by C. R. Ellis
Hearing his words, having them sink in, finally caused my brain to stop working in overdrive. I nodded and felt my shoulders slacken after hauling in a deep breath.
“Right. Plenty of time,” I echoed on another nod. “But, uh, just out of curiosity, what’s the timeline here? When would this start?”
Emmett’s fingers looped into the oversized bow attached to the belt around my waist, drawing me closer and running his other hand along hem of my dress.
“Well, you could hand her off,” he suggested, leaning down and nodding at Caroline, “so we could go make our own.” His dimples were popping right off his cheeks, eyes lit up and full of mischief as his fingers pressed into the back of my thighs, pulling me into his body.
“You are crazy! I meant realistically. Like down the line, in the future.” My words gave the impression I wasn’t on board with his proposal, which was impressive, considering how my uterus just squealed in agreement. If that eager bitch had hands of her own, she would’ve shoved Emmett to the ground and stripped him down to nothing, ready to accept his proposal.
My tone must’ve betrayed me because Emmett’s body shook with a quiet chuckle. His grip remained steady on my leg, and his other hand scooped into the hair at the base of my skull, holding my neck and tilting my head up to meet his gaze. The humor and mischief were still there, glinting in his eyes, but so was something else—sincerity. “I’d knock you up today. That’s how serious I am about wanting this with you. I’d give you anything, Jade, and I wanna experience everything life has to offer, as long as you’re by my side. Babies, marriage, traveling the globe, everyday life…I’m all in, pretty girl. What about you? What’s your timeline?” he asked.
Emotion squeezed my vocal cords, momentarily preventing me from responding. Caroline wiggled in my arms where she was sandwiched between our bodies, looking up and pulling at the lace fabric lining the scoop neckline of my dress.
“I want you to myself for a year,” I confessed, shifting Caroline to my left arm so I could press my right hand to his chest. “I want it all with you, Boston. Endless adventures—whether we’re traveling or experiencing all of our firsts as a couple, or just lounging on the couch in our pajamas. And I want a family with you, so much. But I’m not ready to share you.”
“A year, huh?”
I nodded.
“Okay. One year. You and me for one year. Then we’re throwing away your birth control. Mark your calendar, baby.” He smirked, waggling his eyebrows and squeezing my hips. Baby. Hearing that word on his lips sent a tingle down my spine.
“Got it.” I nodded, a smile working its way across my lips.
“Know what this means?”
“We’ve only got a couple years of sanity left? I’m gonna have to get used to the idea of giving up wine at some point?”
“No.” He laughed. “It means I’ll be giving you my last name in the next twelve months.”
I blinked. Then blinked some more.
Ohmygod.
How is he real?
He can’t be. Not possible.
My mouth opened, though I had no idea what was going to come out, but my thoughts were interrupted before I could articulate a response.
“What’s not possible?” Hope asked, walking over and giving me a curious look.
“Huh?” I asked, finally emerging from my thoughts. Heat spread across my cheeks when I realized I’d spoken my thoughts out loud.
Emmett leaned against the wall, totally appreciating my complete embarrassment.
Hope grinned, likely realizing I’d just been drooling over her stupidly amazing brother. “Never mind. Do you mind keeping her a little longer while I finish getting dinner ready?” she asked, smiling at Caroline, but avoiding her outstretched arms.
“Not at all. Take your time. We can go stand on the deck and watch the water.”
Hope squeezed my arm and smiled. “You’re a life saver, Jade! Thank you.”
“Of course. I’ll never turn down holding this sweet baby,” I called over my shoulder as I walked quickly toward the sliding glass door leading to the covered deck area.
An hour later, we all sat down, drinks in hand, waiting for the burgers to finish grilling as Hope fed Caroline. I was glad to see Dean getting along well with Emmett and Colby. Their topics of conversation ranged from sports, to their respective jobs, to the differences in living on the west coast versus Austin versus Boston. When the subject of marriage and kids came up, I couldn’t help but laugh at Dean’s discomfort.
Dean always liked kids, but he looked desperate to escape this conversation. He’d broken up with Natasha before moving to Austin, and as far as I knew, had no intention of diving back into any kind of relationship, so kids weren’t even close to being on his radar.
Drinks flowed, burgers were consumed, and stories swapped about everything from the first time I kissed a boy and Dean almost punched him, to Emmett’s disastrous senior prom experience.
Tonight was just the distraction Emmett needed. I knew he was nervous about having to make a speech tomorrow night, but spending tonight under the stars, laughing and talking like we had nowhere else to be was good for him. I could tell by the way his smile lingered and the way those creases in his forehead, the ones he gets when he’s stressed, disappeared.
Later, with the man of my dreams next to me, whispering words full of love and the promise of a future filled with everything I could want from this life, I realized I’d never been happier.
Which meant things could only get better, right?
Wrong.
Chapter 25
Jade
For the first time in the history of owning Forget Me Knot, I resented my job. Which sucked, because stuff still had to get done. But all morning long, I felt my excitement for tonight growing.
