“You can call me E.”
I want to be angry that he’s not giving me his full name, but we’re sharing a booth together at a hotel bar on Valentine’s Day. I have no right to demand his full name, even if I stupidly gave him mine. Not that it matters. I’m single and nothing is going to happen anyway. Especially if he’s hiding something—which I’m going to guess he is.
“It’s nice to meet you, E.”
“Nice to meet you too, Theo. Now, what would you like to drink? The first round is on me.”
Chapter Two
“Goodchoice,”Esipsthe wine I chose from the hotel’s lackluster menu.
I huff a laugh. “Please, it tastes like a cheap bottle of overpriced wine. Which you didn’t need to get a bottle of.”
He swirls the burgundy liquid in the glass. “You sounded so professional when you ordered it. And it’s notthatbad.”
I take a sip of the wine, letting the flavors roll over my tongue. He’s right, it isn’t horrible, but it isn’t great either. It’s a Malbec with notes of plum, blackberry and violet aromatics. I had ordered a glass, then E said he’d have the same and asked for the bottle. I wasn’t going to complain. If he hated it, I could take the bottle back to the hotel room I still need to book, and drink the rest myself. But he’s drinking it, and he looks sexy as hell while doing it.
His long fingers bring the wine glass back to his lips. I grip the stem of mine as he tilts the glass, the red liquid moving until it meets his mouth. He drinks, his Adam’s apple bobbing in thesmooth column of his throat. It shouldn’t be as hot as it is, and I shouldn’t be staring, but I’m only human.
He places the glass back on the table and meets my gaze. “Tell me, Theo. How do you know so much about wine?”
“Hobby,” I answer easily.
“Just a hobby?”
I nod. “I love plants, gardening. I’ve always had a green thumb. When I turned sixteen, my mom started giving me sips of her wine. I developed a fascination for grapes, how to grow them well, and eventually the process of wine making.”
E leans forward so I can see his beautiful features better. “So why is it just a hobby?”
“Grove City isn’t exactly the wine capital of the world. Becoming a sommelier wouldn’t pay the bills, and I can’t exactly open a vineyard with no capital, even if that’s my ultimate dream.”
“What is it you do then?”
“You really want to know?”
“And why wouldn’t I?”
I chuckle. “For one, it’s not that interesting. And two, I’m a stranger that you’re sharing a table with. We don’t have to exchange information.”
“I don’t know,” he smiles, this time showing off perfectly straight white teeth. “If we were only sharing a table, maybe no other information would be needed. But we are now sharing a bottle of wine, and I find you interesting. Which means I know I’ll find your job interesting.”
I could argue that he was the one who offered, not only to buy me a drink, but to share a bottle, and that doesn’t mean we need to divulge any personal information, but I find I want to share. This mysterious man makes me want to spill my guts.
I swirl my wine, watching the liquid spin in the glass before I answer. “I work as a florist.”
“And that’s lucrative for you?”
“Pays the bills.”
My heart beats faster and my cheeks heat at the intensity of E’s gaze. He parts his lips as if he’s about to say more, but stops himself, taking another small drink of wine, before topping off his glass and then mine.
“Thank you.” I sit back in the booth. “And what is it that you do?”
“I’m a matchmaker.”
My eyebrows shoot up. Out of all the things he could have said, I would have never guessed that. I would have thought he’d do something in big business, maybe in finance or trading. I would have even guessed he owned this hotel before being a matchmaker.
“Really?” I ask.
