In Over His Head

Chapter 45

Four months later

The sun was low in the sky when Sharla finally closed the lid on her laptop, all her screens going dark. Her head hit the desk in front of her and she groaned.

"That good, love?"

Sharla held up a finger and twirled it in the air. "If I have to answer one more email, I am going to lose my mind!" and then levered back from the desk to find Mo carrying two steaming mugs into the office.

"Tea," Mo said, and offered a mug to her.

"Oh thank you," Sharla said and reached for one with both hands. "Been a long day. Trying to be organised for the harvest with the ViZimports group, and then schedule delivery of some of the wine we had laid down at the storage cellar over here. Been hell trying to find a lorry hire now. Plus monthly inventory is due and I am short a few crates for some reason."

"I just got word he's inbound. Thought you could use a pick me up, after we spruced up the terrace today I'm a tad puggled, imagine you are too," Mo said, flopping down to the couch.

"Definitely. Thanks for the suggestion and getting all the lights and stuff up. I hope he likes it. He texted me as well, said he was due back at three, so he's late," she replied.

She blew on her tea, energy returning at Mo's news. Kevin had been gone a week, attending functions with his mother, staying in London. He'd asked if she wanted to tag along, but she'd declined, wanting to get ahead of the fall schedule and do some maintenance on the finances with the accountant.

He'd been mysterious when he said he had to stay on an extra day, and she'd pouted a bit. It was different now when he was gone. She still dove into her work, the dread of him returning and being caught up by him was gone, replaced by the relief when he walked through the door and took her into his arms.

She loved having him in the office with her again as well. Especially now that work and pleasure were intermixing. Kisses during tea breaks, lunchtime quickies, walks in the fields that turned into spontaneous sex in the tall hay grass. Trips over to the vines in France that ended up being an extra day to laze naked in bed at their favourite nearby hotel.

"Got the Greece schedule from Aggie, by the way. He's coming into London to visit in a fortnight," Mo said.

"Oh! It would be great to see him. He bringing any of the crew?" Sharla asked.

"Don is coming too, they're apparently driving, and taking the Chunnel train. He's bringing in the car they keep in Italy."

Kevin was planning a trip out to Ariadne for later in the fall, and he was discussing with Aggie to take her further west into the Aegean, so likely he would want to ensure he got some time with the Captain. Sharla was trying hard not to be too exuberant, because a trip like that would have been a dream not too long ago. Now it was just a "where should we go" discussion instead of a multi-year savings event. It was exciting for her, but for him, it was just part of his world.

One she was still getting used to living in.

Kevin was careful not to overwhelm her, and she still made her own money, paid her own way where she could. Differently now, because he had signed her on to own forty-nine percent of the Wine Investment firm with him. She earned dividends and revenues from their investments and sales now. It had tripled what she'd been pulling for salary as his advisor and manager. She was socking it away, and her student loans were almost gone.

"OH neat! I hope they'll stay here. I'll convince Aggie to cook," Sharla said.

"That would be lovely. I've yet to experience one of his famous suppers."