They’re best friends until a wine and food pairing competition
throws them together in an intimate, tension-filled setting.
throws them together in an intimate, tension-filled setting.
SAUVIGNON BLANC TO SIGH FOR
Love in Wine Country #4
Pamela Gibson
Releasing Feb 13th, 2017
Sarah James
has always wanted to be part of a family. Her divorced parents are estranged
and she has no siblings. But she does have friends, especially Sam, who’s
always underfoot…eating her food, fixing stuff in her house, and seeking advice
about his love life.
Aspiring
winemaker Sam Reynoso has taken care of Sarah since the sixth grade. She’s
smart, comfortable, and indulgent. They’re best friends until a wine and food
pairing competition throws them together in an intimate, tension-filled
setting.
As feelings
neither of them expected start to emerge, each will have to decide if their
relationship will evolve, or if their newfound love will be nipped in the bud
by a crushing secret.
Sarah hopped off the couch, fists clenched.
“Are you out of your freakin’ mind? I’m not doing this. I’m going to Sea Ranch
or Morro Bay or Santa Barbara…somewhere with a beach.”
“But this is a great opportunity, Sarah.
The judges are enologists and wine and food raters from the big magazines. Even
if we don’t win, we can get our talents in front of people who can make things
happen for us.”
“We? I don’t want to be a chef. I’m a
planner. A damn good one.”
He swiped his fingers over his hair. “You
hate the politics. You know you’re a gourmet cook. This is a great chance for
you as well as me.”
She planted her hands on her hips and glared.
“No. No. No.”
“Why are you being like this?”
She raised her voice. “We’re not a couple.
You said this is for couples. To me that means married or engaged. Now eat your
cobbler, and I’ll go in the kitchen and make coffee.”
“How can you say that? We’ve been a couple
since we were kids. Our friendship is probably stronger than most marriages.”
“But this implies a committed relationship.
It would be dishonest.” She stood her ground, but he had a point. If it didn’t
specifically say engaged or married, they’d technically qualify.
He hung his head and looked up at her
through those lashes most women would kill for. “Uh, Sarah? I already signed us
up.”
“What?” she shrieked. “Sam, I can’t believe
you did this. I could just…just…this is exactly
what you do, every time. Take over and do what you want, and don’t even bother
to think about the person you‘re going to rope into your latest scheme. No.”
“It’s only a week. You can have the second
week all to yourself.” He got up and stood in front of her, so close she had to
look up at him. “Can’t you pretend that we’re more than friends for a week? I
know you love me.”
“Yes…like a brother…a big, overgrown,
aggravating, controlling, nuisance of a brother.”
“But you’ll do it.”
“No.” She looked up at him and knew
instantly why women fell at his feet. His shoulders were immense, and the light
stubble on his face made him look dangerous. But the heat in his eyes could
melt rocks in an iceberg.
He put his hands on her shoulders and
pulled her toward him. It was a brotherly hug, one they’d shared often. “Think
about it. I’ve paid the fee, but I can stand to lose it.”
“How much was it?” She murmured against his
chest.
“Two grand.”
Two thousand dollars? She
pushed him away and faced the kitchen
Pamela
Gibson grew
up loving books, history, and small towns. Her first career was a newspaper
reporter, but when she returned to college to get a master’s degree, it was in
public administration which eventually led to jobs running cities…not as an
elected official, but as a city manager, the chief appointed one.
Writing
was still her passion and in her spare time—between meetings and raising two
active kids—she was contracted to write several books on local history. Taking
an early retirement at the urging of her very supportive husband, she turned to
fiction and began writing the happy ending novels she loves to read.
She now
spends half her time on land and the other half cruising coastal or inland
waters in her 32-foot boat. She speed-eats chocolates when she’s nervous,
squeals when she sees a spider, and loves to relax with a good read with a
mellow glass of wine.
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