by Laura Pavlov
I pushed his hand away and wiped at my cheek. “No problem. Have a nice weekend, Montgomery.”
He nodded before walking out the door.
I made my way back to the kitchen and cleaned up before putting everything away. It was late and I was tired. When I finally locked up and made my way outside, the black car Ford had been in last week sat in front of the shop. A man stepped out.
“Miss DeLuca,” he said.
I looked behind me, though I was pretty certain I was the only Miss DeLuca in sight. “Yeah?”
“Mr. Montgomery asked me to come back and offer you a ride home,” he said.
“That’s really not necessary but thank you.”
“Listen. I’m going to have to follow you home, so it would make it a lot easier for both of us if you just let me give you a ride,” he said.
I sighed. “Fine. He can win this one.”
The man laughed before opening the door for me. “He usually does.”
I rolled my eyes and slipped inside.
“So, how long have you worked for Ford?” I asked.
“About five years.”
“Is he a prick of a boss?”
He barked out a laugh. “Not even a little. By far the best guy I’ve ever worked for.”
“Really?” I asked, unable to hide the surprise in my voice.
“Dead serious. He’s a good guy. I mean, look, he sent me back to offer you a ride. Not really typical prick behavior, is it?”
“Touché,” I mumbled before sitting back against the seat and pondering the unexpected information.
Chapter Five
Ford
“Isn’t this lovely. It’s good for you to slow down and take a minute to have a chat,” my mother said, as we sat on the patio at the winery enjoying a delicious lunch and a glass of chardonnay.
“It’s great, Mom.”
“How was Chanel?” she asked with a smirk.
“She’s great. Kicking ass at the firm. She said Hanky’s been having a hard time lately. I’m guessing that has to do with the anniversary of Dad’s death coming up,” I said, taking a bite of my sandwich.
She closed her eyes for a minute and shook her head. “Yes, I think this happens to him every year. I mean, I hate the month of June as well. But I think with him being in that car with your father, it just brings up a lot of dark memories for him. I try to focus on the positive ones. We had so many, right?” Mom said. Her blue eyes were watery with nostalgia and my chest tightened.
“Of course. Dad was the best,” I said over the large lump forming in my throat.
“Are you still seeing your therapist regularly? Hanky’s not the only one who carries the weight from that night.”
“I’m still going. Not as often as I should,” I admitted. “She’s helped, I’m not denying that. But the truth is, she can’t change what happened the night of the accident. No one can, trust me. So, it’s something I have to live with.”
Mom reached across the table and grabbed my hand. “Oh, my boy, I wish I could make you understand that none of this was your fault. Your father would hate that you’re carrying this weight. He loved you so much, and he was endlessly proud of you.”
I stared out at the grape fields. So serene and beautiful, all while a thunderstorm brewed inside me. Twisted and tortured. The guilt so heavy at times I thought it might suffocate me.
“Do you really think he was proud that last day? Be honest, we both know the answer.”
“Ford,” she said as her small hand squeezed mine. “He was proud of you every day of his life. People argue and have disagreements. That doesn’t change the way they feel about you. You were hurting and you acted on it. You weren’t wrong for doing so.”
“It was a stupid thing to do. I was so fucking angry about my own stupid bullshit, and I lashed out. My whole life was about this legacy he was leaving me. How we’d work together and take this company even further—the two of us. We shared the same goddamned name, for Christ’s sake. You know, Harrison and Dad shared their mission trips, and Jack and Dad shared sports. But Dad and I, it was all about me taking over the reins of Montgomery Media. The legacy he’d pass to me and I’d pass to my kids. That’s the crazy shit we talked about. Hell, I remember wearing that ridiculous little suit you got me when I was five years old and going to the office with him on the weekends. I could see it, you know. He and I working side by side. And I pissed it all away in one stupid, weak moment. I crushed him because I was hurting. And I fucking hate myself for it, Mom.”
