Читать книгу A Taste Of Pleasure - Chloe Blake - Страница 16

Chapter 4

New York

Toni sank into the back seat of the car service and watched out the window as they sped up the West Side Highway. The call he’d gotten from Louis, the manager of his Upper West Side warehouse, had been frantic, making it necessary for him to interrupt his trip to JFK Airport. He checked his Omega timepiece and estimated that he had a little over an hour to fly standby on the next flight.

Street vendors doled out coffee to groggy workers while children were dragged by the hand into prestigious-looking school buildings. It was a sharp contrast to the slick glittering nightlife where the drinks were just as cool as the people. He sighed, disappointed that he had to cut his trip short.

He’d called his daughter yesterday to wish her a good night and found that his ex-wife had left Sophia home alone again. Yes, at thirteen years old his daughter could take care of herself, but it was the way she was taking care of herself that worried him. A boy had answered Sophia’s phone when he’d called.

Since he’d moved out over a year ago, she stayed with him every other week, which gave him limited glimpses into her life. The weeks she was with him she was an angel—if teenagers could ever be angels. She was safe and out of trouble at least. But the weeks with her mother, like this week, had become increasingly problematic. He blamed it on Ava’s new boyfriend and her penchant for going out more than staying home.

The second the call picked up he’d heard a chorus of “shhhs” followed by the lowering of music. She had been having a party. Girlfriends doing makeup and watching movies, he presumed. Then a deep voice said her name. He recalled the conversation like it was happening all over again.

“Papà?” Her voice was apprehensive.

“Why is a boy answering your phone?”

“He was just being stupid, Papà. It’s not what you think.”

“It better not be what I think, Sophia. Where’s your mother?”

“Um—” giggles in the background “—upstairs in the bath?”

“Go get her.”

“She’ll be mad if I interrupt.”

“Stop lying to me. I’m calling her right now.”

“No, don’t! Okay, she’s not here. She’s out with Bruno. But she’ll be back later. I’m fine.”

“Who is there watching you?”

“I don’t need a chaperone, Papà. It’s just a few friends, we’re watching a scary movie.”

“You hate scary movies.”

“Not anymore.” He bet that boy just loved scary movies.

“I want everyone out of that house and I’m sending Nonna to check on you,” he said over her whining protests. “I’m coming home tomorrow and we are going to discuss this with your mother when I get back.”

After a quick call to his mother, she agreed to drive the twenty minutes from her country home into the city. He sent a scathing text to Ava and received no response. Yeah, the three of them were going to have a serious sit-down when he got home. Toni sighed his frustration just as the car pulled into the shipping lot behind the warehouse. He jumped out and quickly crossed to the large building.

Toni heard the echo of the argument the minute he walked through the freight entrance. Skirting trucks and small forklifts, he propped his bags on a tall stack of wine crates and shouted hello to the operations manager, who stopped his crate packing and jerked his head in the direction of the commotion. Toni quickened his pace to the front of the store.

Andrea Gomez of Star restaurant group had shown up expectantly without an appointment and, by the way her voice was rising, seemingly irate. Toni stopped just at the threshold to button his suit jacket, then realized with a sigh that he wasn’t wearing it, opting for only a navy T-shirt and trousers for his trip back to Milan.

He debated running back to the town car sitting idle in the shipping lot, then thought against it. There was no time. He needed to catch that earlier flight, needed to get home to his daughter. A shrill female voice pulled him over the threshold into their show and tasting room.

“Do you hear what I’m saying? I’ll pay retail if I have to, just get me something that won’t embarrass me!” Andrea’s hair was wild and she had both of her hands on the counter as if she was going to jump over it. The wineglasses lined up on the tasting bar trembled, as did Louis, who had taken a step back and was clutching the bottle in his hand like a life raft.

“Andrea,” Toni said, his arms wide and voice jubilant, making sure to pronounce her name with extra Italian flair. “On-drea-uh,” a sexier spin on the American “Ann-dree-uh.” He kissed her on both cheeks.

“Antonio! Oh, I had no idea you were in town.” Andrea immediately straightened and jammed her fingers through her hair.

