Dawn arrived in Champs Les Sims early in the morning. She should have been tired, exhausted really. She hadn’t slept well since the phone call, spending her time on the plane fighting back unless tears and formulating a plan to get her life back on track. She would focus on her chosen career and let the rest fall where it may. She had responsibilities as heir, but she was still young and had her whole life ahead of her. Despite the lack of sleep, she felt exhilarated. She couldn’t wait to get to the Nectary and meet her mentor. She hadn’t had much time to talk to Mr. McDermott about the Nectar merchant, Elliot St. James, and hoped she would learn a lot from him. She was ready to get started with the rest of her life, a certain man in the distant past, soon to be forgotten. She rode her bike through the streets of Champs Les Sims, waving to the people she passed, out and about, doing the business of a small town. A mother taking her children to school, tourists visiting the area searching for a bit of history and shop keepers opening up there stores for the day. She caught the unmistakable smell of baking bread. Her stomach ached and realized she hadn’t eaten anything for nearly 24 hours. ‘That will have to wait’ she thought, until she finished her trip to the Nectary.

It was beautiful, nestled into the hillside. The building looked like it had been there for centuries and probably had. Sturdy, oatmeal colored brick laid to last a lifetime. The blue shutters, which weren’t more than decoration now, would have once been locked up against a winter storm. She loved it instantly. She recognized the oak, the hydrangea and azaleas that were peppered around the front of the building. To the right of the building grew an orchard of varying varieties of trees. She recognized the apple and lime, but there were other species she couldn’t quite make out. She couldn’t wait to get her hands on a local horticulture book and learn about the wide variety of folage in the area. There was so much more to learn.To the left was the vineyard. Her fingers itched to touch the soil, to smell the dark, muskiness of it. She walked to the gate and spotted the Avornalino, the Cherimola and Renoit grapes. They were the basis for all nectars. Nectar making was an art, passed down through the generations. Great nectar came from the best fruit; the better quality fruit, the better quality nectar.

Dawn walked into the building and an immediate enchantment fell over her. The front area was smaller then she thought it would be, but the soft yellow of the walls welcomed her like a friendly hug. The room housed racks and racks of nectar and customers milled about, looking for that perfect bottle to go with their dinner, or to simply sit on the porch and sip the worries of the day away. She walked around and noticed an archway to the left that led to a bar area with ample and plush seating, warmed by a fireplace at the end of the room. Nectar racks stood, strategically placed around, inviting people to look and touch the colored glass. She had noticed the sign outside that announced the dates and times of when the Nectar tastings took place and thought it was a perfect space to sit and enjoy a bottle with friends or stranger alike.

Dawn walked up to a man who had just helped an older woman pick out a nice bottle of nectar for her dinner party.“Excuse me” she announced as she tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around and smiled at her. He was handsome; his skin was flawless and taut over his face. She thought of a caramel colored cherub and smiled back.“May I help you choose the perfect wine; maybe something red to go with a nice slab of beef or seared tuna steak?” he asked her. “I love tuna, but no thank you” she answered, smiling at his animated sales pitch. “I’m looking for Elliot Saint James.”“I’m Elliot” the young man said, as his dark eyes roamed her face. His eyes continued to smile as he looked her over. “That is a fabulous little suit. The color looks so good on you” he stated.“Thank you.” she said, as she ran her hands over her skirt. She was flattered he would notice the care she took to dress. “Elliot, my name is Dawn Discourse. I believe Larry McDermott told you I was coming?”“Yes! Dawn! Why didn’t you say so?” he asked as he kissed each of her cheeks. “It’s nice to meet you! Those shoes go perfectly with that suit by the way, and I love your hair!”Dawn sighed for females everywhere. The man noticed and complemented her clothes, her shoes and her hair within a span of one minute. Gay? Too bad for my side, she thought. “Thank you…again. Unfortunately for me, my hair color comes from a bottle” she whispered. “But you can keep a secret, right Elliot?”

Elliot laughed, his voice carrying through the shop. “To tell you the truth Elliot, I pictured someone a bit…older.” “And what are you? All of 18, 19?” he asked with a wicked smile.Dawn liked him immediately. “You’re right” she smiled back. “I’m sorry. I should know better then to judge outward appearances.” Elliot noticed Dawn’s eyes darken slightly. Here was a girl who had been hurt, he thought. “You misjudged someone, chère.” It was a statement more than a question. “Someone you loved didn’t love you back.” Before Dawn could respond, Elliot took her arm and escorted her towards a window. “No matter, the heart heals. Don’t I know!” he said smiling at her, trying to lighten the mood. “One day you and I will close up this little shop, light a fire in that big hearth over there, and drink our nectar and lament the cruel hearts of men!” he exclaimed.Elliot turned as a customer waved him down. “No rest for the weary!” he exclaimed. “Excuse me one minute Dawn” he said as he turned to help the customer. “Take a look around” he called over his shoulder.

