Bitter Rival: an enemies to lovers romance

by J. Sterling

  “Don’t get out,” I instructed my impatient girl as I exited the car and made my way to her door. Opening it for her, I reached for her hand and helped her out.

  “Who knew you were such a gentleman?” She blushed as she straightened out her top.

  “I’m not,” I said before kissing her cheek. I couldn’t keep my damn lips off this woman. “I’m only one for you.”

  “I don’t hate that.” She grinned and ran her fingers down my beard.

  “Hey, Romeo and Juliet,” Jeanine shouted.

  We both looked up to find her and Dane waiting at the diner’s entrance.

  “What are you doing here?” Julia looked happily surprised as she sped up to greet her best friend with a hug.

  “Lover boy told us to meet you guys. Said food was on him, and who am I to turn down a free meal?” she said before greeting me with a hug as well. “I think you did good,” she whispered approvingly in my ear.

  “I think so, too.”

  “Hey, buddy,” Dane said as we shook hands like men before he pulled me into a bear hug.

  “Did you put in our names?” I asked.

  Dane said he did and that our table was ready.

  The four of us walked into the diner, and I swore, time stood still. The sound of silverware clattering against plates met my ears as everyone turned to watch us. I squeezed Julia’s hand a little tighter but realized that she didn’t need the comfort.

  My girl wasn’t the least bit uncomfortable, and she proved it when she addressed the enamored crowd, “We’re together, okay? You’re all the first to know. Tell your friends. The feud is over. Right, babe?” she turned and asked me.

  “Yep,” was all I could say in response because I was so damn surprised and proud and turned on.

  We slid into a booth as cheers and clapping erupted around us.

  I heard a few things like, “It’s about damn time,” and, “Finally,” and, “Did she say the feud was over?”

  It should have been unnerving, having strangers and acquaintances alike treat us like we were some sort of celebrity couple, but the truth was that we were used to it. We’d been the talk of the town since we were born, and having everyone up in our collective personal business was par for the course by this point.

  Jeanine reached for the glass of water in front of her and sipped at it. “It was always fun, being in public with Julia before, but being in public with the two of you together is something else entirely,” Jeanine added as she opened her menu.

  “I like that we’re famous by association,” Dane said, and I kicked him under the table. “Ouch. Damn it, Russo, that hurt.”

  “No one is famous. It’s just a small town with not much going on. This is a big deal right now. It will die down,” Julia said, and I thought she actually believed it.

  I knew that our story would never die down, and with each new milestone we crossed together, the town would be by our side, cheering us on. We’d been born into the kind of stuff that town legends and folklore were made of. Only now, our choices going forward would tell of our love story instead of our mutual destruction.

  “Do you know what you’re going to get?” I asked my girl as she read the menu. I never even needed to look; I rotated between three things each time I ate here.

  She closed her menu and placed it on top of the table. “I really want waffles. With lots of butter. And syrup. And I don’t care if you look at me differently after I’ve cleaned my plate. Your girl likes to eat. Get used to it.”

  I threw my arm around her shoulders and tugged her against me. “I don’t have to get used to it. I love it.”

  “You two are disgusting to be around, and you just got together.” Jeanine pretended to puke.

  “At least you’re only having to deal with it now,” Dane directly addressed her. “I’m sitting here, thanking God they’re finally together, so I don’t have to listen to him whining about not having her anymore.”

  I picked up my napkin and tossed it at Dane’s head. “Can’t fault me for knowing what I want. More than I can say for you.”

  “It’s not my fault that all the girls in town suck,” Dane complained. Jeanine made an offended sound. “Present company excluded.”

  “Apology accepted.” She nudged him with her shoulder as the bell on the diner door jingled, capturing my attention.

  I watched as Todd fucking Lestare made his way into the diner, alone. As the waitress walked him to his table, he noticed us and stopped following her, resting a hand on the edge of our booth.

  “Well, well, well,” he said, taking the four of us in before focusing solely on the arm I had wrapped around Julia’s shoulders, “isn’t this a surprise?”

  My neck cracked as I jerked it from side to side, my body stiffening in response to his presence. I still hated the guy just as much as I had back in high school.

  “Julia,” he fucking purred. “Looking as beautiful as always.”

  This douche bag had just purred at my girl, and I felt my temper more than just rise; it shot through the damn roof and burned the town to the ground. I wanted out of the booth, but I was stuck between the wall and Julia.

  My hands gripped the table, my body needing something to squeeze the life out of, as I ground out, “Don’t talk to her. I told you that back in high school, didn’t I?”

  He bit out a laugh. “We’re a long way from high school, Russo. If Julia doesn’t want me to talk to—” he started but stopped the second Julia stood up from the booth and got right in his face, her finger poking him in the chest.

  “James told me what you said about me. He told me what you wanted back then. You’re a pig. I’ve never been interested in you. And I’ve told you that a hundred times, but you never listen. And, now, I know why. I’ve always been some sort of game to you.” Her tone turned icy cold. “I might not let my boyfriend hit you, like I know he’s dying to do right now”—she glanced back at me, my eyes stone cold—“but I’m not above it.” Julia stood tall, her posture defensive and a little scary, to be honest.

