You Had Me at Merlot: Part 2 (2 page)

‘Shall I go and get us some breakfast and leave you to it?’

‘Nope, I’ll be just two minutes, just need to replace the stale wine smell in my pores with this lemony hoo-ha.’

‘I wouldn’t worry too much, something tells me the wine smell will be back on us from pretty early on today.’

‘Did you know there’s a spa in Japan where you can actually soak in a massive pool filled with red wine?’

‘Seriously?’

‘Seriously. It’s a Cleopatra treatment, or something, though I always thought she just wallowed in milk. Sebastian was telling
me about it.’ With that she appeared, looking a lot fresher. ‘But we are in Italia, so let’s drink it instead! Cheers!’

Downstairs, we filled our plates with yogurts, crumbly pastries, paper-thin slices of ham and bunches of cherries and grapes,
and took them out to eat on the terrace in the sunshine.

‘Best breakfast view ever,’ I said through a mouthful of vanilla cream. We were sat at a round wooden table overlooking the
vineyard, our rooms directly overhead. The light was so clear you could see for miles across the rolling hills of the Tuscan
countryside, stone towers protruding from random points and stripe after stripe of cross-hatched wine, olive and lemon groves
intermixed with short red-roofed buildings. A few tables over from us were Jane and Vicky, the Bristolian girls, dressed in
the most enormous sunglasses and neon butt-cheek-baring shorts.

‘Morning,’ Laurie called to them.

‘All right?’ one of them called back. ‘Where are all the men this morning, eh?’

‘Can’t handle their drink, I guess,’ I quipped, which totally must have cemented me as the ‘cool older girl’ in their eyes.

But, actually, by the time we all congregated outside the front door ready for the vineyard tour the men were looking sharp
and dapper, a lot more beauty-slept than quite a few of us women. We greeted one another with polite hellos and a few lingering
looks, and my stomach flip-flopped about while I waited for Donna to join us. Which she did, at the last minute. She gave
me a curt nod, but didn’t make eye contact with anyone else.

I heard Annette, the woman in the pink dress who’d been all over Marco the night before, stage-whisper to one of the others,
‘There’s the crazy one,’ and I winced. It wasn’t often Donna was the target of someone’s snide comment. Perhaps the odd ‘slave-driver’,
but never something belittling. It didn’t seem right.

Sebastian and Sofia appeared, full of smiles and charm, and went around to every guest wishing them a good morning and checking
that they had slept well. Sofia was watching everyone carefully, no doubt making guesses as to who would make a good pairing
with whom.

When they reached Laurie and I, Sebastian had a huge, know-it-all grin on his face. ‘There’s my son’s favourite girl, Bella!’

Sofia thwacked him. ‘You take your nose out. Let them come together naturally.’

‘You’re one to talk; you started this whole company. Looking forward to seeing Jamie at work today, Bella?’

I laughed. ‘I can’t wait; he’s all I can think about.’

‘Talking about me again, honey?’ said George, appearing out of nowhere as usual.

Sofia moved on behind me and I heard her ask Donna in hushed tones if everything was satisfactory.

Donna answered quietly, ‘Yes, thank you. I’m sorry if I damaged your door at all last night, I wasn’t quite myself. My flight
was horrible and—’

Sofia shushed her. ‘No need for an apology, as long as we can make the rest of your stay just wonderful.’

If Donna was in a better mood maybe I could relax, stop standing up poker-straight like I was about to give a presentation.

The perfect reason for me to loosen my stance then rounded the corner with Jamie – the big brown bear of a dog, who took off
and bounded straight over to me and Laurie, tongue out and begging for a hug.

Laurie and I wrapped ourselves around the dog and he shuffled from paw to paw, unsure who to squash into the most, while we
sunk our hands into his fur and pressed our faces into his ears. A shadow fell over us, and I squinted up to see Jamie beaming.

‘
Ciao!
You two aren’t afraid of dogs, then. Is anyone else?’ he asked, turning to address the group. They shook their heads, George
looking positively attention-deprived. ‘This is Enzo.’

‘He’s cool,’ I cried, not even minding that his thick fur was like a fleece blanket on my legs in this weather. ‘What is he?’

