Not So Charming: A Hate to Lovers Romance (Carlisle Cellars Book 1)

by Fabiola Francisco

  “That smells so good. Beats hospital food by a million,” he licks his lips.

  I chuckle, letting it rest for a couple of minutes before cutting it. “It’s my specialty.”

  “Is it really?” I nod. “Then serve me a big piece.”

  We eat as we talk about anything and everything. We don’t mention the winery, a quiet understanding that topic is off the table. After we’re done, I clean up while Miles turns on the television. He brings up his favorite show about crime mysteries, and I take two full glasses of sweet tea over. Settling in beside him, his arms instantly wrap around me, and I sigh in contentment. It feels good to have him like this.

  “I’ll be back. Need to use the bathroom.” He kisses the top of my head and stands. I pause the show while Miles drags his feet toward his room, and I lean back, sipping the tea.

  Taking longer than usual, I head toward the room to make sure he’s all right. His back is to me as he stares at himself in the mirror. He tilts his head to look at the burn, and my heart drops. I walk up to him, hugging him from behind and kissing his shoulder blade.

  His eyes meet mine in the mirror, and he shakes his head. Sadness washes over me as I feel him shake.

  “Miles…” I squeeze my arms around his middle. “Look at me.”

  He does so through the mirror again.

  “What’s going on?” He remains silent. “You’ll have a scar, but it won’t be this pronounced forever. It’s still healing. Give it time. And regardless of that, I still love you and always will.”

  He finally turns around. “Will Charlie and Chloe be able to look at me the same?”

  “Of course,” I nod sadly. “They’re going through their stuff, but they love you just the same. You’re their favorite uncle.”

  He snorts. “I’m the only one they have.”

  “I bet if they had another one, you’d still be their favorite. I see how those girls admire you. They love you so much, and that won’t change. You’re their hero. I mean, you risked your life for Chloe.” I fight back tears, but it’s useless.

  “I’d do anything for them. Anything for the people I love.” He skims his thumb over my cheek.

  “I know you would. It’s one of the reasons I love you and what makes you such an amazing man.” I turn my head and kiss the pad of his finger. “Come on. Let’s watch TV, and I’ll put the cream on. It’s about the time to do so.”

  He nods, allowing me to lead him by the hand. I wash my hands and grab the cream he dropped on the counter when he arrived. Carefully, I dab it on every part of the burn from his jaw down his neck. His eyes close as if soaking in my care. I make sure it’s all covered and kiss his forehead before heading to wash my hands again.

  Back on the couch, I cuddle into Miles’s side and listen to his heartbeat while he watches his show. I hold on tight, never wanting another thing to separate us or risk our lives.

  “I’ve been thinking,” Miles breaks the silence.

  “What about?” I murmur against his chest.

  “Since we’ll have to rebuild the restaurant at the winery, I have some ideas I want to incorporate. Bring in a whole new experience. I need to talk to my dad and Brett about it, but I think they’ll agree. It won’t be for a while since we still need the insurance to come through, clean up the mess, and rebuild this part of the winery that gave us so much.”

  Thankfully the vineyards and the building where business is done weren’t affected by the fire. It was all contained to the restaurant, tasting room, and unfortunately, the cellar where most of the wine was stored. They’ll have to start from scratch with making wine and bottling it. The good news is that the barrels of the current wine are stored in another area and are intact and undamaged by the fire, so they’ll have bottles for this year.

  “I want our meals to be more exclusive, chosen specifically with our wines in mind—pair the dishes with each kind of wine. We will change the menu often, bringing in specialty foods and dishes based on the season of the year. Give people a whole experience, the same way we do with the tours. I think that’ll make customers want to return throughout the year and give us something different than a regular restaurant.”

  I sit up as I listen to him, smiling. “I think that’s a great idea. I’m sure they’ll agree.”

  Miles nods, pensive. “I also want to buy the bookstore. Not just for you, but for us.”

