Lucas was not in the mood to meet the documentary producer at the moment. He called Lori to move the schedule but she was persuasive enough to make him comply. He asked Emiliano, his Relations Officer, to meet with her instead but the latter told him that it was paramount for him to meet her first. He understood later what Emil meant. Lori's itinerary was very specific of his attendance. Lensworks, aka, Isra Koc didn't want to waste time. But he had no motivation to talk about anything after what took place earlier. He just wanted to sit down somewhere and breath. He wanted to celebrate this day as he was to become the Lucas Madiera he once was. He finally freed himself from the shackle that was Andrea. Despite his parents’ insistence to reconsider their decision to divorce, Lucas was determined. He couldn’t handle Andrea any longer and five years was enough. He'd been through hell. He battled depression, alone. It needed to end and he ended it. Today, he just wanted to celebrate. But no. He had to fulfil his role as the heir of their family's legacy.

 Lucas inhaled deeply. The smell of the vineyards lingered in the air as he drove out of their family’s property into the highway. It’s been a year since he last visited their family’s house. He always liked it here. The fresh air, the open space, the food, the lone house that sat somewhere at the edge of the property, the pampering of a family that was closer to him than his own, the vineyards, seemed to be his soul's reverie. Eventhough the mansion will never be the same after his parents retired to Barcelona 8 years ago, and his sister Jacinta settling in her resort in Valencia, this place had always been his home. It was left to the care of his parent’s longtime majordomo Pablo and his family after everyone took their own paths. Pablo's eldest daughter Cassandra became the plantation's operations manager, while his son Lorenzo became their viticulturist. 

Around this time of the year, his cousins Alejandro and Marciano would come over, usually with different girls each time, much to the annoyance of Cassandra who had a long-time fling with Al. While he, would visit to deliver the part of the family tradition- to give an open house banquet for all, at the harvest season. And speaking which, it will be due in two weeks. That was why the marketing company was here to make a documentary for them. And then there will be the yearly exclusive Harvest Ball which his father was very keen to do. And despite the success of their winery since Lucas took over 7 years ago, he maintained a low- profile as possible and kept the business within the family as per his father's decree. Therefore, he had to be hands- on when big decisions had to come about.

He pulled to the parking lot outside the restobar that Loreen arranged to meet her boss. He felt disoriented as he flipped the mirror down from the front of his car to fix his manbun and combed his beard with his hand. After adjusting the collar of his button- downs he climbed out of the car lazily into the stucco- lined two storey building. Inside, a handful of people scattered in pairs all over the place. There was a younger man sitting at the bar and a woman sitting alone in a corner in front of her laptop. He scanned around to guess who among them was Isra Koc.

“Loreen, hi. Can you tell your boss I am already here?” he asked impatiently as Lori instructed him to look at the direction of the lone woman by the tall lampshade gazing at her laptop. He walked towards an elegant woman sitting cross- legged on a couch, as he dropped the call. Although the dim light casted shadows on her face, he could tell how beautiful she was. Her loose ash brown golden-streaked hair cascaded behind her back just slightly above the waist. But he shook his head dubiously. This can’t be Isra Koc, can it? He cleared his throat. The woman looked up and he was stunned. Her eyes were so dreamy. Her beauty looked like a full moon in a cloudless night. He didn’t expect the producer to be this beautiful.

“Isra Koc?” he uttered. Lori told him that her boss was still single and with that being said what he had in mind was a grey-haired spinster or a chubby lady with a camera.

“And you are?”

“Lucas Madiera. Nice to meet you, Isra.” He smiled as she stood up and took his hands, as his eyes fell into her perfect framed- body in an all-black outfit of skinny leather pants and lycra long sleeved U-tard hugging her curves.

“Let’s sit?” Isra snapped him out of his daydream and they settled down to the couch opposite each other.

Isra felt like melting. Her heart leaped out of her chest when she saw his face. Although, quite disoriented, the sultry look in his eyes was enough to take her breath away. And nope, he didn’t look like a mean old fart as she initially thought.

“Did you eat anything?” asked Lucas, nervously.

“I did, actually.” Isra said as she tossed her laptop inside brown studded bag.