  “You’re wrong, Julia. Not about high school, but about now.” He sounded less than convincing, and I knew he was only trying to save face in front of the other diner patrons.

  Thank God Julia knew it, too.

  “I don’t think so. Stay the hell away from me, or next time, I’ll let my man do whatever it is he’s dreaming about doing to you.”

  I waited for Lestare to say anything in response, but he didn’t, which was the smartest thing he’d ever done in his life; I was sure of it. We watched as he tucked his tail between his legs and skulked away, mumbling to himself.

  She slid back down next to me, and I practically came undone. My girl was a motherfucking spitfire. I still had so much to learn about her.

  “Holy shit, babe. I’m so turned on right now. I might give the whole town a show. That was so hot.”

  “Please reward her later while I’m not sitting right here and forced to watch,” Jeanine begged. “But that was totally badass.” She threw her fist in the air, and Julia bumped it back with a smile that took up her whole face.

  “Remind me not to mess with you,” Dane said as he finished off his glass of water.

  Julia acted like nothing had just happened. “Does everyone know what they want? ’Cause I’m still starving,” she asked, and we all shook our heads in unison.

  We ordered our food, and the waitress gave Julia a slick high five under the table where no one else could see. Apparently, Todd had taken her virginity back in high school and then never spoken to her again. She said she always wanted to spit in his food whenever he came in here but claimed she never followed through. I gave her permission to do it this time.

  Julia and I filled our mutual best friends in on what had happened the night before with our parents, including details about the bet since Jeanine had never known the full story. Dane gave me a know-it-all look when he learned that he had been right all along in assuming that Julia really hadn’t known about it. I kicked
him once more under the table for good measure.

  “Stop kicking me,” he groaned, reaching under the table to rub his shin.

  “Stop annoying me,” I taunted.

  “I’m so happy that we can be done with all the hate,” Jeanine announced.

  I suddenly realized how hard it must have been for them to be our closest friends. They’d been thrust into a war they had nothing to do with and forced to pick a side.

  I was about to thank them for putting up with us when our waitress appeared and started distributing our food. All other sounds died as we dug into our respective breakfasts, appreciation escaping all of our lips. You would think we hadn’t eaten in years. I watched Julia eat every last bite of her enormous waffle, just as she’d promised she would. It was a total turn-on, seeing a woman enjoying her food. The cutest part might have been when she spilled syrup on her shirt. She cared for all of about two seconds before shrugging her shoulders at me and forking another bite into her mouth. I laughed and swore I had fallen more in love with her in that moment.

  After breakfast, I paid the bill, and we walked outside after answering questions from each person in the diner on our way out. Most of them congratulated us, told us to extend the happy thoughts to our parents before commenting on what a lovely couple we made.

  “Should I come get my car?” Julia asked, looking between me and Jeanine.

  Jeanine spoke up, “Nah. You ride home with lover boy, and I’ll drop your car and things off.”

  “Are you sure? How will you get back home?”

  She cast a nod in Dane’s direction. “This guy’s offered to take me.”

  “Okay then”—Julia grinned at her best friend before giving me a questioning look—“if you’re sure.”

  “Oh jeez, you two, go away.” Jeanine swatted Julia’s arm, and we laughed before heading toward my car.

  I walked to the passenger side, clicked the button on my remote, and went to open her door when the sound of someone shouting our names stopped us both.

  “Julia! James! Wait!”

  “It’s Ginny Stevens,” Julia said at the same time I realized who it was.

  I wondered if she was going to ask us about our dinner from the other night or if she had an actual business question for us.

  We stood still and waited for her to reach us.

  “Hi there! I just came to see for myself.” She looked down at our hands, which were not clasped. “Is it true?” she asked, her eyes wide as she waited for an answer.

  She hadn’t come to talk about wine at all. She’d come to have something to gossip about.

  “Is what true?” I pretended not to know what she meant.

  “James Russo, is it true that you and Julia La Bella are officially a couple? Did you come out to the whole town during breakfast at the diner? Make some declaration of your love before stringing Todd Lestare up by his balls? Gosh, I wish I could have seen that,” Ginny talked a mile a minute, her eyes as wild as her hair. “Never did like that boy much. Why couldn’t you have made this declaration at my restaurant? Would have been good for business.”

  “Sorry, Ginny. We’ll make sure our first family meal is at your place, okay?” Julia answered for us both.

  “You mean, the Russos and the La Bellas at one table? Together, without killing each other?” She clasped her hands together in delight.

  “Yep.”

  “Oh, that will be just perfect! I forgive you both.” She gave us each a squeeze before remembering why she’d come over in the first place. “Wait! You didn’t answer me. Are you together? I need to hear it for myself.”

  “We most definitely are,” I answered before pulling Julia into my arms.

  “Yes!” Ginny thrust her fist in the air. “I won! I won the bet and all the money! I knew I’d win! I knew you two wouldn’t let me down!”

  “Glad we could be of service,” Julia said with a laugh.

  Ginny walked away, singing, “I won, I won, I won.”

  But I knew what the real truth was; I was the winner in this scenario.

