Page 44 of Where We Met

"Wow, that's so interesting. I had no idea there was that much that went into growing grapes," Savannah says as we walk back to the villa from the vineyard.

Giovanni did most of the talking, spending too much time speaking directly to Savannah. My hands are clenched into fists in my pockets as we continue through rows and rows of grape vines. Normally I'm lost in the magic of a vineyard and the views you get while walking on the rolling hills of Tuscany.

Not today. Today I'm lost in a world of jealousy and rage as I watch a suave Italian man give all his time and attention to the woman I want but can't have.

"We will bring you to our wine cellar in town tomorrow. You will get to see and taste our fabulous wines," Giorgio says.

That part is my favorite; feeling like magic to me. I could live inside a wine cellar.

"I can't wait." Savannah smiles at Giorgio. "You've already made me fall in love with your farm. I'm sure I'll feel the same about your wine."

"Ah. Love and wine, you already realize the two go together so well," Giorgio says to her.

Savannah is fitting in so well with the culture here. Her natural warmth makes her fit right in, like she's a part of the family. That's exactly the way they do business here—it's all about the relationship you form with them.

"Let's retire to the fireplace. It'll warm us right up, and I'm sure the girls are getting dinner ready. You can meet them," Giorgio says, leading us back to the villa.

We're seated in front of the fire, Savannah to my right, so she’s closest to the crackling warmth. Two women come out holding wine glasses and a bottle, laughing at something one of them said.

"Ciao," the older one says. She must be Teresa, Giorgio's wife.

Giorgio stands and grabs the bottle from the woman. "La mia bellissima moglie," he says to her.

He plants a big kiss on her lips, and I think I see a hint of a blush on her cheeks at him calling her his beautiful wife.

"Oh, Giorgio," she says. "Non davanti agli ospiti."

Not in front of the guests, she just said. I smile and wave my hand in the air.

"Non nascondere il tuo amore," I say, telling them not to hide their love.

"Savannah, Luke, this is my beautiful wife Teresa, and my equally beautiful daughter Isabella."

Isabella comes forward and gives us each a wine glass. "Ciao," she says.

"Ciao," I reply as I grab the glass from her. "Grazie."

She's a gorgeous woman with long brown hair and olive skin. She's just like the kind of women I would enjoy on my trips to Italy in the past. And yet, her beauty does nothing for me now. Sure, I can subjectively say she’s beautiful, but it’s nothing compared to Savannah.

“We open the bottle for a toast then let you two enjoy while we prepare a nice welcome dinner,” Giorgio says.

After we do a quick toast to salute, they disappear into the kitchen, leaving me and Savannah alone. I shift my body to face her and rest my arm on the back of the couch. She takes a sip of the wine and closes her eyes as she releases a moan.

"This wine is so good," she says then turns to me. "What do you think?"

I'm so lost in her, I’m hardly even thinking about the wine. Instead, my dumb ass is wondering what her lips would taste like with the wine on them. "Beautiful," I whisper.

Her head tilts to the side as she ponders my words. "What do you think of the wine?" She mirrors my decimal as I see her chest rise and fall a bit quicker.

"The wine?" I look down at my glass. "Oh, I haven't tried it yet."

I sniff the wine to open my senses to the aromas that are floating around in my glass and then I take a sip and let it sit on my tongue for a moment before swallowing. It tastes just like the glass I had in Chicago when I first discovered their family’s wine.

This wine, called Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, is from the grapes grown right here on this farm in the Abruzzo region of Tuscany. They have a smaller farm run by cousins in the Chianti region where they grow their sangiovese grapes for their Chianti Classico wine.

"It's exactly liked I hoped it would be. Very rich and bold, a strong blackberry note coming through, but not too strong as to overpower it."

I swirl my glass around again before taking another sip, all the while feeling her eyes on me. I look over and whisper, "What are you staring for?"

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