by Hayes, Lane
He had. Wes had also mentioned that our new neighbor was a minor league ballplayer turned coach. One who seemingly had more money than sense, because who in their right mind poured money into a derelict diner located off the beaten path in wine country?
“Yes, I heard. When is the grand opening?”
“Summer. I’m interviewing a few candidates, but if you know of anyone local who might be interested, let me know.”
I cocked my head and crossed my arms in a silent request for him to continue. Mama didn’t raise a fool. Yes, I’d lived in Napa for years and was well-connected in the area. I could certainly put out the word that the new restaurant in town was hiring, but so could Wes. And Nick, Ryan, Danny, Lauren, and a host of others. There had to be a doozy of a part two coming up.
“Go on,” I prodded.
Levi glanced at Wes then at me. “Well, I was hoping to participate in a few of the food and wine pairings beforehand. I can’t do that without a chef. I have the recipes but…I’m an idea guy. Not a cook. I can barely boil water.”
“That could be troublesome,” I replied matter-of-factly.
“Yeah. The thing is…I don’t want to waste any time. It’s important to stir interest now and get the word out.”
“Makes sense.”
“And that’s where you come in.”
I shot my best “Who do you think you’re messin’ with?” look at him followed by a fierce head bob. “I’m still in the dark here. Unless—oh, honey. If you’re trying to get my number, you can do better than this,” I snarked.
“Huh?”
I glanced at Wes. “Is that what he wants? Wes, you beast. You should have warned me. I would have changed into something a tad more fabulous. Like that red cape! You know…the shiny matador one I bought in España. I was always tempted to embroider something kitschy on it, like Bay City Rollers, but I never got around to it. Plus I’d have to explain the reference over and over, and my patience just isn’t what it should be.”
“What’s he talking about?” Levi hooked his thumb toward me but kept his gaze on Wes. His query was laced with amusement, which meant he either had a real sense of humor or he was desperate enough to entertain the local eccentric.
“The Bay City Rollers,” I replied quickly before Wes could intervene. “The ’70s sensation. Don’t tell me you’ve never heard of them. Then again, you probably weren’t even born until the ’80s. Eeks…or ’90s.”
Levi snickered. “Early ’80s. I’m thirty-seven. We’re the same age, aren’t we?”
“Well done, Mr. Yeager. Flattery will get you everywhere. No, we’re not the same age, but let’s stay on topic. What exactly do you need from me?”
“Help. Specifically, I need culinary expertise. Nothing crazy. Like I said, I have the recipes. I just need someone to help make them.”
“Make them? As in…you want me to be your chef?” I widened my eyes comically as I gestured between us. My bangles clanged noisily and seemed to echo against the stone walls.
To his credit, Levi was a cool customer. My mini-rant didn’t faze him in the slightest. He grinned and if possible, the simple upturn of his full mouth made him look even hotter than anyone should be allowed.
“Not exactly. I’m just looking for assistance with the appetizers, so The Vine can still participate in the food and wine pairing here this weekend.”
“Excuse my persistent confusion but…what do you want from me?” I turned to Wes, so he knew the question was directed at him as well.
“Levi has offered to feature Conrad wines exclusively at his restaurant when it opens. At least initially. You’re a natural when it comes to food and wine pairing, Geord. And you’re a great cook. It would be a nice collaborative touch,” Wes explained.
I glared at my business partner. His gift for oversimplification annoyed the hell out of me. Or perhaps it was the fact that he hadn’t asked me privately first. No, he’d waited until I was backed into a corner and would look like an asshole for denying canapés to a neighbor in need.
“Do you have a card, Mr. Yeager?” I asked with a tight smile.
Levi unzipped his leather jacket and pulled out a business card and a pen from the inside pocket. Then he made a small production of clicking the top before scrawling something on the back and handing it over. “That’s my cell. I’d just need an hour or so of someone’s time Saturday afternoon. And of course, I’m willing to pay.”
“This Saturday? Before the event? I’m going to be very busy. I don’t—” I looked at the card and frowned. “What is this?”
