-Blaze-

We arrived at the enormous vineyard in the Piedmont region. The Brocotta's were known for having the fastest and most abundant field in all of Italy. They surely were big and especially green, I couldn't deny the beauty of the green pasture.

"Shit." she let out looking around, remembering me of what we were doing here

"Remember, from now on we are a couple" I reminded her "and your main priority is to make the Brocotta's interested-"

"In Maxwell Incorporation" she completed while rolling her eyes "I know. Can you stop being a work machine for 5 seconds?"

"I believe not" I answered making her groan in annoyance

Our little conversation was stopped by a server in a white suit with a black bow "Buongiorno, posso vedere l'invito?"

"Buongiorno" I greeted

"Give him the invitation" I whispered to Eleonora, she took it out of her bag handing the white invitation to the man

"Ottimo! Spero che tu ti diverta, mio signores!" the man smiled pointing to the front were a big stone house was.

"Grazie" Eleonora thanked, we followed tthorugh the stone path around the house welcoming by server through our way reaching what it seemed a terrace with grass, on our left a bar with two servers, at our right a pianist and in front of us a stone fountain and about 10 tables. The view was perfect we could see all of the vineyard they owned.

"You know Italian?" She questioned caughting my attention

"Wouldn't be weird if I didn't ?" I responded looking at the water fountain

"You're right. With your work obsession I bet you know every language" she stated

"Not every language, I know a few" I said

"We should start to meddle, is there anyone you know?" she asked

"Mostly everyone" I answered "Connor made sure to tell me who would appear"

"Not surprising" She hummed. It was very crowded already, a lot of people around eating and drinking. There was 2 main tables with a buffet. "Let's eat" She said dragging me to the food, her hand pulling my arm tight.

There was plenty of diverse food, about 10 types of cheeses to try with the wine, bottles with no name on them, they were probably prototypes, toasts, breads and different types of chorizos. Some pate, two fruit charcuterie boards, fried shrimp, an antipasto platter, a weird loaf...this table was probably the appetizers, on the other table there was already meat and fish, rice, mash potatoes, pasta and pizza?

I looked at Eleonora already with food in her hand, she tasted the loaf and made humming sounds

"What is it?" I asked curiously

"Tastes like pizza, a pizza loaf maybe? It's good" she said taking another

"I'm going to grab a drink" I warned

"Bring me an orange juice" she demanded. What was I? Her delivery man? Her waitress?

"Anything else?" I said sarcastically

"No, that's all. Thank you" She responded with a smile

I rolled my eyes while walking to the crowded bar. "A barbera and a orange juice" I told the waitress.

"Right away sir" while he managed my ordered an elder man approached me, Massimo Mancini, owner of the Mancini food chain and also is suspected to be involved on some dark business, an Italian mafia cartel to be exact. This was a man I did not want to relate with.

"I know a Medigan when I see one" he collected stretching his hand "Massimo Mancini"

"Blaze Maxwell" I said shaking his hand

"Is that yours?" he asked looking at Eleonora a weird feeling reached my chest not really liking his way of talking maybe I had to blame on his poor English but his simple phrase treating her has mere object wasn't really something I idolized. I may be cold but the bare minimum is to be respectful and have some manners.

"She is my wife, yes" I responded

"American too?" he questioned adjusting his cigar on his mouth

"Yes"

"I'm pretty sure that is not only American, maybe some Latin roots nah? I know them like the palm of my hand, you got the montepremi" He referred to Eleonora as the Jackpot while eyeing her up and down and laughing

"The wine and the juice" the waitress called me, I grabbed the glasses "Thank you"

"Buona fortuna" Massimo wished me while smirking taking the brown cigar of his mouth

"Grazie" I said walking to her side again

"Your juice" I handed her the glass. Her mouth was full of food, she thanked me while chewing "Have you met anyone?" I asked earning a no with her head

"The food is really great" she said taking a shrimp "Who was that man talking to you?"

"Massimo Mancini, it's a man you don't want to know" I warned making her giggle

"Why? He is the Italian Mafia?" she laughed looking at me, when she saw my face her smile disappeared "Really?"

I was about to answer her but before I could say anything I was interrupted by the main couple, the Brocatto's.

"Benvenuto!!" he cheered with a big smile while holding his wife's hip "family and friends" Alfonso greeted speaking to a microphone "I hope you're having a great time with great food. We must start the party now!" he said making everyone cheer " In honour of our love " he said while looking at his wife "Drink and Eat!" he finished making everyone clap and to finalize he kissed her followed by whistles

"They are cute" Eleonora commented with a smile, I frowned wondering why did just seeing two people losing made her smile, made her happy.

Her dimples were showing vigorously marking her cheeks, her lips stood in a perfect curve while her eyes were slightly more closed, and her face seemed brighter.

Eleonora

I was happily looking at sweet couple when I catches a glimpse of him looking at me, he quickly covered it when my eyes landed on him.

Do I have something on my face? I grabbed a napkin and cleaned the corners of my mouth.

After the Brocottas announcement people gathered around the table of the main food, where there was meat and fish, some side dishes, pizza and lasagna... This is a great day for me.

