Finding Our Way Back (A Well Paired Novel) Read online

  “Ty and I are going to stay with Jerry so Jenna can get out.”

  “That’s a great idea. But why don’t Ben and I stay with him so you can go.”

  Typical Alexis. She was the tomboy of the group who spent most of her time at her winery. Socializing and partying weren’t her thing, yet she and Ben had a gorgeous function hall at the vineyard that hosted fabulous events. Not only did it bring the community together for dances, festivals, and craft fairs, but it was also becoming a popular wedding and shower venue.

  “Not a chance. You and Ben don’t get to go out much either.”

  “I’ll see if my parents can watch Sophie.”

  “Um. Hello?” Jenna waved her hand, feeling completely invisible. “You guys can’t assume Carter will even be interested in going out with me.”

  “Oh, he’s interested,” Grace said with confidence.

  “How do you know?”

  “I may have mentioned you to him a time or two.”

  “You have?” The weird quivering in her belly wasn’t because she had her eyes set on Carter. He was a handsome guy and from the few times she’d spoken with him, he seemed nice enough. But he wasn’t ... he wasn’t what she was looking for.

  “Yeah. And he totally seemed interested.”

  “I’ve known Carter my whole life. He’s a nice guy,” Alexis offered.

  If Jenna were to take anyone’s dating advice, ironically it would be Alexis. Not because she had a lot of experience, but because she wasn’t jaded by good looks and charm—even though her husband was oozing with both.

  Still, it would be nice to go out with a man. She hadn’t been on a date in a few years. Maybe now was the time to start thinking about her future. Her friends were all settling down, and Jerry’s time was limited. Pretty soon she’d be even more alone than she was now.

  “I guess.”

  “Sweet.” Mia whipped out her cell phone.

  “Don’t call him now!” Jenna’s cheeks heated with embarrassment.

  “Oh, I’m not. I’m just texting a few guys to see who’s free this weekend. I need a date too.”

  Must be nice to have a phone filled with numbers. No, Jenna wasn’t envious of Mia’s revolving door of men. It worked for her friend, but that wasn’t the kind of life Jenna wanted. She’d always wanted the simple life. Husband, kids, nice house. To live comfortably.

  Some dreams would never come true, and she’d had plenty of years to accept the reality.

  “I’ll send Carter a text. I’m sure he’ll change whatever plans he has to go out with us,” Grace said.

  “Don’t make a big deal about this. Please.” It was embarrassing. They lived in a small town, and Carter would soon be Grace’s brother-in-law. If he wasn’t interested in her, she’d feel weird every time she ran into him.

  “I’ll word it as a group thing. We’re all hanging out. Doing ... what?” Grace chewed on her bottom lip.

  “Dinner and bowling? Or dancing?” Hope suggested.

  “Perfect.” Grace tapped at her phone, as did Mia.

  “I’ll make sure my parents are free.” Alexis took out her cell and sent a message.

  “I doubt Ty will have any issues hanging out with Jerry. He’s done some work on his house over the years. Nice guy.”

  All the women were on their phones sending messages while Jenna sat on the couch alone with her wine glass. Granted, she wasn’t really alone. Hope on one side and Lily on the other.

  Yet alone she felt. Maybe going out with Carter would be a good thing. He wasn’t forever material, but he’d get the ball rolling in her dating world. Whether she wanted to accept it or not, eventually she’d need to find a place to live and a new job.

  And someone to keep her company at night.

  “So what’s the news you wanted to share with us?” Lily asked Alexis once they were all done texting.

  “Oh!” Alexis straightened and clapped her hands like a schoolgirl. Very uncharacteristic for her. “Ben has talked me into doing a wine pairing theme night twice a month. We found a fabulous caterer in Rockland, and he has some amazing ideas for us. Anyone want to help me sample tomorrow afternoon?”

  “That sounds fun. I’d help, but I’ll be at the restaurant,” Hope said.

  “Me too.” Mia frowned.

  “I’m booked solid at the spa.” Lily’s spa sounded good right about now. Jenna was in desperate need for a haircut. And a massage and pedicure would be nice as well.