He furrowed his brow and leaned in to look at the card. “It’s a bunch of grapes. Get it? The Vine.”
“Yes. It’s…inspired,” I lied. Clichéd, tacky, and trite were better adjectives, but I caught Wes’s warning glance and remembered my manners. “I’ll consider your appeal for assistance and get back to you within twenty-four hours. Will that suffice, Mr. Yeager?”
“My appeal for assistance, eh?” Levi repeated with an amused huff. “I suppose it’ll suffice. By the way, what was that song you were singing when you first came in?”
“Gasp!” I clutched my heart theatrically. “It was a Barbra Streisand classic. You don’t know it?”
Levi shook his head and chuckled in a low tone with a sultry edge that reverberated through me. It was melodic yet heady like a slow sexy song or—
I frowned in confusion. Was I getting sick?
“No, I don’t. My bad.”
“Yes,” I said in a faraway tone. “You should fix that.”
Levi gave me a funny look. “You okay? You look a little green around the gills.”
“I’m…I’m fine.” I cleared my throat and tried again. “It was just shock.”
“Ha. Maybe I should brush up on my Barbra classics.” His eyes creased at the corners in amusement.
“It certainly wouldn’t hurt.”
“Where should I start?” he asked.
I narrowed my gaze. “What do you mean?”
“If a guy didn’t know anything about that kind of music, where would you suggest he start?”
“At the beginning,” I replied.
We stared at each other in a strange standoff. It felt like another conversation was happening under this awkward one about music and appetizers. I didn’t understand the buzz in the air around him either. He glowed with a cowboy mystique. I could almost imagine a scenario where he moseyed into a saloon wearing chaps and dusty boots. He’d tip his hat and give me a knowing grin and then—
“Okay. The beginning it is,” he said, holding my gaze intently before finally turning to Wes. “Thanks for seeing me.”
“Anytime,” Wes replied.
Levi turned back to me with a devilish grin. “Nice to meet you, Geordie.”
I opened my mouth, certain I could rely on my quick wit to regain my footing, but my mind went blank like I had an empty cartoon cloud over my head. Talk about strange. That hadn’t happened since I was a teenager. Thankfully, Levi didn’t seem to notice. He picked up his motorcycle helmet and held out his right hand.
I stared at it for longer than was probably polite and blurted, “Is that for motorcycle or horseback riding?”
Levi threw his head back and guffawed. I studied his laugh lines, noting the attractive dimple on his left cheek and the manly stubble on his jaw. I didn’t want to touch him, but he was certainly nice to look at. He sobered quickly and gave me a thorough once-over.
“I haven’t been on a horse since I was a kid, but I’ve got a Harley out front. Want to check it out?” he asked. The low, sexy timbre of his voice rolled through me like honey.
I shook my head with more force than necessary. “No.”
“Well, if you ever feel like goin’ for a ride, let me know. It was good to meet you,” he said, holding out his hand again.
There was no way to avoid it this time. Not with Wes giving me a side-eyed WTF look and my screwy brain conjuring Wild West-inspired fantasies starring our unsuspecting new neigh
bor on a canapé quest. I’d already skirted too close to rude and downright awkward for comfort, so I pasted a smile on my face, slid my palm into his, and—
It happened again. A weird tingling sensation shot up my arm. It tripped the wiring in my brain and left me feeling tipsy. I let go quickly and stepped backward.
“Good-bye.”
Levi quirked his brow then inclined his head before turning toward the main exit. He paused to exchange bro greetings with Danny and wave to Ryan and Lauren before finally leaving.
Phew. That was a close call. I sighed in relief then wiggled my fingers to make sure everything was still in working order before turning to Wes.
“What the hell was that all about?” I hissed.
“You tell me!” he yelled.
Okay, fine. He didn’t yell. Wes rarely raised his voice, which was a miracle, considering the range of crazy he dealt with daily. Wes Conrad was even-tempered and easygoing, but he was nobody’s fool. His steely side had been a perfect contrast to Mike’s perpetual sunny demeanor. It was no wonder they’d been best friends. There. I felt better already. Thinking about Mike cleared the lingering haze away and allowed the familiar dull ache in my chest to return with a vengeance.
