Page 22 of Operation Sunshine
Ben swirled the wine in his glass and tried a little more. He frowned. “I don’t agree. I think there’s something… satisfying about it. Itisn’t overly complicated, but it has enough character to make you think.” He smiled. “I can appreciate that.”
Franco stared at him, his lips parted. Then Chloe coughed, and he blinked.
“Maybe you’re just afraid of commitment.” Franco gave Chloe a playful nudge. “And I thinkyoushould try it a little longer. Take a deep breath, slow down, and maybe you’ll understand it better.”
Chloe rolled her eyes. “Oh please. I can’t take that long to figure something out.” She winked at Ben. “No offence, Franco. You may be our resident wine connoisseur, but I think I’m just not one for all the fine details.”
Ben smirked. “AndIthink I’m starting to agree with you.”
Franco raised his glass high. “Ah, but you’re both wrong. Details matter. You don’t just drink wine—you experience it. You have to let it tell you a story.”
Ben let out a snort of laughter. “Okay, now you sound like someone who’s had too much wine.”
Franco gave him a dramatic look of disbelief. “Ben, I’m going to hazard a guess you’ve never letanythingtell you a story. You’re too busy analysing everything.” He smiled. “That’s your problem—you overthink.”
Ben opened his mouth to argue but was interrupted by the arrival of the next round.
“Oh good, I can’t wait for the storythisone has to tell,” Ben muttered as he accepted a fresh glass of wine from the server. He was starting to feel a little more at ease, his tense shoulders relaxing for the first time in what felt like hours.
He took a sip.
Oh wow.
It was nothing like the previous wines. It was bold, heavy with tannins and deep, smoky undertones that made him pause. It didn’t feel like a casual drink, but something that had layers, as though it had been waiting to be unlocked.
Discovered.
Ben glanced at Franco. “This wine... it actually has something.”
Franco watched him carefully, then grinned. “You’re learning, Mr. Whitaker. You’re learning.”
Ben liked the note of approval in Franco’s voice.
The evening stretched on in much the same way, a mix of banter, wine, more banter, and more wine. Franco made a few notes, and Ben felt certain some of the bottles would find their way to the wine list ofSage & Thyme. People came and went, chatting in their cliques, but now Ben found himself oddly at ease amidst the noise. By the time they reached the last wine of the evening, a deep, velvety red that lingered on the tongue like the memory of a kiss, Ben had forgotten how much he hated events like this.
This was fun.
Franco stood beside him, talking with Chloe and some of the other guests. Ben felt relaxed enough to introduce himself to a few of the local business owners. Franco caught his eye and raised his glass in a silent toast.
Ben lifted his own, unable to rein in his smile. “You’re right,” he admitted. “This isn’t so bad.”
He’d expected a grin.
What he got was a slow smile as a sort of unspoken understanding passed between them.
Okay, so I’ve been plunged into all this chaos and unpredictability, but it feels as if I’m starting to see this new world through a different lens.
Maybe that wasn’t such a bad thing after all.
Chapter Six
Franco was elbow-deep in basil oil when Willow slid into the kitchen like a feral cat.
“OperationDistractois a go,” she whispered.
Franco glanced up in time to see her snatch a cherry tomato off the prep counter. “If this is another plan to slip tequila into the tiramisu, count me out. I’m still recovering from Raj’s ‘Jell-O Shot Thursdays,’” he groused.
She smirked as she leaned against the worktop. “Better.” She lowered her voice. “You’regoing to seduce the boss.”