  “Sorry, sis. Duty calls.”

  “Bummer.” Alexis sipped her wine. “I was hoping for a second opinion.”

  Jenna mentally went through tomorrow’s schedule. “Jerry’s physical therapist is coming at noon. I’m pretty sure I can ask Danielle to wait until his nurse comes at one-thirty. She takes at least two hours with him.”

  “Oh, that would be awesome. I could use a second opinion.”

  “Free wine and food? How can I pass that up?”

  And it would give her time to pick Alexis’ brain about Carter. Getting back in the dating game hadn’t been her plan, but if she was going to dive in, might as well be with her girlfriends by her side.

  CHAPTER TWO

  Tristan Ketch loved the thrill of winning over a new client with his culinary skills. For the past year he’d taken the more lucrative jobs: weddings, corporate events, fundraising galas.

  When the small winery just north of Rockland had contacted him, he did his research and contemplated passing on the inquiry. Their idea of a twice-a-month wine pairing intrigued him.

  It wouldn’t bring him a rush of clients, but it would still promote his business and get his name in the hands of future brides and event planners. Besides, he’d actually grown to like the slower life of catering rather than running a gourmet restaurant in Portland.

  Another phase of his life was over, and he liked this new one. Able to control his schedule, to open and close when he wanted to. Now, he had the freedom to experiment with his recipes and not have to deal with reviewers and customers criticizing him for the frequent changes.

  The stuffy crowd liked the predictability of a menu, while Tristan preferred the weekly specials he concocted. It was where his creativity could shine. His years as the head chef at Maestro had taken that away from him.

  To be fair, it was more than the restaurant. It was its owner as well. Marrying Beth had seemed the right thing to do at the time. They’d been dating for over a year and both had a vested interest in the restaurant. Working six days a week until two in the morning made it difficult to date or socialize much.

  Since they worked the same schedule and were attracted to each other, dating and then marrying had seemed like the logical thing to do. Tristan didn’t begrudge Beth or the restaurant. They’d both played a part in turning his life around, in making his dream a reality.

  He’d been named Maine’s top chef three years in a row. Foodies from New England flocked to their restaurant, and they’d even been featured in numerous travel magazines. Who knew that a college dropout from Bangor, Maine could end up making a decent living doing exactly what he loved?

  Tristan tested the turkey balls and, deeming them perfect, stored them in the travel warmer. The owners of Coastal Vines didn’t give him any food suggestions and told him to prepare four themed pairings. Already he liked the sound of this job. Complete and total control of his creativity.

  He hadn’t auditioned like this since his earlier years. The adrenaline rush was different from his trial run at Maestro. Instead, it was a new kind of excitement. It wasn’t about money, but about pride. In the little research he’d done about the local winery, he’d read it was in a small town that prided itself in community and not tourism and commerce.

  Funny that local businesses weren’t about making a buck. The town of Crystal Cove intrigued him as much as the potential twice a month job at the winery. He’d thought of it as something different. Branching out.

  Packing up his emergency supplies of seasonings, tongs, and base sauces, he wi
ped down the kitchen counter and carried everything to his catering van. It had been an investment but worth the dent it made in his bank account.

  The back contained cooling and heating compartments for the jobs that didn’t have an on-site kitchen. Another drain to his account had been his monthly mortgage and refurbishing of an old office building near the outskirts of Rockland.

  Back in its day it had been a beauty parlor. There was plenty of plumbing and a large open space he converted into a working kitchen. Three sinks, two sub-zero refrigerators, four sets of double wall ovens, and two ten-by-ten workstations in the middle of the room gave him plenty of space to spread out, prep, set up and move about.

  He’d hired two assistants for bigger projects and had a handful of local waiters on call when needed. Mostly, he preferred to do it all himself. Complete control. It was what he wanted and what he felt he lost working for someone else, even if she was his wife.

  His second wife. Not that he could compare his first marriage with the second. He’d been so young. Foolishly blind believing that love was the answer to everything. Life slapped him in the face, and he had to learn all too quickly that love alone wasn’t enough.