But it didn’t last. I couldn’t slink away to lick old wounds when there was a mystery to solve. I pointed my finger at Wes and narrowed my gaze.
“Did he really ask me to make an appetizer for my party Saturday?”
“Yes and no. He asked for assistance and since all wine tasting events are your domain, I knew you’d want to be notified. It’s your call, Geordie. Not mine.”
“Then why didn’t he contact me himself?”
“Why are you upset?” Wes gave me a curious look.
“I’m not upset!” I lied. I was upset and unsettled. Moreover, I was frustrated because I had no idea what was bothering me. Certainly not Levi. I could easily pawn him off on one of the caterers on Saturday without a second thought. This was a nonissue. I seemed hell-bent on creating something out of nothing.
“Lower your voice,” he warned in a commanding tone.
“Don’t talk to me like a child,” I fired back before launching into full attack mode in Spanish.
Of course, Wes was fluent in my native tongue. He gave me a sharp look then glanced across the room at our unwitting audience and tugged on my elbow.
“Let’s discuss this privately, shall we?” he hissed angrily.
I shook out of his grasp then marched toward the arched doorway, aware that all eyes in the room were on me. I was too out of sorts to think of a song to ease the building tension, and that pissed me off more than being pulled into his office like an unruly student visiting the principal for the umpteenth time. I speed walked down the short hallway and up the stairs. Then I pushed open the first door on the right and froze at the sight of the partially undressed man perched on the corner of Wes’s desk.
“Hey, baby. I—oh. It’s you. Where’s Wes?” Nick asked with a chuckle as he stealthily rebuttoned his light-blue oxford shirt.
Nick Jorgensen was a movie-star handsome tech geek. He was six foot three and lean and toned without being overly muscular. He had short, dark hair and gray eyes that seemed to change color with whatever he was wearing. Today it was half of an Armani suit. I stared pointedly at his unzipped trousers before falling into one of the leather chairs opposite the desk.
I swiveled the chair to face the impressive view of the vineyard from the massive window anchoring the room but immediately turned back when Wes entered the room.
“Geordie, I—well, hello. This is a surprise.” Wes stopped in his tracks and smiled before greeting his boyfriend with a kiss.
A kinder soul would have given the lovers a modicum of privacy, but I was in a rotten mood. I cleared my throat obnoxiously then crossed my legs. “Yes, Nick. Whatever are you doing here in this shocking state of undress?”
Nick gave me a Cheshire cat grin as he slipped his arm around Wes’s waist. “I was hoping to seduce my man, but…it looks like you two are in the middle of a serious discussion.”
“Oh, he’s just going to yell at me for questioning his sanity in public. This shouldn’t take long at all,” I snarked.
Nick and Wes shared a look that sent me a little closer to the edge. I was about to let them have it when Nick widened his eyes comically.
“Someone’s gonna get a spanking,” he singsonged.
And that was why I begrudgingly adored Nick. He was goofy as hell and frustratingly single-minded at times, but he had a great sense of humor. He was a perfect match for my sometimes overly serious business partner.
Wes chuckled then pointed at the door. “Out. I’ll call you in a bit.”
Nick grinned then deftly stepped out of reach when Wes swatted his ass. He stopped in the doorway and gave his man a lascivious once-over. “Heads up. I’ve got an hour until I’m expected at the lab. Ciao, boys.”
I motioned for Wes to start talking when the door clicked shut.
“Let’s hurry this along. You have a booty call waiting, and I have wine to pour. And of course, when my official duties are done for the day, there’s laundry to do and a new season of Queer Eye to start. I’m a busy man, Wes. Let’s not waste precious time.”
Wes sighed heavily then sat in the chair next to me and rested his elbows on his knees. “Are you okay, Geord?”
I huffed dismissively and silently cursed my seat selection. I wanted to stare out the window and avoid his worried gaze. More than anything, I wanted to avoid the question. Was I okay? No. Probably not. But I’d grown accustomed to going through the motions, and I was under the impression I’d done a damn good acting job. No one knew me better than Wes, though. But if he told me he saw cracks in my armor, I might actually fucking cry, and tears were not an option.