Dawn meandered over to a random rack of Nectar and peered at the colorful glass bottles. She had done some research before coming and recognized the names of the nectar and knew some of the basic ingredients that went into them. She should have done more research but was distracted for a few months. It was easier to think of it as a distraction as she carefully picked up a bottle and skimmed her thumb over the smooth glass. Elliot was right, she had misjudged Don and no matter how much she wanted to blame him entirely, she knew there were signs she ignored; signs that he saw her as just a conquest, just a warm body to take to his bed. She shook her head. It didn’t matter, it was over now.“So Dawn!” Elliot exclaimed, as he walked back over towards her. “Ah! Excellent choice” he said as he eyed the bottle in her hands. “I will open the bottle for you to try later. Right now I want to talk about our future.”“Our future?” Dawn asked.“Oui, you see Dawn, I seek to perfect the beverage of nectar and put Champs Les Sims on the map as the greatest location for nectar making in the world! And you, my lovely are going to help me. You saw the vineyard and orchard outside?” he asked her. Dawn nodded her head. “Yes, they were lovely. I would love to go out and see them up close; dig my hands in the dirt” she laughed. “Oh you’ll get your chance, but not in that suit, you’ll ruin it.”

Elliot led her over to the window overlooking the vineyard. “What I propose is that I give you lessons on nectar making and front you the money for your own maker. In return you will help me with the gardening aspect of the business. That was my Papa’s passion, God rest his soul, and I had no patience for it, unfortunately, in my youth and never paid attention to that aspect.”“You can’t run a successful nectar making business without a passion for gardening Elliot.” Dawn was beginning to wonder if she had made a mistake coming here. “Precisely, so you will teach me! I have been paying a local farmer to tend to them and now that you’re here you can teach me. What I want is a partner Dawn, and I hope you will be it!”

Dawn was speechless. She had come here to learn nectar making and this man was offering her something more, a lot more. A partnership with an established nectary would be a huge step in her career. This was a big decision. “I am flattered Elliot, really, but…”“No! No buts. You think about it. After our time here the next month, we will talk again, oui?”Dawn nodded her head. She would give Elliot the month. They would learn from each other and see what happened when the time was over.“Oui” she said, smiling. “Now, i’m just going to go look around outside.” She stopped Elliot’s protests by promising not to ruin her suit.

She hadn’t intended to at least. She told herself she was just going to look at the crops, make some notes and come back the next day, in appropriate attire, prepared to work. Twenty minutes later Elliot found her with her sleeves rolled up, her hands deep into the soil, mud stains on her knees. The sun was high in the sky and her hair was plastered to her face from her sweat.“Oh mon Dieu!” he exclaimed, hauling her to her feet. “Look! Look what you have done to yourself.”Dawn looked down at her clothes and cringed. “They’re just clothes Elliot” she said. “I have so many, what does it…” She quieted down when she noticed his seething expression.“You like to get dirty? Fine! Follow me.”

He led her towards the Nectary, through the back entrance and up a flight of stairs. When they reached the landing she realized thus must be a private residence for the family of the nectar maker. He went into the first room (describe room).“Take off that suit” he ordered. “Merde! Look at this mess. You better hope I can clean it.”Dawn was stuck between amusement and fear. She was amused he was getting so worked up about her suit, and scared not to do exactly what he said.“There’s a bathing suit in that dresser that should fit you” he said as he took her suit. “Lesson number one: You can not just shove grapes into a bottle and expect them to become liquid. No, they must first be smashed between your toes.”Dawn went to the dresser and pulled out a two piece bathing suit.“Do you have anything less revealing?” she asked, risking upsetting him even more. He ignored her question.“When you dress go back down the stairs and to the left. That door will lead to the back of the nectary. You’ll find old Flo…”“Flo?” Dawn asked.“Yes, Flo is my nectar maker. After you squish the grapes, my beloved Flo will turn your smashed grapes into delicious nectar.”

She tried not to giggle too much as the fruit squished between her toes. She didn’t even mind when she slipped and fell a few times. She felt like a kids splashing in mud puddles. It was also a great workout, the short hiatus from her daily run evident as her thighs groaned with each step.

She wasn’t sure how he did it, but by the time she was done squishing the grapes and getting cleaned up, Elliot had her suit clean. She changed and met Elliot back down by “Old Flo” and listened as he walked her through the process of turning the newly squished grapes into delicious nectar.“Each unique combination of fruits has its own charm” he told her. “Some will taste much better than you might expect…others, not so much.” “How will I know which are good and which are bad?” “There are books and recipes and all sorts of information on the internet to get you started on the right path. You make me a nice quality nectar and I’ll teach you more.”