In addition to launching Axtero as a J.S. Innovations subsidiary, Emmett was also going to introduce their first major philanthropy project, one that expanded upon an existing technology by Axtero and combined it with his own designs to create a power grid to store and transmit solar and wind power generated in remote areas. His plan was to develop the technology and work out the kinks here in the U.S., then expand into Africa and Asia. The project was near and dear to his heart, and hearing the excitement in his voice when he explained the concept to me made me even happier for him. Emmett’s passion and pride in his work was obvious.
It was a passion I usually felt about my own work. Today, however, the hours dragged by, and I couldn’t help but feel jittery and eager to finish up my last appointment, even if the meeting was with Nicole. Due to conflicts with our schedules because she insisted Trey finally join us, we hadn’t been able to visit the last venue until today.
After New York she stormed into the FMK office and apologized profusely for letting me out of her sight. I had to reassure her no fewer than ten times she was, in no way, responsible for what had happened.
I had just pulled out of the parking lot, ready to head to Hilltop Winery to meet them, when she called to let me know she was running late, but Trey would meet me there, and she’d be ten minutes behind him. I hadn’t met Trey yet, so I wasn’t sure how I’d recognize her elusive fiancé, but she said she’d shown him a picture of us together from the trip to New York, so he’d find me.
I turned up the radio, opened my sunroof to enjoy the fleeting feeling of tolerable temperatures, and allowed myself to daydream about Emmett and all the things we’d talked about in bed last night.
Kids. Marriage. Our own wedding. What kind of house we wanted. Which one of us would do the laundry. Negotiations about whose teams we would prioritize during football and basketball seasons. Where our first trip together would be. Basically any and everything that didn’t have to do with William or his upcoming speech.
Hilltop Winery was a stunning sight; the main office and adjoining tasting room were situated, just as the name suggested, atop a hill with 360-degree views of hill country and the vineyard down below.
My phone r
ang just as I reached for the heavy, wooden door to the tasting room. I turned away and swiped the screen to answer.
“Hey, Mom. I’m meeting a client so I can’t talk long. What’s up?”
“Just wanted to confirm the time for the car coming to pick up your father and me tonight.”
“Six o’clock.”
“All right. You’re riding there with Emmett’s sister and brother-in-law?”
“Uh huh, Hope and Colby. We’ll meet y’all there. The car should be stopping by my place to get Dean and Jasmine on the way to get you guys.”
“Do you know if your brother is bringing anyone?” she asked casually.
“Don’t know, Mom. You’d have to ask him.”
“How do you not know these things? He is living at your apartment. I still don’t understand why he chooses to sleep on a couch probably not even big enough for him, instead of the perfectly good guest bedroom we have.”
Because I spend most nights at Emmett’s, I didn’t tell her. Instead, because she wasn’t there to get offended, I rolled my eyes before letting them fall down to the vineyard below. “Mom, give it a break with the dating inquisition; he’s been here for two weeks! You know he’s staying with me because it’s way closer to work for him.”
Not a total lie, it just wasn’t the entire reason he chose to cram his huge body on to a pull-out couch. There just wasn’t a nice way to tell your mother you’d rather seek out a sketchy roommate on Craigslist than move back into your childhood bedroom at thirty.
I convinced him crashing on my couch was a reasonable compromise.
“It’s one thing to be a bachelor in your twenties. Past a certain age though…”
“Next I suppose you’re going to tell me my biological clock is going to start ticking soon, so I’d better settle down too.”
“Now that you mention it…you and Emmett are quite the pair. He is crazy about you, Jade, and I think you’re crazy about him too.”
Totally, madly, mental-institution crazy about him. “I am. I love him. And I know he feels the same way.”
Sniffles.
“Mom…”
“I’m just happy for you, Jade. It’s all I’ve ever wanted, to see you this happy with someone who makes your world go round.”
He tilts my world on its axis, makes it go round, and sets it on fire all at once.
“Thanks, Mom. I am this happy, and Emmett is absolutely the reason why. Look, I have to go, I’m going to be late to meet my client.”
“Okay. I’ll see you later. Love you.”
“Love you too.”
After my phone was carefully tucked away in the confines of my purse, I headed for the door leading from the patio to the tasting room. The patio was long and narrow, running the entire length of the tasting room, with a wall of glass separating the two.
A quick glance around told me a middle-aged woman behind the counter was the only other person inside. Light blonde hair brushed back and forth along her shoulders as she bobbed her head to the jazz music playing through speakers of a portable radio behind her. I slid the patio door closed and walked toward her side of the bar.
“You must be Ms. Preston,” she guessed, glancing up from the wine glass she was towel-drying. I nodded, and she stuck her hand out over the bar. “I’m Audrey. Welcome to Hilltop Winery.”
“Thanks. You have a beautiful vineyard. Has anyone else come in?”
Audrey shook her head. “Not yet. We don’t officially open for the public until four. You’re supposed to be meeting Nicole and Trey, right?”
I nodded and shook my wrist to adjust my watch. Three-oh-six. I tried to hold in the twinge of annoyance.
A sympathetic frown tugged the corners of Audrey’s lips down. “Can I get you something?”
“Water would be great, thanks.”