‘He’s a Leonberger. And a menace to society. Enzo, leave these ladies alone.’ Enzo obliged and went back over to wag his tail
next to Jamie, probably causing a tidal wave somewhere in the world. ‘
Buongiorno
everybody, how did you all sleep in your first night at Bella Notte?’

‘It was amazing,’ drooled one of the Bristolians, the one in the pink shorts. I think she was Jane. She stared at Jamie so
hard he gulped and had to look away.

‘
Fantastico
. Are we all wearing comfortable shoes and ready for the walking tour?’ Most were in smart leather loafers, high heels or
sparkly flip-flops, but no one disagreed with Jamie so off we went. I was in the sparkly flip-flop club, but in this heat
I wasn’t about to put trainers on, even if it would save a few scratched toes.

We followed Jamie, single file, down through the vineyard between rows of grape-gifted vines.

‘You have a lot of good grapes this year,’ Jon called out timidly. ‘Can we help you out and pick any on the way?’

Jamie stopped and we all gathered close to him to listen, which, of course, meant George was by my side in a second and very
much within my personal space. ‘Thank you for the offer, but these are still growing at the moment, becoming the best grapes
in Italy so Bella Notte can be the best wine.’

‘So if we came back later in the summer there’d be even more?’ Laurie asked. ‘The vines already look like they’re about to
topple over.’

‘There will be hundreds more, so when you stand up at the main house and look down the fields it’s like there’s a purple mist
covering them. And as for sturdiness, you can grow a whole vineyard from one single vine, if it bears a fruit you fall in
love with. They are strong. Now, turn around and look back up the hill, please.’

We all rotated on the spot and saw with surprise how much of a slope we’d walked down. The vineyard stretched back up before
us, rows of vines spreading to the left and right, all basking in the morning sunshine like holidaymakers around a swimming
pool, while the main house stood at the top, its terracotta roof sparkling. As far as they eye could see, the world was green
and purple and red.

I glanced at Donna; she was standing with her eyes closed. To the others it probably looked like she didn’t want to be there,
didn’t want to appreciate it, but I wondered if, like me, she was just soaking in the lack of noise from Tube trains, mobile
phones, Outlook calendar alerts.

Jamie went on to explain the different vines and the wines they produce, and how soil, sunlight and the steepness of a hill
can affect taste. Out here, he seemed far more animated and alive than when he’d entered the room full of guests at the meet-and-greet
last night. Winemaking was his passion, and I wondered if he felt like we were all intruders.

We strolled – a slow train of people who had given in to ‘holiday time’, where nothing has the need to be rushed – back up
the hill where Jamie was to show us the cellars and explain more about how wine was actually made. I caught up with him, which
probably made me look a bit eager, but if neither of us were here to play love games then what did it matter?

‘Hey.’

‘Hey to you.’ His eyes crinkled at me.

‘I just wanted to say thanks, and sorry, for turning into a bit of a crybaby last night.’

‘It’s fine. How are you feeling now?’

‘Much better. It was just a shock to see her here.’

‘I know. Sometimes it can be overwhelming to step away from something that feels like your whole life, even if just for a
short time, and you think you’re okay until something reminds you of it.’

‘Do you ever feel like that?’

He walked on, thinking.

‘Like, when you’re in your vineyard and you look up and see a bunch of singletons trying to fondle each other among your vines?’
I pressed, gently.

He looked at me in surprise, a smile forming on his lips. ‘Maybe. I don’t know …’

I decided to change the subject. ‘I’m looking forward to seeing those cellars and getting out of this heat for a little while.’

‘The sun is strong today, huh? Are you okay?’ He shielded my eyes with his hand for a moment, a warmly intimate gesture that
made me feel a bubble of what it must be like to have a partner. Maybe it wasn’t all bad.

‘I’m okay, thanks.’

‘So, have you found anyone you like?’

‘No.’ I intently studied the vines we were passing. ‘Though the American guy, George, seems to think we’re made for each other.’

‘I suppose it’s flattering … but he doesn’t make you smile?’

‘Not intentionally.’

‘I think he seems like a catch. He owns this huge company in Miami, all about … Hmm … hairbrushes or something.’

‘Does he indeed?’

‘He does. And I’ve seen him looking at you. It’s like when Enzo wants my breakfast.’

‘Ha – now that’s flattering!’

‘He could be your silver fox.’

‘Maybe you should ask him on a date.’