“Sweetheart, you’ve always been so hard on yourself. You’re so much like him, you know that, right? You’re both stubborn and strong, with hearts of gold under those broody exteriors. Your father loved you. None of that mattered. He knew you’d work it out. You’d just found your girlfriend and your best friend in a, er, compromising position. Of course, you were upset. So, you wanted to escape. No one could fault you that, Ford.”
“Dad did though. He was furious when I left for Europe. You can’t deny it,” I said.
“He was a stubborn man, I’ll admit that. And you weren’t doing what he wanted, which never sat well with him. You know I’ll love him with everything I have until I take my last breath, but I didn’t always agree with him. And there were times I thought he pushed you too hard, but it was always out of love, I knew that. So, I let it go. You wanted to fill those shoes so badly, and he loved it. I get that, I really do. But life happens, I for one, can vouch for that. And sometimes life throws you curveballs and you have to change course. It happens. We do the best we can, and that’s what you’ve always done. You have to forgive yourself, Ford. He would want you to. He’d be so proud of the way you stepped up and did what was needed for this family. We all are. You’re the glue that holds us all together, son. You’re the only one who doesn’t see it.”
“Thanks, Mom. I guess it’s better late than never. Just wish he could be here, and we were doing it together.”
I’d leave out the facts she wanted to pretend weren’t there. That if he hadn’t been angry, he wouldn’t have gone to the city. He wouldn’t have been behind the wheel. Dad was the best driver out of all of us. The man never sped. He’d insisted on driving Hanky’s car because my godfather had had a few cocktails. Dad didn’t drink. But he also didn’t drive recklessly. Hell, the man was the most solid, dependable person I’d ever known. But I’d pushed him that night. Devastated him. And in the end—I was the reason he wasn’t here today.
“You know he’s with us now. I feel him with me every day,” she said. Mom’s dark hair was pulled back in a bun at the nape of her neck. We shared the same blue eyes, but otherwise, I was the spitting image of my father. Jack and Mom were spirit animals. Both so full of life. Spontaneous and fun. I’d always been the mini-me to my father, and I’d loved it. I’d aspired to be just like him. And Harrison fell somewhere in the middle of all that. Kind and caring, dependable and strong. My family was rocked by the death of my father, but we’d all rallied, and no one had ever blamed me for what happened.
Aside from myself.
“I feel him with me as well.”
She let my hand go and reached for her glass of wine. “So, tell me about this new bakery. The boys have been raving about it. Jack brought me a bunch of pastries and they were the best I’ve ever had. I’m thinking of placing some orders with her for the winery. Do you think she’d be open to that? I’m sure she’s swamped right now. How many employees does she have?”
My mother’s curiosity always made me laugh.
“Yeah, she’s talented. She only has one employee. She works a lot. She’s young and driven, so I’m sure she wouldn’t turn away business,” I said. I thought back to last night when I’d walked in with Chanel. She’d had icing on her cheek, and her hair was a mess, but she was fucking gorgeous.
I looked forward to seeing her every morning, even when I
barked at her and she gave me attitude. It was the highlight of my day. I was anxious for the weekend to end.
How fucked up is that?
“Ah, that’s probably the best compliment I’ve heard you pay a woman,” Mom said with a laugh. “How old is she? Is she attractive? Single?”
“Good Christ, woman. I’m not looking for a girlfriend. She’s twenty-three. I think she’s single, but Harley DeLuca is definitely not my type.” I sat back in my seat and reached for my glass. She wasn’t. Didn’t mean I wasn’t attracted to her.
“Well, maybe Jack could date her. They’re the same age, and he keeps talking about her bakery and how talented she is,” Mom said. I stretched my neck to the left and to the right. I was agitated by the conversation and I had no idea why.
“No. Jack’s a fucking playboy. She doesn’t need that. She’s a no-bullshit type of girl.”
“Watch your language, please. How about Harrison then? He’s as solid as it gets,” she said, studying me as she spoke.