"Let's go to the other table" I said grabbing his arm and pushing him with me. "Oh so many choices" I said scanning the food, I took a plate and placed some lasagna in it, the smell was divine, my belly was growling just from seeing the food.

We grabbed the food and sat down at a table along with other people, we met some nice French couple who.was friends of the Brocotta's they had a firm of cheese, a very famous cheese it appeared so, Blaze hurried to talk to them about his job which they were very interested in. I wonder how can he talk constantly about work with people and nothing else, does he knows how to have other conversations? I bet not.

After lunch, the couple guided us to the vineyard were they invited the guest to make some wine testing of their new products. "Honestly they taste the same to me" I whispered at Blaze

"They are slightly different" he mentioned, balancing the liquid in his cup. "I think it's the time?!"

"Time?"

"One is older than the other" he explained "The wine is the same"

"Why would they make us taste the same wine twice? Are they seelingbit as different wines although they are equal?" I questioned

"I don't know but don't say they are equal, that might offend them" he whispered back swirling the liquid

"Does that makes the wine tastier?" I asked with a smile on looking at how stupid he looked like while moving his cup.

"Swirling wine enables evaporation, which means you release a mixture of aroma compounds to enrich the smelling and tasting experience" he explained

"Wow you sure know how to make everything boring don't you?"

"You asked and I answered it" sometimes I wish he had some sense of humor

"I'm going to get more wine" I said needing to take a break from him

On my way there a beautiful lady stopped me "Hello, have we met before?"

"Probably not" I answered looking at her, Blanca Brocotta, standing right in front of me "Eleonora Hart Maxwell"

"Ah" she smiled "You were the one my husband wanted desperately to make the marketing with."

"I guess" I smiled back. I watched her signalling to her husband and in seconds he appeared by her side

"Ladies" he greeted me, kissing my hand

"Honey this the Eleonora Hart you talked about" she informed to her husband

"Pleasure to meet you Mrs.Eleonora"

"It's my pleasure " I responded

"You must know I was really impressed with your work"

"I'm sorry I didn't answered you right away. A lot of things happen in such a small time, the marriage mostly took a big impact on that too" I explained

"No worries" he said calmly "I understand plus a marriage is important, that's why we are here celebrating ours" he said while giving a peck at his wife

"It was a very beautiful ceremony" I said

"Thank you dear" Blanca mentioned touching my shoulder in appreciation "Oh Miss Fiore is calling I'll be right back" she left me and her husband alone so I took the opportunity to ask him about work

"I must give you again, my apologies for not contacting you right away when you send those proposals" I said, he gave a smile in comprehension

"It's fine don't worry about it. A marriage is more important! I'm sorry to interrupt your marriage" he said making me recall the first time I spoke with him, when I went after Blaze to open the wedding cake with me and I grabbed his phone in the middle of the garden and harshly told Mr. Brocotta it was our wedding day. That thought made my cheeks blush.

"I'm so sorry" I said really low, embarrassed

"Don't be. I really liked your attitude" he smirked

"Thanks" I said looking down at the glass of wine in my hand still embarrassed. I frowned seeing the liquid and my impulsive thoughts won making me question "why do all the wines taste similar?"

He smiled in response making me give a breath of relief, he could take it the wrong way and I could be actually despising the wines without knowing. Truth be told I am no expert in wines but I can taste them and they taste the same. There was 4 wines to taste two were red whines, one rosé and another sparkling wine. I couldn't really tell the difference between the red ones.

"You're the only person saying that"

"I am? Well then I'm sorry I don't really know wines"

"No, you do" he smiled "they are in fact the same. It's sort of a private joke I have with Blanca." he explained "See in here there's isn't many people like you that dared to say the truth to us, this is almost like a test. Last event there was one wine that didn't had any alchool on it, only 10 people told us that." he explained while laughing. I frowned at his information, this test was surely something else and people who are here on business and business only, who stepped here just to impress and clearly failing, people like Blaze.

"That's why I wanted to work with you Eleonora" the man said smiling foundly making his grey moustached cover his top lip "You want to know the product that you sell, you engage people to know you and vice versa. I appreciate that because like you I like to do my work with family and friends" that was it, that was the reason for ditching Maxwell Inc., they want people who care about their work and not only sell to make profit and Blaze's company didn't exactly do that, fair enough.

"I would love to work for you and put these three wines on the market" I said truthfully

Alfonso's hand drove to my shoulder while his body inclinated towards me "I would love that too" he whispered, he pointed at his wife that was wearing a blue dress that matched his suit "But we are a team, it's 50/50, to do this job you need her approval to"

I looked at him with a raised eyebrow "f I convince your wife then-"

"Then you will launch our new products" he clarified "If you can get my wife's approval"

"I will try my best Mr.Brocotta" I smiled back

"Very well! I really like you Eleonora. I like your spirit. If everything goes well we'll be great partners" he said embracing me in a hug "I will go see your husband now" he said walking to Blaze. Weirdly enough, Blaze seemed to belong this place, this aesthetic...may I say it like that? He was wearing simple grey suit pants and a loosen white shirt, his upper torso was visible along with the necklace he was wearing a monogram stainless steel necklace, with something engraved on it but I never really got the chance to understood what it was.

