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Stretching, my eyes darted to the clock on the bedside table. It was still early, yet there she was, hard at work on what I assumed was the wine label design she'd mentioned earlier. There was something about watching her in her element that never ceased to captivate me. The way her delicate fingers held the paintbrush, the concentration etched on her face, and the graceful strokes she made on the canvas — it was all so mesmerizing.
"Morning," I called out softly, not wanting to startle her.
She turned, a bright smile lighting up her face. "Good morning," she replied, her gaze flitting back to the canvas. "I wanted to get an early start on this. Almost done."
I sat up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. Pulling on my shirt, I walked over to where she stood, trying to get a closer look at her work. The design was intricate, featuring a beautiful vine pattern with grapes and leaves, curling elegantly around the label. In the center was a gorgeous painting of the vineyard itself, capturing the essence of the place in a way only Paisley could.
"It's beautiful," I said, genuinely impressed.
She beamed, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Thank you. I think it captures the feeling of the vineyard. At least, the parts I've seen."
I swallowed hard, guilt gnawing at me. Every moment I spent with her and didn’t confess my secret felt like a betrayal. But how could I tell her without potentially ruining everything we’d built? The internal conflict raged on.
Taking the canvas off the easel, she carefully set it down to dry. "I think it's ready to be presented to the vineyard owner. Hopefully, he likes it."
Biting back the truth, I nodded, trying to sound neutral. "I'm sure he will. It's stunning."
She looked up at me, her hazel eyes searching mine. "You really think so?"
"Absolutely. He'd be a fool not to appreciate it."
A light laugh escaped her lips. "Thank you, Austin. That means a lot."
I moved closer, my fingers gently tilting her chin up. Our lips met in a soft, lingering kiss. "You're welcome. I better get going. Got a busy day ahead."
Her eyes twinkled with mischief. "Oh, do you now?"
I chuckled. "Yes, lots to do, lots of people to meet." Including a certain vineyard owner, I added silently.
Paisley wrapped her arms around my neck, pulling me into a tighter embrace. "I’ll miss you," she whispered against my ear.
"I'll miss you too," I replied, planting one last kiss on her forehead. "See you later."
As I stepped out into the crisp morning air, I couldn't shake off the weight of my secret. Every moment with Paisley was a blessing, but how much longer could I keep the truth from her?
As I walked toward the vineyard, the label Paisley designed clutched carefully in my hand, my thoughts raced. She had somehow, in her unique artistic manner, captured not just the beauty of the vineyard but its soul. The gentle undulation of the grapevines, the rich soil nurturing the roots, and the mesmerizing hues of the grapes during harvest time — it was all there. I had seen and approved countless designs throughout my tenure as the vineyard’s owner, but this... this was something else.
Upon reaching the production unit, I was greeted by Manuel, our production head. "Morning, Austin!" he exclaimed, eyeing the canvas I held. "What have we got there?"
Without uttering a word, I unfurled the design, presenting it to him. The gasp that followed told me everything I needed to know.
"Is this...?" he trailed off, too awestruck to continue.
I grinned, my pride in Paisley evident. "Yes. This is the new label for our upcoming release."
Manuel ran his fingers delicately over the design, his usually stern eyes softening. "It's extraordinary. She's captured the very essence of our wines."
"I thought the same," I replied. "It's perfect. It's elegant, evocative, and truly representative of what our vineyard stands for."
He nodded, clearly in agreement. "So, what's the plan?"
"We get this into production immediately. And not just for our regular bottles. I'm thinking special edition — for our premium range."
Manuel looked at me, surprise evident in his eyes. "That's a bold move. But with a design like this, it might just pay off."
I nodded. "That's what I'm banking on. We need to introduce this label with a grand event. A wine tasting, perhaps at the vineyard itself, under the stars."
He seemed to warm up to the idea. "A splendid notion. With the right marketing, it'll be the talk of the wine world."