  I shake my head adamantly. “No, you’re crazy. I already told you I have no idea how to run that.”

  “And I told you I’d help. I learned that life is too fragile and quickly gone. I want to do this. I have a ton of ideas.”

  I lift my eyebrows, curiosity getting the best of me. “What are they?”

  “We pair wine and books. We’ll do events, and you can choose a wine to pair with a certain story. Base it on the plot, the characters, a certain scent or location in the book. I don’t care. People can come to the event, taste the wine, and we sell them a package of a bottle with the book.” He smiles at me.

  “We’ll also sell books like a bookstore would, but we’ll offer a bar section. We’ll expand Carlisle wines, and we’ll make some blends exclusive for the store, give them literary names.”

  “Wow,” I’m in awe that he’s thought this out in so much detail.

  “It’s great, right?” He smiles.

  “It’s amazing. I love the idea.” I nod, eyes watering.

  “I figured, how many people love wine and books? A ton, I’m sure.” He explains as if it were all common sense.

  “I love it,” I tell him again, kissing him.

  “And we’ll name it Beauty and the Books. What do you think?”

  “That you’re too good for me.” I wipe away tears.

  “Nah,” he shakes his head. “We’re perfect for each other. I’m going to marry you and have kids with you. We’re gonna fill up our home with love and laughter. We’re gonna live a good life, Junebug.”

  I can’t hold back the tears this time, and I smile through them. I kiss him hard, pressing my lips to his, and sigh when he grips the back of my head, deepening the kiss. I try to be careful not to hurt him, but Miles brings me to his lap, straddling him, and his tongue seeks mine in a passionate kiss.

  I get lost in him. I thought I’d never feel this again. The string of hope was broken when I saw that fire and his limp body being removed from it. But it’s there, the hope and trust that we’ll live a full life.

  Miles groans in discomfort, and I lean back immediately. “Sorry.”

  “No, don’t stop.”

  “Miles, you have to go slow. Your body is healing.” I hold the uninjured side of his face. “We have all the time in the world.” I gaze into his eyes, knowing it’s true in my heart.

  “Yeah, we do.” He brushes his lips against mine and holds me, my head resting on his chest.

  Chapter 34

  Miles

  It's been about a month since I came home after the fire, and every day since then has been a gift. I've learned so damn much about myself, my family, and June. I don't know what I'd do without her. She's stayed every night, holding me through nightmares, hearing me relive the trauma, soothing the pain, and loving me more each day.

  She’s my everything, my angel, my Junebug.

  The winery is still a mess, and we’ve had to cancel reservations and deal with the fallout of what happened. Thankfully, I’m healing, though. The scarring on my face is an ever-present reminder, but Charlie and Chloe didn’t hide from me like I feared. I was supposed to protect them, and I couldn’t.

  Brett’s told me it’s not my fault. June’s helped with the guilt, but it’s still there. The only thing pushing me through it is that nothing major happened to either of them. At least not physically. From what Brett tells me, their emotions are still all over the place, which is to be expected. If I’m feeling it, they must be worse.

  “Hey,” June smiles over at me when I walk into the bookstore. I finalized the sale last week. Mrs. Collins was happy to hand over
the keys and see a book lover like June own the store.

  “Hey.” I walk up to her, turning her and kissing her sweet lips. “How are things?”

  “Good.” She looks around.

  The place is a mess since we’re going to renovate it in order to make the wine bar fit. It’s still in the early stages since our license to serve wine is pending, but we’ve been hard at work to get shelves moved out of the way and clean them all, which is a lot harder than I thought. Thousands of books look like twenty when they’re stacked neatly on shelves. As soon as you move them around, they multiply.

  “How’s the winery?” She eyes me curiously. The first few times I returned, I would get flashbacks. June has told me to take it slow, as did my family.

  “A mess,” I shake my head. “But we’re making headway with the insurance company. Once all of that is sorted, we can start the rebuild.”

