The Devil Sipped Merlot

Like Merlot, one of her favorite wines, Julianne, a fine artist known for her soft, sensual textures and approachable style however, love eluded her and dating was a minefield so she trusted a friend's match making skills to help her start fresh. She was often reluctant to go on dates because of pressure from her Boomer parents to get married and settle down. As if that was a woman's only purpose in life. She was a free spirited soul who needed to explore her feelings and shed her doubts as to what she wanted. Being accommodating to others usually landed her on the side of Love's proverbial friend zone road heartbreak ridge all throughout her teens and twenties but now in her thirties, she decided she wasn't going to be a doormat and stand firm in her beliefs that it takes two to make a thing go right rather than wrong and she wasn't going to take the brunt of any emotional pain or guilt.

It was the Summer of 2021 and her current crowning achievement was a successful private gallery showing of her latest collection of artwork called, "My Friends are Foodies". Extraordinary oil paintings of people and food in varied scenarios from dining in public to love making. It was critically acclaimed in all of the art magazines and blogs, she had done a handful of interviews and was riding high on her success. She had been painting since High School and as her work evolved from relatively elementary decent works of people, places and things, people started to take notice. She took after the classic masters in varied styles but her modern take on them was as if she were telling a story with her paint brush. The hyper realism make her work look like photos, the vibrant and deep colors popped off the canvas. People audibly gasps at the intense details. It didn't hurt that she too was as beautiful as her paintings. Curious about her heritage at times it was awkward but she was gracious and smiled through it. Of Black and Puerto Rican America parentage, her rich cultures shaped who she was by blood, through history and as a woman in society. The golden brown tones of her skin, her bright, alluring deep chestnut brown eyes, the soft angles of her face and gentle smile drew people in. Yet, it wasn't enough for most men she dated who were very random and regular even though she had her idealistic types, somehow they never translated into reality. She then realized that it had a lot to do with her insecurities and ego. Why choose the proverbial perfect man when he doesn't exist yet deal with flawed ones to stroke your sorry ego? she'd ask herself. She put it all out of her mind as she looked forward to a break form the studio. After a sold out show netting her a little over a quarter million dollars and at the behest of her best friend and manager, she escaped for a week to decompress.

As she vacationed in the Bordeaux region of France at a vineyard she watched the sunset. Exhaling the stress of the last few months she took a sip of the vineyard's Merlot. She was somewhat impressed with it's plummy tastes and notes of chocolate then chuckled to herself when she remembered her mother once saying it tasted like prune juice and laxatives. Her pallet unrefined as her fav was potent Spanish sangria.

As the sun disappeared over the horizon and she waited for her date she got a text. Reading it she rolled her eyes, it was another dud date.

"Oh this sucks." she breathed.

"I'm sorry was the wine not to your liking?"

She almost spilled her wine as a deep voice seemed to come down over her head startling her. It was like a Tiger that just growled against the back of her neck.

"Oh God." she shivered, goosebumps raised on her arms as she then bravely turned and raised her bright brown eyes at the tall, fit and fashionable man in the white Tom Ford suit. His shimmering green eyes where the first things that caught her hers and his unusual deep crimson hair and trim beard on his chiseled face. It was thick, layered and it made her wonder what it felt like as she could only imagine, silky. She had always known "red heads" as Gingers but he didn't have the typical orange colored hair regardless, he was gorgeous.

"Not quite. " he smirked, winked and sipped the wine in his glass.

"I'm Renault Chevalier, vineyard owner and executive sommelier here."

She shook his extended hand, it was strong and warm.

"Julianne Brooksdale, nice to meet you."

He stood back and wondered,

"The American painter from New York? I think I have some of your pieces, interesting. I attended your recent show, it was extraordinary, you probably here this often but you are extremely talented. I'm honored."

She felt her face grow warm as she looked down a bit shy and smiled humbly,

"Thank you. Well, um, your wine is pretty amazing itself. Merlot is in my top five. I don't mean to be rude but I'm going to be late for my dinner date, well, just dinner as my date didn't show.

He offered the crook of his left arm,

"I'll be your date, come, let's get to know one another over some Filet Mingon with Merlot sauce. We'll talk Wine, Art and Love, that way your night won't suck."

She laughed, "You heard that."

"Yes, I did."

And the pair walked back to the estate that was converted into a luxury hotel where they found common ground among the vines of a budding romance.