Louis visibly relaxed.

“When I heard you were here, I had to come. You look ravishing.” Andrea’s lids fluttered and she shifted nervously in her big coat, sweatpants and Uggs. It was almost 10 a.m. and Toni could only assume Andrea was not having a good morning.

Toni took her shaky hand in his, steadying her erratic behavior and demonstrating that the drunken kiss she’d laid on him several months ago at a wine conference in Verona did nothing to harm their business relationship. Not that he would have minded a night with her, but he never mixed business with pleasure. “I was only here a few days. I’m on a flight back this morning. Now, bella, what has happened that has you in such a state?” He was laying it on thick, but if he was going to get this done in ten minutes, he needed her attention.

“I’m hosting a wedding tonight for the mayor’s daughter at John-Duc and those Figgertons sent me cases of spoiled wines. They are like vinegar! This is the mayor’s daughter—it could ruin me!” Andrea’s face reddened with every word.

Toni knew the Figgertons well. A distributor of self-proclaimed “elegant” wines from smaller less known vineyards. Which appealed to a hipster sensibility of indie winemaking, but Toni knew it really meant the wines were less traceable, amateur at best and definitely not worth the price he knew Andrea had paid.

“You know I would have come to you, Toni, but she’s a vegan hippie and insisted on small vineyards, as if this woman knows anything about wine, and—”

Toni stopped her and urged her to take a deep breath. His specialty was in fine wines from more established vineyards, vintners he knew personally. All had a reputation for the highest quality grapes, rich terroir, flawless production and generations of knowledge. It was a combination you could actually taste.

And as their distributor, he made sure they got the price they deserved. Discounts were for the Figgertons.

She was looking at him with doe eyes, as if she wanted to apologize for going somewhere else. It didn’t bother him that she didn’t come to him first. In fact, he was elated that he found an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. Toni was personally representing his friend’s rebuilt winery in Brazil. Getting it in front of the mayor could be excellent for business.

“Louis, bring the Deschamps.”

“But, sir—”

“I know, Louis. Let’s have a taste.” Louis darted to the back and Toni watched Andrea’s gaze travel down his front. He inwardly urged Louis to hurry.

“So.” Andrea stepped forward, letting her coat fall open to reveal a white low-cut T-shirt, with a tiny coffee stain on the front. “How have you been?”

Louis had a new glass on the bar and a bottle of Deschamps Cab Franc open and poured in seconds. Andrea looked at the bottle, then at Antonio.

“This is a Deschamps. I can’t do a fine wine, the bride will never go for it.”

“This one is from the smaller biodynamic vineyard in Brazil.”

Andrea gasped. “Didn’t they have a fire?”

“Yes, but they have risen out of the ashes like a phoenix. Taste it.” Toni leaned in as she lifted the glass to her lips. “There is a story in that wine any hippie would love.”

Andrea swallowed and tried to hide her satisfaction, a tactic he knew she used for negotiation, but Toni had seen the pleasure in her eyes. She signaled for one more taste, which Toni approved by a slight nod.

“Hmm,” was all she said as she stared at the bottle. The forest green label etched in gold writing with trademarks and family seals meant...cha-ching.

Andrea was still trying to play it cool, but her Uggs were shifting. “Is this all you have to show me?”

“Of course not, but I think it’s what you need to make your bride happy.”

“How much is in the back?”

“Enough for a wedding of, say, four hundred.” Louis began to fidget, wide-eyed.

“Price?”

Toni stepped forward, his smile on full wattage. “Bella, for you? I’ll make you a deal.”

Minutes later Toni was in the back grabbing his bags. The pit stop ran later than expected, but he still might be able to just make his flight. He breezed by his operations manager. “Marco that entire palate goes to Jean-Duc on Park Avenue right now.” Marco and his staff stopped packing the crate and frowned.

Louis skidded to a halt. “But we are shipping this to Bagatelle Miami tonight! And we have none left in the other warehouses.”

“I’ll call Destin, Louis. We’ll ship straight from his cellar in Brazil. I’ll call you later.”