  “I’m glad.”

  Brett and my dad both liked the idea for the new restaurant and agreed to give me more responsibilities there. I’ll be overseeing the kitchen, the recipes, and approving it all. I’ll work closely with our chef to create dishes that will leave a lasting impression on customers and pair them uniquely with wines. This way, we can highlight certain wines seasonally and encourage people to buy bottles.

  They were surprised when I mentioned the bookstore, but they’ve come to terms with it. Mostly, they were concerned if I could handle both things, but June will be here daily, and the events we do will be on weekends when I don’t work. The next few months will be exhausting, but I’m up for the challenge with my girl by my side. I can do anything so long as she’s there.

  “Why are you looking at me like that?” She gives me an awkward smile, scrunching her nose.

  “Because I love you like crazy.” I kiss the tip of her nose.

  June relaxes. “I love you, too. Wanna go get lunch? I’m starving.” She rubs her stomach.

  I chuckle and nod. “I wanted to talk to you first.”

  “Oh, okay.” She narrows her eyes, trying to read me. “Is everything okay? Are you okay?” Her eyes widen with worry.

  “I’m great,” I assure her. “Here, let’s sit.” I guide us toward the two armchairs Mrs. Collins insisted we keep.

  “Okay, talk.” June lifts her eyebrows.

  I pull a rolled-up book from my back pocket and hand it to her.

  “What is this?” She eyes it suspiciously. “Did you screw up again, and I don’t know about it yet, so you’re apologizing?”

  I laugh and shake my head. “Read it.” I tilt my chin toward it.

  Charlie and Chloe helped me write another story. It was a great distraction from our current emotional pain. They were so proud and excited to be a part of this. How could they not be? They helped me once, and I hope this works in my favor, too.

  June traces her finger along the drawing that is supposed to be her and me and reads, “The Prince and Princess Part Two.”

  As she turns the page, I recite the story in my mind.

  The prince and princess lived happily. They liked each other a lot, kissed a lot, and laughed. Then, one day, the princess learned about secrets both their families held and walked away from the prince, feeling sad.

  All he wanted was to love her, but he understood her pain even if he didn’t like it. Before she could talk to him, a fire happened that almost took his life. The princess was heartbroken, but she stayed by his side until he was cured.

  The prince learned that life is a gift and the present moment is what counts. When you love someone, you should make sure they know it every day. He didn’t want to lose any more time with the princess, and he wanted to start their life together.

  One day, he surprised her and got down on one knee.

  June gasps and looks at me, tears in her eyes. “Keep reading,” I whisper.

  He promised to love her through eternity, protect her, cherish her, and always kiss her goodnight.

  I drop on one knee before her, and her eyes lift to mine. I open the small, black box.

  “June Sullivan, I want to spend the rest of my life with you, showing you how much I love you, beat the odds together, and fill our lives with so much joy. Will you marry me?”

  She nods quickly, crying. “Yes!” She screams through, blubbering. “Oh my God.” She wraps her arms around me, landing on my lap. I laugh as I grab her face and kiss her deeply.

  “I love you,” I say against her lips.

  “Love you, too.” She sniffles and kisses the side of my neck that’s scarred. It’s still sensitive. Chills move through me at the love and compassion this woman possesses.

  I wipe her face and lean back. Grabbing her left hand, I slip the round diamond ring on her finger.

  “Wow,” she whispers in awe. “It’s gorgeous.” She looks up at me with gentle eyes.

  “You’re gorgeous. And I’m a lucky man.” I kiss her again and then holler, “We’re gonna get married!”

  June laughs, tossing her head back, full of joy.

  “Did you read the final version of this book?” She cocks an eyebrow.

  “Why?” I lift mine, mimicking her.

  June hands me the book on the last page, and I skim the sentences. “Goodness, they’re sneaky.”

  Written at the bottom, complete with parentheses, they added, (Say yes! And be our ant.).