“I’m fine. But you must have lost a marble or two. What the hell were you thinking? You made it impossible to say no without looking like a jerk, and I don’t appreciate it!”
“I honestly didn’t think it was a big deal,” Wes said, shoving his hand through his hair. “I’ll give Levi the number of the caterer we used for our holiday party. Maybe they can help.”
“Of course they can, but why are you involving yourself in his last-minute canapé quandary anyway?”
“Because I’m thinking of investing in his restaurant.”
I frowned at Wes’s matter-of-fact delivery. “Oh, really? That’s funny. I’m your business partner. When were you planning on mentioning this to me?”
“Soon. I haven’t thought it through yet,” he replied. “Look, Levi is sitting on what could be a fucking gold mine, and I don’t think he knows the first thing about the restaurant business.”
“And you do?”
“No. I don’t. But I know how to run a business.” He waited half a beat then added, “And you know how to cook.”
I opened and closed my mouth like a fish out of water before blasting him. “Tell me you’re kidding, please.”
Wes held his hands up in surrender. “Hear me out before you jump down my throat.”
“Oh, I can’t wait to hear how you’re planning on talking me into working behind the oven of a greasy spoon, serving up gourmet burgers. Make it good, honey. Go on.”
“Mike wanted it.”
I couldn’t speak for a moment. My lungs hurt, and my heart tightened as though he’d wrapped his fist around it. I shook my head slowly.
“No. No, he didn’t.” My voice broke, ruining any pretense of remaining cool and in control. If I wasn’t careful, I’d lose it completely.
“He did,” Wes insisted. “Mike and I talked about buying that diner years ago, but we were in over our heads here and in no position to take on anything new.”
“He never mentioned it to me. Ever.”
“Probably because we weren’t in a position to do it. You know how he was, Geordie. He didn’t want you to worry needlessly. He was a ‘one thing at a time’ kind of guy. We had to get the winery up and running
before we could think about expanding. By the time we were on our feet, the owner sold it to his cousin. Mike talked to the guy about selling to us but then…”
“He died,” I finished.
“Right.” Wes let out a rush of air that reminded me I wasn’t the only one who’d lost a piece of myself three and a half years ago. “Honestly, I hadn’t given it much thought until Levi introduced himself last month. He and his business partner have a similar story to ours. Mike was the only one with a passing interest in the wine business when we first invested in this place. But there were three of us and we worked our asses off. Levi is alone and—”
“You just said he had a business partner.”
“He bailed on him.”
“Oh. The chef.”
“Exactly. Now Levi is in the midst of renovating a restaurant he doesn’t know how to run, and I’m beginning to think this could be an opportunity.”
“How? Does he want to sell it?” I waved as though immediately dismissing the idea. “It hardly matters. We have our own business to run, and all I know about restaurants is, they’re nice places to visit.”
“I’m not suggesting that we offer to buy it or even help run it. Let’s just start by establishing a professional relationship with him. I like the idea of him serving Conrad wines exclusively. We can go from there.”
I held Wes’s gaze for a long moment then cocked my head. “Then what?”
“We’ll see. I don’t have a concrete plan. Yet. But we’re a team, Geord. If you don’t like the restaurant idea, we won’t pursue it.”
“And if I don’t like the owner?” I asked.
Wes narrowed his eyes. “You just met him. What’s not to like?”
I shrugged then shifted uncomfortably in my chair. Great. Now that I had Wes’s full attention, he’d give me the microscopic probe treatment. How, Geordie? Why, Geordie? What now, Geordie?
“He’s too…”
“Too what?”
“Fit.” Okay, that was bad. But since it was the first thing to pop into my head, I had to own it.
Wes scoffed. “What does that mean?”
I had no fucking clue. I waved my hand and made a funny face. “You know…he looks ultra-put-together. Like a health nut who spends too much time in a gym. And then there’s the motorcycle helmet. Between us girls, let’s be real. That man was trying way too hard.”