title: Spit or Swallow
author: Vaughn, Brigham
description: Sean Powell, a wine distributor in his early forties, is having a terrible day.  To top things off, his longtime friend, the sommelier at his favorite restaurant, has been replaced by a hot young sommelier with big ideas.   Lucas Spencer is determined to liven up the staid and stodgy wine list, but manages to alienate the distributor during their first meeting. Can the two blend their professional frustration and personal attraction without risking their careers?
  
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  The redhead smiled at him and held out a hand.  “I don’t recognize you.  You must be new.”
  
  “I am,” Lucas admitted, reaching out to shake the other man’s hand.  “I haven’t even officially started.  I’m just here trying to get a feel for things.”
  
  The man’s gaze flicked over him in interest.  “I’m Sean Powell, with Metro Wine Distributors.  Do you know if Roger is around?”
  
  “Uhh,” Lucas said, “he retired.”
  
  Sean blinked at him in shock.  “He what?”
  
  “Retired.  A couple weeks ago.  Richard has been working with a friend in the meantime, but I just got hired as his replacement.”
  
  The other man let out a disbelieving sounding snort.  “You?  You have to be kidding me.”
  
  “Excuse me?” Lucas said, bristling at the man’s reaction.
  
  “You don’t look like you’d know the difference between a pinot gris and a pinot noir,” Sean scoffed.  “Come on. You’re a new bartender, maybe.  But I have a hard time believing they’d hire you to take Roger’s place.
  
  Lucas folded his arms across his chest and stared at him.  His voice was cold. “Well they did.  My name is Lucas Spencer and I’ve been hired as sommelier for Bistro Argent.”
  
  “Fucking great,” he heard Sean mutter under his breath as he dug through the leather satchel he had over his shoulder.  “They hired a pretty boy who won’t know shit about wine.  That’s the last thing I need to deal with today.”