“Jesus, Mom. Leave the girl alone. Why does she need to date one of us? Let her be. She’s a nice girl. She works hard.” I set my wine down and picked at my sandwich.
“Someone sure is testy about this. Interesting.” Her head fell back with a chuckle.
“I’m not testy. I just don’t know why you’re always trying to fix me up with someone. I promise you I have plenty of female company, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
She rolled her eyes and held up her hand. “I don’t want to hear about that nonsense. You’re twenty-seven, Sweetheart. I just think it’s time to start thinking about settling down. Your father and I were married, had you and I was pregnant with Har-bear by the time I was twenty-seven.”
“Times have changed. People aren’t starting families so young anymore. And I don’t think that’s something I see in my future, if I’m being honest.”
“Bullshit.”
My jaw hit the ground. My mom never cursed. “What? Didn’t you just tell me to watch my language?”
She shrugged. “There’s a time and a place for it. And, I call bullshit. You’d be an amazing husband and father. You’re just afraid of getting hurt.”
“We can agree to disagree on that one.” I barked out a laugh.
“So, I won’t try to fix anyone up with the baker, seeing as you’re so protective of this girl.” She smirked. “But I’d like to speak to her about placing some orders. Should I plan to come out next week, or do you think she’d like to come out and see the winery?”
Was I protective of Harley? Hell, for some odd reason I didn’t like her walking home alone. Jerome had followed her all week, and he’d managed to stay far enough away to keep from being spotted. Last night after he’d dropped Chanel and I at dinner, I asked him to go back and offer her a ride. I was surprised to hear that she’d actually taken it. Obviously, she didn’t seem to mind as long as I wasn’t in the car.
“I’m not protective of her. I barely know her. I’ll ask her about placing an order and see what she thinks. We can go from there.”
“Sounds great, honey.”
“Well, well, well, this is even better than I expected. It’s a two for one Montgomery treat,” Hanky said, walking our way.
The poor man had taken on the nickname when we were kids. He always wore a suit and carried a handkerchief. I’d donned him Hanky at a young age, and the name had stuck, and now the whole family called him by the ridiculous name.
“What a nice surprise. I wasn’t expecting you today,” my mother said, pushing to her feet to give him a hug.
“I wanted to drop by and see how you were doing. I know we’ve got a tough week coming up. Always makes me feel better to check on you guys, make sure you’re okay. This saves me a trip. I was going to head to the city to see you this week,” he said, pulling me in for a hug.
“Thanks. I’m doing fine. We were just reminiscing about Dad,” I said.
“It never gets easier, does it?” he said.
“Time does heal our hearts, but it doesn’t make me miss him any less.” My mom pushed to her feet and walked over to the bar area to grab a wine glass for him.
He pulled up a chair and sat down at our table. “I miss him every single day.”
“I know you do, Hanky,” Mom said, taking the seat beside him and reaching for his hand.
“I heard you took my girl to dinner last night. She’s still as bossy as ever, I presume?” Hanky said with a chuckle.
“Yes. Chanel never changes. She insisted on stopping at the new bakery downstairs and buying some cookies before dinner. She ate all of them in the car on the drive to the restaurant and then wondered why she had no appetite.” I laughed.
“Sounds about right. I didn’t realize the coffee place closed?” he asked.
“Yeah. And Harrison and Jack ran some ridiculous contest to rent out the space and we went with the bakery. But she actually seems to be killing it and we partnered with her to help get her business off the ground. I’m surprised you haven’t seen it in the media. Jack and Harrison have promoted the shit out of it.” I rolled my eyes.
“Eh, I’ve been slacking lately. You know, retirement has a way of keeping you out of the loop.”
Mom chuckled and sipped her wine. “It’s well deserved. You’ve worked hard your entire life. Slowing down is good for the soul.”
Hanky was a bit older than my parents, and his son, Baron, had taken over his commercial real estate empire.
