Page 48 of It Must Be Love

He narrowed his eyes. "How do you know what I drink?"

"Kara told me."

He nodded appreciatively. "And what do you like to drink?"

"Something affordable?" I offered.

"I mean the varietal, Naya," he grinned.

I cleared my throat. "I like Cab…Franc."

He raised an eyebrow. "Okay. What kind?"

"I only know my wine because Darren knows his wine," I confessed. "I like Loire Valley Cab Franc, and I'm a big fan of South African Chenin. I like my champagne Blanc de Blanc and super dry."

"I'm fucking impressed, Naya. You know your wine."

"Only what I like and only because Darren makes me taste wine all the time. He buys cases and has a thousand plus bottle wine cellar at his place."

"Challenge accepted. I'll do better than Darren."

"It's not a contest," I called out to him as he walked away, whistling, Santa Claus Is Coming To Town.

Chapter 18

Amias

"Man, how the fuck did you get my number?" Darren demanded and then coughed for two minutes straight.

"I know someone who knows someone," I informed him.

"And you want to know what wine Naya likes?" Darren asked.

"Yeah. She said Loire but I sort of said that I'd do better than you."

"Okay, I have COVID, and my head is not screwed on straight, but what the fuck is going on?"

"I'm going to her place for Christmas Eve. She's cooking and I'm bringing the wine. I told you.

"I was fucking with Darren. I knew he'd be surprised when I called him and that he'd want to bite my head off.

"You fucking with her, Westbrook?"

"No," I said sincerely. "I broke up with Ann."

"And? You think Naya will be your rebound, you asshole?"

"No, fuck no. I'm…I feel something. I feel something for her."

I heard Darren release an elaborate sigh. "Her favorite Cab Franc is…are you writing this down?"

"Yes."

He told me the names of her favorite wines and what else he thought she'd like. "She doesn't care how much it costs. She only cares how it tastes."

"As I'd expect her to." Yeah, she wouldn't give a shit if a wine cost fifty or five dollars. For Naya, I was starting to learn it would be about what was inside and how she felt about it.

"Westbrook, she doesn't deserve any more pain."

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