The Height Of Happiness

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Blurb:

An interracial, marriage, billionaire romance story.

Winery owner Serena didn’t expect herself to be quite so captivated by the man called Teddy who showed up at her work event.

Despite him being a stranger, his allure is undeniable.

Yet she soon learns that the man is none other than winery tycoon and notorious playboy, Edward Summerfields!

At first, she feels deceived, but his endearing personality quickly smooths over any doubts about his identity.

As Serena and Teddy’s bond grows with talks of marriage, their very different lives become evident during a visit to the luxurious Sonoma Valley.

Now Serena is left to ponder if true love can outweigh the wealth and glamor surrounding her.

Will the strength of their connection overcome her mistrust about Teddy?

Or will the weight of their differences be too great for Serena to continue the relationship?

Discover now in this marriage romance novel by Kendra Brown.

Chapter 1

Looking around with a slight impatience inside herself, the only thing she allowed to come out was a quiet sigh that the rest of the world couldn’t decipher.

The room felt sterile and nondescript. It was to be expected of a small meeting room in a massive conference center. Architects and designers didn’t put money into rooms only big enough to hold a dozen or so people. The tiny space Serena Beauchene sat in now held three: a reporter, a photographer, and herself. After winning several awards and taste-testings at the winery expo in Manhattan, an industry magazine had approached her for a profile. They were putting her on their “Wine Makers To Watch” list for the year.

Serena’s nerves were settling after a quick photoshoot in a bar across the street. She never wanted to be a model, and the time spent attempting artificial smiles and alien poses felt frightening. The magazine was going to imply the interview had happened there, but the place was too noisy with other vintner in town for the talks and to buy their competitor’s wine at discount prices. The bar had been packed with people getting intoxicated on someone else’s grapes. Maybe a narcissist was sipping his own concoction, but Serena doubted it.

Setting her thoughts aside like a freshly folded load of laundry, she looked to he prim young man writing the piece. He’d suggested they look for a quieter location, and after twenty minutes they’d found this dull but empty room. It was perfect for strangers to talk.

Looking down at his notes, the man asked, “So, Miss Beauchene, you have been running Belle and Beau winery for the last five years, correct?”

“Yes,” Serena nodded. “My grandfather turned the winery over to me upon his retirement. He started the vineyard with my grandmother, Clarabelle Beauchene, when they were about my age now. Fifty years later, I hope to carry on the tradition they began.”

“That’s quite a triumph for a young person to take on. At twenty-seven, you’re not only running a vineyard, but you own the bottling company, an orchard, an inn, and historic barn for special events. Those acquisitions all happened within the last five years. How did you manage that?”

Serena shrugged, “I took some risks. The community knows my family well. The people who owned the other properties have known my grandparents since they day they signed the lease for the run-down plantation. It’s kind of ironic. It was the property that was once cultivated by slaves, and when the land needed salvation it was the grandson and granddaughter of slaves that saved it. However, being that it is south of the Mason-Dixon, my family caused of a lot of backlash in the surrounding area, but I think that worked in our favor. Those farms around us knew how dedicated we were. They remembered how strong my grandparents were. When I approached them about purchasing, the owners knew that their businesses would be in good hands. I even knew how to sweeten the pot because those business men and women own shares of the larger Belle and Beau company.”

“Your vineyard certainly has a long history behind it.”

“And you can taste it in every bottle,” Serena laughed lightly as she replied.

The reporter smiled, and scratched notes down on a notebook full of pale blue paper, only the sound of the air conditioning in the space as Serena waited for him to finally speak again.

Looking up, he asked, “Wonderful. So the name? Is it for your grandparents?”

“Well, her name being Clarabelle and he was a Beauchene. My grandfather once told me that he just wanted to name the place after her, but she refused to be on the bottle alone. They were together on everything, including the label. This is a family brand through and through, and I think she knew that before he ever did. She really was the heart of the label, and he was the mind.”

“The head and the heart are typically combatants.”

“Not these two. Sometimes they fight, but when it’s right the head and the heart agree. Those two were no exception, and the winery was only second to their family. When it came to the business they sought to be a totally united front. Overall, it was a harmonious partnership.”

Serena smiled as she remembered her grandparents in photographs from all those years ago. They looked so vibrant against the young hillside they spent their savings on. She hardly noticed that the reporter was talking again.

“Speaking of history, it was announced at the Manhattan Wine Expo that your company is going to be selling product at a national level for the first time in its fifty year history. All of the grocery stores you selected were also born in North Carolina as well. Tell me, was that a factor in your decision, and how did it play in the process of this next step for Belle and Beau Winery?”

“To be honest, I never really entertained offers from companies outside of our region. We’ve been selling at local markets for so long that it’s part of our wine and our brand, and I didn’t want to lose that part of our product. It seemed natural therefore to have North Carolina companies continue to sell our product, even if it is at a larger scale than ever before.”

“And if the day ever came to distribute at a larger level, like a major American distributor? What if a bigger buyer came knocking offering such widespread access for a piece of your pie? Would you forgo that part of Belle and Beau for greater financial success? Is the familial heritage that important?”

Serena couldn’t help but laugh at the idea. “Maybe my family dreamed of that at the very beginning of this venture, but I don’t know if that’s ever going to happen.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t foresee that happening in our current forecast, but also I don’t know if I could let it go. No offer would change that.”