‘Maybe I will,’ he laughed. ‘Maybe I’ll date your boss.’

‘Go ahead.’ Although I hoped he wouldn’t. There wasn’t a lot of space in between the rows of vines, and as we walked our arms
kept brushing together. I folded mine across my chest, acutely aware of how my dangling hand might look like a desperate invitation
to be held.

‘You’re really not going to fall for the charms of
You Had Me at Merlot
?’

‘Bella Notte I’m already in love with. I’m just not that into the other guests.’ I chose the word ‘guests’ carefully.

‘Um, Jamie?’ called a voice from behind. We all turned to see Vicky straggling behind, her deadly weapon Kurt Geiger heel
wedged firmly into the soil. ‘I think I’m stuck. Can I go back and change into some more comfortable shoes?’

Once Vicky was comfortably in a pair of wedge trainers and we’d had an alfresco lunch break followed by a tour of the cavernous
secret cellars of Bella Notte, everybody was itching to start sampling the selection of wines.

This was Sofia’s turn to shine. She’d laid out the wine-tasting room with dozens of glittering glasses and countless bottles
in all shapes, sizes and hues. The lighting was low, just enough to supplement the afternoon sunbeams that peered through
the windows and the open door, and soft Italian opera played in the background. I was loving this holiday so far – boss showing
up and ancient American stalker aside – because life on a Tuscan vineyard was everything I’d imagined it would be. Then I
saw the stack of grape-purple, velvet sleep masks and remembered the downside of the trip.

‘
Ciao
everybody, please take a mask and a glass and spread out around the room,’ Sofia called. ‘Don’t stand near to people you
want to romance, because once we start you will have no control over your own bodies.’

‘I know whose body I’d like to control,’ leered George, with a wink in my direction.

Do we have to do this?
I thought.

‘Do we have to do this?’ Donna sighed, suddenly next to me.

It struck me that maybe I was coming across just like her to the others so, although I’d been thinking exactly the same thing,
I felt the need to distance myself. ‘At least we get to try all these different wines. That’s why I’m here, to be honest.
I mean, just to broaden my knowledge, not to get drunk or anything.’

‘You know that wine they always serve at the end-of-month drinks? As long as this is better than that I’ll be happy.’

‘I’ve never really thought about it, but I guess that’s not the best wine.’

‘They keep the red in the fridge. Did you go to last month’s?’

‘No, I was finishing up a project at my desk. I didn’t really have time.’ I looked back at the table of wine and at Sofia,
chuckling away with Sebastian as she set everything up. That project was done, finished, and I really didn’t want to think
about it right now.

‘The Groovy Muesli project?’

‘Yes.’

‘How did it go?’

‘Well, thanks, the client was happy.’

‘Good. Good work.’ She was trying, and isn’t this what I’d always wanted? Donna to notice me and my work?

‘Everybody!’ Sofia tapped on a wine glass, making an angelic
ting
ring out across the room. ‘Put on those blindfolds and then we’ll begin. The rules are simple: you smell it, you taste it,
you tell us if you like it,
and we will shuffle you around the room depending on your preferences. This afternoon we’re working on matching up your taste
in wines, and then we’ll see if it is the same as your taste in each other.’

I glanced around for Jamie before putting on my mask, but he seemed to have gone. As long as I didn’t end up being paired
with George or Donna it wouldn’t be too bad. Laurie and I had shared a fondness for Blossom Hill since university, so maybe
we’d end up being matched.

‘Hold out your glasses please, our first wine is a
bianco
, best served extremely cold and made with delicious white-skinned Vermentino grapes.’

After a moment I heard the deep slosh of wine being poured into my glass, and I lifted it to my nose. I’m not a big wine smeller,
or taster, for that matter. It tends to go straight in and, if it’s a goodie, will be followed with an ‘Mmmm, that tastes
Christmassy.’ But being blindfolded was definitely tuning my senses, or else I’d just always been drinking very inferior wine
(highly possible) because I actually felt like I could pick out scents other than ‘wine’. This was citrusy – definitely some
lemon in there.

‘I smell lemon,’ said an unknown female voice.

‘Me too!’ I yelped. I guess she and I were meant to be.

‘And what do you taste?’ asked Sofia.

I took a sip and swished it around my mouth. ‘Wine,’ I sighed. And I thought I was doing so well.