” Lori asked and then felt her cheeks turn pink.
He grinned and shook his head. “No. When sampling wine, one should follow our example and then, after tasting the wine, spit it out. Otherwise, you’d have a real drinking problem. Visitors to the winery don’t do that, which is why a lot of them get hammered on wine tours.”
Lori was relieved he wasn’t going to get drunk. She hoped they could spend some time together. It was a relief to sit with a man and know neither of them was ready for anything more.
“What are your dinner plans?” Griff asked her.
“I have reservations in another twenty minutes,” she said, checking her watch.
“Me, too. Want to sit together?”
“I’d like that,” she said. “Not a date. Just sharing a table.”
“Exactly,” Griff said. “You know what my situation is. And I know yours.”
“That works for me,” said Lori, meaning it.