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He set his elbows on the table and propped his chin into his hands. “Tell me about the arbitration.”
Ch. 33 Alanna
Nowaywasshegoing to talk about the arbitration. Not when she was having such a great time with this surprising and incredibly charming man. And yet, the moment Alanna opened her mouth to brush away Sully’s question, the story had come spilling from her lips.
It was something about his eyes, gentle and inquisitive, that pulled the string that unraveled her tightly knit barriers. He honest-to-God cared about her life and how she felt. So, in the dimly lit winery, Alanna talked… and talked… and talked.
When the sordid arbitration tale came to its end, their tacos were long gone. The bottle of wine that had mysteriously appeared on the table with a wink from her new best friend, Jax, was nearly empty. And Alanna found her hand clasped in Sully’s once again.
“Chip’s face was just so damn smug,” she muttered as she took another sip of her wine, appreciating the tantalizing combo of heavy berry notes and pepper on her tongue. “That was the worst part, honestly. And now he’s destroying my company.”
“Wow.” Sully shook his head. “If cosmic justice were a thing, he’d be trampled in a surprise rhino stampede.”
Alanna snorted and lifted her glass. “To a surprise rhino stampede.” He raised his glass and they clinked. She liked his hand in hers, the feel of the callouses he’d built, in part, from working on her mother’s house. Above the rim of her wine glass, she appraised the man sitting opposite her. At the outset of the night, she’d been surprised by how good he looked in his dark jeans and nice shirt. When she’d told him that he cleaned up nicely, it hadn’t been a lie. Well, maybe a slight lie of omission. In fact, he cleaned upverynicely.
But what surprised her the most about this intriguing handyman was how understanding he was. How easy he was to talk to. Alanna thought she could probably share her whole life story with Sully.
Because he cares,she realized. He wasn’t just going through the motions to get her in bed or to sus out who she knew or how she could be useful to him.
“Could you possibly start a new company?” Sully asked. He twisted the wine glass between two fingers, before adding. “Maybe even somewhere outside of Los Angeles?”
Alanna shook her head. “I’ve spent years building up contacts in the biotech industry. It’s what I know. It’s the heart of the value I bring to my clients. My non-compete clause won’t let me get anywhere near that industry again.”
“You couldn’t start over in a new industry?” he pressed. “Every type of major company needs public relations.”
She smiled at that. “I could, of course, but…” Starting over would mean scrounging and begging for new clients. Spending every waking hour making inroads with all the movers and shakers of the industry. It would mean a drastic loss of income until she could slowly, agonizingly build up her reputation once again. She’d lose her condo, the clothes, the fancy meals.
“…but it just wouldn’t work,” she said. “I need to stick with what I know.”And where the money is,she thought.
Sully tilted his head. “I’m guessing you’re not willing to ask Chip to let you out of your non-compete clause.”
“Ha!” Alanna almost spit out her wine. “I’d rather carve out my own spleen and eat it…” Something flickered in her brain. A ghost of an idea. Alanna grabbed hold, and…
Eureka!
She practically slammed her glass down on the table. “You’re a genius!” she told Sully. “I need to get out of the non-compete clause!”
Maybe it was the wine talking, but the idea seemed completely plausible. “If I can get out of the non-compete, I can poach some of my clients and rebuild,” Alanna said, more to herself than Sully. “I wouldn’t have to start over from scratch and this time the agency would be all mine.”
The idea was perfect! A fire roared to life inside her soul, heating her blood with a familiar drive to succeed, no matter the cost or sacrifice.
“You’d start this new agency in Los Angeles?” Sully asked gently.
“Of course.” Alanna’s mind churned. “I’ll need to call Thomas and have him scour the contract. There’s got to be a way out.”
“All that fine print,” Sully mumbled. He pulled his hand from hers to readjust his glasses.
“Exactly. The fine print.” Alanna’s fingers ached to open her phone and call Thomas. Get the ball rolling… but then her gaze met Sully’s.
“I’m being an ass again,” she realized. “I’ve been talking about myself for an hour. Sorry.” With significant effort, she shoved her plans to the back of her mind. There would be time enough to hatch her new plot tomorrow. Tonight, she owed her attention to Sully.
“It’s okay. I asked and I wanted to know,” he replied.
Such a nice guy thing to say.Because he is a nice guy,she thought. Assholes she knew how to handle. Nice guys? Not one single clue. He was a sweet, unsettling mystery.
“What about you?” she asked. “Have you found your purpose yet?”
Glancing around, she realized the winery was almost empty. Theo had disappeared into the back, and Jax was wiping down the tasting bar. Through the windows, the inky sky showcased an array of diamond stars.
