Alejandro shook his head. “I don’t want to work with a man who is not settled. A wife brings you stability. Honor. I have been married twenty years.”
He studied Alejandro’s face. “Alma and I aren’t at that place.”
Alejandro placed his arm on Jaime’s back. “Let me give you some advice. That woman you are traveling with loves you. I can see it in her eyes. And from what Gabriela told me, Alma is a tequiladora. If you are going to start a line, it should be with her. She should be having these conversations with me—not you.”
Jaime knew all of this. But what was he going to do now? Tell Alma that he wanted to start a brand with her even though they weren’t back together?
And even if they did get back together, he shouldn’t mix business with pleasure.
“Thanks for the advice. I meant no disrespect. Alma isn’t my girlfriend, though she was once. I just traveled with her, so shedidn’t have to come alone.” He looked out over the agave field once more. “Please don’t mention this conversation to her.”
Jaime extended his hand for Alejandro to shake, but he ignored Jaime and just walked to the distillery, with Jaime trailing behind.
Once they reached the distillery, Gabriela welcomed Jaime in. She showed him the barrels where they stored the tequila and talked about the process for each. Alma and Jaime tasted some different tequilas. Even though the ones Jaime had tried back at Alma’s bar were amazing, there was something so incredible about trying each one straight from the barrel.
Jaime’s palate grew. What had started out as a silly idea just based on anger toward another stupid Instagram campaign had ignited a passion. He actually cared about agave. He wanted to know everything there was to know about tequila. He imagined the brand, the launch party, the advertisements. He was truly excited about a work venture for once in his life.
And he owed it all to Alma.
Jaime had almost expected Gabriela to invite them to dinner, but she didn’t. They said their goodbyes, and Jaime walked with Alma in the middle of the agave fields before returning to the limo.
Alma gazed into his eyes. “Thank you for accompanying me to Mexico. I’m so glad I didn’t miss this trip. I learned so much.”
“You’re welcome. I did too. This sounds cliché, but I feel like tequila is…a part of my life almost. My history. Thanks to you.”
“Ah, I don’t deserve all the credit. You are here with me and seem to be really interested. What did you talk to Alejandro about?”
Jaime’s throat scratched. He didn’t want to tell her the truth. Not yet. Not until he was sure about the future of their relationship. He didn’t want her to think he was only interested inrecommittingto her because he wanted to start a brand with her. Once they were back together and he had shown up for her, they could discuss their career options.
“Nothing much. I was just asking him about his farm and the different regions. How about you and Gabriela?”
“Oh, she was amazing. I asked her about how hard it was to be a woman harvesting tequila. Her mother was horrified when her father taught her and was very angry at him, but he stood up to her.”
“That’s pretty inspiring.”
“It really is. Especially here in a more traditional country. I’m just so awed by her.” Alma placed her manicured finger on Jaime’s chest.
Her lips were just inches from his face. He wanted to kiss her so badly. But not a lust-filled kiss. This time with more hope.
Alma curled her hands around his neck. “Kiss me, Jaime.”
Jaime cupped her face and gave her a kiss that belonged in a telenovela. He kissed her like it was his first time ever kissing her. He kissed her like it was his last time kissing her. He had kissed her so many times before and it was always electric.
There was no doubt anymore.
He wanted her back.
He loved her.
There, in the midst of the agave fields, where the spirit of the earth was distilled into the fiery heart of tequila, Jaime realized that love, like tequila, needed time, care, and the right blend of elements to truly come alive.
He finally pulled away from her mouth and escorted her back to the limo.
They were driven back to town and they stopped to get a quick dinner at a restaurant.
As the night fell, the sky turned into a canvas of stars, the town square coming alive with lights and music. Alma and Jaime found themselves drawn into a fiesta, the locals welcoming them with open arms. They danced under the moonlight, their feet moving to the rhythm of the mariachi, her laughter mingling with the joyous energy around them.
In that moment, surrounded by the warmth of new friends and the vibrant spirit of Guadalajara, Jaime felt a deep connection to this land. It was more than just a place; it was a living, breathing tapestry of culture, tradition, and beauty.
