“Hello,” Bianca and Mila both said in unison.
“Wish me luck,” Remi said to them.
“You’ll be fine, Mom. You got this.”
The winery hosting the event sat nestled in the hills just north of downtown Napa, it’s glass-paneled tasting room glowing against the twilight. Rows of parked cars lined the gravel path leading to the entrance. Inside the room buzzed with a crowd of vintners, sommeliers, and marketing professionals. The voices intermingled with the sound of live jazz coming from a trio in the corner of the room.
Remi stepped inside, arm lightly hooked through Leo’s. She scanned the room, her eyes settling on a few familiar faces from previous mixers. A server passed by with a tray of sparkling rosé. She took a glass, the stem of it resting between her fingertips.
She locked eyes with Paloma, who quickly made her way across the room, wearing a blue linen two-piece suit.
“You made it,” she smiled and nudged Remi.
“Yes. I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.”
“Hello, Leo,” Paloma said. “You both look great.”
“Thanks, Paloma. So do you,” Leo said, and then tapped Remi’s elbow. “I see someone I know. I’ll be right back.”
Leo disappeared. Paloma raised an eyebrow but didn’t say anything.
She linked her arm with Remi’s. “There, across the room … gray slacks, green shirt. That’s Christian Carter. He owns a marketing firm in the Bay Area, Pinnacle Strategies. It’s a small firm, but very influential. I think Pinnacle would be a great fit forJoie. I’ll introduce you later.”
“Okay.”
“Go mingle. We’ll link up later.” Paloma slipped away and caught up with someone she knew.
Across the room a few women gathered around a well-dressed man from one of Napa’s most respected vineyards. A younger couple stood by the cheese spread, talking distribution. Remi took a deep breath and approached a group gathered near the fireplace, easing herself into the conversation.
They were discussing trends in sustainable winemaking, and she found herself contributing easily. She talked about her plans forJoie, and the contemporary trends she’d already adopted. A few people nodded, intrigued. As the evening wore on, Remi moved from conversation to conversation, her nerves settling a bit more. She glanced across the room at Leo. He was watching her with quiet admiration—watching her shine. A smile crept into the corner of his mouth.
Later, as Remi and Leo stood near the exit and the crowd began to thin, someone tapped her on the shoulder. She turned to find a man she’d met briefly at another mixer, John Gabriel, who ran a midsized distribution in Sonoma.
“You’re building something that people are talking about,” he said. “I’d love to come by and visitJoiesometime. See what you’re doing over there.”
John Gabriel wanted to visit Joie?Her heart beat rapidly in her chest.
“I’d be happy to give you a tour once it’s up and running,” Remi said, attempting to keep her voice steady.
“I’ll look for the invitation,” he said and then slipped out the door, waving goodbye to a few of his colleagues.
As they stepped back into the night, Remi exhaled. Leo held the passenger door of his Mercedes open for her and she climbed inside. She didn’t have all the answers yet, but she was gaining her footing.Joiewas becoming a name in the valley, and she was ready for whatever came next.
She found Bianca on the sunporch, a silk scarf on her head, an afghan wrapped around her shoulders. Soulful music drifted from a Bluetooth speaker.
The door creaked as she stepped outside.
“How did it go?” Bianca asked.
“Very well,” Remi said with a smile. “I made some great connections tonight. Think I might’ve also found a marketing company. And guess what? People are raving about Mila’s design. Her logo was the talk of the evening.”
“That’s cool. She’ll be happy to hear that.”
“A couple of people are interested in seeing more of her work. She needs to think about putting together a portfolio.”
“I’m sure you’ll have her a business plan worked up by morning—a whole presentation with scented markers and all.” Bianca laughed and then went into a coughing spell. She took a sip of mineral water.
Remi laughed too. “Ha ha.”