  Which was why he dove headfirst and worked his ass off, not investing in relationships or love. Only business.

  Yet that hadn’t worked out for him either. Slamming the door to his work van, he climbed into the driver seat and programmed his GPS. He was pretty sure he could find his way to the winery but liked the added security.

  It took less than twenty minutes of weaving through the back roads before he turned into Coastal Vines. The simple beauty of the vineyard surprised him. He’d seen images on their website, but nothing compared to the real thing.

  Leaving the food in the van, he got out and strolled through the grounds. The rustic signs outside the barn-like structure indicated the function hall entrance where he assumed the bigger events were held. A gazebo stood out up on the hill by the vines, while the cobblestone path led around back to a quaint outside patio and the door to the tasting room.

  There was another dirt parking area out back by the tasting room and a water feature made out of oak barrels. The small winery had done a nice job creating a romantic setting in the middle of nowhere.

  Granted, the ocean was just a few miles away and according to his map, a lake was just down the road. Not a bad spot to vacation or take it easy.

  A giant dog came bounding around the corner and nearly knocked him on his ass. Not the dog, just the sight of him. Thankfully he didn’t jump or even bark. He came to a sudden halt inches from Tristan’s feet and dropped a stick. Or rather, a log.

  “Um. Good dog?” His interaction with animals was limited. With his work schedule it wouldn’t be fair to own anything other than a fish. And to him, fish were meant for sautéing, broiling, grilling or even frying. Not for staring at in a little glass bowl.

  “He’s harmless.”

  Tristan glanced up and was happy to see another human. The beast’s tail wagged, and he nudged the log closer to Tristan’s feet with his nose.

  “Hemmy, he’s not here to play.” The man, presumably the owner, Ben Martelli, bent down and chucked the wood across the parking lot. “Sorry. He’s a gentle giant. We’re beginning our off-season soon so he’s extra excited when we have visitors.”

  “No worries.”

  “I assume you’re Tristan Ketch. I’m Ben.” He held out his hand and then took it back. “I’ll wash up first. I’m covered in Hemmy’s slobber. Come on in. I’ll introduce you to Alexis.”

  “Sounds good.” Tristan followed Ben inside the tasting room.

  It had the same charm as the outside of the structure. Wide wooden planks on the floor and wall. Tabletops filled with wine décor, local jams, and arts and crafts for sale. Mostly wine themed.

  To the left was a long bar-counter with wooden stools. A short woman stood behind setting out wine bottles and glasses. “You must be Tristan. I’m Alexis.” She leaned over the bar and shook his hand.

  “Nice to meet you. You have a beautiful place here. It’s not what I expected.”

  “Thought it would be a hole in the wall?” Ben asked.

  “No. That’s not what I meant.” The smirk on Ben’s face told him he was kidding. “I haven’t been to too many wineries. The ones I have been to aren’t as ... homey. They were more ... stuffy.”

  That word again. He felt suffocated by stuffiness, and the relaxed atmosphere of Coastal Vines was refreshing.

  “We’ve researched a few local catering companies. I like the presentation of Fresh Ketch’s website.”

  “Thank you. I pride myself on using local ingredients when I can. Obviously that’s a bit more challenging in the winter, but I have a few suppliers who have greenhouses and keep me well stocked twelve months of the year.”

  “Have you done wine pairings before?” Alexis asked.

  “We featured them in my ... at Maestro. I was the head chef for five years. I can’t say I had a hand in picking out the wine, though. Our head bartender would do that. I’m assuming you know what you want to pair with what.”

  “Actually, no,” Ben said, taking a seat and gesturing for Tristan to do the same. “That’s why we needed to sample your appetizers. If we were to hire you, we’d ask for a menu, recipes, and samples at least two weeks in advance. It would give us time to find an appropriate pairing and advertise the event.”

  “That shouldn’t be a problem.” They’d discussed so much already on the phone.