Toni climbed into the car and shut the door, nodding at Louis’s anxious wave. He’d just sold more than expected of his friend’s wines and made a fortune on the up-charge he slid by Andrea. He should be happy, but all he could think about was getting home.

With literally minutes to spare, Toni stepped onto the boarding dock and heard the doors close behind him. Someone upstairs was looking after him today. He found his seat in first class and then placed his laptop bag on the floor, along with the several gifts he bought for Sophia.

“Coffee?” He took the cup and thanked the stewardess, then settled into the leather seat. He was about to put in his earbuds when a gray sweatshirt landed in the empty seat and he heard a soft thank-you to his right. A woman was standing by the seat, her arms extended as she rummaged in the overhead compartment. Her generous breasts quivered under her V-neck T-shirt which was tucked into a pair of high-waisted jeans.

Toni unfolded himself carefully from his seat, about to offer his help, when the woman slammed the compartment shut. He dragged his gaze from the curve of her hips in anticipation of seeing her face. He was met with large black sunglasses and a waterfall of dark hair that fell into her face and past her shoulders.

He folded himself back into his seat, still on alert if she needed anything. He decided to mind his own business, when a light pleasant fragrance teased his nose. From the corner of his eye he could see her twisting her hair into a ponytail, lifting her torso and chest up and out, and he found himself captivated. What was it about the way a woman moved?

Feeling like a pervert, he grabbed his coffee, only to glance back when he noticed her looking his way. She smiled. He smiled back, and then the pilot began to speak and the cabin readied for takeoff. The woman was lovely, but his thoughts had traveled to mocha-colored skin and floral tattoos. An occurrence that happened randomly and more frequently as the months went by. He assumed it was because his personal life had become a source of frustration. Dating wasn’t going as well as he’d hoped. He mused that he was no longer just looking for love; he was looking for a life partner. Stability. One who could also love his daughter and deal with his ex. It raised the stakes, and kind of killed the romance of it all.

When had love gotten so complicated? And when had he become so jaded? The old him would be flirting with his flight companion, instead he was avoiding her eyes.

The small cries of Dani’s orgasm rang in his ear and he downed another sip of his coffee He wished he could have seen her during this trip to New York City. He’d gotten in three days of work and a few visits to his favorite haunts, but today had been the day he looking forward to the most. He’d made his reservation at Via L’Italy months ago. Yes, it was one of the best restaurants in the city, but he was more interested in seeing Danica again and that was where she worked. He smiled as his thoughts drifted to their delicious night of champagne and sex almost a year ago. Waking up alone the next morning had been a jolt to his ego, but he wouldn’t change a thing about that night.

There’d been no rhyme or reason for his planned visit. He understood that she could be seeing someone, hell, he’d been dating quite a bit, but his intentions were not to have another one-night stand. He just wanted to see her.

Unfortunately he had to skip that reservation.

Toni began to feel very tired then. He didn’t know what he was going to say to Ava when he got home, not that she’d listen, but he had hours to figure it out.

Toni fished his phone from his pocket to turn it off and found three messages from his mother. Each was an update on their new restaurant project Via Olivia, a farm-to-table dining experience just outside of Milan, along with a list of things he needed to accomplish when he got back.

For generations, his family has been in the wine and restaurant business. There were no titles or job descriptions, just his mother, the matriarch of their large family, telling everyone what to do. If you were in the family, you worked for the family. Strangely enough it was successful. Lorenzetti restaurant group owned several restaurants throughout Italy, including a three-Michelin-starred restaurant in the center of Milan run by his uncle.

Although Toni had his wine business, he was also an active partner in the restaurant group. While he had a small stake in all of the restaurants, this new venture had been his idea. Five years of landscaping, gardening, designing the perfect villa, he had invested a lot of time and money into making it a success. And with his uncle overseeing the menu, Toni knew it would be fantastico. Just a week or two now and they would be open.

He quickly texted his mother back, then balked at the last text that came through.

Ava still hadn’t arrived home.

Toni turned off his phone and pinched his nose, praying the plane could make warp speed.