Lucas couldn’t stop himself staring at her. He would blink between a coy smile and propping an elbow on the arm of his seat. What the hell, Loreen! I can’t concentrate! Why didn’t you tell me your boss is drop- dead gorgeous? He cursed between his breath as the waiter came beside him.

“How about a drink?” he asked as he fumbled through the pages of the menu.

“If you insist.” She said in a methodical tone.

Lucas requested a bottle of Madiera sercial and a grazing platter of cheese, olives, dried fruits and jamón ibérico. “Let’s try our Portuguese version. They have it here.”

He straightened on his seat as soon as the waiter left. He suddenly regretted he didn't  dressed up for the occasion. He felt shabby in his faded jeans and his creased shirt he’d been wearing all day. He could smell his own sweat mixing with the perfume he last sprayed this morning.

“How was your trip?” he asked to kill the awkward silence. Her eyes were scrutinizing him.

“Nothing abnormal, so it was good.” She said as she laced her hand gracefully on her crossed legs.

She half-smiled at him and he melted inside. Her perfume, the musky vanilla with a hint of floral notes matching the character of her gaze entrancing him into an unknown territory he’d never been before.

“So, how’s your sister? I’ve just followed her page. She’s gold!” She said, shifting him away from starting at her. She felt awkward. As much as she wanted their eyes locked, she wanted to run away. Meeting strangers suddenly felt unfamiliar. 

“Ohh, she is enjoying her life. She barely comes around since she had her resort business.”

The waiter came with their order and poured each glass with wine before he disappeared into the bar.

“Good for her. I’ve read about it. One of the top-10 hotels all over the Mediterranean, is pretty impressive.” Isra commented as she took a sip of the wine and run it inside her mouth. The sweet lemony- spicy with a stony-mineral note of the Madiera bursting in her palate.

Lucas chuckled, “I don’t know if she even deserves it. She’s good at marketing, tho. She can sell a rotten apple in the price of a diamond. She was supposed to be running the winery. Business is really not my field. Unfortunately, this is not the business she wanted, and the family was left with no choice.” Lucas took sips as he looked at her from the rim of his glass.

Isra nodded, "But I think they made the right decisions." she said as she studied his face for a moment. “Speaking of business. Are you ready to discuss our itinerary in the next few days so we can arrange the best times for filming and interviews?”

“Sure. But--ahh. Do we need to discuss that today?” Lucas grimaced. His dark brows furrowed.

Isra blinked and shook her head lightly. “Not really. It is important that you are comfortable when I interview or film you, so you speak and act with your heart not only with your mind. My strenght as a producer is to let people see someone in their most candid self. It's the most authentic thing in the world.”

Yes. He wanted to be his authentic self again. He wasn't sure how much Isra meant those words but they shot through him. He liked the nobility in her tones and sincerity of her eyes. He slouched in his couch as tranquility overcame him. He liked her.

The shadows casted by the lamp illuminated an enchanting glow on her and Lucas couldn’t help to look at her and listen as she spoke her mind. Poetic, intelligent, eloquent. Her bedroom voice was very calming. He smiled. He liked her a bit too much at first meet. Heat rushed into his whole body and he wasn’t certain if it was the alcohol, or the effect she had on him.

“I hope you don’t mind me asking, are you married?” Lucas asked without hesitation.

Isra’s lips pursed slightly to the corner of her mouth, “I never plan to.”

“Why?” His face must have shown an evident disappointment at her blunt response as she smiled weakly back.

Isra took a sip of the wine and looked at him thoughtfully, “I have everything in life that makes me contented as of the moment, at least. I get to do what I want. I found my purpose in life in my business. I am living in harmony with myself, my stability...with peace. I don’t think I would trade it for a rollercoaster of a relationship.”

“You are right.” Lucas nodded. “In fact, my divorce just got ruled out today.” What the hell Lucas? The words came out just before his mind could filter. He didn't wish to give a wrong impression. But at the back of his mind, he wanted her to know he was a free man.

“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that.”

Lucas smirked. “It alright. I'm glad it ended. The rollercoaster, you said... But guess what, I won’t conclude based on one bad experience. My parents had been happily married and I never saw dark days between them. Even my sister's relationship is happy. Everybody that I know around me have happy marriages. I think, one just need to find the right partner.”

"That's a challenge, though, but very optimistic of you." She slurred.