“Yeah, I think Marie is happy to have me home most of the time. But she was the one who encouraged me to come to the winery to see how you were doing, so I think she could use an occasional break from me.”
We all shared a laugh. Marie was a calm and sweet woman, and Hanky was full of life. He had a big personality and an even bigger heart. But I’d never want to cross him. He was famous for his shrewd business tactics, and my father always joked that he wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of Hanky’s anger. My father had always been the more even-keeled, down-to-earth one in the relationship. But they’d been friends since they were kids, and they’d remained thick as thieves until the day my father died.
“Well, you’ll have to try out these pastries. I’m hoping to place an order for the winery, so you can just stop by anytime your sweet tooth kicks in,” Mom said.
“That sounds good to me. So, Ford, you handling everything okay? You want me to come to the city and we can do dinner on Tuesday? I know it’s a tough day for you,” Hanky asked. The man was like a second father to me. He’d been the one I leaned on most after we lost Dad.
“Thanks, but I’m okay. I’ll be submerged in work and get through the day like I always do.”
I’d leave out the part about going to the hole in the wall bar and drinking myself sick, like I did every year. I purposely chose a bar that my brothers would never think to look for me. For some reason it was the way I’d handled it the last four years, and this year would be no different. It was my day to grieve, and the next day I’d be hungover as hell, and then I’d get back on track.
“All right, but you call me if you need me,” Hanky said.
“Will do.”
“You’ll be okay?” I asked my mother. She’d always been so stoic about it, but I knew it was a tough day for her.
“Oh yes. Harrison is going to take me to dinner.” My mother reached over again and grabbed my hand. Her eyes wet with emotion. “We’ll all get through it.”
“Absolutely,” I said, pushing to my feet. I didn’t want to think about this any longer. “I’m going to go find Jack. I’ll come say goodbye before I head back to the city.” I kissed Mom’s cheek.
“Sounds good, sweetie. Love you.”
“I’ll give you a call this week,” Hanky said, pushing to stand and pulling me in for a hug.
The winery sat on a striking property, spanning hundreds of
acres. The grounds were gorgeous, and people came for wine tours and hosted events here. There was an indoor/outdoor dining area, and a gift shop. I made my way inside the main lobby, as Jack’s office was just down the hallway.
“Ford?” The hair on the back of my neck stood on end when I heard her voice.
I turned to see Madison standing there, beaming at me as if we were old friends. Not ex-lovers who’d had a horrific breakup and ended on a bad note. It had been five years, so I was most definitely over it; however, I’d never cared to be around her again. And, considering the anniversary of my father’s death was approaching, it only agitated me more to see her today. Hell, she’d cost me my best friend and contributed to my father’s accident in a roundabout way. Was it a rational thought process? No. But I didn’t give a fuck. I despised her. And the few times I’d run into her had been awkward and uncomfortable.
“Hey,” I said, squaring my shoulders. “What are you doing here?”
“Did Jack not tell you? My baby sister is getting married. She wants to have the wedding here at the winery. So weird, right? All the times we’d talked about having our wedding here someday, and now she’s actually doing it.” Madison had long blonde hair that trailed down her back. She was tall and lean, fair skinned, and attractive by most standards. But she was a haughty bitch most of the time, and I honestly don’t know why for the life of me I’d stayed with her for as long as I had. Add in the fact that she’d fucked my best friend in the bed I shared with her—not so attractive.
“No, he didn’t mention it,” I said, unable to hide my irritation. Of course, he didn’t. Jack hated confrontation and I wouldn’t have liked this. I doubted my mother knew about it either, because she was not a fan of Madison Carlyle, and this would mean having her around more.
“Hey Ford,” Francesca said as she approached, and leaned in for a hug. I’d always liked Madison’s little sister. They were nothing alike. She was kind and caring and had actually reached out when my father passed away, unlike her older sister who’d wisely chosen to stay away. I’d have a hard time turning Francesca’s request to marry at the winery down. I’d just stay away for a while to avoid the awkward confrontations.