  “With this being a new idea, we’re not sure what kind of interest there will be. We may do the pairings here in the tasting room, but if it grows into something more significant, we have the function hall upstairs. There’s a small prep kitchen up there, but most of the food would need to be prepared off site. Is that a problem?” Alexis poured four glasses of water and slid them in front of each of them. The fourth glass she pushed to the side.

  “I’m equipped for either. I can prep in my kitchen or on-site. Whatever works best for my client.”

  “Alright. Let’s see what you have for us. Would you like help bringing in the food?” Ben stood, and Tristan held up his hand.

  “I’ve got it. I parked on the other side, though. By the function hall. I’ll bring the van around back, if that’s okay.”

  “Perfect. And we have one more coming. She’s going to help with the sampling and pairing.”

  “The more the merrier.” Tristan left and took the path to the front of the building. A yellow Volkswagen bug drove past him and parked by the tasting room. Must be the friend coming to help. Sometimes they were more critical than the actual client.

  The mother of the bride, the bridesmaid. Tristan shuddered. They were typically hard asses. Hopefully this friend of the Martellis wouldn’t be so high maintenance. From the little conversation he had with the couple, he liked them. This new gig could be just what he needed to ... to what, he wasn’t sure.

  All he knew was that he’d needed a change from what he had.

  EVERY THURSDAY WHEN she returned home from book night, Jenna realized how lonely her life was. She had good friends who she could call on if she ever needed them, but she had no occasion to do so.

  I’m lonely didn’t seem like a good enough reason to pull Lily away from Ty so they could binge on margaritas and nachos in Jerry’s living room. He went to bed by seven, so she had the house to herself for the most part.

  Mia came over to watch a movie every now and then, and Lily would stop by when she could. Hope’s schedule was trickier with her daughter Delaney, which Jenna could somewhat understand. She had Jerry to look after. Not exactly the child substitute, but he limited her ability to go out with the girls.

  Alexis and Ben had come a few times to deliver wood and wine. An interesting combination. Since they lived so close, Jenna often went to the tasting room to hang out with Alexis when she had an hour or two of reprieve from Jerry.

  She pulled into the gravel lot and parked in front
of the tasting room. The September air wasn’t cold enough for a winter coat. Jenna would wear her vest and scarf as long as she could. Once winter hit, it stayed for months on end. Falls were too short, and even if there was a bite to the air this afternoon, she’d embrace it.

  Pocketing her keys and cell phone, she hopped out of her car and made her way inside.

  “Oh good, I’m not late. I was worried Ben would eat all the samples before I got my fair share.”

  “Funny. Good to see you, Jenna.” Ben gave her a friendly hug. “Apparently my wife doesn’t trust my judgment.”

  “I never said that.”

  “You implied.”

  “No. I said it would be nice to have another person’s opinion.”

  “Someone with normal taste is how you put it.”

  “Right. And Jenna is as normal as they come.”

  She knew Alexis meant it as a compliment, but it wasn’t how a woman wanted to be described. Alexis, maybe.

  But she was right. Jenna was normal. There wasn’t anything extraordinary about her. She didn’t have Grace or Lily’s looks, Hope’s gorgeous smile and big personality, Mia’s sense of adventure, or Alexis’ work ethic.

  Jenna was just ... Jenna. As simple and ordinary as her name. She wasn’t one of six billion Jennifers, yet not unique enough to be a Gabriella or Isabella.

  She spotted a white van through the window. “You two stop your bickering. I think your guy is here.” Jenna’s phone buzzed in her pocket, and she pulled it out, frowning at the number. “It’s Jerry’s physical therapist. I need to take this.”

  “I hope he’s okay.”

  “Me too. Mind if I go in the back room?”

  “Not at all.”

  Jenna answered the phone on her way toward the back. “Cindy? Is everything okay with Jerry?”

  “Oh, he’s fine. A little crabby because I worked him hard.” She heard muttering in the back followed by Cindy’s laugh. “He said I’m the spawn of Satan.”

  “He did not.” Jenna slapped her palm against her mouth to hide her giggles. Jerry made it no secret he hated physical therapy. Cindy’s twice a week visits always made him sore and extra ornery. Poor Ashley who had to deal with him after.