When school sweethearts reunite in an unexpectedly bumpy quest for the smoothest spirit, they’ll prove that nothing pairs better with tacos than tequila.
Intrigued? Well read on to discover the synopsis and an excerpt from My Fair Señor by Alana Quintana Albertson, which releases on November 25th 2025.
San Diego-based model and influencer Jaime Montez isn’t the heir—or even the spare—to his family’s Taco King fast-food empire. So after he’s asked to be the face of yet another non-Hispanic, celebrity-owned tequila company, Jaime decides to reinvent his role in the family dynasty: he’s going to start his own liquor brand. The problem? He’s an agave amateur. He needs help if he expects to ever master mezcal. And he has the perfect teacher in mind. . . .
Alma Garcia is the toast of Tiburon. Having passed the grueling examen de Consejo Regulador del Tequila in Mexico, Alma used her extensive knowledge as a certified catadora to open the hottest mezcal bar in Marin County. When her college flame returns with a tempting proposition—he’ll promote her business in the local Cinco de Mayo Street Festival if she’ll bring him into the world of tequila—it’s as if the holiday spirits are bringing Jaime and Alma back together.
She has plenty to teach him about tequila—from harvesting the agave to taking a proper sip, and even introduces him to farmers who grow and bottle their own local mezcals. Their chemistry is intoxicating, but Jaime’s ulterior motives for reconnecting bring the threat of another serious love hangover, leaving them both to wonder if this second chance at romance is worth the shot. . . .
Even so, that small taste of tequila awoke something in him. A crazy thought he had pondered over the years. It had never been the right time before. He hadn’t had the confidence in his ability to run his own company when he was younger.
But now, he had no doubt that he could be a success. His mind raced, and the idea took hold.
What if he became involved in the mezcal business?
Why not? What was he doing with his life, besides partying like it was 1999 nightly and hooking up with some hot chicas? Fine— make that many, many hot chicas.
Nothing, that was what.
Well, it wasn’t nothing. But it was nothing he was particularly proud of. He was a top‑paid influencer, man he hated that word, but it was what it was. He also occasionally did some modeling gigs for different brands. For years, he had run the social media accounts for Taco King, his father’s company, but after his eldest brother Ramón took over, Jaime had slowly transitioned out of the daily posting grind and focused more on brand deals and his own influencer career. One of his shirtless pictures for a hot sauce company had gone viral. The attention had been fun for a while, but if one more person called him Mr. Hot Tamale, he’d lose it.
He had never really cared about his lack of clear passion until recently. Jaime had been quite content to embrace his anointed title as the irresponsible younger brother, the baby in their dysfunctional family. While Ramón went to Stanford and Harvard and laid‑back Enrique went to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Jaime had been content to kick it at Sonoma State, wanting to get as far away from his family as possible without leaving his beloved California. NorCal was so picturesque and different from San Diego. Instead of clubbing, he’d spent his weekends getting wasted at wine tastings and hiking the trails with earthy vegan feminists. They loved him, and he adored them back. He could easily be tried and convicted as a womanizer, but he truly worshipped and respected females. He loved everything about them—their scents, their soft bodies, their strong minds. Jaime was many things, but a misogynist wasn’t one of them. And it wasn’t like he was having a series of one‑night stands—in college he had been in a long‑term relationship. Ever since he graduated, Jaime was open and honest about his intentions—no committed relationships. He didn’t like rules and wanted to love freely. Maybe that NorCal hippy vibe had rubbed off on him. And in his line of work, his chillness was definitely an advantage.
But this worked both ways—he wasn’t controlling. If a woman he casually dated wanted to see another man, that was fine by him. He wasn’t jealous.
Well, that was a lie—but it was only one time. Alma Garcia.
His college sweetheart. That girl was fire. Physically, she was his dream girl. Waist‑length straight black hair, curvy body with a tiny waist, dark eyes, big pouty lips. She was the only girl he had ever made his girlfriend, the only girl he had ever seen exclusively, the only girl he had ever loved.
And he had blown it.
Not by cheating—he wasn’t a cad. He was completely faithful until the day he’d said adiós. But with graduation looming, she had decided to stay in Sonoma and become a sommelier, and he had to return to San Diego. As much as he appreciated his four‑year break from living near his family, he missed them. He’d loved her with all his heart, but he was just too young to settle down. So, he broke up with Alma, citing long‑distance and their ages, and had regretted it ever since.
Maybe that was why he had never had a relationship after that. No one could measure up to her. Top of her class, volunteered in her free time, first person her friends turned to in crisis. And those hips, man. And the way her lips quivered when he brought her to ecstasy.
He exhaled. Where was she now?
Over the years, he’d had to physically restrain himself from stalking her online. He’d blocked her on his socials—one flash of her long lashes and he would become hypnotized by her. And his college roommate, Santi, who lived in her county, knew better than to mention her whereabouts.
Last he had heard, she had passed her sommelier exam with flying colors, which wasn’t shocking. She was probably working at one of Napa’s top vineyards or at a restaurant in San Francisco. Maybe she was married to a wealthy vintner. Most guys wouldn’t be stupid enough to let a woman like Alma slip through their hands.
But Jaime didn’t need or want a long‑term relationship. He was young—only twenty‑five. Look at Ramón and Enrique—both of his brothers’ lives were now consumed by their women. They would rarely even hang out with him now.
Jaime was too young to settle down back then—and he was still too young to even get into a serious relationship. He had to make his own mark in the world first.
Even so, his curiosity got the best of him.
He grabbed his phone and googled her name. Stupid LinkedIn popped up. He wasn’t dumb enough to click on that link, which would literally send a message to her stating that he was stalking her.
But he didn’t need to click. Her name flashed before him above her place of work.
Alma Garcia—owner of Mezcalifornia, Marin County’s Hottest Tequila Bar.