  “How could I say no to that?” June smiles.

  “How could you say no to me, you mean.” I lift an eyebrow and stare at her.

  The smile that takes over her face steals my breath.

  “Yeah,” she nods, “I couldn’t say no. I want this so much. After what we’ve gone through, I don’t want to wait.”

  “Me neither, Junebug.” I kiss her with the promise of a happy life and lots of love.

  She’s my forever, and there’s no one else I’d want to do life with than her.

  ***

  Thank you for reading Miles and June’s story! I hope you loved it. If you’re inclined to, I’d love if you left a review on Amazon and Goodreads.

  Madison and Tate’s story is next! Homecoming Queen is an emotional and swoon-worthy second chance romance.

  I wanted nothing more than to be a famous country singer. I left everything behind to pursue that dream, including my first love. When I experience first-hand the filth behind the music business, I return home to clear my mind and heal. Running into Tate is inevitable, but when he discovers my secret, I question if coming home was the best choice.

  Buy your copy here!

  ***

  If you enjoy small town romance, then you'll love my other books!

  Love in Everton Series: Welcome to Everton—a small town hidden in the Wyoming mountains where cowboys rule, rumors run, and love wins. Your trip to Everton will be full of feel-good romance, lots of swoon, and small-town charm. Start the series today!

  Perfect Mess: A broody rancher + a curvy city girl meet in this opposites attract romance. A toxic relationship crumbled her self-esteem, but Wilder James, the sexy rancher, is tearing down every insecurity, showing her what it feels like to be wanted. Her time in Mason Creek is temporary, and soon she’ll have to say the hardest goodbye. Grab your copy now!

  Acknowledgments

  Thank you, the reader, for taking a chance and reading this book. Without your support, I wouldn’t be able where I am today in my publishing journey. I’m grateful.

  So many people are necessary to publish a book, and I’ve got an amazing team I can count on. Thank you to Amy from Q Designs for the gorgeous cover, Brittany from The Blurb Whisperer for always providing feedback, Bex from The Polished Author for taking your time to make this story perfect, and Claire and Wendy from Bare Naked Words for helping me put this story out in the world.

  Ally, I can’t thank you enough for all your help. I can even handle saying daddies now.

  Joy, thank you for your friendship. You’re always there, willing to help, and I appreciate that more than you know.

  Veronica,
thank you for your friendship and always cheering me on.

  Christy and Rachel, I’m so grateful for your friendship. It’s priceless to know that I can count on you and turn to you despite distances, time zones, and life chaos. #soapythighs

  Brit and Cary, thank you ladies for always being there to listen to me ramble and for providing feedback when I need to put things into perspective.

  Savannah, thank you for believing in my work and helping me get my stories out in the world.

  Fabiola’s Fab Reads, you’re the best group a girl could ask for. Thank you for being a part of my writing career and sharing everything from your fave reads to your life updates.

  A huge thanks to my review team and master list for stepping up each time I have book news to share, reading and reviewing my work, and being there for me. It means the world to me that you love to share my work.

  To all the reviewers, bloggers, authors, and bookstagrammers that have shared my work and supported me, thank you. I couldn’t do this without you. It takes a tribe, and you’re part of mine.

  About the Author

  Fabiola Francisco loves the simplicity—and kick—of scotch on the rocks. She follows Hemingway’s philosophy—write drunk, edit sober. She writes women’s fiction and contemporary romance, dipping her pen into new adult and young adult. Her moods guide her writing, taking her anywhere from sassy and sexy romances to dark and emotion-filled love stories.

  Writing has always been a part of her life, penning her own life struggles as a form of therapy through poetry. She still stays true to her first love, poems, while weaving longer stories with strong heroines and honest heroes. She aims to get readers thinking about life and love while experiencing her characters’ journeys.

  She is continuously creating stories as she daydreams. Her other loves are country music, exploring the outdoors, and reading.