More Than Words

I talk for a living. Wellington exists in the silences.

As a local news anchor, Im paid to say all the right words. But the moment I step into Pour Decisions and see Wellington behind the bar, Im tongue-tied. For years, Ive been broadcasting my interest in him, but the man is a vault. He doesnt flirt, he doesnt date, and he doesnt hesitate to step up when someone is in need.

Which is exactly how I end up behind his bar after hours.

When Wellington organizes a benefit, Im first in line to volunteer for the assignment. The community shows up in force, leaving Wellington in need of extra hands. I trade my microphone for a cocktail shaker and pitch in.

Suddenly, the man of few words is forced to speak to me. Between the late-night cleanup and the leftover whiskey, I discover that his silence isnt just a personality trait…its a shield. Wellington didnt just move to Amethyst Bay, he escaped to it. Now, I have to decide what matters more: the exclusive of a lifetime, or protecting the man who finally found his peace in the one place I never expected…beside me.