A couple weeks later, Dawn sat outside a little café eating the crepes that she couldn’t seem to get enough of. She had gone to the local bookstore and picked up several local recipe books, as well as the horticulture books she buried her face in during her free time. She and Elliot had learned a lot from each other in a short span of time and had become good friends. As promised, they had closed the nectary up one night and, despite the heat of summer, lit a roaring fire and got a drunk off a few bottles of nectar. She had opened up to him about her situation with Don. He vehemently agreed, as all good friends should, that the man was a scoundrel, a cad, a degenerate and no longer worthy of her time. It had been so easy to talk to him. She smiled to herself when she remembered the stories about his adventures in dating. They both agreed, “Men, who needs them?” She was lost in her thoughts and didn’t notice that someone was talking to her.“Excuse me miss?”Dawn looked up into a pair of serene green eyes gazing at her with just a hint of ardor. She knew the French seemed to feel it was fine to look at someone that way to show interest, but that look had gotten her into the mess with Don. The little tugs happening at her heart strings made her take an immediate dislike to the eyes and she prepared a not so nice reply to the man interrupting her lunch. Then she noticed the Police uniform and quickly got up in a panic. “Is there something wrong officer?” she asked him, noticing an attractive face came with the serene green eyes. Dawn held herself rigid, resenting that the little tugs turned more forceful.

“Yes, I’m afraid there is” he said with a serious expression. “Did you know it’s a crime that a beautiful woman, such as yourself, is having lunch all alone?” and sent her one of the most suave smiles she had ever seen.Surprise registered in her eyes only for a second when she realized there was no emergency; the man was flirting with her. As her head filled with insults, her physical reaction to him drew her attention. Feeling attracted to some random man who thought he was God's gift to women made her want to tear his head off! Since she had come to France a few men had politely asked her out on dates. She had just as politely refused them. But she hadn't felt like this when those men looked at her. She tried to brush away the trickle of attraction that kindled her animosity and the insults that crowded her mind. It wouldn’t budge. ‘No matter’ she thought. Just because she felt attraction, didn’t mean she had to act on it. There was no place for a man in her life right now. She would send him on his way, as politely as she could manage, and get back to her crepe and book. “I’m sorry; I didn’t know it was against the law for a woman to have a nice lunch without a man hitting on her” she said with a touch of venom in her voice. “You’ve done your duty, so you can move along to the next table. There’s two women there, and neither one has a man with her.”

Gabe’s ordered himself not to whistle out a breath as his blood warmed at the way she had given him the royal dismissal. He had just got off a double shift from a job he hated and hadn’t been looking forward to the can of soup he most likely would heat when he reached his empty apartment. He had been feeling restless all day and had spontaneously decided to go to the café for a more appetizing dinner before heading home and crashing. Then he had seen her. He didn’t know it was literally possible for a woman to take a man’s breath away, but she had. Now all he had to do was convince her to spend a little time with him. Little did he know that would be easier said than done. “I’m sorry, you’re right. It was a horrible line. How about I make it up to you by buying you dinner tonight?”The man was persistent; she’d give him that. She realized he wasn’t going to let her finish eating or leave her alone, so she decided to grab her books and head back to the Nectary. She wouldn’t admit that she was running away. “No, I don’t think so. I don’t go out with people I don’t know” she answered. Before she could walk away, the man had grabbed her hand. The bolt of electricity that ran up her arm sent her system into over drive, which infuriated her even more. Gabe smiled at her. He felt the jolt, and knew she did too. He didn’t know why the anger in her eyes didn’t make him turn and leave. All he knew was, once he’d looked into them, he couldn’t walk away. “My name’s Gabe. Now you know me” he said, continuing to hold onto her hand.Dawn tried to pull away, but “Gabe” wouldn’t let it go. She decided to try and keep her pride intact and stopped the useless tug of war.“Let go of my hand!” she demanded.“Why are you so upset that I find you attractive and would like to spend some more time with you?”

He was standing close, his fingers intertwined with hers. She felt those bubble bursts of excitement, attraction and confusion. It sent her over the edge. “Because men like you deserve to be shot!” “Men like me?”“Do you think because you have a handsome face and a charming smile you can do whatever you want? You think you only have to snap your fingers and a woman will fall into your arms? Not this woman!” she said and with a final jerk, tore her hand away. Filled with indignation and on what she hoped were steady feet, she stormed off. She tried not to look back, but she couldn’t help it. She regretted it immediately. He hadn’t moved and he was no longer smiling; his eyes had turned dark, more intense. The mix of anger, fear and basic sexual attraction she felt complicated and confused her thoughts. She hoped to never see “Gabe” again. Gabe told himself it would be better to leave her alone. He didn’t want to complicate his life with a crazy woman who obviously had been hurt so badly she blamed all men. ‘Snap his fingers’, Unbelievable! Then he remembered the vulnerability she tried to hide as she spit her words at him. He sighed. He had always been a sucker for a strong woman with a soft interior. No, he couldn’t walk away, even if he wanted to. He walked into the café determined to find out who she was; determined to find out what had caused the hurt and bitterness he had glimpsed; determined to help her heal her hardened heart. ‘Beside…’ he thought ‘… she said I was handsome and had a charming smile.’