  I got the girl.

  After all this time, I’d finally gotten the girl. And nothing and no one would ever change that.

  EPILOGUE

  Julia

  James proposed less than a year later, claiming that we’d wasted so many days being apart that he didn’t want to waste any more. I refused to argue with his logic, especially when I wholeheartedly agreed with it. People always said that when you found the right one, you just knew. And James and I both knew.

  Once we’d mended the feud between our families, it was full steam ahead—in life, in our careers, and in love. Everything we’d been denying our entire lives went up in flames, and a new passion ignited in its wake. The town practically threw a party in our honor—not only for the war ending, but also for James and me finally “doing the damn thing.” Ginny made sure that everyone knew she’d won the bet.

  The proposal was romantic, sweet, and so very James. He set the whole thing up to look like it had that night back in high school when he apparently confessed his feelings for me, and I allegedly broke his heart. Since I had very little recollection of the entire evening, I didn’t take full responsibility for it, torturing him every time he brought it up.

  “I needed a do-over with a way better ending this time,” he said as he led me to a blanket on the ground, surrounded by four empty wine bottles scattered at our feet.

  I laughed, completely clueless as to what he was about to ask.

  He got down on one knee, between rows of vines, my hand in his, and promised I’d remember it all this time. But I didn’t. Because, when the man you loved more than anything in the world got down on one knee and started saying all sorts of beautiful things, your brain couldn’t hear them all. It was like I stopped processing any sounds, and all I saw was a sea of blue and all the hope they held. I could tell you every single color and shade in his eyes before I could tell you even a fraction of what he said to me that day.

  But I did remember saying yes.

  Distinctively.

  Confidently.

  And without a second thought.

  “Yes, yes! A million times yes!” I shouted as he jumped up, still holding on to my left hand.

  “This means forever,” he said as he slipped the antique platinum and diamond ring on my finger.

  “I wouldn’t take a single day less,” I said before his mouth hungrily captured mine with so much love and lust that I thought we might set the vineyard aflame.

  * * *

  We planned on getting married right on top of the property line that currently divided the Russo and La Bella land. We wanted to start our legal lives right between the two vineyards, him standing on my side of the land and me standing on his. It felt symbolic to unite as one in the exact place that had torn our families apart for so long. James and I were merging, and soon, the land would as well. There would be no more division—not in name, property, or family.

  The reception would be held inside the barn. Both of our moms had gone wedding crazy, stringing up tiny white lights in the rafters and drying fresh wildflowers and hanging them all over the place even though the actual wedding was still months away. It looked like a scene straight out of the movie Sweet Home Alabama. I had to admit that I loved it though, and it inspired ideas for how I could decorate the barn in the future once James and I officially took over.

  “Think they’re ever going to retire?” My fiancé wrapped his arms around me from behind and kissed the back of my neck.

  “Probably not.”

  “Maybe, if we give them grandkids, they’ll go away.” He laughed against my ear, nibbling on the lobe, and I maneuvered out of his grasp before turning to face him.

  “I think having grandkids will have the exact opposite effect. They’ll never leave then.”

  He looked down at me, a gleam in his eye. “We’ll just tell them that they can’t see the kids unless they retire. That good grandparents don’t work and should spend
all their time babysitting and playing with their grandbabies.”

  I swatted his shoulder. “You’re awful. But I like your style. And kids—with an S? How many babies do you think I’m popping out for you?”

  His face lit up as he said, “Like, five.” He patted my belly, and I had no idea if he was being serious or not.

  “Five?” I choked out, half-terrified and half-excited by the idea.

  Being an only child had been sort of lonely, and I always wanted siblings. A big family sounded really nice.

  “I guess we could start with three.” He pretended to be disappointed, and I rolled my eyes and shook my head.

  Deep down, I knew that I would give my man anything he wanted and that five kids, even though it sounded completely overwhelming and insane, might be exactly what he ended up with. Only time would tell.

  “I’m going to go check on the wine.” I gave him a quick peck on the lips before heading into the bottling building on the La Bella side.

  James and I had so many plans when it came to the vineyards and our wine. I’d ended up doing a ton of market research and come to the conclusion that merging our two already-successful wineries into a single one wouldn’t be the smartest financial decision at this point or anytime in the future. We planned on continuing to bottle each vineyard separately but to also create various limited-edition blends under our brand-new label, La Bella–Russo.

  It seemed like the smartest idea was to have three different wine labels for sale and distribution as opposed to only having one. Our first red blend combining the two wineries was currently aging, and I knew that even though I wasn’t supposed to play favorites, the La Bella–Russo label was going to be my pride and joy. I smiled to myself, lost in thought about all that our future held as I made my way over toward the wine barrel aging my most recent creation.

  James and I had talked endlessly about all of the buildings on our respective properties and how we were going to handle them once our parents finally handed us the keys to the castle, so to speak. After the wedding, we planned on living together in my bungalow until it was time to take over. Eventually, we would move into the main house on the Russo side since it had been recently remodeled and had the most bedrooms—six. If I was going to be popping out babies left and right, they needed somewhere to go, and the main La Bella house only had three rooms.