The way he held his glass so confidently made me smile, he really had a touch for this Italian rich life whoever I steel saw him calculating. He always looked so concentrated on everything around him, he knew everyone and everything, he was scanning everyone carefully, since their conversations to their movements, if he wasn't the owner of a big company would say he was a hitman.

My attention was diverted when Mrs. Brocotta spoke to me catching me by surprise "He is a very handsome man"

"He is" I found myself saying and suddenly regret it... What is going on with me? It's the Italy air affecting me?

"Every woman over there" she mentioned looking to her right, I followed her gaze meeting a group of 6 women around their 50's gazing Blaze and giggling to each other "is very fond of him. They got really sad when I said he was married"

"I bet they did" I said while noticing them waving at Blaze "It doesn't look like it though"

Blanca laughed "They are single, half divorced, and they aren't going for young... I guess marriage isn't a problem for them. Although they know they will never get the chance" She said, I gave a small smile back while looking at those women

" You seem happy" Blanca commented
"Are you having a good marriage?"

"There are some good days and bad days " I responded which she smiled

"I know what that feels like. Me and Alfonso never had an easy marriage but eventually we manage to survive"

"How?" I asked intrigued, they honestly looked like the perfect couple it was hard to believe they had troubles at all

"We would fight a lot but what saved our marriage was our bed" I widened my eyes in surprise and she giggled "Not like that. Although we fought and we're angry at each other we would always go to bed at night, we would give each other good night and say 'I love you'. No matter the fight we would never sleep angry or without saying I love you back, in the next morning we would wake up embraced to each other and we didn't even remember what we were fighting about the day before. " she described smiling probably moments of those days flashed in her eyes " A couple is a team, it's two different persons who try to work as one, they complete each other, that's why they fight because they are different, different thoughts and opinions, what makes them a couple is how they make each other better, how they love each other and besides everything they chose to be besides each other although sometimes it's hard and you just want to leave ." she comented making me snort, because I always leave

" A couple doesn't give up. Remember this. True love is when a couple has balance. Sometimes you will meet halfway, both will give 50, other time you will give 70 and he will give 30, on others he will give 80 and you 20. Both of you will be balancing, and that balance is what makes love enduring "

I smiled at her explanation although everything she was saying meant barely nothing to my marriage "That's beautiful"

"It's not beautiful its the true, you learn some things with time"

"You sound very in love" I noted making her laugh

"I am. That man always made me feel like this, in love and we've been together over 30 years"

"That's a lot of time" I realized

"It is. But if I hadn't him, my life would be miserable" she stated while looking at her husband talking to Blaze

"Well I hope to be just how much in love you are when I reach 30 years of marriage" I replied making her smile, when I marry willingly

"I'm sure you will!" she said giving me a side hug "You know he doesn't take your eyes off of you" she told me. Blaze? Not taking his eyes off of me? There's two reasons for that, one I did something wrong and he's planning how to scold me; two he is making sure I get the Brocotta's to sign with Maxwell... That remind me of what I actually came to do. I need to find a way of getting her trust and do the marketing and then if everything goes well the future partnership.

"I'm sure he loves you very much" she said waking me up from my thoughts

I gave a snort at her words, she looked at me with a raised eyebrow, how do I cover this up? "Yes he maybe he does, maybe he doesn't he's not very good at expressing himself. He is not very good at verbalizing it" I said her face softened and her smile appeared again

"Well not everyone is great at communication. I'm sure he finds a way of telling he loves you, for example Alfonso makes breakfast for me every morning." she explained, her love story was starting to sicken me, they surely we're the perfect couple "Alfonso was really bad at expressing himself but he would always find a way to caress me. In the end words without acts don't really matter and vice-versa and some acts speak without the need of words."

"That's sounds like a romantic movie" I commented, sipping the rosé on my glass

"It is almost like it"

"I wonder will that be your products theme?" I asked

"Theme?"

"Will love be the theme of this new products?" I asked looking at the wine

"No, no... we don't even have an idea of what to do in the marketing of these wines" she responded while frowning "but what would you do?"

"Well firstly I would have to know you and your husband better, find out what was the purpose of this edition of wine. Based on that I would promote the wine, I like to promote things according my clients wishes. If it was your wish to promote according your love I would promote the wine celebrating 30'years of your marriage, giving a cheesy name to the edition and give a nice touch, some random love quotes. It depends on what you want me to do" I explained. She looked quite pleased with my response. Am I getting the job? Please say yes so I can annoy Blaze for the rest of this wedding.

"You're impressive" she exclaimed

I blushed "Thanks!"

"Are you in Italy tomorrow?" she questioned, I am sure she wants something, we were suppose to leave tonight...

"Yes"

"That's great! I propose a lunch with the four of us" she said looking at her husband talking to Blaze

"Sure! We'll be there" I smiled excitedly

"We'll have a lunch at our place, how does that sound?"

"Awesome! I look forward to it " I smiled