She reached into a built-in fridge underneath the bar and set a bottle in front of me before moving down to the far side of the bar, telling me to let her know if I needed anything.
A few minutes later the swift whoosh of a door rolling on its tracks behind me broke the silence and claimed my attention. I swiveled around on the barstool, expecting to finally come face-to-face with Nicole’s fiancé.
Instead, I was face-to-face with my former fiancé.
For the first time in over three years.
My jaw fell to the floor.
Time stood still in some kind of cruel cosmic conspiracy as Andrew ambled toward me, studying my reaction without speaking. His face hadn’t changed much—same stony gray eyes, same dark brown hair cut short and gelled into place—and the expression he wore looked a lot like the one I recalled from our last conversation. He should’ve been as shocked as I felt right now, but he was entirely too calm.
I used to wonder what I’d say to him if our paths ever crossed, but all of the responses I’d crafted disappeared from my brain completely.
“Jade,” he called, dropping his eyes to scan the length of my body before clearing his throat to continue. “You…you look great.”
The sliver of a crack in his voice was the only indication he was nervous.
But nervous wasn’t what he should’ve been right now. I stared blankly at him, still at a loss and completely confused about his presence. Audrey said their tastings didn’t start until four, so…what the hell?
Andrew stepped up to the bar and pulled out the stool to my left, preparing to casually plop down next to me. My back stiffened when his leg brushed mine as he lowered his body on to the stool and pulled in a breath before turning toward me.
“What are you doing? You can’t be here,” I blurted.
Audrey took a few steps toward us, setting the two wine bottles in her hands on the counter and slowly looking back and forth from Andrew to me. “Are you Trey?” she asked, eyeing Andrew with a fraction of the confusion I felt.
“Yes.”
“No.”
We both answered simultaneously.
I whipped my head around toward him and almost fell off the bar stool.
His attention shifted from Audrey to me, and for once, his furrowed brow and clenched jaw betrayed his unease. He sighed audibly and rubbed the back of his neck.
My eyes darted to Audrey, who was trying desperately to contain her shock.
“I’ll give you two a minute.” She turned and walked toward the office door at the far side of the bar.
“Jade,” Andrew said, drawing my attention back to him. I could barely hear his words over the rush of blood draining from my face and ringing in my ears.
“What the fuck, Andrew?”
“Jade, listen—”
“No,” I cut him off. “I’m actually meeting clients here, Andrew. Any minute. I don’t know what you’re doing here or if you’re trying to talk to me for whatever reason, but this isn’t a good time.”
He stood when I did, stepping in front of me so I couldn’t get around him. “Trey was the name I went by until high school. Nicole and I met in elementary school, and she’s pretty much the only person who still calls me Trey.”
“You are Nicole’s fiancé?” I asked, forcing my eyes to fix on his. When he nodded, pieces slowly clicked into place in my head.
Andrew Wyatt Johnson III.
The third. Trey.
Nicole told me she’d known Trey since childhood, their families had a history and were friends when she was young. They’d lost touch until about three and a half years ago when they ran into each other at a Cinco de Mayo party.
She’d said by the end of the party they had exchanged numbers and set up their first date for a week later.
Which meant…
Andrew was a goddamn liar.
He must’ve been able to tell something had clicked in my head because he took a step back, and his chest heaved as his hands worked the back of his neck again.
I forced my arms to fold over my chest, needing to keep my hands occupied and away from striking range of Andrew’s face.
His brows furrowed as a frown tug
ged the corners of his lips down. “Jade, I’m—”
My eyes widened. “I swear to God, Andrew, if you say the word sorry to me, I will not be held responsible for my actions. Don’t you dare,” I hissed. The resolve in my voice was absolute, but inside I felt a tsunami of unwelcome emotions tear through me, taking me back to the day he broke my heart. I hadn’t been that girl for a long time, and yet, those emotions seeped into my heart and head like an old, familiar blanket.
“It just happened. I never wanted to hurt you,” he explained, stepping toward me with his hands up. The venom in my eyes must’ve warned him against coming any closer.
A hollow, disbelieving laugh echoed through the distance between us. “It’s a little late for that, don’t you think?”
He shrugged, swallowing and scrubbing his hands over his face. When his hands fell I took a second to study his appearance. Somehow I hadn’t noticed his bloodshot eyes or how wrinkled his shirt was around the collar. Andrew’s typically clean-shaven jaw was covered in a layer of unkempt scruff.
“How long have you known I’m the one planning your wedding to the woman you were cheating on me with? God, Andrew, this is…I don’t even know what this is,” I spat, not even trying to hold back the anger burning through me. “Why am I the one planning your wedding?”
“I didn’t know at first, Jade, I swear,” he quickly asserted, taking two giant steps toward me and cutting the distance between us in half. “I was so busy with work I didn’t even have a second to think about the wedding until she told me she’d hired you. By then she’d already met you and told me how well y’all got along.”
“So, what exactly were you planning to do? Keep us both in the dark about this until the day of your wedding? Please, explain it to me, Andrew, because you must’ve thought this through.” I stood a little taller and straightened my shoulders, giving him all of my attention.